Shadows and Sorcery: A Collection of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Novels

by Adkins, Heather Marie

  Oh. My face heated from the dark gleam in his green eyes. “I, uh, thank you?” The last word came out as a squeak, sending another wave of warmth over my skin.

  I’m in so much trouble, I realized, my breath catching in my throat. I really do want them both. It was so wrong. I couldn’t do this, couldn’t be torn between them. But they each called to a different part of me. Parts I didn’t understand. My elements.

  Titus exhaled slowly, running his fingers through his thick, auburn hair. “Look, I know I fucked up. Well, sort of.” He shook his head. “Look, Ignis is a bitch. She tried to force a bond on me with this seduction potion. And because her power is a reasonable match for mine, she managed to get me into bed. But I can’t stand her. I’d never want to be with her, Claire.”

  I clasped my hands before me, unsure of what to say. It wouldn’t be fair of me to judge him, not after my own behavior. Yet hearing his explanation put me slightly at ease. Until I remembered the rest of it. “What about the bet?”

  His gaze narrowed. “You honestly think I’d be doing all this just to win some fucking bet?”

  Did I? My lips twisted to the side as I considered, which had his face reddening.

  “I realize you don’t know me very well, but you should at least be able to discern my intentions. I mean, for fuck’s sake, Claire. I willingly bonded with you. I’m a competitive man, but not that competitive.” He pushed away from the bed to walk over to the windows, his shoulders tense as he shook his head. “I might kill Ignis.”

  For some reason, that last sentence made me smile. I rather liked the idea of throttling her myself. “She’s a bitch,” I agreed, joining him by the glass.

  A horde of violet flowers had formed, each of them releasing crystals into the air that danced around the ever-evolving vines.

  We stood in silence for a while, something I hadn’t realized I needed until right then. But it gave me a moment to ponder everything and sort through my thoughts. About Exos. About Titus. About this place. About me.

  I called a flicker of fire to play over my fingertips, smiling at how different I felt—powerful and real.

  Ever since I’d arrived, I’d been battling this new reality, fighting Exos, and wanting nothing more than to hide. I lost myself last night to misery. And woke to even more pain. But Exos had done something to me, had awoken some aspect of my being that I hadn’t known.

  And now everything felt right.

  I watched the flame dance across my skin. This truly was a beautiful, unique world. I could be someone brand new here. Someone important. I had the opportunity to prove everyone wrong. The ultimate challenge. I just had to be strong enough to accept it. Fierce enough to master these elements. Wise enough to trust the right mentors.

  Such as the male beside me. “I don’t believe there even is a bet,” I told him, speaking my thoughts out loud. “I think Ignis made it up.”

  He snorted. “I know she did. I tracked down over a dozen fae who are idiotic enough to consider such a ploy, and none of them had heard a word about it. She’s full of shit.”

  “I’m not sure whether I should be offended by her tactics or flattered. She seems to be going out of her way to ruin me without knowing me.”

  “She’s had it in her head for months that we’re going to be a thing. Me and her, I mean. And it’s never going to happen.” He shivered, clearly repulsed by the idea. “I’m not a saint, Claire. I’ve dated a lot. But I’m not a cheater.” He met my gaze. “I’m devoted to our courtship. Until you tell me otherwise, I mean.”

  My heart skipped a beat. Oh God. “But I kissed Exos.” I winced, not meaning to just sputter the words out like that. “I mean, it’s… Well, I…” I shook my head, irritated with my inability to form a sentence.

  Titus chuckled. “He kissed you, sweetheart.” He took a step closer, the heat from his body warming mine as he crowded me against the window. “I accepted that he initiated a connection with you already, Claire.” His palm went to the glass beside my head, his opposite hand grabbing my hip. “Just as he’s accepted my courtship.”

  I swallowed. “Oh.” It was all I could say, the only word I seemed to know. First, Exos. Now, Titus. These men were going to send me into cardiac arrest if they kept up these seductive antics.

  He grinned and leaned into my personal space, his irises capturing mine. “Did you think his kissing you thwarted my claim, Claire? Because I’ll take you right now and prove how wrong you are. Your fire is all mine, sweetheart, and that’s a part of you that I’m not sharing.”

