“Dayn.”
“Esme?” Dayn's voice comes through the door, rough with emotion.
“Found you.” The words escape me in a breathless rush.
“I was going to findyou.” His voice drops to a possessive growl that makes my skin flush hot. “Like last time.” The blood bond between us pulses like a live wire, electricity dancing beneath my skin, pooling low in my belly. My breath catches as his presence floods my senses—something dangerously wild.Is this just the blood bond affecting me or is it… something else now?I still feel the press of his ring against my finger, the metal lingering like a brand, a physical memory that makes my breath catch and sends a flush crawling up my neck. My skin burns with phantom touches, his fingers tracing fire across my collarbone, down my torso, along the sensitive curve where my waist meets my hip… His mouth on my neck…
Gods, what is wrong with me?
I inhale, fighting to steady my voice. “Yeah, well, figured you earned the surprise this time.”
“You need to leave,” he says, but his tone betrays him, command layered over desperation.
“Are youserious?”My fingers press harder against the door.
“What's the plan?” Brynn asks behind me.
“Who is that with you?” Dayn's voice drops an octave, still possessive and sharp.
A smile tugs at my lips. “Just my sister and her boyfriend.”
“Chad and I arenot—” Brynn's voice slices through the gloom.
Chad clears his throat. “I confirm, our relationship is strictly professional?—”
“Your sister is here?” Dayn's voice cuts through the door.
“Long story.” I run my fingers along the edge of the doorframe, tracing the glowing symbols. “Containment wards. You've got matching ones on your side?”
“Identical,” Dayn replies. “We need synchronized disruption… Do you see the triangular flame sigil above the frame?”
I spot it after a moment, etched deep into the stone. “Got it, Professor.”
I hear his voice catch. Then: “On three. One...”
Shadow energy pools in my palm, coalescing into a thin, razor-sharp blade between my fingers.
“Two, three, now.”
I drive the shadow-blade into the rune with every particle of me. The stone resists, then gives. The sigil flares brilliant orange—like a miniature supernova—before dying in a cascade of hissing sparks that rain down my arm, burning pinpricks against my skin that I barely notice through the rush of power surging through my veins.Here’s to you, Dayn.
“Next is the circled arrow,” he instructs.
We work through three more runes in sequence, each one failing with a shower of dying sparks.
“Your shadow manipulation has improved,” Dayn observes through the door, his voice carrying that professor tone that suddenly makes my stomach flip.He’s doing it on purpose.“Though your technique could use refinement.”
“Save the lecture for office hours, Professor,” I mutter.
Finally, I kneel at the lock, manipulating my shadow-blade inside the mechanism.
“Listen for the pins,” he instructs.
I bite back a smile. “I know how to pick a lock.” The mechanism surrenders with a satisfying click. “A-minus, at least,” I murmur.
“I’d give you an A-plus.”
The tunnel echoes with approaching footsteps. “Over there!” A voice ricochets off stone walls. “Halt!” That was to be expected.
