Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

I could feel it building in my gut.“That’s right. Let it go. Let this take you to your end. You don’t need any of those horrible, sick things, this is all you ne—”

A chill swam over me.

I didn’t want to open my eyes, but some force beyond my control forced my hand. When I did, there he was. His hands were placed flat against the table on either side of me, his face hovering above mine, those shadows threatening.

I gasped, my heart picking up, the fear shifting into something gross and vile. Could Cole really not see him?

I bit my lip until I could taste the blood, trying to keep my moans in, but fuck, my body shook with it. With the pleasure, theneed.

No, no, no.

One of his shadows drifted over, slithering over my waist, a chill spreading through me. I looked down and watched it creep up my body.

I cried out from fear and pleasure and tried to wipe it away, but my hands were locked in place.

I looked up again, this time to my hands, willing them to move, but it was useless. He was doing something to me. He had locked my body. I couldn’t move.

Icouldn’t move!

I struggled, pulling at my hands, as the fear grew. I turned back to the shadow tendril, watching as it traveled up, up, up, slithering between my breasts, up to where my jacket met my neck, and it slid under my clothes.

Tears filled my eyes as the painful chill of it drifted down to my breast, circling it, nipping at the soft skin, my peaked nipples seen even through my hoodie.

My eyes lifted back to Trick’s, tears sliding into my hairline just as the shadows flicked my nipple, pain slashing through me.

I groaned, arching back against it, needing more friction, hating every fucking second of it.

Cole pounded harder into me, faster.

But I needed more.

I couldn’t have more.

“You disgusting whore.”

I know, I can’t stop it.

Trick leaned down then as his shadow burned my skin, pinched my nipple and then slithered slowly down the center of my body.

He stopped only when his breath touched my ear where my hood had fallen back. “I warned you,” he purred, and pressed his tongue flat against my neck, slowly trailing it up to the base of my ear, liquid heat pooling between my thighs.

“Oh, fuck,” I moaned through my teeth, falling off the ledge just as his shadows touched my throbbing clit.

The orgasm shook painfully through me, Cole’s release nothing but a muffled moan through the roaring in my own ears.

Cole pulled out as soon as he was done, which was punishment in and of itself, honestly, because I wanted to ride this out. I wanted just a few more seconds, but it was over, and I collapsed onto the table, trembling and panting as I opened my eyes and found Trick gone, the presence of his shadows gone.

I sucked in my lips and sat up as he turned away to tie his pants. I quickly wiped my tears and pulled my hood back on, crossing my legs together once my pants were fixed, shame filling me.

What the fuck was wrong with me? Was I even able to finish without that…thatshit? I almost did, didn’t I? I had been so close, hadn’t I?

“Fuck, Kyra,” Cole said, turning back to me.

I immediately wiped my expression, forcing myback to relax, forcing a smile on my face. “Good, huh?” I winced at how forced that sounded. I would never know. Maybe I just didn’t have the ability. Maybe I just had to never fuck again. Become celibate. It seemed like a decent plan.

Maybe.

Cole nodded, sliding his hand up my thigh. “Maybe next time we can take it into the bedroom,” he suggested softly.