Chapter 56
779 Words
The training ground was quiet except for the thud of my heartbeat in my ears. Sweat clung to my skin, my breaths coming fast as I tried to match Devon’s movements. He was patient, as always, circling me like a predator waiting for me to pounce.
“Again,” he said, his voice low but commanding. His eyes never left me, sharp and calculating, yet there was a softness there meant only for me.
I swung too fast, lost my footing, and stumbled forward. Before I hit the ground, his arms caught me, strong and steady.
My chest heaved against his, my fingers curling into his shirt without thinking. Heat flared through me, too much heat. Devon froze, his eyes dropping to where my skin brushed his. Flames danced faintly along my forearm before flickering out, like a spark that hadn’t fully caught.
I gasped and pulled back, but he didn’t let me go.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” His voice was rough now, close to my ear. “Your fire is waking every time I touch you.”
“I can’t control it,” I whispered, panic lacing my tone. “What if I hurt you?”
Devon’s hand cupped my jaw, forcing me to meet his gaze. “You won’t. You could never.” His thumb brushed across my cheek, and my entire body trembled, heat racing through me until I thought I would combust.
I tried to focus, to steady myself, but being this close to him made me reckless. The bond between us tugged, demanding, insistent. His scent filled my lungs, grounding me yet setting me aflame.
“Devon…” I breathed, not sure if it was a warning or a plea.
He lowered his forehead to mine, his chest rumbling with restraint. “You don’t see it, Addy, but your power isn’t just wild, it’s responding to me. To us.”
The words sank deep, leaving me shaken. My fire wasn’t just random. It knew him. It wanted him.
I tried to step back, but he caught my wrist. The faint glow lit up again under his grip, curling around my skin like a living flame. Yet his hand didn’t burn. He held me tighter, almost daring me to push him away.
I didn’t. I couldn’t.
He pressed me back against the wall, his breath hot against my lips. His restraint frayed as he bent, capturing my mouth with his. The kiss was deep, consuming, and my power surged in answer. Fire licked at the ground beneath my feet, but Devon didn’t move away. Instead, he pressed closer, his hand sliding along my waist, pulling me against the hard lines of his body.
I melted, my fears tangled with the hunger that consumed me. My fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, desperate to feel him, to drown in him.
The bond snapped tight between us, sharp and undeniable, as if some invisible chain locked us together. I whimpered into his mouth as my flames roared, spilling across my skin in flashes of orange and gold. Devon groaned low in his chest but didn’t pull back. He kissed me harder, rougher, until I thought I would break apart.
“Look at me,” he growled against my lips. His eyes blazed with something primal, something that made my knees weak. “This power isn’t your enemy. It’s ours.”
His words sent a shiver down my spine. Ours. Not mine. Not a curse. A bond.
I broke away, gasping for breath, my hands trembling. The fire dimmed slowly, curling back into my chest as if soothed by his presence.
“I almost lost control again,” I whispered, staring at the faint scorch marks around us.
Devon tipped my chin up, his expression fierce but steady. “No. You’re learning. Every time you slip, you come back stronger. And I’ll be here every second, pulling you back until you master it.”
Tears pricked my eyes, but not from fear this time. From something warmer, something that finally felt like hope.
“You really believe I can do this?”
“I know you can,” he said simply. His lips brushed mine again, gentler now, more grounding than consuming. “And when the time comes, you’ll be unstoppable.”
I sagged against him, letting myself rest in the safety of his arms. For the first time, I didn’t feel broken or cursed. I felt… chosen.
But even as I leaned into him, a strange chill whispered across my spine. My fire flickered once more, unprovoked, like a warning I couldn’t yet understand.
Something was coming. I could feel it.
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