A Kiss of Flame (Shadows Eternal #3)

Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

L evian’s heart ached. There had been a lot she’d wanted to say and explain, but the moment Barith had said he loved her, it broke her apart. She was so tired, and she’d missed him so much. Levian knew everything was a mess, and she’d have to clean it all up, but as she’d looked into Barith’s amber eyes and felt his warm touch, she forgot about all of it. Her thieves. The thousands of reasons why they would never work. How she’d nearly died because she’d been reckless and stubborn. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she didn’t try to hide them.

When she kissed him, there was no explosion—no sizzle of magick. Just her lips pressed against his as the fire crackled in the hearth. She wrapped her arm around his neck, and he pulled her gently into his arms, careful not to hurt her. They breathed each other in and Levian sighed into Barith’s touch.

He pulled away, pressing slow, delicate kisses along her cheeks, eyes, and jaw until he found her lips again. In each simple kiss, she felt an outpouring of his love. She broke away and looked over his face, running her fingers along his beard and over his mouth. “I missed you,” she told him.

Barith leaned his head against hers. Her heart thrummed as it pressed against his chest. She kissed his bearded chin, jaw, and the corner of his mouth. When her lips met his again, her kiss was less tender. When the edge of her tongue slid against his bottom lip, Barith groaned and opened his mouth to her. Their tenderness soon became urgent as she deepened their embrace, and the need to be closer to him built like a raging fire.

When he pulled away, they were both panting and hot. “We shouldn’t,” he grumbled with reluctance. “You need to rest.”

Levian shook her head. Ismay’s tonics had worked wonders, and Cat’s shot of whiskey hadn’t hurt. She felt sore and achy, but not enough to dissuade her from having him. “I’ll be fine,” she told him. “Just don’t throw me around.”

Barith grumbled a small laugh and kissed her softly. “I don’t think we?—”

She reached up and ran her fingers along the edge of his wing, only adding the faintest bit of magick. Barith tensed and grunted in pleasure. Little tendrils of smoke fell from his nostrils as he glared at her. “Yer playin’ dirty,” he growled.

Levian smirked. “Don’t I always?” she breathed before kissing him again.

The dragon didn’t protest this time. He gently picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him. He sat on the edge of the bed with her in his lap as their kisses grew hotter, their panted breaths shallower and shallower. Levian pulled away to tear the shall off her shoulders and threw it on the floor. She shifted, bracing herself on his shoulders, until she straddled his lap.

Her heart raced as she looked down into his face. “Touch me,” she pleaded before her lips were on his again. Barith’s hands slid gently down her back along her butt, where he dug his fingers into her skin to press her harder against him. Levian gasped lightly into his mouth when she felt his hard length against the inside of her thigh.

She tugged at Barith’s long-sleeve shirt, and he happily yanked it over his head and tossed it aside. The mage ran her hands over his firm, bare chest before she broke away to kiss a trail down his neck. He leaned back to give her better access. When she came across his nipple, she flicked it with her tongue, and he hissed. She did it harder again, and he groaned softly.

She pushed Barith back, his large wings spreading awkwardly over the giant bed for such a small room. Levian ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders before she leaned further over him and delicately caressed the parts of his wings she could reach.

His eyes glowed with fire, and he growled low up at her. Levian lowered herself down and kissed him, Barith’s skin growing hotter beneath her. He rolled her onto her back, careful not to be too rough, his wings flapping softly over them. Their kiss grew urgent again as Barith rocked his hips against her. Levian let out a sharp little moan into his mouth, digging her nails into his shoulder while she gripped the linens with her others. Her wound throbbed at all her exertion, but she ignored it. The fabric of the nightgown was thin enough that she could feel the ridge of him against her sex, and she wanted more.

Barith lay hot kisses along her jaw, down her neck and chest—the straps of the gown falling along her shoulders. Barite gently worked the fabric down past her bandage and along her wrapped arm until the cool air hit her exposed breasts. His beard brushed against her nipple, and she shucked in a breath. He breathed hot against her tender skin before he licked her just as she’d done to him. Levian hissed much the same, then gasped when he lay his mouth entirely over her and sucked.

