Soulless (Maiden of Time Book 2) Read Free Page A

shook his head. “I will meet you outside.”
    She growled, stormed forward, and brushed past him with a snort. He listened as her near-silent footsteps distanced, gradually fading to nothing.
    Kiren turned to his beloved. She blinked up at him from the floor, starlight streaking her raven curls and illuminating the pale cotton of her nightgown. His own angel.
    Her gaze traveled up his body to meet his.
    Kiren’s breath caught.
    The thriving green of her stare carried him to the heart of a youthful jungle, entwining his limbs with thick vines, trapping him in the heart of need. Her pink lips pressed together, and he wanted nothing but to possess them.
    Alexia pushed off the floor, slipped on the hem of her nightgown, and flailed forward.
    He caught her, startled by how sheer the fabric was between his fingers and her warm skin. He set her on her feet, curling an arm about her back, unwilling to let her go and lose the sudden electricity tingling through him. She set him on fire, every nerve, every heartbeat. He inhaled her ambrosia scent and trailed his fingers down her blushing cheek, aching to satisfy this craving for her, to kiss away all sense and reason, to tear down the few barriers that stood between their complete union.
    She met his gaze.
    “Hello,” he whispered and kissed her cheek, tasting the amber-pomegranate of her skin. Only a month ago he thought he’d lost her, again, and during these three days apart, every second had been torture.
    She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her.
    “Slow down, love.” Curling his fingers around her waist, he pushed her away. She held tighter, and he smirked.
    Alexia lifted her stubborn chin. “Where have you been? Why have you not sent word?”
    He froze, unwilling to lie to her yet afraid to overwhelm her with rumors of a rising threat, one he’d been unable to verify. She still knew so little of their world.
    Her fingers squeezed at the back of his neck, head tilting. “What has happened?”
    He glanced away, certain she could see the answer in his eyes: Trouble. Pulling her hand from around his neck, he kissed her fingers. “I do not like being away from you.”
    Her brows pleated. “I do not like you being away from me either.” Her grip over his shoulder tightened, dragging his attention back to her pale lips and begging eyes. She pushed up on the balls of her feet, stretching for his touch.
    Kiren leaned down, aimed toward her waiting lips, unable to resist a moment longer. But if he lingered too long... He caught both her arms firmly, halting her where her ragged breath teased his aching mouth. “We need to go.”
    “No.” She shook her head and winced.
    “You are hurt.”
    “Not as badly as you will be if you continue to deny me.”
    He chuckled. “One kiss.” Lifting her jaw, he guided her to him and captured her mouth, savoring the warmth, the calm glow that accompanied her touch—like a welcoming fire after weeks of blinding white blizzard.
    Kiren pulled back. She threw her arms around his neck with force, dragging him down to her. He toppled forward.
    She giggled against his lips. He chuckled with her, holding her safely against him as he slammed into the mattress with one hand. He lowered her safely to the surface. Her passion cut through him like a torch to snow, melting away all resistance. His entire body heated, charged. Primal need surged through his veins. He gripped the sides of the bed, fighting to hold himself in check.
    She grabbed his waistcoat and yanked him toward her. Barriers tumbled, like a crumbling wall. White burst behind his eyes, the space opening up between them, their shared mental space, the place of merging and her recent dream...
     
    A dark form huddled on the other side of her locked door. The knob turned.
    Alexia pushed up in her bed, heart pounding.
    The door flew open. A black shape leapt through the shadows. She twisted to escape.
    Fingers crushed down on the back of her skull. She couldn’t