Page 77 of The Edge of Darkness

His lips hovered over mine, dripping water onto my tongue.

My chest rose and fell, touching the bare skin of his with each breath.

He started to say something, but with a thought, I peeled the shadows back from my hand and sent out a beam of light the second I was free. It shoved him back several feet, but he ported behind me in an instant, pinning my arms to my sides with his own this time. He pressed himself up against my backside, and I felt every inch of his hard body through my soaking wet clothes.

“Yield,” he whispered into my ear.

“No, I don’t think I will.”

I willed the dagger—which sat only a few feet away, on my pack—to my free hand. The moment the hilt met my palm, I flipped it backward, but he’d anticipated the move—the same one I’d pulled on him in Vahrenhall. My wrist was caught in his grasp before I could aim the point of the blade at his inner thigh.

I felt a smile spread across his face. “Tried that one already.” A shadow snatched the blade from my hand and flung it across the wet pavement for good measure.

He released me, and I turned and stared at him—at the challenge still burning in his glowing eyes. Then, I took a few steps back, raising a brow. “You know I can still command that dagger.”

His lips parted, and the tip of his tongue flicked over the corner of his mouth. I almost didn’t hear him speak as I watched the movement. “Will you?” he asked.

“Are you asking me to?”

His eyes darkened with playful mischief. “I’m daring you to.”

The rain pelted us as we stared at each other, waiting for a move to be made. Then, his voice caressed my mind, melting my resolve. If you succeed in drawing blood from me, I’ll give you anything you want.

And if I fail? I asked.

Then I get to take what I want, right here, right now. His eyes slid down my body and back up, meeting mine again with a newly-kindled flame inside them.

A swirl of desire coiled low within me, and I shivered, my skin pebbling under my wet clothes.

No shields? I asked.

No shields, he confirmed, tossing me a smile.

Sounds like a win for me either way, I said.

Without hesitating, I summoned the dagger, sending it through the air from where it lay, aiming it right for Niall’s chiseled abdominal muscles that kept taunting me with each of his breaths. A shadow swatted the weapon away like it was nothing, but I didn’t fret. I had already roused my sword from where it lay forgotten about. It flew into my hand, and I lunged.

Niall turned just in time to parry his blade against mine, but unbeknownst to him, the dagger he’d deflected was soaring back at him from behind, on my silent command. By the time he realized it, he was dodging too late, and the edge sliced his exposed flank as it flew by, embedding itself in a tree trunk on the other side of the ruins.

He hissed, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he lowered his sword. The slight bead of blood along his ribs washed away with the rain, and the shallow gash healed in a blink.

When he angled his head back to me, something in his eyes flickered. A hint of something dark flashed there, but was instantly swept away by desire. He tossed his sword to the side and reached for me, grasping the lapels of my shirt and ripping them apart, exposing my chest.

I gasped, not expecting the movement, but I held his stare.

His lips parted as his gaze dropped to my mouth.

And then, we ignited.

He moved, one hand grabbing my waist, the other wrapping around the back of my neck as he pulled me into him, crushing his lips to mine. My sword clattered to the ground, and my hands dove into his wet hair. He deepened the kiss, and his tongue swept in, tasting me with long, needy strokes.

Lightning flashed, and the rain came down harder as his hands tore at what remained of my shirt. At the same time, his shadows reached out, tugging on the leggings I was wearing, as I frantically toed off my boots.

I stepped out of my pants and reached out to unclasp his. He broke the kiss to peel the wet fabric down his legs, letting out a growl, as if the momentary separation of our bodies was a major inconvenience. His passion-heated gaze was hot enough to burn a hole through me as he pulled each pant leg off.

When he stood again, freed of all his clothes, I followed a drop of rain down his chest, past the deep indentations at the edge of his hips, to his thickened length, erect and ready.

Then, he was upon me once more, taking me down to the pavement, grinning against my lips as he kissed me.