Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles #2)(37)

I cupped his face. “We could die tonight.”

Jack grinned down at me. “Now, hold on, Evie. You doan have to pull the last-night-on-earth con with me. I’m a sure thing.”

I grinned back. “So am I.”

I loved the flash of disbelief on his face, and the bob of his Adam’s apple as he registered this was going to happen.

Every reason I’d held back from having sex before had been eliminated. I was in a relationship with Jack, and I trusted him, so I knew I wouldn’t get nailed and bailed. Before Jack, I’d felt no curiosity about it or passion. Now I could barely wait to take this step. An added bonus: I loved the boy. Which he already knew.

So I daubed my tongue to my bottom lip, and he took the hint.

Light grazes of his mouth over mine turned to deep kissing. Without breaking lip contact, we yanked off our coats, fumbled off our boots, peeled off our wet jeans. He drew back only to grab the hem of my shirt and pull it over my head.

Once he’d removed his own, I gazed at his rosary. It was like Jack’s own emblem, his own symbol. Then I frowned at the tiny details around the cross, spying an engraved rose in the center.

Rosary. Rose-ary. Jack carried a rose as well. Again, that fated feeling swept me up.

When he laid me back, my hands flew to his chest. With utter delight, I began learning that damp skin, those rippling muscles, loving the way they leapt to my touch.

As I explored him, he stared down at me in my underwear, rapt. My glyphs were shimmering across my skin. “Mercy me, Evie.” He leaned in to kiss the one winding across my chest, following it with his lips. “These spooked me before,” he rasped against my skin. “But now I think they’re sexy. Everything about you is sexy.” He gave it a lick that made my toes curl.

“Hey, I-I’m sure you’re just mesmerized.” I wanted the rest of my clothes off, felt confined by damp lace.

“Does it matter if I am? Non, not if I like it,” he said, shucking off his boxers.

I caught a peek at him and gasped, my breaths shallowing.

He was still smiling when he kissed me again. Soon I was so mindless, I scarcely noticed that he’d stripped off my bra—until his warm, rigid chest pressed against my bare breasts. He shuddered at the contact, groaning into our kiss. The weight of his body atop me was divine, welcome. Our hips began rocking, grinding, seeking.

Then his forefingers hooked the edges of my panties. “Up you go, bébé.”

When I lifted my hips, he tugged off the last barrier between us. Well, almost the last. From his jeans pocket, he took a condom pack, tearing the corner with his teeth. As he began rolling it on, I was transfixed. Utter lust.

Seeming unaware of my gawking, he moved between my legs. His outer thighs brushed my inner ones, and then I felt him hard against me. My cheeks heated, my body softening for him.

But as soon as he stretched over me, that pressure in my head increased. —The mortal is not for you!—

I jerked in Jack’s arms.

“What? Too fast?” He raised up above me. “You can tell me to stop if you want, Evie. Anytime you want me to.”

—You cannot know him this way.—

“No, I don’t want to stop. It’s one of the voices. Death’s. It’s like he’s in my head!”

—He’s not for you, creature!— Death repeated.

Why are you doing this to me? Are you such a hard-ass that you won’t allow the girl you plan on murdering some enjoyment in her final days?

—You deserve nothing but misery!—

Jack clenched his fists, the muscles in his arms corded with strain. “I’m goan to kill that son of a bitch, just for this.”

Get in line. How in the hell is this your business?

—Your death is mine, which means your life is mine.—

You’re insane! Never had I heard Death like this. Before, he’d always been smoothly mocking, taunting me with my upcoming demise.

Now his words were seething. —I am owed, Empress! Do this, and you will pay.—

“Evie?”

“I want this, Jack! Kiss me.”

He did, briefly muting the Reaper, rekindling my excitement.

But Death was yelling. —NEVER, CREATURE!—

This place was perfect, a moment in time; it should be just me and Jack. Now Death was ruining it. “It’s no use. He doesn’t want us to do this. And I don’t understand why.”

“Look at me, Evie. Stay with me.”

I gazed up at Jack, peering into his eyes. They were stormy gray, filled with desire, yearning. Even vulnerability. “He doan get a goddamned say, now, does he?”

When Jack held my gaze, Death was quieted, the heavy weight of his presence ebbing. —Sievā, do not do this. . . .—

See-whatta? Then he faded.

Faded to nothing.

“His voice is quiet. This is working!”

“Then I’m goan to be looking into your eyes when I take you. You hear me?”

I nodded, wanting this more than I’d ever imagined I could.

He traced his hand between us, lower, lower, dipping his fingers. “So hot,” he groaned. “So perfect. You want this too.” It wasn’t a question.

He began touching me as I needed him to, petting me. Whatever he was doing made me crazed for more. I rocked my hips to his caressing fingers, lids growing heavy, but I kept my gaze pinned to his.