The Sweetest Burn (Broken Destiny #2)

He kissed me deeper, each stroke of his tongue igniting my senses, until my whole body felt like it vibrated from desire. I was lightheaded, as if everything around me was still spinning, but the car had come to a complete stop. His hands moved down my back with sensual possessiveness before sliding over my hips and staying there. I wasn’t aware that I’d been gripping his shirt until it ripped open at the collar. The sound he made as his kiss became bruising caused things low in me to tighten so suddenly, I cried out.

That rush of passion did more than cause me to writhe with need in his arms. With an internal flash that was as intense as a solar flare, my abilities activated and I felt that the staff wasn’t anywhere nearby. Oh, a few hallowed things were, but nothing as significant as an object that had channeled enough power from on high to control nature. That wouldn’t register as a faint “blip” on my radar. It would blast it, just like David’s ancient slingshot had when I found it months ago.

Adrian pulled away, his hands now framing my face instead of gripping my hips. “I felt that. What is it?”

“You can feel that?” I asked with a gasp.

He brushed my hair away while his gaze raked over me. “You’d be amazed by some of my abilities, Ivy.”

The raw sensuality in his voice promised pleasure and threatened obsession. At the same time, there was something distinctly not sexy about my abilities rearing their head right now. To say that I hadn’t been focusing on anything hallowed for the past several minutes was putting it mildly.

Yet my abilities had had their priorities in order, even if I hadn’t. I uncurled myself from Adrian’s embrace and began to scoot back into my seat. His eyes stayed locked onto mine, but he didn’t stop me.

“You were right, adrenaline did the trick, but the staff isn’t here,” I said, voice raspy as I tried to regain control.

“Ah.” The word did nothing to tell me what he was thinking about my putting the brakes on—or starting things to begin with. Was he frustrated? Upset? I couldn’t stand not knowing.

“You—you could say something else about what just happened,” I stammered.

The faintest smile tugged his lips, which were fuller from how hard he’d kissed me. “So could you, but if you want me to go first, fine. I love how you taste, how you feel, the little noises you make when you’re turned on, and when you ripped my shirt open, I wanted to throw you in the back and fuck you so hard, all the windows would shatter.”

Adrian’s tone was light and he never lost that half smile, but his stare said that he meant every word.

“You promised.” My response was 90 percent a reminder of his vow, and 10 percent a plea for him to forget it.

He reached out, catching my hand in his. Then he brought it to his lips, kissing my knuckles while never breaking his stare.

“That’s why we’re still in the front seat, but you wanted to know what I was thinking, so I told you.”

Then he let go of my hand and moved his seat forward. I looked away, flushing. I hadn’t even noticed him moving it back, but I wouldn’t have fit on his lap otherwise. Despite my tinge of embarrassment, I also felt a sense of relief. By repositioning his seat, Adrian was further confirming that nothing else was going to happen. I’m the one who’d started this, but I’d only meant it to be a kiss. Not for it to end with sex.

Then again, if my hallowed radar hadn’t acted up, who knows how this would have ended? With lots of broken windows?

“Your turn,” he said, interrupting that dangerous line of thought. “You’re the one who kissed me. Why?”

I squirmed at his bluntness. “Isn’t it kinda obvious?”

Another ghost of a smile. “I didn’t make you guess what I was thinking when I answered you.”

No, he sure hadn’t. I looked away, unable to reply while on the receiving end of that deep blue stare. His gaze was too probing, too knowing, and yes, still too enticing.

“I shouldn’t have,” I said at last. “That makes me a tease, I suppose, but I felt so...free, right before I kissed you.” I let out a choppy laugh. “Guess it made me forget all the reasons why I’m not.”

“Ivy.” The way he said my name forced me to look at him. When I did, he pulled me into his arms before I even realized that he’d moved.

“Adrian—”

“Shh,” he murmured. “I don’t think I’ve ever just held you before. I was always pushing you away, and the one time I didn’t, we were also in this car.” His lips brushed my hair. “Did you know that old Challengers were your aphrodisiac?”

I laughed, relaxing at his loose embrace and his light, bantering tone. “What can I say? I’m into vintage things.”

His chuckle rumbled against my back. “I’ve missed you, Ivy. All of you, so don’t think you’re not free around me because you are. That means kissing me isn’t teasing. I want to do truly filthy things to you, but I can wait. If Zach hurries his Archon ass up, I won’t even have to wait long.”

I had to say it. “You do know it’s extremely twisted that you need an angel’s help to hook up, right?”

This time, his laughter had an edge. “I never have before, but with Zach, I can give you the guarantee that you demanded.”

I didn’t remind him that I’d only promised him a chance, not a sure thing. “How does Zach factor into you proving that you can beat your fate?” I asked instead.

He tensed, but then relaxed almost as fast. “It’s complicated, so I’d rather show you than tell you.”

“That’s what my prom date said right before I cracked a beer bottle over his head,” I replied, my tone dry. “You told me no more secrets, remember?”

He angled his head so he could look at me, and his expression was serious. “I don’t want to tell you right now. That’s a choice, not a secret, and yes, there’s a difference.”

Not in my mind, but I’d given him an ultimatum—a huge one—and he’d sworn to meet it. I still didn’t think that it was possible, but I had to admit—the idea was starting to appeal. And if it was possible for Adrian to prove that he could beat his fate without having to wait until the end of this war, how could I refuse to honor the only stipulation he’d given me?

“Fine,” I said. “You’ll tell me, or show me, when Zach does what you want him to.” If he does, I silently added. Then I changed the subject. “So, the staff’s not here. What’s next on our list of places filled with unexplainable natural weirdness?”

“It’s...” His voice trailed off, then he almost shoved me away. He was out of the car before I could ask what was wrong, but one look around answered that.

When I’d glanced out the window moments ago, the sky had been bright blue. Now, it was deepest indigo that was fast turning to black. With all the crazy lightning, I would’ve thought a storm was rolling in, except there were no clouds.

Adrian jumped back into the car, slamming it into gear and hitting the gas. The instant velocity knocked me against the seats hard enough to risk whiplash.

“Call Costa.” His tone was urgent. “Tell him to aim for the lightning and get out of here, now.”

I began to tear through my purse looking for my cell phone. “What’s going on?”

Lightning continued to flash on every horizon, until the perimeter of the landscape was bathed in strobes of dazzling white. At the same time, the sky turned pitch black, and more terrifying, somehow looked like it was starting to fall.

Adrian floored the gas. “This area is being swallowed by a demon realm.”