Page 114 of Sunsplitter

Antal drew a steadying breath. He faced Ixli and Syvr, warring to keep his tone level.

“Apologies,” he said—still too rough. “But would you excuse me?”

Syvr’s eyes glinted amusement. “Veshri’s fangs, Antal. I’m impressed you’ve lasted this long. Go.Please.”

Antal’s tail lashed wide.

Fionamara had no time to brace before he pounced. Only a yelp as he clawed her into a teleport.

The teleports tumbled past. Antal gripped Fi’s arm, her vision a blur of Void black and passing Shards. She didn’t ask where the daeyari was taking her. She could guess.

They emerged to ice-scented air. A whisper of wind over stone. The sitting room of Antal’s home upon the cliffs.

He didn’t release her.

Should it have terrified her? Alone in a predator’s den, close enough to measure every bared fang, black claws puckering the soft flesh of her arm. Crimson eyes bored into her. Once, the sight had sent her cowering.

She hadn’t been that hare in a long time. Not that he seemed to care.

“You fickle daeyari!” Fi shouted.

“You stubborn human!” Antal snarled back.

Then he shoved her to the wall and kissed her.

Not just a kiss. A battle. He came at her with his teeth, dragging her mouth open as if to conquer, claiming her lower lip with his fangs until she cried out in equal protest and pleasure. Hard stone pressed her back. Claws tightened on her waist, dragging hips together.

Fi hated how good he felt. How good healwaysfelt, lean muscle pinning her to the wall, the hard bulge of his cock pressing treacherous heat between her legs, before she’d even had a chance to fight back. He’d looked ravenous on the Summer Plane.

Simple beast, always getting hard off her yelling at him. She weathered the offensive with a hot slake of adrenaline in her chest—

And unfamiliar cold across her stomach. Ten slashes of Void-ether flesh, new and prickling. The tingle deepened with Antal’s proximity.

Her parry struck fierce, hands digging beneath his shirt, nails raking down his abdomen. He growled into her mouth. Possessive. Covetous. Fi could have surrendered there, turned soft and forgiving in his arms, let his tongue deliver his apology as the lights of the city glowed in the valley below.

Their city.

Their home.

Antal had brought her here. He’d asked her to stand at his side, not some pet to leave behind.

Fi bit his lip.Hard. Her teeth had no fangs, but she clamped down until he relented, flinching back with a snarl. Ozone filled her mouth as she pushed the beast off her.

Not too far. Daeyari always fought at close range.

And Fi was fighting. No surrender. No swallowing this down for another time. Today, she’d fought a bird immortal. She’d nearly been disemboweled. She’d figured out how to weave Void ether all on her fucking own, hadn’t even had the chance to begin mentally unpacking that before Antal had committed to being an entire ass.

“You want to give up?” Fi demanded. “This deal that would give us everything we need? A real chance of keeping Thomaskweld safe? And you want to walk away?”

“It’s not worth risking you, Fionamara.”

“You don’t get to decide for me!”

“I’m trying to keep you safe.”

“I don’t give a fuck about being safe.”

“Clearly.” He gnashed the word between his fangs.