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I slide my hand down, find the hem of her panties and pull them roughly aside. She gasps, waiting for me to touch her.

I hesitate.

I can’t do it.

I delay things by squeezing her ass and scraping large circles on her thighs with my nails.

“Stop teasing me,” she mutters, then she spins around so she’s facing Nova. “Are you going to watch, Fire Bird, while your boyfriend fucks me? Are you going to watch him remember what it’s like to fuck a real woman?”

Nova doesn’t reply, but now that Zephyra is facing away from me, I can open my eyes.

I meet Nova’s gaze. You need to fuck her, Kole. It’s okay.

I slam my hands onto Zephyra’s breasts, but keep Nova’s eyes fixed with mine. I need her to know I’m not enjoying this. Not for one second.

The only reason my cock is hard is because I was thinking of her. In fact, if I let myself think too long about the fact it’s Zephyra’s body I’m holding, my erection will retreat, and Zephyra will know exactly what I’m playing at.

I pull Zephyra’s underwear down roughly and position myself behind her.

She grins and looks at me over her shoulder. Tugging my beard again, she tells me to fuck her.

Roughly, I make her turn around and bend over as if I’m about to thrust into her from behind.

Nova closes her eyes and looks away. A tear rolls down her cheek. But I catch her thoughts with mine and whisper, Now. Do it now. I can’t fuck this bitch. You have to do it now.

Nova’s eyes fly open. Smoke starts to drift up into the air from the bands on her wrists.

Zephyra spins around and asks me what I’m waiting for. But then she notices the smoke, pulls her dress down, and roars at the top of her lungs.

She grabs my upper arms, baring her fangs as if she’s about to drain the life from me. “Did you think you could trick me?!”

Powerless to fight her, I let her kick me to the ground. Kneeling in front of her, I look up as she thrusts a sharp heel into my chest.

I stay upright.

She looks over my head at Nova and laughs loudly. “Is that the best you can do?! A little smoke?”

Nova’s lips stretch into a smile. She shakes her head.

Then, she’s gone.

26

NOVA

In less than a second, I’m free. The leather cuffs melt and disintegrate with the heat from my skin, and I circle the room so quickly they can’t even see me.

When I stop, Kole is free from his cuffs too.

Zephyra takes a step toward me, then notices Kole rising to his feet.

She turns to tell him to stop, then realizes the cuffs have gone.

He splays his fingers, and the ground begins to shake.

Tilting my head from side to side, feeling the tension release as fire and heat surge in my veins, I stride toward her.

My wings burst free. So wide they almost fill the entire room.