CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The artifact pulsed like a heartbeat beneath the shattered floor, molten light and shadow twisting together, alive, almost sentient. Lyra’s hand trembled in mine, her breath ragged, chest heaving, eyes wide with a mix of fear and lust. The bond flared instantly, molten gold and black energy coiling around us, searing, intoxicating, and I felt it deep in my bones—desire, hunger, power, need.
“You feel it too, right?” she whispered, lips trembling. “The bond… the artifact… it’s consuming me.”
I pulled her into my arms, pressing lips to hers, teeth grazing, tasting, claiming. Sparks of silver and shadow erupted from our bodies, arcing along the walls, setting the remaining shadows ablaze. My hands roamed her body, every curve, every shiver feeding the bond, amplifying her
