Of Ash and Iron (Flame Cursed Fae, #3)

by Eliza Raine

fire burning through my veins. The wolf's presence surges, eager to feast on her terror. And curse it all, I'm getting no pleasure from it. She touched me. Touched my skin. The first touch I have felt in two hundred years. She has no idea of her impact. Of how that simple brush of contact shattered two centuries of carefully constructed walls.

For the first time in an interminably shit number of years, I don't want someone to fear me.

"Because the actions of another person do not define my own," I tell him.

"Nobody will ever, ever make you look that ashamed of yourself again. Nobody will ever make you feel worthless or alone, ever again. Do you understand me? Do you understand that whatever you say right now will not stop me from ensuring that those who have fucked with you will regret it for the rest of their sorry lives?"

He steps away from the brand, his skin red and seared. The ancient rune for the word "alone" is burned into his flesh. Just like mine. "I— Why—" I try to speak, but words aren't working. "Now we're alone, together."

He took a fucking brand for me. I love him.

The force of the realization is overwhelming, and I suck in air wrong and end up swallowing a sob. I love him. Oh, gods in Asgard, I love him. It's not lust or fascination or obsession. It's love.

I can't be without him. I never, ever want to be apart from him. I would do more than take a brand for him. I...

"Kain, I think I'm in love with you." I bite my lip as I stare up at him. Flames dance in his irises as his chest heaves. "Princess, I've been fighting falling in love with you since the week you got here." "Did you win?" "It's the only fight I've ever lost."

"My brave, beautiful princess." "My fierce, fiery protector." "We will be alone together, forever."