Malum Discordiae (Tennebrose, #1)

by Ashlyn Drewek

Astra inclinant, sed non obligant — The stars incline us, they do not bind us

Malum Discordiae — Apple of discord

A pair of mismatched eyes stared back, a crystalline blue and a fern green, framed by long, dark lashes.

“Told you it was going to be wicked.” “You were right. What should we do now?” His breath caressed my face a moment before the warm, plush feeling of his lips pressed against mine.

“I’d watch your fucking mouth if I were you.” “Why? You didn’t mind it last week.”

My smirk spread into a full-fledged smile. The only answer I gave him was laughter, like the villain he wanted me to be.

“I can’t wait for the day when you’re begging me to touch you.” I let my gaze drop to his mouth, not even trying to be subtle anymore.

“I’ll never beg you for anything.” “Whatever you say.”

“First time on a horse?” “Other than a pony ride? Yeah. I prefer riding things that I can control.” He snorted. “That’s gotta be rough for your dating life.”

“Say my name, Cassius,” he said right next to my ear, twisting and stroking me in time to his cock moving in and out. “What?” I could barely think and he wanted me to talk? “Say it,” he growled, his teeth grazing the side of my neck. “I want you to acknowledge who’s fucking you right now.” “No.” In all honesty, I would have called him whatever he wanted as long as he didn’t stop.

“Fucking say it, Cash. Whose cock is buried so deep in your ass you can’t stand it?” “Graeme,” I blurted out, squeezing my eyes shut as my body hurtled toward release. “It’s Graeme! Fuck me, it’s Graeme!”

“Because last night you apparently risked your life going over there to get answers for me. And while I watched you sleep, wondering if you were going to wake up again, I didn’t see a fucking monster, Cash. I saw you.”

And there I stood — dick out, pants undone, chest heaving, watching the boy of my dreams step over the pile of books and turn the corner like he didn’t just come in and wreck my fucking world.

“My brain is confused. All I know is that you are all I can think about these days. You’re driving me crazy, Cash. It’s like nothing in the world makes sense until you come around, then everything feels… right.”

No matter what happened after this, in this moment Graeme Hewitt was mine.

He let out a shaky breath, the corner of his mouth ticking up. “What was that for?” “Because I think I love you too.” Just saying the words made my heart rate triple.

“Those are the nicest seven words you’ve ever said to me.” “And I already regret them,” I replied with a biting smile.

“It doesn’t mean I’m ashamed of you. I would shout it from every rooftop in Winslow if you wanted me to. I just… you’re the first thing in my life they haven’t controlled. You’re mine,” he sighed, shifting closer and resting his forehead against mine. “To hold hands with, to kiss, to… be myself around. I’m afraid once they know about you, about us, I won’t have that anymore. We’ll be under a fucking microscope and I don’t want that for either of us.”

“I love you,” I repeated, enunciating each word. “I don’t know why. I don’t know how. All I know is how I feel when I’m with you and the thought of you leaving? You might as well rip my heart out and take it with you, because you’re it for me, Cassius. I know it, just like I know when the leaves will drop or when the first snowfall comes. I fucking know it. And I know you feel it too. On some level.”

Cassius’s gaze lingered on mine for a minute before he looked down at the rose quartz heart in his palm. The stone of pure, unconditional love.

“What am I supposed to say to this?” Getting down on one knee, I presented him with a closed black velvet box. “Say you’ll marry me. Tomorrow, after graduation, after med school. I don’t care. All I know is that I’m never going to love anyone the way I love you. I know we’re young, barely even adults most days, but I’m afraid if I don’t ask you right now and stake my claim, some other penguin is going to find a better stone and take you away from me.”

“Cassius Corbin, will you please marry me?” He was taking way too long to fucking answer. I knew he could hear my heart pounding like crazy, even without his blood magic abilities. Finally he shook his head, a half-smile on his face. “Yo...