Page 135 of You’re So Vein

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.” His hand grips my shoulder, but I barely feel his touch. It’s like he’s reaching for me underwater. “It’s dark outside.”

“Very astute.” My knuckles ache from gripping the edge of the seat so hard. Familiar terror creeps over my skin, as if the darkness is alive, and it’s consuming me from the edges. I flash between the here and now, and a time five years ago when I felt so certain I was going to die in the dark, alone, without a single light to guide me onwards.

“Komal, look at me.”

I tear my eyes from the storm outside. Lightning illuminates Augustin’s severe features. He holds up his hand, and a tendril unfurls from his cuff before we’re plunged into darkness again. But I hear them growing, feel vines sliding over my skin, listen to the leather seats crackling as they’re encircled by Augustin’s magic.

What’s he doing—

With a flicker, all around me is illuminated. Augustin’s vines have spread throughout the cabin, unfurling over the glass windows and curling around the seats. And instead of opening into flowers, at the end of each tendril is a tiny, flickering blossom of flame.

“Cool trick, but fire inside a helicopter is dangerous.”

“It’s not real fire.” Augustin demonstrates by holding his hand in one of the hovering light blossoms. The flame swirls around his knuckles, gold and soft, like it’s a cat curling around him in greeting. His skin doesn’t burn or smoke.

With a trembling hand, I touch a blossom. All I feel is a gentle warmth, like dipping my fingers into sun-heated water.

“Thank you,” I whisper, as the vice around my heart loosens.

“You have nothing to thank me for,” he says. “I’m in awe of you. Despite your fear, you flew through the dark to find Hannah. To find me.”

“It was strange. When I was flying, I didn’t think about the dark at all. I just knew I needed to get everyone to safety. And when I came back, I—” I shrug. “I was so afraid the husker had got you, or that you’d blown away like a dramatic goth kite.”

His mouth twitches. “A goth kite.”

“You know, all flappy coat, tragic hair, howling in the storm—”

“You are an absurd woman. I do not howl.”

A faint tremor runs through the helicopter as the wind punches it. The shadows ripple. The light blossoms brighten, as if sensing my spike of fear.

“It’s strange how through all of this, I’m still horny.” I grin at him, trying to calm myself with humour. “The human spirit is a remarkable thing.”

Augustin’s hands find my jaw, turning my head towards his. His forehead tips towards mine. “You’re safe,” he murmurs.

And then his lips are on mine, and even though he’s a vampire, he’s the warmest thing in this helicopter.

His kiss is steady and sure, like he’s offering me a lifeline to hold onto. As the fear loosens further and I respond, he deepens it slowly, easing me out of the dark. He’s so gentle and careful, but my tongue brushes his fang, and he lets out a low, possessive growl that I feel between my thighs, and I know that beneath his gentleness is a monster—

“Ow!”

Augustin pulls back, his eyes flashing gold. “I hurt you? Did one of my fangs—”

“Throttle in my butt,” I growl as I shuffle around in my seat. “Only one helicopter isn’t a romance novel trope for a reason.”

“If only one helicopter is out, what is your favourite trope?” His voice goes velvet soft with amusement.

“Rivals to lovers.” I grin. “All that hatred makes the sex even hotter. What about yours?”

“Whatever this is, right now.”

My heart packs a little rucksack and moves in with him.

His hand returns to my cheek, thumb brushing along my jaw. The other slips around my waist and lifts me over the seat like I weigh nothing.

I let out a startled yelp as I land on him, straddling his hips, feeling the hard rod of his arousal against my inner thigh.