  Goose bumps trailed down my arms, my mouth suddenly dry. “So, uh, you don’t care that I kissed Exos?”

  “Oh, I care.” He inched closer. “What I’m saying is I understand and respect your need to date us both. Because what we have isn’t comparable. We’re fire, sweetheart. And fire is all passion.” He licked my lower lip, a trail of flames following in his wake. “Do you forgive me, sweetheart? Or do you need me to grovel?”

  Shouldn’t I be the one begging for forgiveness here? For almost burning him and Ignis alive? For kissing Exos in front of him after our intimate night together?

  “I’m so confused,” I admitted.

  “May I make a suggestion?” he countered, his hips leaning into mine.

  “Y-yes.” I swallowed. “Please.” I’d do anything to solve the puzzle in my thoughts.

  “Stop thinking,” he whispered, embers flickering between our mouths. “Just feel.” He pressed his lips to mine. So different from Exos’s. Not that I should be comparing them, but it was hard considering the short time span that had passed from earlier to now.

  Yet, as Titus slid his tongue inside, all my worries vanished. His skilled strokes consumed me, his heat absorbing mine and causing me to arch into him for more. He groaned, his grip on my hip tightening.

  “Titus,” I breathed, flames erupting over my skin.

  He lifted me into the air, bracing my back against the glass as he wrapped my legs around his waist. Then his fist was in my hair, holding me to him as he devoured my mouth, stealing all the air from my lungs.

  So hot.

  But even as my fire brewed out of control, his tempered the inferno, creating an erotic dance of elements around us. He was right. No one could touch this part of us, not even Exos.

  My fire belonged to Titus.

  Just as my spirit belonged to Exos.

  Acceptance washed over me, my mind too exhausted to fight the truth any longer. I wanted them both, and I would have them both, so long as they would have me. Titus was right. I needed to stop thinking and just live in the moment.

  I wound my arms around his neck, my fingers threading through his auburn strands and giving them a tug. He growled against my mouth, deepening the kiss and stirring an inferno in my lower belly.

  Exos had ignited a need in me.

  Titus was stoking that need to a whole new level.

  It left me feeling dizzy and so incredibly aroused. Both of these men touched me in entirely different ways, yet it was all so interconnected inside me in a complex web of elements. It left me craving an outlet, a way to expel some of my pent-up power in a safe environment. And Titus provided me with that, by calling out my fire and wrapping it up in his own. The entire room was alive with light—our light.

  I felt safe here.

  Protected.

  Alive.

  “More,” I whispered, sliding my palms over the bare skin of his back. “I need more, Titus.”

  He smiled against my mouth. “You want to play with fire, sweetheart?”

  I nodded. “Yes.” He was my outlet and I needed him. “Please.”

  “Mmm.” His hands fell to the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head, causing my nipples to stiffen despite the warm air. He kissed me as he lowered my feet to the ground, his grip falling to the shorts at my waist. “Are you sure?”

  I didn’t know if we were still talking about playing with fire or if he wanted to know if stripping me was okay. Either way, my answer wa
s “Yes.”

  Warmth caressed my legs as he tugged the fabric down, causing it to pool on the ground at my feet and leaving me naked before him. His gaze ran over me, his pupils dilating. “Oh, I’m going to enjoy this.” He lifted me again before I could reply and laid me out over the bed.

  My pulse thundered in my ears, my nipples tightening to painful points of anticipation. What is he going to do now? What do I want him to do?

  I licked my lips, arching as need coursed through me, only to have him walk to the end of the bed to rest his palms on the quilt beside my ankles.

  Not what I expected at all. “Titus?”

  “Shh,” he murmured, trailing his finger over the arch of my foot. “Just feel.” A line of fire sizzled along my ankles, sending warmth into my veins and calling my own element out to play. “It’s all about the dance.” Molten sensation swirled over me, climbing up my legs, each kiss a sizzle against my skin.

