Changed by Fire (Phoenix Rising #6) - Harper Wylde Page 0,30

preoccupied with deciding where I wanted to kiss Nix next. “I hear they have cookies.”

“Sounds like your type of place. You do like sweet things.”

“Yes. Yes, I do,” I agreed, and promptly licked a line up the column of Nix’s neck, making her suck her bottom lip between her teeth and bite down.

The acerbic guilt that always tried to rise whenever I found myself having a good time reared its ugly head, reminding me of all the people who didn’t get to enjoy life any longer—Stone, my sister, Damien’s parents—but I pushed it away, refusing to let it eat at me tonight.

Nix shifted, moving until she had a leg pressed against the outside of both my thighs as she straddled my waist, settling over my lap. With a groan, I let my hands roam over her back and willingly accepted the warm, sweet kisses she pressed against my lips as her hands tightened in my hair.

Nix’s body was my salvation, each moment of happiness she gave providing redemption for my soul.

No amount of guilt could change the past, but I could turn the lessons I’d learned into ammunition to help me change the future. Our future.

But first, it was time to remember all the things I was living for and would fight to keep regardless of the cost.

Seven

Damien

Damn, he kicked like a horse. Not that it should be a surprise, considering what Ciar shifted into. Yet as he launched another attack, forcing my Gargoyle to veer as he whipped around me and struck at my tender wings, I realized that not much about Ciarán should ever come as a surprise. Just when I thought I understood him, he did something completely out of character, and he did it as easily as breathing. My Gargoyle swiped out with his claws, feeling the tips connect with skin seconds before Ciarán dissolved into mist. I landed hard, shifting back to human as I shook my head.

“Damn it, Ciarán.” I stretched my sore arms and wiped sweat from my forehead. At least Ciarán looked as haggard as I did, which was some minor consolation. “You’ve got to tell me how to counter that misting. Every time I think I’ve got you, you twine around me to strike somewhere else. You’re more like a snake than a horse.” The mention of snakes had me wincing, my mind drifting briefly to Joshua. I’d been so concerned when he’d joined our group, never expecting that he’d fit, but in no time at all, he’d completed our family and I—as well as the others—were affected greatly by his absence, Nix most of all. I knew she wouldn’t feel settled until we were all together again.

“You nearly had me, D,” Ciarán assured me with a smirk, angling his arm to display where my claws had raked dents into his bicep. “Luckily I look pretty, even with bruises.” I snorted and shook my head. Things had been easier with Ciarán since our arrival at the rebellion. While I was still betting the man was insane, he had toned it down a bit, his focus on rebellion matters rather than driving us crazy. Part of that, I assumed, was also the pretty little Sun Bear who was drawing his attention across the field. She was sparring with my grandfather at the moment, her large, powerful claws colliding with the rock-hard skin of his forearms as he ran her through different drills.

“How are things with Rini?” I inquired softly. We’d avoided talking about the fight the pair of them had and the gauntlet that had been thrown down, but for too many days now, he’d missed several blows in our matches as his eyes sought her out, pain filling his face for the briefest of seconds before he locked it away.

He arched a brow at me, his green eyes bright. “She’s happy with her bears,” he drawled. “I think your fluffle may be a bit more interesting though. How are you getting along without the slithery sixth?” The sting of his absence must have shown on my face, because Ciarán grimaced. “When I spoke with him, he was doing well,” he told me gently. “Nix helps with that too, of course. His information has been invaluable. I can’t count the number of lives that have been saved since he’s been funneling us information.”

“I know. I do. It’s just…” It had been hard enough losing my parents, and now I had a brother at risk. My protective instincts were screaming at me to