Kiss of the Basilisk (Split or Swallow, #1)

by Lindsay Straube

“You hold the stars in your hands,” her mother had always said, rubbing Tem’s fingers between hers. “Just like your father.”

“True love waits for no one,” Tem said bitterly. Gabriel snorted. “That’s not true love. That’s an unplanned pregnancy waiting to happen.”

what he said was true, it meant that Caspen was the Serpent King: the legendary basilisk whose power was far superior to all the others. His reputation was exemplary in the village; people talked about him like he was a god. Tem had the most coveted teacher.

They stared at each other for a long moment. His next words were barely a whisper. “You are not meant to be tamed, Tem.”

“I hate that you have this much power over me.” To her surprise, he laughed. “What’s so funny?” His grin only widened. “Of the two of us, I am not the one with the power, Tem.”

“Am I not allowed to protect you?” he murmured. “You are,” she murmured back. “I just didn’t realize you wanted to.”

Caspen held her gaze. “Protecting you is only the beginning of what I want to do.”

Tem couldn’t believe Caspen was willing to be this vulnerable. It was like seeing straight into his heart. Everything he had said was true. He found her extraordinary.

Caspen wanted her on a primal level—one that went far beyond the limitations of his true form or her courtship with the prince. He wanted her in a way that was possessive, irreversible, and guaranteed to result in consequences if he didn’t have her. He wanted her more than life itself because a life without her wasn’t one he cared to live.

His voice surged into her mind. Mine. Only mine. Tem nodded eagerly. Yours. Only yours.

I know you want my cock, Tem. You woke up wanting it, and you want it even more now. I know exactly how wet you are for me. Your pussy is mine. So give it to me.

“This is not just a necklace,” he said softly. “Then what is it?” Caspen paused, his fingers stroking the charm. “It is…a gesture of intent.” Tem frowned. “Intent to what?” His eyes found hers.

“To marry you.”

He stepped closer. “I am weak when it comes to you, Tem. I cannot control my actions. I cannot follow logic or reason. All I think about is you. I wonder what you are doing and who you are doing it with. I obsess over every moment you are with the human prince, and I want to rip his head from his shoulders every time he touches you. It is not rational. It is not acceptable. But it is my reality, and there is nothing I can do about it.”

“Temptation? Is that what I am?” His grip tightened on her shoulders. “Temptation, salvation, heaven, hell—you are everything, Tem. You are my undoing. You are beyond comprehension. There are no sufficient words to describe you, either in my language or yours.” His hands moved to her face, cupping her jaw. “My compass points to you. I could not change direction even if I wanted to.”

Caspen didn’t hesitate. “I am undone by you,” he said. “I crave your scent, your skin, your voice. I think about you all the time, to the point of destruction. You are unbearably overwhelming. I cannot resist you no matter how hard I try.”

His pace was increasing. Tem couldn’t breathe. “You.” Thrust. “Are.” Thrust. “Perfect.”

It was a good thing Leo wasn’t asking her to lie. “I want you,” she whispered. The smirk returned. “Good girl. Now unbutton them yourself.”