  “Oh…” I squirmed, my thighs clenching as the flames crept higher. “This is…”

  “Fun?” he suggested, leaning over to lick the side of my knee. “Hot?” He knelt on the bed, his mouth trailing the embers up my thigh. “Arousing?” The warmth reached my center, sliding over my slick heat and cascading a series of tremors through my limbs.

  This was so new. Most boys just fumbled around, touching me as they saw fit, but Titus’s movements were deliberate. Skilled. Erotic as fuck.

  And the use of our shared element only heightened the moment, eliciting a passion inside me that required release. His name left my mouth on a plea, a worship, a prayer for more. He intensified the pressure of his gift, creating an inferno that encased my body, inflaming the room and igniting my very soul.

  “You look gorgeous like this, drenched in my power,” he whispered, his lips against my hip and sliding across my lower belly. “I want to taste you, Claire. Can I taste you?”

  I swallowed, my heart in my throat, my entire form literally alive with fire and energy. “Yes,” I hissed. “Yes.” The need to unravel tightened within me, my stomach a bundle of nerves with no outlet, and oh, fuck, was it hot. I could hardly breathe, could barely think.

  Just Titus.

  Just the feel of his heat caressing my skin, and his lips touching me there.

  I bowed off the bed, his palm landing on my belly to hold me down with a growl. And all hell broke loose around us. So much fire. So much heat. So much Titus.

  His tongue slid up and down my slick flesh, his mouth a miracle between my thighs. I wove my fingers into his hair, holding him there as embers drifted up my abdomen to my breasts. Some part of me registered how much this should hurt, but my elements pushed back, creating a sensation unlike anything I’d ever experienced.

  Hot and cold.

  Lava and ice.

  Euphoria mingled with excitement, stirring a catastrophic force inside me that begged to be released. He caught my clit between his teeth, nibbling just hard enough to send a jolt through my limbs and force my gaze to his. The hunger reflected in his forest-green irises sent me flying, my orgasm ripping out of me on an animalistic scream that could likely be heard across the Fae Realm.

  And I didn’t care, too consumed by the rapture flooding my veins to focus on anything other than trying to remember how to breathe. Ashes seemed to coat my tongue, fire crawling down my throat, and then Titus’s mouth was there, possessing me, teaching me how to exist beyond the elements. Helping me to overpower the inferno, to control it, to pull it all back inside and soothe it with a few calming strokes.

  Out of this world did not begin to cover what just happened.

  I blinked into the dark room, shocked. It felt as if a bomb had gone off inside me, rattling the foundations of the world. Yet, his room remained undisturbed, the garden still glowing outside the windows. “That was…” I cleared my throat, my voice hoarse from screaming. “That was…” Nope. Still didn’t have the right word. “Amazing seems too dull a description.”

  He chuckled. “I’m taking that as a compliment.” He gathered me into his arms and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Let me know when you’re ready to play again.”

  “Again?” I could barely feel my arms and legs. Oh, but I hadn’t repaid the favor yet. That was what he meant. Rolling to my side, I pressed my palm to his hard abdomen, exploring the muscular dips down to the top of his pants. He caught my wrist in his hand and brought it up to his lips, giving me a kiss.

  “When I mentioned playing again, I meant with you, sweetheart. And after you’ve gotten some sleep.” He placed my hand on his chest, over his heart. “It’s only three in the morning. I could use a little rest.” He brushed his lips against my hair, easing me into contentment.

  “Are you sure?” I asked, yawning.

  He chuckled. “Yeah, sweetheart. I’m sure.” He pulled the blankets up over us, his shoulder acting as my pillow as I snuggled into his side.

  “ ’Kay. ’Cause sleep sounds good,” I admitted.

  “I know.” Another kiss, his arm tightening around my upper back. “Good night, Claire.”

  “Good night, Titus,” I whispered, my eyes drifting closed in a blissful state. I’d wake him later by repaying the favor. But for now, I’d take the reprieve and just… rest.

  14

  Claire

  Something soft drifted over my lips, causing me to stir from my cocoon of heat. Piercing blue eyes smiled down at me, causing me to grin in response. Exos.

  He tilted his head, the motion endearing. “Morning,” he whispered.

  “Morning,” I replied, stretching my legs.

