Kionna’s POV
The New Orleans night wrapped around me like silk, warm and heavy with possibility. In my dream, Duriel's presence filled every corner of my bedroom, his scent a heady mixture of sandalwood and something wild that made my pulse race.
"Kiki," he whispered, my childhood nickname carrying new weight on his lips. His fingers traced my jawline with impossible gentleness, leaving trails of electricity in their wake.
I reached for him, drawn by something deeper than conscious thought. His skin was warm under my touch, muscles tensing as my fingers traced the protection runes tattooed across his shoulders. When his lips found mine, the kiss was gentle at first - tentative, questioning. Then deeper, years of unspoken feelings crystallizing in a single moment.
"We shouldn't," I bre
