Page 65 of The Lost Elemental

Atlas let out a low growl.

“Not sure big man over there is down with sharing our half-human,” Kai said, grinning.

I sent my elbow back into his gut. “I’m not a toy.”

“Damn, that elbow is pointy,” he coughed out.

“And don’t you forget it.”

Phoenix studied me. “It could be that our magic calls to each other. I want to try something. Do you trust me?”

35

The question circled my brain, but I answered before I’d had a chance to even recognize the truth of my one word. “Yes.”

I trusted Phoenix. Because he’d shown me his own scars. Opened up in a way that I knew was incredibly hard for him and shared his past.

His mouth curved and he leaned down, pressing his forehead to mine. “Good.”

That buzz flared to life in my body. The longer he kept hold, the more it intensified.

“Aura, can I kiss you?”

The words were spoken like a question, but Phoenix’s tone held nothing but demand.

“Yes.”

Apparently, it was all I could say.

Phoenix didn’t wait. He took my mouth in a hard kiss. His stubble bit into my skin, only adding to the array of sensation. He licked the seam of my lips and mine parted on a gasp.

Phoenix’s tongue stroked mine. He teased and plundered, eased off then dove deeper. I never knew what kind of sensation would come next.

Then he was pulling back. I stumbled forward as if unable to pull away from his mouth.

Kai caught my shoulders so I didn’t eat it. “You know I’m feeling real left out right about now.”

“Please don’t kiss me,” I blurted out.

He turned me towards him, hurt in his eyes. “Excuse me?”

“If you kiss me, I think I really will go all supernova like Riven said.”

The corner of Kai’s mouth kicked up. “I do know how to make the girls detonate.”

I ripped my shoulders out of his hold, scowling at him.

“What?”

Atlas shook his head. “Do you really think Aura wants to hear about your illustrious history?”

Kai’s mouth snapped shut. He opened and closed it a few more times before getting any words out. “They didn’t mean anything.”

“Would I?” If he treated one girl as if she was replaceable, he could do the same to me.

“Of course, you mean something,” he gritted out. “You’re different, you’re—” Panic carved into his face as he backed away.

I pleaded with my eyes for him not to run, but that was exactly what Kai did, taking a piece of my soul with him.