12. Ratter

RATTER

A s first kisses went, I had a feeling this one was pretty spectacular. It was memorable, anyway.

The location wasn’t great, but Serak’s scent and mine had mixed together to make it feel like we were in some magical cave, scented with exotic perfumes. The actual magical flame that had been dancing overhead for the past few minutes, like it was excited to see what came next, gave an odd, almost eerie red glow to Serak’s features as I pressed my lips to his.

He hummed slightly as I explored the softness of his mouth with mine, until I dared to taste him. Then, he leaned in, opening his mouth, and returned the kiss.

Except it became something more than a kiss then. His hands found my arms and slid up to the tops of my shoulders, his head tilted to one side so he could get closer, and his tongue… Oh, my. It felt a little like sparks were moving from my mouth to his as he deepened the kiss. The sparks traveled inside me, moving from my mouth into all the other parts that began to wake up and… pulse. Sharp tingles began at my breasts, moving down my spine to my center, where the heat pooled. It felt like some creature inside me, a sleeping dragon or something, was opening her eyelids, and unfurling her wings.

Shivers and waves of heat assaulted me at once, all of it stemming from Serak’s mouth on mine.

Holy shit. So this was what the big deal about kissing was. “Wow,” I mumbled into his mouth.

He chuckled, but the sound was slightly pained. “Was it a good first kiss?”

I’d had more than one boy—and sometimes men—attempt to steal kisses over the past few years. All of those idiots had ended up wondering a few things.

Like where all the blood was coming from, or why their guts were outside their bodies, or who had snuffed out the candles.

“Not sure. What if that was just a mediocre one? What if they get better? Better check.” I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and went in for a second time.It was every bit as good, but this time, my own hands mapped his shoulders and arms. I pushed his shirt down, exposing the bandaged spot on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I stabbed you.”

“I’m not. I’d rather be stabbed by you than held, or kissed, by anyone else. “

He hadn’t said anything about this being his first kiss, and from his expertise, it wasn’t anywhere close to it. The thought of his lips on someone else enraged me, though. “Stop talking,” I snarled, nipping at his full lower lip. “At least stop talking about kissing other women.”

“What other women?”

I bit him harder, tasting a hint of copper. Savoring it.

His answering laugh was dark. “I love that bloodthirsty streak, princess. Never lose it. Go out into the world and cut into it so deeply, your marks will be seen for generations.”

Was he telling me to make the world bleed? I sniffled. That was so fucking sweet. “Where have you been all my life?” He didn’t answer, and I lifted my hand to his face again, learning the textures of his skin from his forehead to his ears, and every feature of his handsome face.

Then, the fire above our heads flared brightly for a moment, and I could see Serak’s expression clearly for a split second. He was smiling, but he didn’t look happy. He looked pained.

No. In pain.

I snatched my hands back. “It hurts you when I touch you, doesn’t it?”

“A little,” he admitted ruefully.

“Why?”

He hesitated, his eyes moving over my face as if he was trying to memorize everything about me. “I made a vow to follow the orders of my masters.”

“In Pict.”

He nodded. “I have to take the dagger back. It’s a… holy relic.”

“And you have some kind of magic… curse? You’re in pain until you take it back?”

He nodded, taking a breath like he wanted to say something, or correct me, but he let it out without speaking. I waited for a long moment, then got up, scooted over a few steps, and grabbed the dagger where it had fallen. I returned to his side and handed it to him. It seemed to grow warmer in between our hands as I passed it to him.

“Happy Solstice,” I told him.

“You can’t?—”

“I can. Dash gave it to me, and I’ll give it to you. Something to remember me by.”

He stared down at it. “You already gave me a yellow diamond.”

“That was to pay you back for poisoning you.” I straddled him, taking care not to let my skin touch his.

“I had no idea,” he said, running one hand over my face. “I had no idea someone like you could exist. You’re a contradiction in every possible way. Cruel and kind. Bloodthirsty and gentle. Generous to a fault, and an unrepentant thief. Somber, and filled with mischief.”

The sparks moved from me to him again, and I could almost see them now. Golden, and glowing. The air filled with a scent I couldn’t quite place. It smelled like home, and peace, and something intangible.

Serak leaned toward me. “Kiss me again, little miracle.”

“It’ll hurt you.”

“And heal me, as well.” Fast as a spark from a fire, he had my wrists in his hands, and his lips on mine, and was devouring me, like this was the last time we’d ever be able to do this.

It was, I realized, and let him push me back a little.

He murmured something that sounded like, “Mine,” as he wrapped an arm around my back and waist. Then, “Keep you safe.” Then, a few long kisses later, “Go away.”

Wait. I pulled back, my lips burning, either from the rasp of his short whiskers or something more.

He laughed. “Not you, Ratter,” he murmured, then flinched as the little flame dropped down on his shoulder, right in front of my face. “But it is time to go. Your family will worry. Your crew might kill me if they don’t get to say goodbye.”

“I won’t see you again, will I?”

His only answer was a slow shake of his head, and a whisper of sound. My name? Perhaps, but cut off. He swallowed hard.

“Then one more for the road,” I insisted, moving toward him. I opened my mouth and drew in a small breath, taking in some of the glorious scent that still filled the cellar… and sucked in something else.

The flame had dropped down to perch on my lips the split second before our mouths met.

And when we kissed that last time, the world burst into flames.