Fire Stones (The Fire Wars #2) Read Free

onto the soft, sweet grass in a heap, Chance's strong, muscular body on top of mine. I couldn't help but laugh. How extraordinary it was, I thought, to be on safe ground – safe, sound, earth; I laughed with relief. Chance's laugh echoed my own, and on his face I could see pure joy.
                Would I ever have expected this, I wondered? After all, only a few weeks ago, I thought the glowering, brooding Chance was an arrogant pillock, thinking himself too good to lower himself to smile at a friend or lover. He had never smiled, then – only smirked in that cocksure way of his. But now on Chance's face I could see pure, unrestrained happiness, a sincere smile that, I knew, represented the purest part of ecstasy.
                His face grew more serious, but the look of joy on his face remained. “I can't tell you how happy I am, my goddess,” he whispered, holding me tight. “To have you back in my arms at last.” He pulled me into him, his hand behind my neck. He lifted my head towards his, our lips meeting in a passionate kiss. At the touch of his lips I felt a new wave of fire coursing through me, a desire so strong that I felt as if I were shaking. I kissed him back, violently, my arms twining around the back of his neck. His hands were on the buttons of my shirt; I was fumbling with his clothing, my body and soul both frenzied with the desire to feel his naked chest against my hands.
                And then I realized that I was soaked.
                Chance and I looked up and laughed. It had started pouring rain – claps of thunder sounded out from the heights of the sky. The beautiful sunny day we had been experiencing only moments before had vanished; the sky was dark-black with clouds, the rain pouring forth in torrents.
                “We didn't even notice!” Chance laughed, pulling me to my feet. “Come on, I know a place.” He grabbed my hand and ran with me across the side of the cliff, both of us breathless with exhaustion and desire. We stopped, panting, at the mouth of a cave; Chance pulled me inside, pressing me up against its stone walls, kissing me again – even more passionately this time. He encircled my waist with his arms, and I could feel his fingers adapt to the contours of my skin. He brought me in for another kiss, and then another, each kiss more joyous, more ecstatic than the last.
                I had always wanted it to be like this. From the first time I had met Chance Cutter, I had wanted this. I might have pretended otherwise – pretended to dislike him, even to despise him – but deep down, I knew, I had wanted nothing more than to feel his hot lips on mine, feel his hands fumbling expertly with the folds of my skirt. He had been afraid – I knew that. Afraid to hurt me as he had hurt Jana. He had held back. But I had convinced him – I had set us both free, free to fall in love at last. Until we couldn't help it any longer. We had no choice but to give in to our desires.
                But something stopped me from going further. Something from my dream. That love I'd experienced in my vision – Mars and Vesta united on their thrones. Was that dream meant for me? I knew Chance was Mars – that much was clear. But did Chance love me the way Mars loved Vesta? Or was there someone else out there, some other girl, who represented his true destiny. How could I risk loving him, knowing that there was a chance that some other girl was meant to be his Queen?
                I stopped suddenly, gazing into his glimmering blue eyes. “Why does it hurt?” I whispered. “When we're so close – why does it hurt to be together?”
                Chance furrowed his brow. “Does it hurt?” he asked, his fingers stroking my neck gently. “For you to be with me?”
                I nodded silently. “Yes,” I said at last, looking down. “I'm afraid. I want so much to be with you – to