A Promise of Fire (Kingmaker Chronicles, #1)

by Amanda Bouchet

I unlace our fingers, throw my arms around his neck, and kiss him back, pouring all the jumbled-up, foolish, crazy, confusing emotions he brings out in me into the kiss. An Olympian-powered jolt arcs through me, rousing the wings in my chest. They unfurl inside me, and I arch off the bed, propelled into Griffin’s body.

With a sound of raw desire, Griffin molds his lips to mine for another scorching kiss, cradling my head in his hands like I’m something fragile and precious.

I see tempests with silver linings, their deadly force raging for me. Looking at him, I feel recast, melted down and formed anew, and realize this is how lives change, how reasons for existing shift.

“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.” He cups one breast, gently squeezing. The desire in his glittering gray eyes is too potent for me to feel self-conscious. His thumb brushes my nipple, and the sensitive bud tightens. He lightly rolls the dark peak until I squirm, pleasure cascading through me. “The feel of you,” he says, lowering his head. “The taste.”

“Cat.” My name is a tortured plea. His breath comes in warm, erratic puffs against my breast. His finger dips deeper into my wetness, teasing my opening.

I bite my tongue and stand still for him because I understand his need. He watched me dying for days. I watched him dying for minutes, and it was beyond awful.

Kato and Flynn rush out of the room next door. They see me, and their faces split into wide grins. We almost hug but hold back because Griffin is hovering like an overprotective centaur. That, and I’m not wearing any pants.

“We need food for the road,” Griffin tells her. “Fruit. Bread. And cheese.” I open my mouth, but he beats me to it. “Not goat cheese.” I grin. How did I ever not like him?

I clear my throat. “Can I please have some pants?” Everyone’s eyes drop to my legs, and Griffin pushes me behind him as if no one’s seen knees before.

Griffin watches me take two steps and then swings me into his arms. “That’s not necessary,” I protest, ignoring the white spots streaking across my vision. “I’m Beta Sinta,” he replies gruffly. “I’ll decide what’s necessary.”

“Did you get Panotii for me?” I ask Carver. He nods. “That horse is a legend. No one can understand how he got here over an hour before the army did. They were out of the castle five minutes after you.”

Flynn offers me a leg up, but Griffin muscles him out of the way and lifts me up himself. Flynn grins in a way I don’t like at all, and he and Kato keep poking each other in the ribs, looking back and forth between Griffin and me. I make a face. “How old are you? Five?”

“Thank you, oikogeneia.” The ancient word for family rises unbidden, tumbling past my lips. I just claimed these people. Maybe someday they’ll know.

“But don’t ever sacrifice yourself for me, Cat. I can’t live with that.” A knot of emotion tangles around my heart. His hand is so warm. Griffin’s is the only heat I’ve ever been drawn to.

“You have something in mind.” “I always have something in mind.” Griffin leans toward me, his voice deepening. “So do I.” His suggestive tone instantly heats me up. Despite my growing weakness, desire takes up a steady beat inside me.

Daphne is much too close to Griffin, her blonde hair swaying down her back, her shapely height unmistakably a good match for his solid strength. I want to kick her in the head. Unmistakably.

What does that dark little Fisan have that I don’t?” Griffin looks at me. He sees me watching them and doesn’t look away. “My heart.” At his words, my chest contracts with a sharp spasm, squeezing the air from my lungs.

Griffin doesn’t spare her a second glance. Our eyes stay locked, and he looks so…happy to see me awake that I start to melt inside. Or maybe it’s just that he’s so handsome—tall, hard, and broad, with humor and warmth and stability in his eyes. I’ve never known anyone like him.

I’ve never given a woman any indication of permanence. The day I saw you, I understood why.” Emotion roughens my voice, turning it husky and low. “Why?” A smile pulls at the edges of his mouth. “Because you were made for me.”

“Then what do you enjoy? Apparently, Daphne knows.” Griffin’s eyes glitter. “Jealous?” “No!” I scoff. He grins. “I’m glad I’m not the only one.” I roll my eyes. “You’re delirious. From blood loss.”

“You have no reason to be jealous. I haven’t touched her since the day I saw you—which was well before you saw me.”

“As for what I enjoy…” Griffin leans close to finally answer, his scruffy jaw tickling my neck. “We could always give spanking a try.” I laugh. I can’t help it. “I take it spanking is a metaphor again?” “Maybe.” He winks. “Maybe not.” Now I’m imagining both possibilities. Possibly both at once…

“Everyone kisses,” I say breathlessly. “It’s the rest I’m less sure about.” He abruptly straightens, looking agreeably surprised. “Never?” I shake my head, my stomach flip-flopping. His lips curve in an utterly male, utterly smug, utterly possessive smile. “I’ll teach you.” My whole body clenches in anticipation. Gods, yes! No!

“I didn’t think anything rattled you.” He skims the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip. My mouth tingles, almost too sensitive to be touched. “Not much does. Everything is different with you. I can’t lose you.”

“Men are strange. How can you go from fighting with me all the time to this?” He looks at me with a mixture of indulgence and smugness that makes me want to sink my teeth into him somewhere that hurts. “You’re the one who’s always picking fights. Once I claim you, you’ll see that fighting isn’t the fun part.”

“This isn’t a game, Cat. That’s not how it works when it’s real. When you want it to last.” He lifts both hands to my face, keeping me from turning away from him. “When the other person means more to you than your own life.”

“When I first saw you, I thought you were older, more experienced.” His voice deepens, turning rougher. “I wanted to throw you over my shoulder, carry you out of the crowd, and make you mine behind the amphitheater. It would have been dark and hot, with only the sound of our panting echoing off the stones.”

