The Price Of Fate Chapter 68

The Price Of Fate Chapter 68

That small reaction had an effect on him like a spark hitting oil. His growl rolled through my skin, low and primal, but still controlled. He

shifted, pulling me to my feet so that we stood facing each other. The balcony door stood open behind me; the night air flowed in, cool

against my flushed skin. Talon guided me back inside, away from the edge, the shadows pooling around us.

He paused, like he was setting a stage. His hands went to the hem of his shirt and he drew it up over his head in one slow movement. In the muted light his body was leaner than Toren’s, all scars and sinew. He didn’t reach for me. He stood there, chest rising and falling,

waiting for me to do something. Waiting for me to choose.

He was completely opposite from Toren. Where Toren was heat and command, Talon was a patient tide. And to my surprise, I liked it.

I reached for the hem of my own tank top, fingers trembling slightly. Slowly, I peeled it off, letting it drop to the carpet until I stood in just the skimpy black bra I’d put on earlier. Talon’s eyes flickered, darkening, but he didn’t move. He was giving me space, time.

A thought struck me, sharp as a blade. Is Toren okay with this? The question flared like a beacon.

Before I could even form it, a voice slid through the back of my mind – warm, steady, familiar.

It’s okay, Starlight. Toren’s tone held no anger, only certainty. You’re both of our mates. I love that you checked in, though.

Relief flooded me. I just didn’t want to-

Shh, Toren murmured in my head, like a palm smoothing down my hair. Breathe. Be with him. We’re all in this together.

The mindlink dissolved as softly as it had appeared. And when I looked up, Talon was right there. He reached out and cupped my cheek with his palm, thumb brushing the corner of my mouth, and then he kissed me.

Softly at first. Testing. His lips were warm and tasted faintly of peach tea. I melted into him. The feeling was like a soft blanket wrapping around me, a new kind of safety. He was so gentle, so sweet, so patient with me, like he had been waiting for this moment for far longer

than I’d known.

He kissed me again, deeper this time but still slow, still careful. His hands slid up my sides, mapping me with reverence instead of urgency. We moved together, a slow undressing of both fabric and fear. By the time our mouths broke apart we were breathing hard, the rest of our clothes scattered around us on the floor.

Talon guided me back to the bed, his hands never leaving my waist. “Lie back,” he murmured, voice a low rasp. “Please.”

I did, the cool sheets whispering against my skin as I settled onto them. He hovered above me for a moment, propped on his elbows, staring down at me like he couldn’t quite believe I was real. His chest rose and fell fast. There was hunger in his eyes, yes, but also awe, a kind of quiet devotion that made my breath catch.

He bent his head and pressed a line of slow kisses from my collarbone down to my stomach, his hands skimming my sides, fingers trembling. Every touch felt like a question. Every kiss felt like an answer.

Then, still kneeling between my legs, Talon paused. His head dipped lower, but he didn’t move again right away. He looked up at me, eyes

dark but soft. “Tell me if you want me to stop,” he said, voice hoarse. “I won’t take anything you’re not ready to give.”

My heart thudded. “I’m ready,” I whispered.

Something inside him eased, and he exhaled shakily. His hands smoothed down my thighs, steadying me as much as himself. He bent

again, kissing the inside of my knee, then higher, slow, deliberate, until every inch of me was trembling.