Extraits

Spoiler(cliquez pour révéler)I buried my face in Ezra's chest, shaking with sobs. I'd almost died. Almost died. So close to the end. To nothingness To no longer being a person, only a memory in the hearts of those left behind.

I dragged my head up. Ezra gazed down at me as my hand slid up his chest, along his neck, and curled into his hair.

Before I could pull his head down, he was kissing me.

I clamped my mouth against his, kissing him back with equal ferocity. All my fear and helplessness fled as fire ignited in my blood. My arms were around his neck, both hands fisted in his hair. His arms held me against him, fierce but gentle.

Tilting my head, I opened my mouth for him and his tongue found mine. Fatigue forgotten, I pressed into him. My flimsy towel caught between us, the fluffy cotton rubbing against my bare skin as it slid down. His breath rushing out, he grabbed the back of the towel, the muscles in his arms bunching as he held it in place.

"Tori," he rasped. "You should be in bed."

"Only if you get in with me."

He stifled a groan. I arched into him, cold air finding my skin as one edge of my towel dropped, exposing my naked side.

Catching the towel's end, he swept it back around me-then scooped me off my feet. He strode out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. The sight of medical equipment tucked in the corner only slightly cooled my libido.

He set me on the bed, then flipped the blankets over me and my askew towel. Marching back into the bathroom, he returned with another towel and dropped it over my wet hair.

"Dry off," he told me. "Then get some sleep."

I pushed the towel up so I could see him. "I'm not tired."

"You looked ready to fall over a moment ago."

"Well, now I'm horizontal, so it's all good."

He choked on a laugh.

Pushing the towel off my head, I reached for him. He leaned down and our mouths met again. Soft, gentle, deep. A fire stoked by more than lust.

Slow, delicious heat unfurled in my center. My fingers curled around his wrist. Without breaking our kiss, I drew his hand downward. His warm fingers slid over my neck, trailing through droplets of cold water from the bath. Along my shoulder, tracing my collarbone.

I guided his hand farther down. Under the blanket. Pushing the towel aside.

He crushed his mouth against mine, breath rushing through his nose. I arched up into his palm-then his other hand was under the covers too. Sliding over my bare skin, tracing my curves. The bed dipped as he put his knee on the mattress.

I got my fingers back into his hair, holding his mouth to mine, not letting him pull away even for an instant. I would allow my own hands to wander later. Right now, I wanted him touching me. I wanted his hands on my body, exploring and teasing. Heat built in me, and the room spun as I sucked in air.

Uh, actually ... the room was really spinning.

He pulled back, took one look at me, and muttered a curse under his breath. "I knew you should be sleeping."

I caught his wrists as he withdrew his hands. "Nuh-uh. I'm good. Just needed a breather."

"Nice try." He tugged his arms free, then pulled the blanket up to my chin. "I should've been on my guard against your seductress ways."

"Excuse me?"

"Luring me into your hospital bed." He shook his head, somber deadpan in full force. "Just think how I'd feel if you passed out while I was kissing you."

"To be frank, Ezra ..." I arched an eyebrow. "I was luring you in for a lot more than mere kissing."

"Duplicitous," he intoned.

I laughed, and his grin flashed, its appearance stealing the air from my lungs.

My phone, sitting on the bathroom counter, chimed I ignored it, steaming myself like a lobster and hoping the he would steady my nerves.

It chimed twice more, and when I still didn't reply m whoever wanted my attention, it began to ring. Swearing I pushed the plastic curtain open, letting a rush of cold air m the steamy innards of the shower. I grabbed my phone fumbled for the answer button with my wet thumb, then hit speaker.

"This better be good!" I barked at the unlucky caller.

"Am I interrupting something?" Ezra replied, the running water muffling his smooth voice.

My irritation vanished. "Just in the shower."

"Oh. Hmm."

I waited, allowing him all the time he wanted to think about me in the shower.

"Earth to Ezra," Aaron said sarcastically. "You were calling to tell Tori how she needs to get over here, remember?"

My phone wasn't the only one on speaker, it seemed.

I’d never seen the Crow and Hammer this packed yet this silent.

Fifty-one members sat around the pub tables or on stools at the bar, and every face was turned toward the east wall. For some, a fearful shadow lurked in their eyes—the non-combat mythics. In others, a bright spark of expectation—the adrenaline-loving fighters. And in a few, a cautious worry—the wiser, older members who knew this wasn’t normal.

This wasn’t just a meeting. It wasn’t just a job.