Page 79 of Jinx

I blinked, gaze flicking to each of the guys. “Is…is that strange?”

Because doing things you shouldn’t be able to do without some kind of intervention was starting to sound like par for the course with our drift.

“Like you tying heartstrings, it shouldn’t be able to happen,” Ric explained. “But it meant that I was powerful, and since it was in my father’s favor, he made it his mission to groom and control that power. He named me his heir, and I became his puppet. When I started at the academy, I still had to go through the ritual to confirm my Zelos legacy. Imagine my father’s outrage when I was claimed by Kratos instead.”

Oh, I could imagine it.

“Our drift is full of oddities,” Quinn muttered, “and so we’re seen as a threat.”

Bellamy snorted in agreement. “We all shifted without intervention. Even if Everard isn’t the big bad you were hidden from, he’d lose his shit if he found out our Heart is just like us.”

“He’s afraid of you, little fury.” Lucian’s grin was more like a baring of fangs.

“That asshole should be.” I looked around the room, at these five beautiful, broken men who’ve become my world in such a short amount of time. The thought of being separated from them was unfathomable. “You’re mine,” I declared, voice stronger now. “I don’t care if it’s fate or divine providence or my own special brand of luck.” Magic crackled under my skin, incensed. “No one is going to take you away from me, and I will destroy anyone who’s dumb enough to try.”

My chest warmed, heartstrings blazing with love and longing, and it went a long way to calm my fury. Rami took my chin between his thumb and forefinger, the calluses on his fingertips a delicious contrast to the gentleness of his touch. He tilted my face toward him and, for a moment, he just let me drown in his glacier-blue eyes. Then he kissed me, tasting of juniper and wild winter snow, until my toes curled and my heart was back to hammering against my ribs.

“Me olemme sinun,” he rumbled against my lips, desire making his accent thick around the syllables, and it sent a bolt of heat through me. My eyelids fluttered, and one corner of his mouth quirked up. The smug bastard knew exactly what he was doing.

“That’s not fair.” The words escaped on a sigh, betraying the effect he had on me.

He just grinned, eyes sparkling. “But it is fun.” He kissed me again, melting me further, and several quiet groans sounded around us.

“Fuck,” Bellamy muttered. “I need to learn another language.”

I broke away with a giggle and knew that as long as I had this, I had everything I needed.

51

CORDELIA

Ten more days.

Only ten more days and I’d be doing something I always wanted to do—going to college. Just not the school I wanted, the classes I wanted, or really anything that I’d wanted at all. The gnawing ache of anxiety only got worse as the reality loomed, and I finally agreed to move into the house until we transitioned to campus.

Rami had volunteered to be my packing buddy, and he held my hand as we walked back to the apartment after my last shift at the library ended.

“You’re trembling, kulta.” He pulled my hand between both of his as we entered my studio. “Are you cold?”

“No, I just…” I twisted to look over my shoulder out the window at the town I’d be leaving behind. I drifted over to the window, feeling like if I stared for just one more minute, I might be able to etch it into my memory forever. The late afternoon sun filtered through the dancing leaves of the dogwoods lining the street. A pair of joggers went by, followed by a couple walking a blond husky. I hadn’t been here all that long, but I was going to miss it.

Rami made an understanding noise and joined me, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “It’s okay to be sad.”

“I’ll be alright.” Turning, I wrapped my arms around his thick waist. “Aunt Deva told me to follow my heart, and I am.”

He dipped his head closer, chest vibrating with a purr. “Olet niin kaunis.”

I melted under the warmth of his touch, turning into goo for a second until I managed to pull myself together.

“No,” I scolded with a grin and pulled back to tap his nose. He knew my kryptonite, and he had no scruples about exploiting it. “Bad Rami. We have work to do.”

“Onko se todella sitä, mitä haluat tehdä?” He slipped a hand to the back of my head to carefully unbind my hair that had been pulled up into a messy bun. It spilled down over my shoulders in a tangle of waves, and he closed his eyes, breathing deeply. “Etkö mieluummin pitäisi naamaani reisiesi välissä?”

My heart skipped before it began racing. He wrapped his other hand around my hip, hot as a brand, and I pressed my thighs together. His name slid out on a tremulous whisper. “Rami.”

He made a satisfied sound, tilting me further back while supporting my weight in his massive hands. His eyes were dark, pupils blown with just a ring of ice around them. He leaned in, but his lips barely touched mine when he sucked in a sudden breath. His eyes opened wide, instantly alert and all trace of desire gone.

“Something isn’t right.” Tension seized his frame, and he wrapped himself around me a spare second before the world around us exploded into heat and pain and terror.