his eyes. "You don't know that."
She stood up on tiptoes to reach his mouth. Before she pressed down, she said, "You don't know I can't."
Drew didn't push her away and after a second kissed her back, long, smooth, hot—longing. She pulled him tighter against him just in time to feel the evidence of how much he wanted her growing in his pants. Drew could pretend indifference when they were awake all he wanted.
He pushed his tongue between her lips and she let him inside. Their tongues danced. He tasted of cinnamon. After a minute, she pulled back. Much as she wanted him, she needed this when they were awake, when she was certain they could both remember what happened, when it wouldn't fade like a wistful dream.
"Wake up and be with me for real."
He placed his hand on her cheek and she stared into his eyes. "I won't risk you."
"Drew, please don't make me pay for the terrible mistake I made years ago. Don't make us both suffer any more. Trust me to know how to handle myself. I believe in us. This is all my fault and I know we can set it right."
He shook his head. "What are you even talking about?"
"I begged you to help me. We were four. I set you on the path where you ended up infected. All of your pain rests on my shoulders. I was young, stupid, terrified." She took a deep breath and said the words she'd needed to speak since she learned his secret. "I was so used to you being there for me I did nothing to help myself. Even as a child I was powerful. I made my pain your problem and you did what you do—you tried to rescue me. And it all blew up."
"Marina." He leaned his forehead against hers. "You can't make my stupid mistakes your responsibility. The whole world doesn't rest on your shoulders."
"I love you." She spoke the words she needed to say. "Out of everyone in this whole mess we're in, I wouldn't pick anyone but you to go through this with. You belong to me. I know you were alone for so long. Veli never found you. No one came to rescue you." She held onto his shirt. "Let me."
One second they stood in the garden, the gentle wind pushing on her hair as she pleaded with him. The next, she was back in Drew's room, awake as she blinked up at him.
He seemed a lot more alert than she did. "You think this was all your fault?"
"Glad to see you can hold onto our shared dreams in your memory."
In a flash, he was on top of her. "I gave the demon entrance to my body. I made the choice. I was stupid. It has nothing to do with you whatsoever. Just typical poor decision making on my part and, yeah, it's fucked up our entire life. I keep waiting for you to tell me to get out."
"Not going to happen." She had to make the stubborn mule understand. "I don't cut and run. I stay put. Do you understand? I waited for you when you came and went and then came again because I know you. Even when I couldn't remember, I knew you'd always return to me, Drew." She pushed at him until he moved. "I've got this."
With a flick of her hand, she strengthened the wards around the cave. The ability left her when she didn't have her memory. Only, it had come right back. The demon wasn't getting through the area she shielded. Not without his having to do some serious spell-casting. She'd feel his attempt and they could thwart him. No more being left out in the open for Sebastian to fuck with.
"You've resisted his pull for so long. I know you aren't going to let anyone or anything hurt me. I need you."
"Damn it, Marina." He tugged her against him and before she could think he pressed his mouth to hers.
Drew wasn't gentle and coaxing. He'd never initiated this kind of contact between them before and if his claiming of her mouth indicated anything he wasn't going to be a gentle lover. His aggression suited her fine. They'd been denied each other too long.
He pulled back, panting hard like they'd done much more than simply kiss. "If at any time I think you're at risk, this stops."
She shook her head. "No dice. And you're not getting out of
She stood up on tiptoes to reach his mouth. Before she pressed down, she said, "You don't know I can't."
Drew didn't push her away and after a second kissed her back, long, smooth, hot—longing. She pulled him tighter against him just in time to feel the evidence of how much he wanted her growing in his pants. Drew could pretend indifference when they were awake all he wanted.
He pushed his tongue between her lips and she let him inside. Their tongues danced. He tasted of cinnamon. After a minute, she pulled back. Much as she wanted him, she needed this when they were awake, when she was certain they could both remember what happened, when it wouldn't fade like a wistful dream.
"Wake up and be with me for real."
He placed his hand on her cheek and she stared into his eyes. "I won't risk you."
"Drew, please don't make me pay for the terrible mistake I made years ago. Don't make us both suffer any more. Trust me to know how to handle myself. I believe in us. This is all my fault and I know we can set it right."
He shook his head. "What are you even talking about?"
"I begged you to help me. We were four. I set you on the path where you ended up infected. All of your pain rests on my shoulders. I was young, stupid, terrified." She took a deep breath and said the words she'd needed to speak since she learned his secret. "I was so used to you being there for me I did nothing to help myself. Even as a child I was powerful. I made my pain your problem and you did what you do—you tried to rescue me. And it all blew up."
"Marina." He leaned his forehead against hers. "You can't make my stupid mistakes your responsibility. The whole world doesn't rest on your shoulders."
"I love you." She spoke the words she needed to say. "Out of everyone in this whole mess we're in, I wouldn't pick anyone but you to go through this with. You belong to me. I know you were alone for so long. Veli never found you. No one came to rescue you." She held onto his shirt. "Let me."
One second they stood in the garden, the gentle wind pushing on her hair as she pleaded with him. The next, she was back in Drew's room, awake as she blinked up at him.
He seemed a lot more alert than she did. "You think this was all your fault?"
"Glad to see you can hold onto our shared dreams in your memory."
In a flash, he was on top of her. "I gave the demon entrance to my body. I made the choice. I was stupid. It has nothing to do with you whatsoever. Just typical poor decision making on my part and, yeah, it's fucked up our entire life. I keep waiting for you to tell me to get out."
"Not going to happen." She had to make the stubborn mule understand. "I don't cut and run. I stay put. Do you understand? I waited for you when you came and went and then came again because I know you. Even when I couldn't remember, I knew you'd always return to me, Drew." She pushed at him until he moved. "I've got this."
With a flick of her hand, she strengthened the wards around the cave. The ability left her when she didn't have her memory. Only, it had come right back. The demon wasn't getting through the area she shielded. Not without his having to do some serious spell-casting. She'd feel his attempt and they could thwart him. No more being left out in the open for Sebastian to fuck with.
"You've resisted his pull for so long. I know you aren't going to let anyone or anything hurt me. I need you."
"Damn it, Marina." He tugged her against him and before she could think he pressed his mouth to hers.
Drew wasn't gentle and coaxing. He'd never initiated this kind of contact between them before and if his claiming of her mouth indicated anything he wasn't going to be a gentle lover. His aggression suited her fine. They'd been denied each other too long.
He pulled back, panting hard like they'd done much more than simply kiss. "If at any time I think you're at risk, this stops."
She shook her head. "No dice. And you're not getting out of
Similar Books
