Closing them, I tried to remember what had happened and where I might be. It wasn’t as bad as I last recalled, but I was still in moderate pain, so I was pretty sure I wasn’t dead. My ears listened for sounds, and I caught the faint hint of breathing behind me.
I called on my magic, which seemed to be replenished, and let it flow freely from my hands before opening my eyes again.
When I did, Finn’s intense silver gaze was peering down on me with emotions I couldn’t decipher. “Lucinda.”
I blinked, unable to respond and growing more frustrated by the second.
“Are you in control?” he asked, and I wanted to kick him in the balls. He had to know I couldn’t actually answer.
I attempted to glare, unsure if it worked until his lips turned into a smirk. “There you are. I’m going to remove the magic binding you, but if you try to go anywhere, Mosi will be back to lock you down again.”
Mosi? I really needed to know more about that fae. And, again? Why had he even done it in the first place?
Finn placed one hand on my chest and the other on my forehead. His light fae power flooded through my veins, burning me from the inside out. We might have been two opposites, but instead of trying to move away from the scorching feeling his power ignited within me, my body craved to be closer to it.
When he was done and removed the hand from my head, the other remained on my chest and our eyes locked. Emotions rose to the surface. New emotions that were conflicting as I remembered that he’d taken me away from the fight at the castle that I had so badly wanted to end with the king’s death.
Regardless of that, as I took in the charcoal bleeding through his eyes, the darkness that still swelled inside him, and the passion pouring off him in waves, I wanted him more than ever before.
I waited for a snarky comment from my inner voice, but nothing came. It was silent, and not because I was pushing it down.
Wherever my inner darkness had gone, it took away my ability to ignore the attraction I’d always known was between me and Finn. Gods, I wanted him badly, maybe needed him more than ever, but I also didn’t at the same time. The inner turmoil was almost enough to make me wish for death as an easy escape.
His hand moved from my chest to my face, fingers stroking my cheek as he leaned in closer. “How are you feeling?” he asked as I sat up.
“You had no right to force me away from that fight,” I said instead of answering his question. I wanted to be angry at him, but based on the warmth that was building inside me, I seemed to be breathing heavy for two different reasons.
“You were going to die, and I couldn’t let that happen.”
My hands gripped his shirt, bringing him closer and trying to remind him why his choice had been wrong for the Finn I thought I knew. “But he has your sister.”
“I know, and if he’s smart, the king will leave her alive in order to negotiate her life with us. As much as it killed me to leave her behind, I can’t save her without you, and you weren’t going to make it past the next wave of guards that were headed for us.”
I wanted to remind him that even if King Zephyr left Ivy alive, she wouldn’t remain unscathed. He could torture her while leaving her in good enough condition to taunt us. Ivy wouldn’t be the same sister he once knew if we got her back alive.
All of those thoughts were lost to me, though, as Finn inched closer. I breathed in his heady scent of light magic. It was like warm spring air after the rain. The realization that I’d never wanted someone as much as I wanted him in that moment slammed into me.
There was a small part of me—one that had nothing to do with my inner darkness—that knew I should be questioning my actions, but I was growing tired of fighting all the damn time. I just needed to get Finn Barlow out of my system and then I could worry about what came next. With my wounds mostly healed and the block lifted, I regained control.
I could only think of one thing I wanted most in that moment.
Using my grip still on Finn’s shirt, I jerked him close enough to press my lips to his as he cradled the back of my head with his hands. His chest rumbled as I pushed closer and soaked in everything that he was. The goodness inside him that normally repulsed me was suddenly burning a fire within me instead.
I began pulling at his clothes, no longer wanting any layers between us as he did the same to mine, causing me to realize I was no longer in the bodysuit I’d been wearing before. I was covered in a soft white cotton dress—something that seemed so pure and out of place against my skin.
As I continued with frantic movements, Finn paused. His hands wrapped around mine that had been unbuttoning his pants.
“Lucinda, I think—”
I yanked my hand from his grip and pressed it over his mouth. “Finn, we’ve fought whatever this is for long enough. I almost died, and it would be really great if you didn’t make me think too much about that.”
He grinned under my hold and gently pulled my fingers back. “That’s not where I was going, but I’m glad to know you weren’t unaffected before.”
Gods, if he only knew, but I’d never admit the feelings he stirred within me out loud.
He resumed pulling the dress over my head as I got his pants unbuttoned.
By the time we were both naked, I was acting on pure passion. I wasn’t overthinking what it could mean to have sex with him. I refused to consider the consequences of allowing him in intimately or the reasons my body wanted him so thoroughly in that moment.
With cool grass beneath me, I lay back and let my indigo hair fan out at the sides. I openly appraised everything Finn had on display as he inched closer. Gods, why had I ever fought against the emotions he enticed within me before?
He leaned over me onto his elbows, his muscled arms blocking me in as his thumbs stroked against my outer shoulders. Forcing my eyes from his, I let them wander down his delectable, tanned chest. I lifted a hand, letting my fingers trail down his stomach. Muscles rippled beneath my feather-light touches until my hand wrapped around the silky-smooth skin of his hard length. He growled in response, causing warmth to pool at my center. I was more than ready for him.
Finn shifted his weight, leaning on one arm while the other snaked between us and ended my exploring. With his free hand, he pinned both of mine on the grass behind my head as he sank into me in one fluid motion. I sucked in a breath as my whole world turned upside down and magic poured from me.
The darkest parts of me finally flared to life again, putting up a feeble fight against what was happening. I’d known there was something different about Finn the moment I saw him, but I’d always assumed it was the dark magic in him that called to me.
This fae will ruin who we’ve become. Don’t let him, the voice sneered.
I should have stopped what was happening. I should have listened, but I didn’t. The connection that was forming between Finn and me was more powerful than my stubbornness. Stronger than my hate of feeling emotions that made me vulnerable.
My arms shook as our magic intertwined.
You’re going to regret this, Lucinda. Stop it now! the voice shouted, but there was no more power behind its words.
Finn’s silver eyes turned to charcoal as my magic hovered above his chest. His grip on me tightened as my shaking slowed.
This is your last chance, the voice growled, yet sounded weaker.
My hands moved to Finn’s shoulders. I was going to push him off of me. I was going to stop the bond that was building. My intentions were clear. The voice had finally gotten through my sex-induced haze.