Her core throbbed with raw, desperate desire as he did again. She moaned openly, savoring the delicious pleasure that rioted through her, drowning out the dull aches of pain. She was already writhing and wanting when she dug her fingers into his hair and said his name on a plea. Barith’s mouth broke away from her breasts, and he lay hot, urgent kisses down her stomach, pulling the gown lower until he slid it over her hips and tossed it to the floor. He hooked his finger along the waist of her thin panties and pulled them down with nearly no effort at all. When her bottom was bare, he kissed along her hips, nipping at the protruding bone, making her groan with desire.

“Touch me,” she breathed, leaning back against the linens. His fingers slid up her thigh as he lay a kiss on the patch of groomed curls above the apex of her sex. One of his fingers slid over her, and they both groaned in tandem at how wet she was.

Levian had always known that if she ever got a chance, she might become addicted to Barith, and she felt that to her core as he stroked over her wet sex with his fingers. It wasn’t just that he knew what she wanted and how to pleasure her. He was tender and caring and savored her moans of ecstasy like they were sweets of which he couldn’t get enough. With Barith, she felt worshipped and loved.

She groaned his name as he ran his fingers over her and flicked his tongue over her nipple in a way he knew drove her mad. Levian wanted him. All of him.

Barith growled, sliding further down, propping her legs over each of his shoulders. Levian lifted her head to see his fire-filled eyes gazing up at her from where his mouth hovered just above her sex. He slowly stuck out his tongue, his eyes never wavering from hers, and set it upon her in one long, lush lick that sent her whole body trembling with a shock of pure pleasure. Levian groaned darkly, biting her bottom lip as Barith feasted upon her, growling with satisfaction with each rock of her hips.

Levian gasped as she felt herself grow close to the edge, sparks filling her eyes. When he plunged a finger inside her, she gasped again, digging her hands into the bed covers. He growled low and dark against her, adding another finger, and that was all it took. Levian came apart beneath his mouth. His tongue lapped over her, extending each wave of her pleasure as she trembled and moaned.

When he pulled away to remove his pants, Levian lay for a moment, sated but still wanting more. Barith shifted over her, the heat of his body hovering over her cool skin. His hands slid up to either side of her face, and he kissed her, the taste of her climax still on his tongue.

Barith told her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her—the way she tasted, the sounds she made. His tender words were accompanied by kisses and caresses until Levian was panting once more, her heart aching to have him just as much as her body.

She felt his hard length press against the inside of her thigh, and she shucked in a breath. Their kisses became hot and urgent as she shifted her hips so that Barith aligned with her entrance. The tip of him pressed against her, and she groaned. She was so wet he only had to rock into her twice before he was buried to the base. Barith growled lusciously into her mouth as she groaned with delight.

He rocked out and back into her with several decadent, slow strokes as they each savored the moment of their coupling. Levian skittered a touch of magick along his wings, and he shivered, growing even harder inside her. Barith groaned her name as she gasped, “More.”

Barith readjusted himself over her, careful not to touch her wound, and leaned back to position his hip better. He rocked into her with force precisely like she wanted, then slowly pulled out and did it again. Levian closed her eyes, savoring the wash of pure ecstasy that filled her as he pressed deeper and deeper inside her. A primal moan fell from her lips as she felt herself growing close to the edge once more. Barith bent down and kissed her as he plunged himself into her again. It was hot and urgent yet tender and loving.

She held the side of his face in her hand, digging her fingers into his beard as his lips hovered over hers, their breaths in rhythm. In that moment, she didn’t feel wholly herself but like they were part of one being. Her heart thrummed and ached all at once. Levian kissed him, her emotions brimming to the surface. All the love she felt for him poured into that kiss as she held his body to hers.

Barith was lost to her. Lost in her. He loved Levian, and their last sexual encounter had been one to remember, but this was beyond what he’d imagined. As he rocked into her, he felt every breath between them, every shiver of her body, every ounce of her pleasure. It flowed through him in tandem, and gods, it was glorious.

When she kissed him, he felt more than a kiss; he felt her love. Their bodies tangled together in the passionate rhythm that consumed them. He pulled out of her suddenly, knowing if he didn’t, he would come, and he wasn’t ready. Not yet.

