Heat seeped low, moisture slick between her thighs. Her back arched into the stone, pressing until the rough surface scratched through the weave of her tunic.
Fucking snake.Her head tipped back, eyes catching the spill of moonlight pooling over the jagged rise ahead, silver bleeding down the slope.
She was nearly there. Her mouth pulled into a smirk even as her heart drummed against her ribs. The moon was climbing fast, and he had yet to find her.
He’d beaten her the last two nights, hunting her trail as if every shift of air carried her scent, turning her own focus against her just long enough to close in and bring her down.
Not tonight.
Then—sensation slid along her neck, heat and chill tangled in one wicked stroke of a phantom tongue.
“Ahhh.” The sound slipped out before she could stop it, her skin shivering under the tease of touch.
Got you. His laughter rumbled close behind, the sound almost brushing her ear.
Aimee lunged sideways, twisting low before exploding into a sprint, gravel scattering in her wake. All pretense of stealth evaporated as she drove herself faster, heart thumping in rhythm with her feet.
The moon rose higher, throwing their shadows long across the stone as she dashed away from where she’d heard him last. Muscles burned, blood surged, and every stride left her wanting more.
Ahead, a dark gash split the earth nearly twenty feet across. The crevice yawned wide, black, and bottomless.
Aimee drove her legs harder, closing the last stretch, then hurled herself into the air. And for one suspended moment, her body sailed weightless over the void, arms spread wide as the world dropped away beneath her. Wind tossed her hair, stinging her cheeks, as she twisted mid-flight, glancing back.
Kazuma had leapt after her, his body cutting through the air, black hair streaming wild behind him. But he was too late. A feral smile carved across her lips as her body arched higher, cresting the peak of her leap just as the moon crested the ridge of the mountain.
She blinked—and as her body soared, her perspective tilted. Time almost seemed to slow as she felthisheart hammer and saw throughhiseyes.
“Kaz.” The breath escaped her lips at the vision.
She was burning against the night, red sleeves and trousers whipping around her, yellow hair flaring like fire, her form haloed in silver moonlight.
It was…she was the most beautiful thing inthe world. To him.
Then time jumped forward again, and he slammed into her midair, arms locking as he twisted. The ground hit an instant later. His back struck first, her body crushing down on his as air burst from his lungs beneath her.
Momentum dragged them across the stone, grit biting into her knees while dust clawed at her throat. His arm cinched her waist as they clipped hard against a jag of rock, knocking them sideways into a roll.
The world spun end over end, sending her stomach lurching as the arms around her locked in place. The solid wall of his chest pressed into her, driving his mouth to hers in a raw, devouring kiss. Tumbling, every turn crushed her closer, lips stinging, pulse ricocheting against the steady thud of his heart.
Slower. Slower. The roll bled off until the spin gave way to stillness. She struck earth one final time as his weight ground her down. Then, strong hands clasped around her wrists, pinning them wide on either side of her as dark strands of hair swayed over her face.
“Caught you.” His knee shoved between her thighs, prying them apart before a frown carved his face, dark eyes narrowing. “I’m starting to think you’re letting me win, pet.”
“No…” Her head swam, wrists straining as his hips tilted, forcing the thick ridge of him into her lower stomach.
Air punched ragged from her lungs, and her cunt clenched so hard it hurt as wet heat spread slick and fast.
“I’m starting to think you like getting caught.” He bore down.
“No…” Her body jerked up into him as he gave a single thrust, a crude grind of his cock against her belly.
“You caught me,” she panted. And, with a wrench of effort, she tore one hand free, clamping his chin in her palm and forcing his face toward the sky. “But not in time.”
He looked up to the sky, and she felt his body freeze. The moon hung high above them now, pale and full. The frown that broke over his face deepened as he pushed back, easing off her hips, settling upright on his heels.
When his eyes returned to hers, the pout was gone. His lips turned up instead, tongue flicking out to curl around the wrist holding his face. The wet stroke circled her skin, jolting a fresh pulse of heat pounding in her core before he released her back into the cool air.
“Very well.” His voice was a rumble as he took her hand in his, pulling it from his face and guiding it down to his chest. “Tonight’s victory is yours.” The hand kept moving, lower, until she found the hard length straining in his pants, his fingers folding hers snug around the member. “What would you have of me?”
