The wilderness swallowed us whole.
The broken cathedral had offered a fleeting refuge, but I knew its sanctuary was an illusion. Not when the Crimson Court had unleashed their hounds or every ancient predator with a thirst for rare blood stalked the night.
Selene clung to me on the stolen motorcycle, her arms a vise around my waist, her body a burning brand against my back. The wind howled past us, tearing at her hair, and our bond thrummed a wild, untamed thing.
I kept silent as we roared down the abandoned highway, every muscle coiled tight beneath her touch. I could feel the war raging within me – a dark, brutal need to shield her, to lock her away from the horrors that hunted us. And something more profound, a fear I hadn't dared to name, not even in the shadowed corners of my mind.
Selene's power was awakening. And soon, even I might not be strong enough to contain it.
Hours later, we found ourselves amidst the ruins of an old plantation, concealed by overgrown vines and a thick veil of shadow magic I wove with a few harsh, ancient words. It wouldn't deter the most relentless hunters forever but would buy us a few precious hours.
I killed the engine and swung off the bike, turning to lift Selene down. My hands lingered on her waist longer than necessary, my silver eyes searching her face, unreadable even to myself.
"You need to learn," I said, my voice grim. "Before they find us again."
Selene nodded, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. I could feel the restless hum beneath her skin, the magic rising and falling like a second heartbeat, a symphony of raw power.
I led her deeper into the ruins, to a clearing embraced by crumbling stones and wild roses that clawed their way up the walls. The moon hung low, a blood-red eye in the sky, casting an eerie glow over everything.
Selene stood barefoot, clad only in one of my oversized shirts, her hair tangled from the wind and rain. She looked fragile and breakable, but I knew better. Beneath that delicate facade lay a force that could shatter worlds.
"You have the blood of the First House coursing through your veins," I said, circling her slowly like a predator assessing its prey. "Your magic is raw, untamed. It will consume you if you don't learn to control it."
Selene licked her lips, nerves twisting with a strange, intoxicating excitement. "Teach me," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the rustling leaves.
My eyes flared silver, reflecting the moon's crimson light. I stopped before her, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from my body, the barely leashed power that thrummed beneath my skin.
"Magic is tied to emotion," I said, my voice low and rough. "The stronger the feeling, the stronger the magic."
I reached out, trailing a fingertip down her neck over the still-healing mark I'd left, a brand of our bond. "What do you feel, Selene?" I murmured, my breath ghosting across her skin.
Selene trembled, her body already aching for me, for the connection that bound us together, for the release that only I could give her. "Need," she whispered, her voice thick with longing.
A slow, wicked smile stretched across my face. "Good."
Before she could react, I gripped her by the waist and spun her, pressing her back against the crumbling stone wall. Selene gasped as I pinned her there, my thigh sliding between her legs, my hands rough on her hips, staking my claim.
"Use it," I growled against her ear, my voice a primal command. "Let it out."
Selene whimpered, the bond between us flaring, magic crackling in the air, a tangible force that made the hairs on my arms stand on end. She gripped my shoulders, grinding down against my thigh, chasing the friction her body craved.
I growled in approval, kissing her fiercely, devouring her mouth with brutal, possessive hunger. My hands slid up under the shirt, finding bare skin, squeezing, branding.
"You want to control it?" I rasped, breaking the kiss just long enough to bite her lip, drawing a bead of blood. "Then control me."
Selene blinked up at me, panting, dazed with need. "How?"
"Push me back," I ordered, a savage smile curving my mouth. "Take what you want."
Selene hesitated, and the bond snapped painfully taut, a silent scream that echoed in my soul. I could feel the magic boiling beneath her skin, a tempest waiting to be unleashed.
I ground my thigh harder between her legs, and Selene cried out, her nails digging into my shoulders. Power surged through her, a raw, untamed force that threatened to overwhelm her.
Without thinking, she shoved at me – not just with her hands, but with her will, with the very essence of her being. A blast of dark, shimmering energy erupted from her body, throwing me back several feet.
I landed in a crouch, laughing, my silver eyes blazing with pride and lust. "That's it, little moon," I growled, my voice thick with desire. "Again."
Selene stood trembling, her heart hammering against her ribs, magic swirling around her like a storm.
I stalked toward her again, drawn to her power like a moth to a flame. And Selene met me halfway.
She slammed into me, her mouth crashing against mine, her hands tangling in my hair, pulling, demanding. I lifted her effortlessly, wrapping her legs around my waist, grinding her against my hard length through my jeans.
Selene moaned into my mouth, pleasure and power burning her alive. I pinned her against the wall again, my movements ruthless, possessive.
"You feel it now," I rasped, my breath hot against her ear. "The hunger. The power."
Selene nodded, gasping, lost in the intoxicating dance between us.
I kissed down her throat, my teeth scraping her sensitive skin, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. "It's only going to get stronger," I warned my voice a low growl. "You'll crave more. Magic. Power. Blood."
I lifted her higher, baring her thighs, trailing kisses up the inside of her leg, each touch a spark igniting a wildfire. "And you'll crave me," I added darkly, my voice laced with possessive certainty. "Always."
Selene shivered violently, the bond between us blazing so bright it hurt, a searing connection transcending flesh and bone. "I already do," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
A dark, hungry smile stretched across my face. "Good."
I sank to my knees before her, pressing reverent kisses along her inner thighs, each touch a promise of the pleasure to come. Selene tangled her fingers in my hair, her hips rolling against my mouth as I devoured her, claiming her as my own.
The magic flared wild again, shadows dancing around us, swirling and twisting in response to our desire. Selene sobbed my name, her body convulsing, magic spilling out in a wave of heat and darkness.
I caught it, absorbed it, and anchored her with my body and my touch, grounding her in the storm of her own power. When she shattered, I rose, kissing her savagely, claiming her mouth with brutal possession.
I didn't give her time to recover – I turned her against the wall, yanked down my jeans, and thrust into her in one hard, perfect stroke.
Selene screamed, clinging to the stone, her body burning alive with a pleasure so intense it bordered on pain. I moved inside her with a savage, punishing rhythm, each thrust pounding the magic back into submission, forging a deeper connection between us.
"You are mine," I snarled against her ear, my voice a primal roar. "My mate. My queen."
Selene sobbed my name, shattering again, the bond between us searing into permanence, an unbreakable vow etched into our souls.
I followed her over the edge, roaring my release into the wild night, our bodies convulsing in a shared ecstasy.
We collapsed together on the cold stone, trembling, gasping, bound tighter than ever. I cradled her against my chest, rocking her gently, my heart pounding in unison with hers.
"You're getting stronger," I murmured, stroking her hair. "Faster than even I expected."
Selene buried her face in my neck, breathing me in, drawing strength from my presence. "And if I can't control it?" she whispered, her voice filled with fear.
My arms tightened around her, a silent promise of protection. "Then we burn the world down together."
Far above us, hidden in the broken rafters, a pair of eyes watched, cold, hungry, waiting. The Crimson Court had sent their first hunter. And this one wouldn't stop until Selene was collared… or dead.