“So you’re a phoenix named Nix, huh?” The shifter said. I inhaled deeply, trying to gauge what his creature was, but all I could pick up on was a musty smell mixed with too much cologne.
I winced—partly from my assaulted senses and partly from his comment. When you put it that way, it did sound kind of dumb.
“It’s actually a nickname based on my name, not my creature, but sure. Let’s go with that.” I snarked my answer, ready to be done with this guy. I was getting tired of all the male attention—well, male attention from anyone that wasn’t one of my five.
“Hey there Annie girl.” Killian slid up next to me, a red solo cup in his hand. What the hell had he been drinking? The alcohol on his breath was telling.
“Annie? So which is it… Nix or Annie?” The guy looked at me with a skeptical look on his face. A look that pissed me off. He had no right to know my name. His arrogance was giving me a headache. Time to put this piece of work in his place.
“None of your damn business. Read my lips: I’m not interested.”
“I like my girls with a little fire.” He flicked his tongue at me, and I wanted to barf. "You haven’t even gotten to know me yet, sweetheart.” The sound of Damien’s endearment for me on this guys lips made me grind my teeth together. Rolling my eyes, I turned my attention to Kill.
“Hey. Back the fuck off!” He roared at the guy standing much to close to me. I moved to Kill’s side and soothed a hand over his chest.
“It’s alright there big guy. I think you’ve had a little too much to drink. Let’s go get you something non-alcoholic.” I slid the red cup from his fingers and sidled up to him when he slung his arm around my shoulders. The possessive contact didn’t even bother me. I wanted others to see me in his arms and know I was already taken. This whole event was ridiculous. I fucking hated the Council for making me do this. I wasn’t some piece of meat.
“Big guy… you do know you’re hanging all over a rabbit shifter don’t you?” The idiot leered, clearly thinking he had one-upped Kill and gotten under his skin. Truthfully, any mention of Killian’s Puca did just that. Before the Puca could utter a word, I narrowed my eyes at the douchebag.
“There’s a reason for the phrase ‘breed like bunnies’, sweetheart.” I threw as much sass as I could into the nickname, “And this ‘rabbit’ is better than any vibrator any girl in this place has ever tried, which was already ten times better than anything you could do with your dick. So back the fuck off if you know what’s good for you.” I let my fire creep into one of my hands, letting the orange glow of power shine, brightening the dark evening around us. When his eyes widened and he shrunk back a little, I turned my attention back to Kill and dragged him away from the fray. We’d drawn attention, but I didn’t care. I just wanted out of this place. Fuck; I decided I hated parties.
When we were a sufficient distance away, and I was sure the village idiot wasn’t in pursuit, I looked up at Killian. His smile was so big that it was about to break his face. I laughed. “How much have you had?” I nodded to the cup in my hand.
“Eh, the last time alcohol was involved it was a pretty great night.” His smile was addictive. I wanted to see this all-consuming grin on his face more often, and I resolved to do everything in my power to make that happen. The white of his teeth flashed in the darkened night like a beacon, and I couldn’t take my eyes off his face.
We’d walked some ways from the party raging in the background, the gathering becoming white noise along with the gentle lapping of the water that was just steps away.
Killian turned me toward him, taking the cup and setting it on the ground next to us. I shivered from the chill in the air. Hell, chill was the wrong word. I could tell that the weather was turning; autumn was disappearing, and winter was on the verge of making an appearance.
Tucking me in his arms, he bent his head down to catch my eyes. “Did you mean what you said?”
“To that asshole? Absolutely. And even though I haven’t tested the goods myself, I know everything I said is one hundred percent true.” I lifted my head higher, bringing my face closer to his, challenging him.
“You are something else, Annie girl.” His eyes dropped down my face, taking in every inch of me. My elbows were tucked inside his arms, and my hands were on his chest. He squeezed me against his chest as he leaned down and placed a simple, gentle kiss on my cheek. Lifting his head, he brought his lips down on the other side of my face, gracing my other cheek with a kiss as well.
Trailing his nose up the side of mine, he brought his lips just an inch above mine. My eyes drifted shut as I waited for his lips to meet mine.
“Baby, where the hell did you come from?” His voice was soft, and I could tell it was a rhetorical question, so I just hummed to him instead. “You came out of fucking nowhere, infiltrated my world, and now I can’t imagine not having you in my life.”
My eyes flew open to meet the green of his. Neon, luminescent flecks were bright in his irises, and I knew his Puca was with him. My Phoenix rose, pushing to greet his creature, and I was sure my eyes would be glowing gold.
“Annie.” My name was a whisper on his lips as he brushed his mouth over mine. Closing my eyes, I relished the small kisses he rained down on me. My body heated instantly.
“Killian. My broody Celt.” I smiled when he chuckled.
“You make me happy, Nix.”
This time, when he kissed me, he wasn’t teasing me. Our lips slid together in a timeless rhythm that sang to my soul. Nipping at his bottom lip, I felt him growl before he deepened the kiss. His tongue swept inside of my mouth, teasing and taking. He drove me to distraction with his magical tongue, and I gripped his shirt in my hands, holding on. My core clenched, needing more. Sucking on his tongue, I heard as much as I felt the rumble in his chest and his hands wandered from my waist down my body.
He took the movement slowly, but I wanted his hands on me, and I wasn’t going to flinch away from him—or this moment. This kiss was mine. I was starting to feel like Killian was mine. Only mine. I wanted this; I wanted him.
His hands traced over my ass, palming and kneading me through my skirt before he dragged me tighter against him on a guttural groan. His arousal pressed against my stomach, and my pleasure skyrocketed as I leaned my body into him harder.
It took me a minute to realize that Damien was in my mind, showing instead of telling me how sexy the scene we were putting on was.
Breaking off the kiss, Killian looked over my head and spoke to the man behind us. “You always have to fucking interrupt, don’t you?” His voice was exasperated but tinged with humor.
Damien’s low chuckle raced up my spine, making me shiver in Killian’s arms.
“She’s fine. I’m not taking advantage of her,” Kill informed Damien, and it made me feel like they’d had this conversation before.
“No, I never said you were. In fact, she’s quite enjoying you.” I heard gravel crunch as my Gargoyle moved closer.
“Good, because I fully intend to kiss this woman into next week.” A glance upward showed me that Killian was smiling again, looking down at me, and I couldn’t contain a grin at his enthusiasm. I liked tipsy Killian. I wasn’t sure if I had ever heard him speak such forward words before.
“Feel free to join me.” Wait, what?!