Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Two days had passed since Kora spoke to Derek . Two days of incessant thoughts about him. Two days of dissecting their conversation. Of picturing his face. Of wondering what might have happened had she accepted his offer. Of imagining what it would feel like to be held by him.

Kora sat outside the cottage beneath the cloud-laden sky, twirling a long strand of grass. She had been hiding for so long, she could no longer recall what it was like to be carefree, to give in to simple longings. Because the moment she let her guard down, it could mean trouble. After all, the last time she had ignored the warnings, it had gotten her brother, uncle, and cousin killed.

The remorse and disgrace of that still threatened to choke her. She blinked away the burn of tears and rose to her feet, dropping the grass. It might have taken her this long to return to finish what her family had started, but at least she was here. Though she had no idea what to do next.

She knew little about Stonemore other than it was built into the side of the mountain with massive gates. Uncle Rylan had said there was a back entrance, but he had never divulged where it might be. The information had died with him. She needed to get the lay of the city—and the exits—before entering it.

Even being this close made her uneasy. Villette had hunted her people ruthlessly, relentlessly. She would send every dragon she commanded after Kora the moment she learned of her existence. How could Kora get through the gates and remain undetected? Stonemore was heavily guarded. Just getting inside would be a problem. Then , there was the issue of getting to Villette .

Whether Kora wanted to admit it or not, she needed help. But therein lay another problem. There were those willing to share information about the city, but it came at a cost, and her coin purse was all but empty. She couldn't pay for another meal, much less someone to give her the information she desperately needed.

She walked to the bush and plucked more of the bright red berries before popping them into her mouth. It wasn't just the issue of money. She also had to trust the person. They could give her bad information or lie. She had no connections to the area. With no one to trust, she would have to follow her gut. And that wasn't always reliable.

Kora dusted off her hands when she finished her snack. She needed to hunt. She scanned the trees and began walking. Every moment she spent searching for food took away from the time she required to get to Stonemore . She tried to imagine what Kayden or Rylan would've done. Even Zak . They thought to protect her, and they had. It had also given her a false sense of safety. If she had known their kind had dwindled to just the four of them, she never would've wandered off that day.

But she had.

The drop on her cheek jerked her out of her musings. Kora sighed when she saw the dark cloud overhead. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't paid attention to the weather or where she was going. She turned and jogged back to the structure.

Her gaze settled on a figure leaning against the outside of the hut. Her steps slowed to a walk, and her heart beat faster when she recognized Derek . He had one foot propped on the house, his arms crossed over his chest, with his face turned toward her. Even from the distance, she could feel the intensity of his gaze.

He watched her like he was a predator and she the prey. When he moved, it was done deliberately, purposefully. He had an animalistic quality, one that screamed, " Danger !" And promised untold desires.

She should turn the other way and run. Put distance between them. Instead , she kept walking toward him like a string connected them, slowly pulling her closer.

When she neared, he dropped his foot to the ground and straightened. His pale olive gaze refused to let her look away. Fat drops of rain began pelting them. She stopped before him, close enough to set her hand on his chest. Kora found herself leaning toward him and stopped. It would be so easy to give in to what her body needed. To what she longed for.

She wasn't made to be on her own. She was meant for a community. A family unit. Kora might snatch a night here and there with a willing partner, but it was never anything more. She couldn't allow that. Not until she succeeded in killing Villette .

Her attraction to Derek wasn't the problem. It was the way he consumed her thoughts. She had kept herself free of entanglements. Derek was anything but simple. He would demand she give him everything, and if she did, she would open herself to things she didn't dare face until the past was put to rest.

The rain fell faster. Neither moved. They were locked in a silent debate, neither willing to surrender. Kora shivered as a drop of rain fell on her neck and slipped down her back. If she didn't make the first move, they might be standing out there for hours, and she had hunting to do. Though letting him inside could be a deadly mistake.

She watched the water caress the firm planes of his face from his brow to his cheekbone and down the hollow of his cheek to his jaw. The drop sat there a moment before dripping onto his chest. Even just this close, she could feel his warmth. She fought against the need to move closer.

Kora suppressed another shiver. No matter how she studied her instincts for an answer on what to do, they gave her nothing. She finally gave in and walked to the door. There , she paused and cut her eyes to him. Derek's gaze remained on her. She lifted the door and set it aside before walking in. He followed soon after.

She added wood to the fire as he placed the door back over the opening. The cottage was so small that every movement was loud. She remained facing the flames because she didn't trust herself to face him again. If he had filled her thoughts the past few days, she would never get him out of her head now that his scent was here.

The silence became unbearable. She reluctantly straightened and turned. Derek hadn't moved from the door. His presence filled the entire cottage. She tried to swallow and wet her dry mouth. Droplets of water fell from the ends of his hair to land on the wooden floor. He moved toward her. Instinctively , she stepped back.

His eyes narrowed briefly, but he kept coming. In two steps, she was against the wall with nowhere else to go. He halted in front of her and flattened his hands on either side of her head. Then he leaned in close. His warmth enveloped her. She inhaled, the scent of water, pine, and smoke filling her senses.

