Rory gave him hope—the most powerful sustenance known to man—but she also had the ability to crush that hope with as little as a few careless words. As much as Cain wanted to believe, he was afraid. He’d already lost so much. If he let himself fall for her, the risks were too high.

Still, every time he touched her, every time he looked into her eyes, he saw his future stretching out before him, like some brilliant, golden pathway. And then in the next second it was gone—a mere trick of the eyes.

Her fingers curled against his arms as her weight shifted to her own feet. She no longer needed him to stand, but she hadn’t pulled away. She stared at his mouth, and her lips parted as if remembering his kiss.

Just like that, he needed to kiss her again. The desire hit him from out of nowhere, making him shake with the force of the compulsion.

He realized in that moment that he’d never get enough of her. It didn’t matter that he’d bedded her less than an hour ago. It didn’t matter that she refused to depend on him, insulting his ability to do his job. It didn’t even matter that she had the power to end his life. He was drawn to her in a way that defied reason and went all the way into madness. She was part of him now—in his blood. Perhaps if he’d abstained he could have gone on with his life never knowing what he’d be missing. But that option was long gone, leaving only his need to get as close to her as possible.

She didn’t want that. The kind of connection he craved terrified her. It made her dependent on him—something he was certain she would never choose to be.

He didn’t want to scare her or force her to change who she was simply because it was what he wanted. If his dreams hurt her, then how could he continue to want them?

He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. His only choice was to either change what he wanted, or let her go. And he couldn’t let her go.

So rather than forcing her to accept his unwanted advances, he kept the mental link between them tightly closed as he bent to kiss her. No fleeting thoughts of what he wanted from her would leak through. No secret desires would be put on display for her to see and be made uncomfortable. He would hide that part of himself from her, giving her only so much as she asked for. And in doing so, he would also protect the small kernel of himself that remained untouched by her.

That was what was keeping the colors in the luceria fluid. He hadn’t given himself to her completely. And so long as he held firm in that, he could go on fighting again once she found her blasted savior.

Rory’s lips were tentative against his. Her fingers tightened on his leather jacket, and she went up on tiptoe to meet him, but she was holding back, too.

The need to reach inside her thoughts and find the cause of her hesitation was nearly overwhelming. Only centuries of practicing self-control allowed him to stay true to his decision.

Heat built between their bodies. Sparks of tingling power tumbled out of him to caress her skin wherever they touched. He couldn’t stop that from happening, any more than he could stop the throbbing swell of his cock.

Rory felt it, too. Her hips did this delightful little swivel, grinding against him in a way that sucked the air from his lungs. She opened her mouth on a sweet moan of approval, and Cain took advantage of the opportunity to deepen their kiss.

She tasted like hot, spun sugar and wild temptation. He drank her in, reveling in the scent of her skin and the heat sliding out of her. She became pliant in his arms, writhing like flames and burning away his good intentions.

His limbs resonated with eager need. He felt her push against his thoughts, seeking entrance, but held firm. If he let down his guard, he knew he’d be lost. Having her inside of him like that was too intoxicating. It made him lose his head.

Her mouth quested down his neck, her tongue playing along the skin where the luceria used to sit. Searing tendrils of raw sensation jolted through him, falling in an erotic jumble at the base of his spine. She slipped her fingers under his jacket and shirt, until her bare hands were splayed over his heart. His lifemark swayed in response to her touch. His whole body clenched from a punch of lust.

Against his will, his hips surged toward her. He felt a small tug of power leave him, and a second later, she bared her teeth and ripped his shirt open down the front.

Cain almost grinned at her ferocity, but his lips were too tightly twisted with desire. He stood there, watching her mouth move over his chest, not even daring to breathe for fear she’d stop. The branches of his lifemark whipped around wildly, shocking him with the sight. But not even that riotous display could compete with that sweet, pink head moving down his body with clear intent.

If he let her go any farther, she’d be on the cold ground again, and that was not something he could stand.

“Inside,” he grated out, proud that he was able to form that single, coherent word.

She looked up at him, her dark eyes huge with desire. Her mouth was shiny and wet, swollen and tempting as sin. Her skin was flushed a dark pink. “No. Here. Now.”

She went for his belt, and there was nothing he could have done to stop her. His hands barely functioned. His whole body was sputtering with the few gasps of air he’d given it.

The leather tongue of his belt flipped free of the buckle. The weight of his sword tugged at it. His cock bulged shamelessly at his fly, twitching with the need to get closer to her.

Rory rubbed him through the denim before opening his zipper. The metallic hiss was lost on the wind. She tugged down the fabric, baring him to the chill air. A drop of wetness spilled from the tip of his erection, completely beyond his control. She saw it and held his gaze while she licked it away.

Cain nearly came just watching her. He clamped down on the urge, every muscle in his body trembling from the effort. Her hot mouth closed over him, her dark eyes daring him to stop her.

