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I free myself from the ice as easily as snapping my fingers, melting it away. The rain continues to come down in heavy waves, but the screaming has stopped. No more pain. The warm water washes away the ice.
I take his overflowing magic and expend it safely, as nothing more than a conduit.
Mom wanted me to know how to handle powerful magic, even when I had none for myself. Now, it takes a while for the flow of it inside him to dim again, to be wrestled back under control by both him and me.
Kian’s eyes return to normal. He tips his head back, eyeing the clouds. Letting the water sluice over his face.
We’re both drenched. His dark hair is slicked to his head, and he runs a hand through it, clearing it from his eyes. He blinks slowly as his mind returns.
The hair on my arms rises, and I glance around. The people—vampires and witches and more—pick themselves up off the floor. They seem pissed. We’re going to have a mob on our hands at any minute.
“We need to leave,” I murmur.
My voice is hoarse, and Kian locks on to that. His brows draw down, and confusion surfaces. He might not remember what he just did. The rush of power overtaking a witch, if stopped in time, can leave them in a daze.
But when I lose control, I just… transport myself away. Convenient.
Not.
“Come with me.” I ignore the pain in my throat and lead him to the exit, pushing through the bodies.
Kian clutches my hand through the cobblestone streets and up the hill. The farther we walk, the colder I get. I let the rest of Kian’s magic out in increments, seeping into the stone around us. I don’t want to hold on to it.
We find the elevator surprisingly easily, the doors open and waiting for us.
My skin is ice when we step inside, except for Kian’s hot hand still trapped in mine.
There’s no sign of Beau—and I don’t want to wait around for him either. I hit the button for our room’s floor.
As soon as the doors close, Kian steps closer. He curls around me, holding me close—and gentle. As if I’m the breakable one. As if I didn’t just witness him damn near kill a room full of people.
It’s because I’m shivering, I realize. My teeth are clacking together.
I have ice in my bones, in my blood. This is worse than when Sonia filled me with ice. This, I took willingly. I took his magic, the water affinity, and used it as my own.
I don’t know if there will be a consequence waiting for me.
The elevator chimes, announcing the arrival to our floor. I slip from his hold and exit, moving fast down the hallway. In reality, I don’t know how much more energy I have. Between the drink and the sex—
God, don’t think about that.
—and the magic, my own levels are severely depleted.
I make it, though. And I wait with my gaze averted while Kian unlocks our door. He opens it and lets me pass.
“Astra,” he whispers. “I—”
I beeline for the window and put my hands on the glass. It’s dark out now, the whole Vegas strip lit up in neon colors. Just as Kian promised.
There’s no warmth here. We’re in the middle of the desert, and I can’t find any heat to draw from. Nothing to soothe the ache in my bones.
Were I in the forest, surrounded by life…
But up here, all around me is just glass and metal and him.
And I’d rather be anywhere else.
Chapter 37
