The deep rumble in his voice halted my feet. Was it embarrassing that I was practically salivating over his voice? Or was it because I knew exactly what that mouth could do? Or was it just the sight of him in his black leather jacket and dark blue jeans with the combat boots? Or the fact that his hair was more messy than usual because of the wind and it had been a few days since he shaved?
All of it. He was fucking perfect.
“It’s not a very fun game if you can catch me so easily.”
Fucking fuck, that devilish smirk. He was going to eat me alive.
“I haven’t caught you yet, have I?”
I spun on my heels, racing farther into the forest. His laugh echoed around me. Why was I running again? Why was I not just letting him catch me?
Because he hadn’t even touched me yet and I was already drenched.
Best. Foreplay. Ever. Thank you very much.
He appeared out of his shadows a few metres ahead; I changed course, heading to my right. I ran a bit more, catching a glimpse of his Cheshire grin out of the corner of my right eye. I used the tree to my left to change directions without losing my momentum.
For a minute all I could hear was my breathing, all I could feel was my heartbeat. And then I skidded to a halt as darkness surrounded me. It snuffed out every one of my senses except for one.
Smell.
I was overwhelmed by the scent of ice and whisky and cinnamon. I knew he was close. But where? I was halfway terrified, halfway more excited than I’d ever been in my life. Total darkness. He created total darkness.
He was the most powerful, most dangerous supervillain.
Ever.
And he picked me.
He wasmine.
“Are you done running, Nightshade?”
His voice was in my ear buthewas nowhere to be found. Not a hint of his body near mine. But it kicked my hearing back into gear. The sound of my breathing was almost deafening against the extreme silence.
“Me and running barely get along, I don’t think adding total darkness will make it better.”
“You give up so easy.” His chuckle echoed around me. “Where’s the fun in that?”
I took two steps forward and hit something, hard. Not him. A tree. I sighed, rubbing my cheek as his chuckle turned to a laugh.
“This is what happens when I walk in the dark. Yes. I give up.”
“Pity.”
The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, his hand on the back of my neck, my cheek pressed into the snow as he held me down. He must have brought it all back so I wouldn’t be face-first in the mud—how thoughtful.
It was wet snow, the prefect kind for making forts and snowballs. When he threw me into it, it packed down, creating a soft blanket. It was cold, but I barely registered it with the heat radiating off him.
“You remember your word?” he whispered in my ear.
I nodded.
“Say it.”
“Ashes.”
“Good, because it’s the only thing that will stop me now.” His voice was hoarse, ragged, so full of lust. “You can scream and cry and beg all you want. But you’re going to fucking take it until I’m done with you.”
