INTIMATE

“Maya! Are you okay?” Kael’s voice was low but frantic as he scanned the room and then darted to the window.

Rowan followed, his eyes narrowing as he crouched to examine the wooden frame. “There’s something here.” He traced a jagged symbol carved deep into the glass’s wooden casing, dark and ancient-looking.

I pressed my hands against my chest, trying to steady the frantic pulse beneath my skin. The mark on my wrist throbbed violently, glowing faintly as if reacting to the sigil.

“This shouldn’t be possible… not here,” Kael muttered, his jaw clenched tight. “Silver Claw’s magic—our wards—they’re meant to keep this kind of dark magic out.”

I swallowed hard, my voice shaky but urgent. “What’s happening? Why did I see that reflection? It spoke to me, Kael. It said things… terrible things.”

Kael’s eyes darkened. “Someone is trying to break through the barriers. This sigil… it’s a breach, a foothold for the curse to return.”

Kael looks at Rowan, the look in his eyes was similar to fear.

“Is there something you're not telling me about this?. What is that look you're giving him?”

Rowan turned to me. “This had happened before, with Andrea, we thought it was a coincidence. Seeing it happen again now we know someone on the inside is doing this”.

“What happened? The shadow? Y'all had better start talking and explaining this whole situation to me right now” I demanded, still thinking about what gave me the guts to do that.

Rowan took a deep breath and started “When Andrea started getting worse we brought her here too. This place and Kael's mansion are the only places where dark magic can't penetrate. The barriers of silver claw are able to hold off dark magic too but not as strong as here”.

“So you mean now someone in here is trying to release the curse inside of me. And they did the same thing too with Andrea?”

“Yes, exactly,”Kael replied. “And it could possibly be the same person who put the spell on her initially.”

My heart must have skipped a bit cause I couldn't hear it anymore. So someone was now after me for some reason I have no clue about.

Rowan’s gaze met mine, heavy with worry. “It’s more than that. The curse—this bond tethering your soul—it’s awakening, pulling you deeper into the darkness.”

I felt my throat tighten. “You mean the curse is getting stronger?”

Kael stepped closer, his voice low and intense. “Yes. And if we don’t stop it, you won’t just be lost—you’ll become a weapon against us all.”

The room seemed to close in, the weight of those words sinking deep into my bones. “Why didn’t you tell me all of this before?”

His eyes flickered with something raw and vulnerable. “I was afraid. Afraid of losing you… afraid of what you might become.”

Rowan moved toward the door, his tone clipped. “I’ll strengthen the wards again. This won’t hold for long.”

Kael stayed behind, his gaze fixed on me. The tension between us crackled like electricity. He took a step closer, and my breath caught in my throat.

“You don’t trust me,” he said softly, almost a whisper.

I shook my head. “I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

He reached out, his fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. “You’re mine. No matter what the curse does, that bond won’t break.”

His nearness set something on fire inside me, a desperate hunger mingled with fear and confusion. My pulse quickened.

“I hate how you make me feel,” he whispered, voice rough with emotion. “Like you’re the only thing keeping me from falling apart.”

My heart hammered as his hand slid down my neck, fingers tracing the line of my jaw. Our eyes locked, breaths mingling. Then, before I could pull away, his lips crashed against mine—fierce, demanding, raw.

The kiss broke down the walls I’d built, leaving me trembling. His hands roamed over me, rough and gentle all at once. I gasped as his mouth moved to my neck, sucking bruises into my skin.

“Tell me you want this,” he growled against my pulse.

“I want you,” I whispered, voice breaking.

He lifted me effortlessly and carried me to the bed, laying me down with reverence and urgency. His hands explored every inch of my skin, fingers teasing and tracing, driving me wild.

He slipped his hand beneath my shirt, fingertips finding the sensitive curves of my breasts. I shivered as he cupped and squeezed, lips trailing back to my mouth.

“Say my name,” he demanded softly.

“Kael,” I breathed, arching into his touch.

His fingers dipped lower, slipping beneath my panties, exploring with gentle pressure. I moaned, every nerve alight.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, voice husky.

“Yes,” I whispered, though my heart pounded with uncertainty.

He stopped mid way, staring into my eyes like he never did before. He raised up my hands and took off my shirt. Taking his off too, I unbuttoned my trousers trying to take it off. He helped me and in a matter of seconds we were both bare baked.

I didn't even seem to have a worry in the world. What if someone walked in, the curse, why my life was crashing down. I didn't care about all these at that moment, he was what was on my mind. Just him, kael.

He kissed me again, deep and slow, then with a shuddering sigh, he positioned himself and slid inside me.

The rush of heat and fullness was overwhelming. He moved with slow, measured strokes at first, then harder and faster, matching the fire burning between us.

My hands tangled in his hair as waves of pleasure rolled through me. He whispered my name again and again, grounding me even as the world blurred.

His mouth found my breast, sucking and biting, and I cried out, lost in the storm of sensation.

He gripped my neck firmly, his touch possessive but not cruel, urging me to surrender to the moment.

Every thrust drew us closer, the tension breaking in waves of release. When he finally came, he groaned my name and collapsed beside me, breath ragged.

I lay trembling, heart pounding as he pulled away, face tight with something I couldn’t read.

“This was a mistake,” he whispered, voice rough. He stood up, picked up his clothes, sliding them on in a rush and walking out the door. As I lay there the most confused I've been. What the hell just happened?