lips onto my forehead. “You don’t have to do everything alone, Dae.”
“I didn’t expect to get in a bar fight tonight,” I counter. “If I did, I might have asked you to come with me.”
“There lies the problem,” he replies. “You wouldn’t have even if you were walking into a war. Which, if you had found an Unseelie rebel, you would have done.”
“It’s as much their war as it is mine,” I reply. “It breaks me to see the Unseelie here. They are my people, my family, my blood. And they are close to extinction if this world keeps killing them!”
“I get it,” he soothes. “I’m not saying you are wrong to want to help. I’m saying I’m in this with you.”
“Why the hell would you do that for me?” I question, looking up at him. He cups my cheek, and I freeze.
“Why do you think?” he questions, and he kisses me. Ryker’s lips are like a branding iron, owning and taking every little bit of me he can with each punishing kiss. My body reacts immediately, coming alive with his touch, and I kiss him back with just as much passion as he kisses me with. He picks me and spins us around, pressing my back into the tree and arching his pelvis into mine. I gasp when I feel his hard cock straining against his trousers, and my nipples rub against his chest with every movement. He suddenly lets me go, stepping back, his eyes burning red with power.
“My hellhound wants to claim you, Dae,” he warns, holding a hand up and looking physically pained to stand back. I breathlessly stare at him, a little bit of my mind wondering what it would be like to be claimed by a hellhound. I imagine he is hot as fuck in bed. “And you aren’t ready for me.”
Suddenly more than a bit of guilt sinks into my chest. I’ve kissed his two best friends, men he sees as brothers, and I’m falling for all of them. Including a demon overlord who is dangerous to fall for but impossible to forget. I’m sowing chaos and destruction into their friendship, and I don’t want to ruin that. They needed each other, each for different reasons, but it’s clear they were all lost before finding their friendship.
And Seth? He would kill them for touching me. His demon would never take it well.
“Ry...,” I drift off, not knowing what to say.
“I know, that was a shitty friend move,” he laughs out. “But I don’t regret it, and I will never forget it.”
“Neither will I,” I admit, biting down on my lip. Ryker tracks the movement, desire flickering over his eyes before he turns away. He sits down on the hill and pats the space next to him. I sit down and rest my head on his shoulder.
We don’t have to say anything, as we both know this is complicated, and the fact of the matter is someone is going to be hurt in the end.
And I know it’s not just going to be me.
Chapter 33
“Today’s lesson will be a slight bit different,” Finn announces when everyone has gathered around in a group. I stand at the side with Poppy, and I glance behind me where Ryker and Sebastian are standing, both looking at me. I turn back as Finn speaks. “I am personally testing your skills. Today you will battle against me and my shadow magic.”
“So, to be clear, you won’t use your other magic?” I ask. Finn’s gold eyes find mine, and for a moment, it’s like no one else is here at all.
“Yes, that is right, Miss Riverlite,” he replies. “Why don’t we go first and show the class?”
Bugger. I was hoping he would fight someone else first so I could study his technique and find a weakness. Ah well, there is nothing like getting your ass beaten by a demi-god. Finn walks through the group, who part out of the way, all of them looking nervous. Poppy looks near terrified as I squeeze her arm and leave her behind.
Seb steps in my way. “Good luck.”
“Thanks, Sebby,” I reply with a grin.
“Sebby?” Ryker asks and beats out a laugh. Sebastian doesn’t look impressed as I go around him and walk to Finn in the middle of the clearing. I just get to his side when an explosion goes off in the distance. The force of it blows us all over, and some of the trees crack, falling with a slam nearby. I