She wanted to lay her hands on him, rip away his tunic, and bare his chest to her eyes, hands, and mouth. Desire throbbed between her legs. Her nipples hardened as her lips parted of their own accord.

He brushed his cheek against hers, rolling her head to the side. Then he put his face against her neck and breathed deeply. When he lifted his head, his eyes smoldered with a hunger that matched hers.

" Why are you here?" she asked.

His gaze dropped to her mouth. She bit back a moan, even as she arched her back, pushing her chest toward him. " You know why."

Kora shook her head. " Find another."

" I want you. And you want me."

She couldn't deny it, even if she wished she could. And that terrified her. Just as her reaction to him did. He hadn't even touched her yet. A moan passed her lips when she imagined what it would be like when he did.

She turned her head away. " I can't."

" Do you belong to another?"

" Nay ."

He shifted closer, his body stopping just short of touching hers. " What's stopping you?"

" People close to me get hurt."

" Not me."

" Everyone ."

He placed a finger gently against her chin and turned her head to him. His eyes blazed with a fierceness that surprised her. " Not . Me ."

" Who are you?" she whispered.

" The one who is going to make you scream with pleasure."

She couldn't have told him to go if she wanted. " One night only."

A slow, sexy grin was his only reply.

Kora waited for him to kiss her, but she soon realized she had to make the first move. She peeled her hands from the wall and placed them on his waist. Slowly , she smoothed her hands up his stomach to his chest and then over his thick shoulders before her fingers tangled in his long hair.

A muscle ticked in his jaw, his body stiff as he waited to see what she would do. She cupped the back of his head and pulled it down as she raised her face to his. His lips were soft, pliant beneath hers. She kissed him again and again, allowing her mouth to linger against his longer each time. Then she slid her tongue along the seam of his lips.

A ragged moan rumbled in his chest as he pinned her between his hard body and the wall. He seized her mouth, deepening the kiss. He ravaged her until she was breathless and shivering for more.

She yanked his tunic from his pants and slipped her hand under the hem. The instant her palms met flesh, there was no turning back. He broke the kiss to yank the shirt over his head and toss it away.

Kora lightly ran her fingers over the masterpiece of his torso. Strong shoulders and a wide chest tapered to a trim waist. His stomach rippled with defined muscles. Thick sinew corded his arms. She couldn't stop touching him. And she wanted to see the rest of his body.

It was all Derek could do to keep his hands off Kora . He had imagined fucking her in every way possible. It had driven him to her every day. He had stayed hidden, hoping for a glimpse of her, but it hadn't been enough. He had to have her to ease the ache she had created.

He watched her face as she caressed him. She left a trail of fire everywhere she touched. He burned. The hunger, the need blazed brighter than ever. And it was soon to rage out of control.

His eyes fastened on her tempting lips. Her mouth parted, breath rushing past. Her fingers skimmed the flesh that met the fabric of his pants. She bit her bottom lip, her chest rising and falling rapidly. His control snapped.

Derek bent and captured her lips, sliding his body up hers. She groaned and wound her arms around his neck. There was a fire in her, begging to be released. She tried to temper it, but he would settle for nothing less than everything from those who shared his bed.

He kissed her deeply, thoroughly. He was momentarily shaken when she kissed him back with as much fervor. Derek fisted a hand in the long, cool strands of her hair and tugged her head back. Her lips were swollen from his kisses as she stared at him, her chest heaving. By the stars, she was a sight. And he had yet to fill her.

He put his nose to her neck once more and inhaled. Something about her earthy scent stirred something within him—a familiarity he couldn't place. But it didn't matter. There was nowhere she could go now that he couldn't follow. He lifted his head and caught her gaze. Lust burned in her eyes.

He put a hand between them and tugged on her belt. Derek added magic, and it fell away in his hands. For a heartbeat, he almost gave in to the desire to discard her clothes with a thought. He usually enjoyed the slow removal of clothing, but not this time. Not with Kora . The urgency, the need to fuse their bodies had consumed him since he'd first spoken to her.

He felt the loss of her hands when she grabbed her tunic and removed it. Derek had to force his fingers to loosen on her hair. Then she stood in the bindings around her breasts, looking at him with excitement and anticipation. He grabbed her hands when she reached to unhook the binding.

Derek lifted her arms above her head and held her wrists in one hand. His gaze lowered to the swell of her breasts before he pressed his lips to each one. He unwound the bindings until they, too, fell to the floor.

Her hips rocked against him seductively as she moaned. He captured her mouth in a kiss. She raised a leg, hooking it around his waist. He ground against her, as needy as she. Kora was tipping him into a place he had never been before, somewhere he hadn't thought existed. Nothing mattered but her and the pleasure that awaited them.

Impatience rode him. He glided his free hand down to her boot and tugged. It thudded to the floor. Her kisses were intoxicating, and he couldn't get enough. Each taste was enthralling, calling him back for more. His cock throbbed as it became impossibly hard. He released her wrists and moaned when she spread her palms over his shoulders.

Their bodies rocked against each other until they were mindless with need. Derek lifted her, using magic to remove her remaining boot as well as his. Then he turned and laid her on the blanket.