The Hunter and the Mage (The Raven and the Dove #2) - Kaitlyn Davis Page 0,107

into his hair, gripping the back of his head. Her other hand clutched his chest, pulling him closer even as she pressed him against the wall. The uneven stones pushed uncomfortably into his feathers, but he jammed his wings as tightly together as he could, following her lead.

"Ca—"

"Shh," she whispered, her breath brushing over his open mouth, leaving him warm and tingling.

In the darkness, he couldn't see her face, but knowing she was right there did something to his blood he couldn't quite explain. Her nose grazed his, the brief contact making his heart lurch. The subtle shuffle of feathers was the only clue he had that she was lifting her wings, stretching them high and wide, like a curtain to shield his body. Then he understood.

She's protecting me.

"Put your left arm around my waist, and hide your right one between us."

He listened, sliding his hand across her slender back and trying to ignore how natural the gesture felt as he held her close. Despite the clothes between them, his body warmed with a heat he tried desperately to suppress, a feat that proved impossible as she gently arched his head so his face nuzzled her neck. He folded his lips into his mouth to keep from kissing her skin, swallowing a gulp as she positioned herself in the same manner, not taking the same precaution. Her breath washed over him like an undulating tide, stirring memories of the vivid dream he'd been unable to shake, of the two of them sitting side by side on a sandy shore.

Velvet-soft lips brushed against him while she spoke. "When I give you the signal, run."

Then she sighed. He was so close he felt the subtle vibrations work their way up her throat, a tingle slipping down his spine in response. The light in the corridor brightened enough for him to discern the golden glow playing softly against her skin, the loose hairs in her braid flashing bronze. She sighed again, wriggling gently against him. He bit his lips to stifle a very real groan.

Pull yourself together.

She's only acting.

This is pretend.

Then why did it feel so real? Why could he feel her pulse racing beneath his nose, the drum, drum, drum moving faster with each passing second? Was he only imagining that the hand she still held against the base of his neck was growing warmer?

Cassi sighed again.

Just as he was about to lose himself in the lie, a giggle spilled from her lips, so high-pitched and girlish he barely contained the laugh surging up his throat. She pinched the back of his neck in response, which only made his body shake more. She giggled again, but this time her body trembled with true mirth, the sound a deep rumble in her throat.

What in Taetanos's name was happening?

This was ridiculous. This was absurd. This was perhaps the most fun he'd ever had while breaking the rules.

A stern cough interrupted their rendezvous, and they froze. Again, Xander wasn't sure what was real and what was fake, but he was suddenly reminded that he was a prince trespassing on foreign grounds. His heart thundered, no longer with passion or pleasure, but fear. The doves were already furious with him and his kingdom. The ravens couldn't afford to earn the owls' ire too.

Gods alive, what was I thinking following her in here? I should've waited in her rooms. I should've stayed outside. When did I lose my sense? What if this man recognizes me?

What would Lyana think?

That last rambling thought took him by surprise. What would Lyana think? Did she have a right to think anything when he'd caught her with his brother the night before their mating ceremony? That had been real. This was just pretend. Wasn't it? Or was it? Did that even matter? Lyana had been kidnapped. She was trapped in some foreign world with an evil man. And he was here, pressed up against her best friend, feeling things no mated man should feel with another woman. What was he doing? What—

Cassi touched her lips to his neck, a kiss so soft he might have imagined it if the shape of her mouth hadn't lingered on his skin, the spot burning as though hot iron had pressed against him. Before he could do anything, she shoved him to the side as she spun around, twisting her wings so they crashed into the archivist and sent his lantern skidding across the stones.

Xander ran.

Muffled voices followed him, one angry and one frightened, a sure