Ignoring the urgent call to join with Griffin is like cutting myself in half. “Was this before or after I turned poisonous?” I ask tartly, sounding only a little unsteady. “Weeks before.” He presses his lips to mine for a slow, seductive kiss. Then his mouth turns more insistent. Hungrier. “And every day after.”

He clasps the back of my head and kisses a searing path down my neck, each ragged breath accompanied by a rhythmic thrust of his hips. “This is what it could be like, kardia mou. We were made for each other. Just imagine it.”

Griffin thinks I need more blood. I won’t do it. Not here. If I’m making Castle Sinta my home, I refuse to compromise it. He settles for exchanging saliva as often as possible, and his deep, hungry kisses must be working because I’m getting better.

After I almost throw up on her three times, Jocasta asks me if I’m pregnant. My eyes pop wide open, feeling huge. “No!” She shrugs. “I saw you kissing Griffin.” “And you think I just fell on my back?” “He’s very good-looking.” “That’s no reason!” “Don’t tell me you haven’t…” She waves her hands around. Can’t say it, huh? “No, we haven’t…” I wave my hands around. Can’t say it either, I guess. “But things have changed. Anyone can see that. I don’t think you’ve kicked Griffin at the dinner table once.” “I haven’t,” I say, just a little bit disgusted with myself. “You should.” “Kick him?” “Fall on your back.”

Not to mention that I’ve felt him hard and ready for the act. I desperately wanted him inside me at the time, but in retrospect, I’m not convinced he would fit.

“You fit in perfectly. We all love you, and Griffin has never been so focused, not even when he was taking over the realm. You’re everything to him. More than any of this.”

I grab Kato and pull him ahead. “Don’t hold hands with me. If Griffin sees, he’ll have me dismembered.” I roll my eyes. “I’m not holding your hand. I’m dragging you away.” “Why?” “I’ll explain when you’re older.”

“What’s wrong with those two? They could at least try.” “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Kato says. “Why?” He gives my hair an affectionate ruffle. “Because I’m wondering the same thing about you.”

“What are you doing?” I back up, keeping an eye on him. He takes two steps, cups my face in his hands, and kisses me ravenously. “I want you. I need you. For as many hours as possible, I don’t want to think about anything but you.”

“You need a lot of things,” I say, already breathless. “Like a dragon. That doesn’t mean you’ll get one.” “I don’t give a centaur’s balls about a dragon right now.” “Griffin! Language!” “Are you trying to sound like my mother?” he growls against my neck. “Is it like a bucket of ice?”

His lips find mine again, kissing me deeply. “You want me,” he rasps against my mouth. “I feel it in your body. Hear it in your breath.”

“We’re fated. You must know that.” My throat tightens, starting to ache. “I can’t do this.” “Why?” His question is a growl. I have so many reasons, so many fears. “She’ll come after our children.” He lifts his head. “I’ll protect them. I’ll protect you.” He frowns. “You’ll protect them, and I don’t see much of anything getting past you.”

His mouth flattens, making his jaw muscles bulge. “There are methods. Herbs. Sheaths. I could pull out.” In my inexperience, those things hadn’t occurred to me, but I know what Griffin means. Irrational disappointment washes through me. It’s ridiculous, and dangerous, but I can already see little dark heads running around the castle, tiny Griffins with black hair, aquiline noses, wide mouths, and green, Fisan eyes. They’re tugging on Egeria’s skirts, playing games with Kaia, climbing all over Flynn and Kato, and getting medicated into stupors by Nerissa’s herbs.

He looks at me like he might not be able to breathe without me—like maybe he wouldn’t even want to. I suddenly feel the weight of the world on my shoulders like never before.

“We gave him to you!” my godfather explodes. He’s mighty and terrifying. He doesn’t appreciate my humor. “Why?” Poseidon gives me the same answer he gave before. “Healing.”

The husky rumble of Griffin’s voice brings me back to the room. “Agapi mou?” His love. I open my eyes. The man before me fills my vision. He fills my heart.

Andromeda took my childhood. She took my dog. She took my nurse. She took my sister. She probably even took a chunk of my sanity. I won’t let her deprive me of Griffin and a family of my own—a happy one, if I can help it. And for some reason, the gods want us to join. Poseidon couldn’t have been clearer. I’ve never gone against his wishes. It would be really stupid to start now

Griffin tenses. He backs away and then removes the rest of his clothing with his typical speed. When he’s done, his enormous erection juts out at me. It’s hard not to be intimidated by it. I can’t stop staring. I lick my suddenly dry lips. “I don’t think this is going to work.” “It’ll work.”

Griffin’s eyes blaze, and he topples me over with a hearty push. I fall back, confused, and then squeak when he grabs me behind the knees and drags me to the edge of the bed. Before I have any idea what he’s doing, he kneels on the floor and lowers his mouth between my legs.

I mewl—again—and he looks up, grinning. My breath shudders. “Don’t look so smug.”

Griffin stops, waiting for me to adjust. “Relax.” He kisses me between labored breaths. “It’ll get better.”

Just when I’m almost there, Griffin stops moving and traps my face between his hands, capturing my eyes with his. His voice drops to a low, fierce growl. “I claim you.” He draws back and then thrusts hard, filling me completely. “I claim you.” Even as I burn for release, my heart nearly bursts. I understand this southern rite now. He’s not so much declaring possession of me as asserting my right to him. Forever.

Griffin cradles my head in his hands. “Should I pull out?” I don’t answer. I don’t know. “Cat! Tell me now.” I open my mouth to say yes. The exact opposite pops out. “