Barith rolled, careful to hold onto Levian while being mindful of her injuries; he slid her back in the bed with him until he was leaning against the headboard with her sitting in his lap. She looked delirious and confused at the sudden change of position, but he dug his fingers into her hips and lowered her. She gasped the moment the tip of him pressed against her soft, wet entrance and braced her hands against his chest. Barith wrapped his wings around them and nearly knocked the lamp off the bedside table. Levian looked down at him, her eyes heavy and dark with desire. She ran a few fingers over his wing, sending a skitter of magick flowing over it. He tensed as the glorious sensation ricocheted through him all the way to his cock. Barith growled, pressing her hips down so that his rock-hard length slid into her as deep as she could take him. Levian whimpered, and Barith lifted her and pushed her back down over him hard, rocking her as he did. She groaned.

His heart raced with anticipation, and he did it again. “Come for me, love,” he asked. Barith knew she was so close, and he wanted to watch her come apart. Levian opened her eyes as she began to move herself over him. He growled her name and reached between them to stroke the apex of her sex with his thumb. Levian gasped and breathed for him not to stop.

Barith stroked her as she rode him, and within seconds, she came in his arms, her body trembling, her head thrown back as she screamed to the heavens. It was so luscious he nearly came with her but managed to control himself somehow. She rocked over, and Barith had to reach out to keep her from falling off the bed. Levian’s heavy eyes fluttered open, but she looked drunk and delirious. Barith held her firm as he leaned forward and kissed her cheeks and neck.

There was a gentle comfort in that moment as he held her in his arms. Barith wrapped his wings tighter around them, and she pressed her palms against his chest and leaned back to look into his face. Her eyes were more clear now that she’d had a moment to recover from her climax, and she stroked his cheek affectionately.

Barith kissed her palm. “You’re so beautiful,” he told her.

Levian kissed him softly and reached down between them to stroke him. Barith shuddered into her mouth. Her gaze turned dark as she let go of him to reach out and caress his wing. He grew rock hard instantly and threw his head back against the wall, his muscles tensing as her magick fluttered through him. When she lowered herself onto him once more, he groaned at how good she felt. Levian was wetter from her intense climax and took him deep.

He breathed her name to the sky. Levian groaned and rocked her hips, keeping him buried deep inside her. Barith cursed and told her how good it felt while Levian panted little moans as she worked her beautiful body over him. He was close to the edge, but he wanted Levian closer. Barith leaned forward and flipped her on her back again, pressing her into the bed. He spread his wings at his back as he pulled out of her entirely and slid back in with one long, luscious stroke that had them both moaning in tandem. Levian spread her legs and arched her hips to take him deeper. Barith was overcome. Levian’s moans pressing him further to the edge as he buried himself inside her. His pace quickened, the sound of his skin cascading into hers, filling the room with their moans of pleasure.

Levian’s eyes rolled back as she became lost in their coupling. Barith growled as he felt that tingle build in the base of his spine. He leaned closer and kissed her. Levian pulled away and looked up into his eyes, a flash of violet filling them as she panted into his mouth. Her face tensed suddenly, and she screamed, shattering beneath him again. Barith roared as her sex spasmed around him in her ecstasy, plunging him over the edge with her. They both rode their pleasure, moaning and trembling until he hovered over her. Panting and delirious, he fell over onto his side, shaking the bed as he did.

When their breathing calmed, he leaned over and kissed her shoulder and neck. She turned her head and found his lips. They lay face to face for a moment. Levian stroked his beard, and he nuzzled her neck.

“You’ll not run away this time, aye?” he asked her.

She huffed a little sated laugh. “No,” she told him. “I won’t run away.”

His heart swelled, and Levian wriggled up next to him, pressing the side of her body against his front. His wing draped over them, and she dipped her head to kiss him. His tail nestled between his legs and over hers.

Only when Barith felt Levian’s breathing steady and knew she had fallen asleep did he let himself relax at her side. He kissed her hair and whispered his love before settling next to her.

Levian hadn’t told him she loved him, but Barith hadn’t expected her to. The mage was still herself, and he knew it wouldn’t be easy, but as he drifted off with Levian in his arms, he felt contented in a way he’d never thought possible. Whatever tomorrow brought, they would find their way together.