  Legs that were intertwined with Titus.

  Who was asleep behind me with his chest pressed up against my naked back.

  Oh, shit.

  Exos knelt beside the bed, placing us at eye level. He brushed a curl away from my face before palming my cheek. “It’s okay, Claire.” His low murmur scattered a flurry of goose bumps down my arm. “But I am a little jealous that you sleep naked with him and fully clothed with me.” His gaze dipped down to where Titus’s arm was wrapped around my upper abdomen, my breasts completely revealed thanks to the fallen sheet.

  I bit my lip, wincing. “I…” I wanted to apologize but didn’t know how. Because I didn’t feel remorse for spending the night with Titus, but I did feel bad about doing it so soon after kissing Exos. “I…” I cleared my throat, uncertain of how to proceed. “Sorry.”

  He leaned closer, his blue eyes smoldering as he refocused on my face. “There’s nothing to forgive,” he murmured, his mouth brushing mine. “You have five elements, Claire. Powerful elements. You need a balance.”

  I frowned. He couldn’t possibly be implying that I needed five fae to help balance my elements. Right? Because that’d be insane. I could hardly handle the two of these men, let alone five.

  He pressed his lips to mine once more, his kiss soft and coaxing, while Titus stirred behind me.

  Uh-oh…

  “How’d it go?” he asked, his voice deep with sleep and sounding sexy as sin against my ear.

  “We’ve reached an agreement,” Exos replied, the words fluttering over my lips. “The Council has granted my request to train Claire on Spirit Quad and prepare her powers for the Academy. If we can prove to them that she’s stable, they’ll allow her to attend classes.” He kissed me softly before shifting to glance over my shoulder. “You’ve been excused from classes due to temporary reassignment.”

  “Good.” Titus’s arm lifted from my stomach, his hand shifting to my hip beneath the blankets. “I assume the three of us are relocating today?”

  “Yes. The new quarters are being assembled right now.” Exos cocked his head, his nose brushing mine as he gave me his undivided attention. “Spirit Quad is abandoned, but that gives us plenty of room to practice. Okay?”

  I swallowed, a little hot and bothered by being sandwiched between two incredibly good-looking men. And now they wanted me to live with both of them?

  “I think you rendered her speechless,
Your Highness,” Titus murmured, his lips against my hair. “Perhaps you need to help her find her voice.”

  “Hmm, yes, I think she’s feeling quite shy at my finding her naked in bed with you. Again.” His gaze lowered to my chest, causing my nipples to harden in response, my body alight with wonder and sensation and confusion. “Any suggestions?”

  “Several.” Titus’s palm slid across my lower belly, the touch a brand against my skin as he pulled me backward. “I introduced Claire to fire play.”

  “Did you?” Exos stood, his fingers playing over his dress shirt, popping open the buttons with nimble fingers.

  This can’t be happening.

  It has to be a dream.

  “You two don’t even like each other,” I blurted out, then winced at allowing my thoughts to grace my lips. Are you trying to ruin this?

  Exos grinned. “Maybe not, but we both like you, Claire.” The fabric parted around his torso, revealing the toned physique beneath. He was leaner than Titus, but just as muscularly defined, almost in a regal sort of way. Fitting, considering his title. “It’s not common for a Spirit Fae to take two mates, but it’s not unheard of. Sometimes our affinity for a secondary element is strong, requiring an outlet. Clearly, you have a lot of fire in you.” He finished removing his shirt, folding it and setting it on the nightstand beside the bed.

  “I’m willing to work with it if you both are,” Titus added, his thumb drawing a hypnotic circle around my belly button.

  I resisted the urge to pinch myself, certain this had to be my unconscious mind indulging in this inappropriate scenario. But as the mattress dipped beneath Exos’s weight, his eyes darkened with desire on my breasts, I realized I’d never felt more alive.

  “You have a lot of power in you, princess. This is one way to help expel some of your energy. We’ll absorb it for you. If it’s what you want.” He lay down beside me and fondled a strand of my hair that had fallen across my cheek. “I felt you come undone through our bond, Claire. Now I want to see it with my own eyes.”