Page 67 of Facade

Somehow, I knew that if I really wanted to, I could roll us. Gain the upper hand. To do what exactly? I still couldn’t kill him. Not with my markings—too risky. But I also knew I wouldn’t anyway.

“If you want to slice my throat and try your chances out here, be my guest.” He leaned into the blade, a drop of blood sliding down his throat. The dagger shook as my arm trembled, grip loosening.

“What do you want from me, Aiden?” I pleaded, my voice hoarse.

“I want you.”

Neither of us moved. Neither of us breathed as he searched my eyes. Such a small moment—a fork in the road that’ll determine our path. If I crossed this line, there may be no turning back. I couldn’t let myself do this—he worked for my oppressors. But something was different about him. Unanswered questions flickered through my mind—and melted away beneath my burning desire for him.

I let my hand fall away. The blade fell to the sand—with my restraint.

His mouth crashed against mine. The taste of him overwhelmed me as his tongue claimed me. Smoky—like a warm fire on a cold night.

My fingers tangled in his thick, dark hair as he threaded his through mine, squeezing a fistful, pulling me to him. I arched into his touch, gasping as he kneaded my breast, his grip firm. Possessive.

His arousal pressed into me as my legs fell wider, hatred burning over every inch of fabric that separated us. As I rocked my hips, the friction elicited a groan from deep in my throat. He growled in satisfaction, the sound sending excited shocks through my body and straight to my core as he rolled us over. My legs straddled either side of him, allowing me to feel more of him. Sand fell from my hair like snow around us. White snow…. no. I won’t think of that stranger.

My hooded gaze held his as I worked the buttons to my tunic. My fingers fumbled. He took over and ripped the fabric off, tossing it aside. He sat up, kissing me once more as he reached behind and made quick work of unlacing my corset until it fell away, baring me to him. The freezing air hit like an assault to my overheated flesh, skin pebbling instantly.

I reached for him, but he grabbed my wrists with a wicked smile and pulled me down, kissing me once more, before pulling me up further and taking my breast in his mouth.

I cried out, rivaling the sound of the crashing waves beside us as he flicked his tongue over my hardened peak and grazed his fangs over the sensitive flesh, his grip tight, keeping me from raking my nails down his arms,

“That sound will be my downfall,” he groaned, pressing harder against me as he matched my rhythm, moving his hips to meet mine. Teasing my core with what would soon be inside—

A deep voice cleared behind us.

The fire burning within me froze over as fast as if Blanche had thrown one of her icy buckets of water all over me.

I turned abruptly to meet Malachai’s glowing, golden stare.

Simmering was an understatement. His jaw was tight, arms folded. For once, he fixed his glare on Aiden, avoiding me entirely.

Aiden snarled at him, an animalistic sound. I scurried off of him, snatching my ripped top, wrapping what I could around myself, painfully aware of the cold.

“What are you doing here?” Aiden demanded as he stood too—wait, where was his shirt? Why hadn’t he had one on when he came down here? My gaze ventured further down. And his boots… What the hell?

That would be another added mystery for later as Malachai’s scowl landed on me. I hid behind Aiden, squeezing my top tighter, replaying what almost happened. What I was about to do. With him. My gut wrenched as the adrenaline dissipated, leaving a shiver in its wake.

Malachai kept his distance. “You ordered me to check ahead. I did. Two skurs, which I dispatched,” he responded calmly, yet his words were edged with anger. I couldn’t look at him. Mortification would become my permanent middle name at this point. Of course, he'd be angry. He found his captain in a compromising position with a human slave. He probably thought I’d been seducing my way to freedom. If only.

Aiden huffed a breath, raking a hand through his hair before facing me, his cheek twitching slightly as he seemed to force the corners of his mouth up.

“I’m sorry. I never should have—We need to get back.”

I nodded, not meeting his eye. Dread settled heavily in my gut. For starters, that had been my chance at escape. I’d not only ruined it, but now I’ve complicated things further with both males. Shit, shit, shit.

The climb back up the cliff took forever and was harder than coming down.

Malachai had found a cave further north that shielded us from the impending storm. It was a silent trek all the way there.

We had a clear view of the treacherous cliffs ahead the next morning once the sun was out. The narrow path before us was lined with a solid wall of rock and dirt on the right side, and a straight drop-off into nothing but ocean on the left. Not to mention the possibility of impalement on one of the many sharp rocks jutting out from beneath the water. I could only hope the sun had melted some of the ice and snow because there would be no surviving a fall like that.

My eyes had been shut for the past hour.

Since we started our journey through the cliffs early this morning, I haven’t been able to look once. Every time Shadow’s hoof slipped, I dug my nails into Aiden’s arm. He held me tight and barely spoke to me as he focused on our path and slowly guided both Shadow and Luna. I couldn’t even overthink our proximity after what happened last night from the sheer terror that clutched me as tight as I did him.

“Shit.” Malachai’s voice bounced off the cliffside toward us. My eyes shot open, and I instantly regretted it, seeing the long drop to the angry waves. Nausea churned.