Claimed Again

The bond had been bad before, but now it was unbearable. My skin was already flushed from their earlier touches, the taste of Riven’s kiss still lingering on my lips, the heat of Kael’s mouth still on my neck.

I should have run when I had the chance, but my legs didn’t want to move, and the pull between us had grown too strong to ignore.

Kael’s hand was at the small of my back, his palm warm and steady as he guided me toward the heavy wooden door at the far end of the corridor.

The scent of pine and rain filled my lungs with every breath, steadying and unsteadying me all at once.

Riven followed close enough that his chest brushed my shoulder when we stopped. His scent, smoke, leather, and something darker, wrapped around me from behind, seeping into my bones.

Kael opened the door without looking away from me, his gaze holding mine as if daring me to turn back.

The room beyond was dim, lit only by the pale light spilling through a single narrow window. It was warm inside, the air t