Born Into Fire (7 page)

Kenna hugged him tighter, and his heart wrenched. Those days would remain a dream. He would stay until that last moment before she transformed.
The Giris
. Right now, he planned on making her come, again and again, until she screamed. Then burst into flames, his mind quietly added, but—Erion’s mind jerked to attention in unison with the slam of a car door.

Aiden Stiles.

Kenna broke from the kiss. She hurried to the window on the street side of the workshop and shoved back the curtain. Hairs prickled on the back of Erion’s neck. Aiden strode up the driveway.

Erion was instantly behind Kenna. He slipped an arm around her waist and pressed his chest to her back. He forced back the impulse to shift into element and wrap her in a protective vacuum. She wasn’t ready to shift—he sure as hell wasn’t ready to confess the truth about himself. Fear of telling her and fear of Aiden exposing him shot to the surface in a chaotic jumble.
How will I explain the truth
? Would she feel betrayed?

She turned in his arms. “It’s only Aiden. I met him at the gallery. I’ll give him credit for tenacity. The guy won’t take a hint.”

“Aiden.” The name rolled off Erion’s tongue with disgust.

“He’s harmless,” Kenna said.

Erion looked past her out the window. She was mistaken. The tall, blond-haired man walking up the driveway was anything but harmless. What was he up to? Aiden knew Erion was here just as Erion had sensed his presence, yet he was paying a visit as any normal human would.

Erion dropped his gaze back to Kenna’s face and trailed a finger along her cheek. “We men know a good thing when we see it.”

She shrugged. “There’s a big difference—and I don’t mean that.” She glanced at his crotch and grinned. “I hope you don’t think I sleep with all the men I meet, because I don’t.” She winked. “Just the smart-asses.”

Gratitude washed over him. If he hadn’t found Kenna before Aiden exposed his element to her, she would have bonded to him, perhaps even desired him. But she desired Erion—without the bond. She might not understand why she wanted him, but she did, and no one could take that from him.

Kenna planted a kiss on his jaw. “I’ll get rid of him.”

Erion released her and lifted his gaze to stare out the window and straight into Aiden’s eyes. Fiery embers crackled in those blue depths. Wind whipped inside Erion in reaction to the Fire Element’s proximity. Erion veiled his thoughts, especially his feelings for Kenna. The Fire Element couldn’t be allowed to glean any information about the driving force behind their connection. A terrifying thought struck. Was it too late? Had Aiden already deduced Erion’s feelings for Kenna? Was that why Aiden had attacked him? No. That didn’t make sense. If Aiden knew, he would simply wait for that moment of weakness when Erion and Kenna’s spark’s merged, then kill him and take Kenna.

Aiden strode four more paces and reached the door as Kenna opened it. “Aiden, I’m sorry, but I wish you had called. I’m working and don’t have time for company.”

Aiden smiled, but a pulse in the side of his jaw belied the action. Frustration showed on Kenna’s face. If she had any idea how her open choice of him over Aiden fueled his anger, she would get as far away from Aiden as possible.

“I had hoped I was more than just company,” Aiden said.

Satisfaction shot through Erion when none of Kenna’s heat ignited for Aiden.

He stepped forward, and she automatically moved aside. He halted in the threshold, his eyes locked with Erion’s. “I thought you didn’t have time for company.”

“Erion and I are working.”

“Erion,” Aiden repeated, then murmured, “Air.”

“What?” Kenna glanced at Erion.

Erion gave her a soft smile. “Erion is Albanian for wind.”

Her brow furrowed, and his heart leaped at the thought she might recognize the significance of the name.

She smiled. “I like it. Now,” she started for the furnace, “if you’ll excuse us, Aiden.”

Aiden’s gaze dropped to her ass, and Erion realized he smelled their sex. Aiden’s gaze jerked to the open button of Erion’s jeans, then up to his eyes.

“Careful
,” Erion cautioned.
“She is not yet aware of her element. Force her before her time, and I will kill you.”

Aiden sneered.
“As you did when you ran from me in the parking lot?”

Erion gave a mocking laugh, then inhaled a small breath and sent a quiet swirl of air across the room. The edges of Aiden’s shirt ruffled.

The space around Erion heated with the narrowing of Aiden’s eyes. The look dissolved into a condescending twist of his mouth.
“No
,
”
Aiden telepathically replied,
“her fire is still buried within. You have no claim.”

