Black Stars - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 1

Chapter 31 - Hands and Heartbeats

These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die like fire and powder as they kiss, consume.

- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

The moment Jared's lips came down on hers, all of Leah's misgiving shattered to a million pieces. They rained down through her body, ripping open senses that she'd never known existed. Her blood morphed to magma, scorching her veins, and she knew she'd drown in it if Jared let her.

At first his lips were soft, peppering butterfly kisses, and she curved into him, twinning her arms around his neck and pulling him against her. But it wasn't nearly enough. The gentleness was saturated with suspense, their remaining restraint slipping fast. Each kiss became deeper, more desperate, and Leah was vibrating with the pressure that built between their bodies.

Her hands came up and fisted in Jared's hair and he groaned somewhere deep in the back of his throat. Suddenly their kisses lost control. Jared pushed her back until she hit a tree and pressed into her. His tongue flickered along her lips and her mouth parted, allowing him to explore.

"We should stop," Jared whispered into her, the words barely audible and completely contradictory to the desperation with which he kissed her.

Leah didn't respond and instead ran her hands down his back, clawing at the fabric frantically. He grabbed her thighs, lifting her up so her legs wound around him. He was holding her like he wanted to consume her, pressing against her with a pressure that was almost painful. Leah's head lolled back and his kisses travelled down her throat.

"Leah, tell me to stop," he groaned, her rapid pulse thrumming against his lips.

But she wasn't listening. Jared felt safe and sinful this close and her head was full of forbidden thoughts. She wanted to lose herself in this. In him. She could feel the inevitable darkness hanging behind their kisses and she knew the moment they parted it would consume them. Jared nipped at her lower lip and Leah curved into him, her fingernails ranking down his stomach. Jared's grip on her thighs tightened momentarily and Leah moaned.

And then Jared wrenched himself away, the action so violent and sudden that Leah stumbled forwards, barely getting her feet underneath in time.

For a moment, they stood there, only a few inches from each other. Jared's cheeks were flushed, his lips swollen and his chest heaving.

"Shit," he muttered and jerked away, moving to the opposite end of the clearing and staring out at the ocean. Leah could feel the conflict radiating off him. It was deep and dark, like great rocks grinding against one another.

She swallowed and moved towards him slowly, uncertainly. When she was within arm's reach, she extended a hand and touched his shoulder.

Jared flinched away.

"Don't touch me," he snapped, his voice like a whiplash.

Leah had expected that reaction, but still had to fight down the hurt that ripped through her at his hostility.

"Jared—"

"We shouldn't have done that," he said stiffly. "Just forget it happened."

There was something about his words that made Leah want to start screaming, but she willed herself to stay calm.

"Why?" she asked.

Jared rounded on her, his lip curled up angrily, and Leah braced herself.

"This isn't normal, Leah," Jared snapped. "We're enemies. We're on different sides of a war."