I puzzled on that question the rest of the way to Kirkin. “What are you looking at?” He asked. “I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with you.” “I told you. You’re damaging me.” “This is not my fault!” He looked at me unblinkingly. His green eyes suddenly very dark. “I don’t know how you’re doing it.” He said as if dismissing all my objections. “I’m not!” “It depends very much on what you really are.” “I’m not anything!” Just the girl you’re torturing. “You are something...” His eyes narrowed on me. “I wish you could tell me what. I’d dearly like to know.” So, would I! “Is this because of the Twinkets?” “Perhaps it’s something to do with them. But it is more a case of the chicken or the egg.” “What?” “Are you powerful and destructive because the Twinkets are with you? Or are they with you because of that vast power.” “I have no po

The world around us seemed to be slowing. The candlelight from two stands near the bed caused a dim, dancing glow along the walls. Shivering as they lowered and lifted in some freak wind. Mathis was kissing me again. His lips moving against mine and then dropping along the sides of my jaw and down my throat. His nimble hands had released mine behind my buttocks, to work the fine bindings in the back of the dress. Expertly fleeing them as he reached the top and slid the shoulders open. Gliding them down over my biceps and letting the top of the dress fall until it was only the crested peaks of my small breasts that caught the fabric. He reached around the front to give the firmer corset a light tug which had the fabric dropping to pool around my waist. “Look at you...” He remarked. “Like the sweetest offering.” For one harsh moment I thought about snapping I was no offering. But I remembered that as Matthew, he’d yet to be cruel to me. But nake

I watched his face. Seeing the raw expression tearing over it as I worked his length in my hands. Feeling him growing even more rigid, though I’d not have guessed he could a minute ago. Staring at his face I considered every moment that had gone between us. Every second from the time he’d risen, steaming from the boiling pond in Warlock Wood and walked toward me. Dark hair slicked back from his face and wrath written over his handsome features to this moment. Him coaxing me. Whispering in my ear, whispering along my forehead. Then every dark terrifying moment in-between and the blinding pain that came when he connected with me. “Are you going to hurt me, Mathis?” I blurted. Making all those haunting visions come to a stop. He tilted his head to look at me. “Give me what I want, Saria? Let me share the parts of you that will give me life.” I anxiously chewed my lip. He’s not reassuring me. “It doesn’t have to hurt, if you

I don’t know why but those words struck fear through every part of me. “Mathis...” “It’s too late, Saria. I have you where I want you. I’m not letting you go until I’m well and done with you tonight.” He kissed me. Drawing his lips through my hair to kiss along my collar. Lifting one of my hands to kiss along my bare knuckles and slowly up my forearm and the inside of my bicep before dropping kisses to the top of my shoulder and down over my breasts. Working his way down the frame of my body. His hands flexed and caressing over me. Following the lines of my legs and hips. Lifting one knee so he could look in my eyes as he dropped kisses over it. Kissing along the inside of one leg, nearly up to where my folds just brushed. I drew a hushed breath. My body already quivering with anticipation. But he only brushed along them in passing, making me shudder before giving the inside of my other leg the same attention. Bracing it out before him to caress the i

I looked from Mathis to them. Seeing their inquisitive expressions and the confusion on their faces. Suddenly it dawned on me. He forgot to mask himself to their eyes. I straightened my shoulders and quickly came up with an explanation. “My friend. He’s my friend.” I said quickly. “He asked to see the Magistrate...I’m showing him.” I pointed up the hill, floundering. Lola looked at us askance. “And just why would you be going to see the Magistrate at this hour with a young man?” “To be wed, of course.” Mathis said coolly enough her face showed utter shock. She’d clearly been challenging us to see if it was such a thing but to have him blatantly admit it stunned her to silence. I gave him a shocked look. But he was already walking past them as if they were no longer relevant. “Why would you say that?” I cried. Trying to jerk my hand from his reach. Instead he clenched his arm closer to hi