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

by Lindsay Straube

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.

“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.”

“Tell me how you feel about me.” She needed to hear him say it. Now, while they were joined together. 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.”

Leo was being honest and open—something Caspen couldn’t seem to accomplish.

The better option seems to always be second in line. Tragic, truly.

“I understand you don’t need me to take care of you,” he said quietly. “But it is my pleasure to do so.”

Was she only interested in affection when it was being withheld from her?

“Knowing you has been the single most torturous experience of my life.”

“I will not survive you,” he said, his voice a guttural whisper. “Do you even want to?” He didn’t answer.

“It is without ego that I say your presence in my life has changed me immeasurably.

“I am greedy when it comes to you, Tem. I want every moment you’re willing to give me. Even if our marriage offers me nothing but the opportunity to humble myself before you, it would be worth it to spend what’s left of my life in your presence.”