She was such a challenge. A delightful, sinfully sexy challenge. One he was going to meet head-on. If he let her get the upper hand, his fiery Rory would overwhelm and destroy him without even trying. He had to maintain some level of control, because the only alternative was to give himself away completely.

That he would not do.

Cain lifted her up from her crouch and kissed her. It wasn’t soft and gentle. It was a battle for conquest and air. He nipped at her lips, sucked the bottom one into his mouth to hold her attention. His hands snuck under her shirt to cup the full weight of her breasts. She groaned into his mouth and arched against his hands, wordlessly asking for more.

Continuing on was the last thing he should have done, and yet he was driven by her irresistible force to give her what she wanted.

She shed her jacket, and a moment later, her shirt flew away on the wind. He was sure she had to be cold, but all that greeted him was hot, flushed skin. Her nipples were tight little buds, thrusting upward in silent invitation.

Cain bent down to warm her with his mouth, drawing a high cry of pleasure from her lips. Everywhere he touched was soft, hot, supple. Even the sting of her fingernails digging into his scalp to hold his head in place was its own kind of gentle pain. It sent electric streamers of need coursing through him, pounding at him to strip her naked and plunge inside her sweet depths.

His fingers went for her waistband, only to find that she’d done the job herself. Her jeans were gaping open, her hand inside her panties, stroking herself. A momentary spike of jealousy made him growl. He wanted to be the one to please her. He wanted his fingers sliding in her pussy and over her clit, making her breath catch in needy gasps.

As selfish as that desire was, he couldn’t deny it. Not now when his blood was scorching his veins in hard pulses that roared in his ears. Later he’d get a grip on his selfish urges, but right now, it was all he could do not to throw her on the frigid ground and shove himself inside of her.

Cain pulled her clinging jeans down her thighs. She bent over to help him, their fingers tangling together in haste. As soon as she was bare, his whole body stalled out as he stared at her.

Sunlight clung to her skin, draping it with golden highlights. The blond curls covering her sex were darker where her arousal had dampened them. He knew what she’d taste like if he laid her down and feasted on her, but he couldn’t tolerate the thought of her lying naked on the cold ground, even with his body to warm her from above.

Instead, he spread out his jacket and laid back on it, pulling her over him. She straddled his body, her knees cushioned by the leather. Her breasts hit his bare chest, causing a sheet of lightning to zing through him into her.

She pulled in a shocked breath and let it out as a ragged groan. Cain gripped her hair to hold her so he could kiss her again, needing her mouth too much to find the words to demand her cooperation.

The wet heat of her sex ground against his abdomen. His cock jerked and twitched behind her, throbbing and dripping with need. She reached behind her and took him in her hand, stroking him just the way he liked. He didn’t have to tell her how. He wasn’t tied to her mind. She simply knew what he needed, somehow.

She lifted up, aligned their bodies and sank down, taking the tip of his erection inside of her. The clinging, slick fire of her pussy welcomed him in. He watched as she stretched to accept the invasion, marveling over how erotic it was to see their bodies merge. With every slow thrust of her hips, more of his cock disappeared inside of her, only to emerge with her excitement shining on it.

There were no shadows to hide anything. No darkness to cover them. Everything was on display, making it burn with the keen edge of reality.

This truly wasn’t a dream. Too good to be true, certainly, but still so real he had no choice but to believe it.

Rory met his gaze. Her lips were parted, her eyes dark and slumberous. She prodded at his thoughts, but Cain had kept the barrier in place, refusing her entrance.

That unity had freaked her out before, and he was not about to make the same mistake twice. Not even if it felt like she was asking for it. This was purely physical, and if that wasn’t enough for him, then he deserved no more.

Her hands settled on his chest and she leaned forward, giving him a kiss so hot he knew she’d scorched the ground beneath them. Bright dots filled his vision, and an orgasm careened toward him out of the blue.

He held back, but his control wouldn’t last long. And when he came, she was going to be right there with him, pleasure roaring through her.

He sat up and assumed control of her hips, holding her still while he filled her. She took all of him, shaking in his arms as he fit them together perfectly. Her lids were at half-mast, her pink lips parted as she panted wildly.

Once again he felt her brush across his mind as if seeking entrance. It would have been so easy to give in and open the gates. Heaven knew he wanted her there with him. But down that path lay disaster. He couldn’t really remember why, but the lingering impressions left behind by his decision were strong enough to rein him in.

Her head fell back, displaying her neck and the dark amethyst luceria gracing those slim, delicate lines. For now she truly was his, and while the connection might have been temporary and fleeting, it felt real.

He couldn’t keep his mouth off of her. The taste of her skin was addictive, and the nibbling, sucking kisses he gave her, left behind the marks of possession. His tongue caught the edge of the luceria, and her whole body clenched, squeezing him inside and out.