“What was that, Aiden?” she asked.

“I said, you fixed the flame. I see your furnace is working.”

“Yes,” she replied absently and bent over the scalloped bowl.

Aiden’s glare cut back to Erion.
“She is mine
.
”
He took a threatening step forward.

“I have to work.” They both turned to see Kenna sitting at her bench, brows raised. “Put away the testosterone. Aiden, I’ll see you later.”

“I can show you out,” Erion said.

“I know the way.” Aiden’s gaze narrowed. “
And I will be back.”

The door blew open.

Aiden stopped.

“Damn door!” Kenna cried.

Erion glared. “
I’ll be waiting.”

Aiden whirled and strode through the door without a backward glance. Erion took three steps, softly clicked the door shut, and faced Kenna.

She stood, arms crossed over her chest. “Want to tell me what that was all about?”

“He’s a prick, and I didn’t like him checking out your ass. He wants in your pants.” It wasn’t a lie. The Fire Element did want her, body, mind, and soul. Suddenly Erion realized what he had to do…and his heart broke.

Chapter Seven

Half an hour later, Erion sat on a high stool with Kenna standing between his legs. They faced the furnace, her back to his chest. His hands covered hers as, together, they dipped the heated blowpipe into the crucible and gathered a melon-size glob of molten glass. At twenty-four hundred degrees, the glass looked almost white. His insides felt as liquid and hot as the dripping glass.

Subtle shifts in her movement pressed her rounded ass against his groin. He tried to focus on the glass, but her scent filled his nose. Her body warmed where it pressed against his. Sweat rolled down his back and beaded across his brow, but she seemed oblivious to the increase in temperature. She hadn’t covered her arms with the socks.

As he knew it would, her element was gathering strength. Triggering the transformation would be easy. Once the
Giris
was complete, Erion would deal with Aiden, then he could leave, knowing Kenna was safe from Aiden…and him. But not just yet. A few more minutes, one last taste before he said good-bye forever.

Bubbles rose out of the mass. Kenna bent and lowered the temperature on the furnace to two thousand degrees, then straightened and again snuggled her ass firmly against his hardening cock. He groaned, grasped her hips, and ground his erection into the sweet cleft.

“To be a good student, you must pay attention.”

“I can’t help it if I’m hot for teacher.” He covered her hands with his again.

Kenna continued to turn and roll the molten core. “Now we begin forming the shape of the glass.”

She hadn’t told him what they were making, but promised it would be worth the effort. As long as he kept his hands on hers, he didn’t care. Heat coiled up from the furnace and slid between their arms, blanketing her skin. With her emerging element, a coral glow radiated out from her flesh and blended with the amber glow from the glass.

Erion held his breath. Air swooshed from his arms, fanning the heat waiting for a single command from her to ignite. Her concentration was on the glass. With gentle pressure, she pushed his leg, turning them both toward the marver, where she rolled the glass onto the steel surface.

“This will cool the skin—”

“I can cool your skin.” He blew an icy breath against her neck.

Kenna shivered but said in a stern voice, “We’re focusing on the glass. We need to form a skin, so we can blow bubbles.” She cast him a wicked glance over her shoulder, then faced forward again.

The momentary distraction caused the molten form to slip from the blowpipe. She reached out and grasped the edge of the heated glass.

“Kenna—” He grabbed for her arm, then halted.

Her element already guided her hands. She was acting on instinct with her fire. His heart pounded. The time was here, whether he was ready or not. His few minutes were up. She folded the glass over, evening out the edge, then grabbed the fruitwood, ladle-like tool she’d called a block, and began shaping the glass.

He watched fascinated until she had formed an eight-inch oblong piece of glass. White-hot color eventually gave way to clear glass with thick dark blues and greens rippling through the center.

Erion half expected Kenna to pick up the object and slide her hand up and down its smooth surface. He imagined her fiery fingers mimicking the motion along his length, and shuddered. Pressure increased as his engorged cock further swelled behind the zipper of his jeans. In his mind, he heard her whisper,
yes
, and he stilled. She wiggled her ass against his rigid arousal, and he realized she’d been reading his mind. He had to satiate his hunger for her—now, before it was too late. He stood, reached around her waist, and undid the button on her jeans.

“Erion.”

He unzipped her jeans, tugged them down her hips, then shoved aside her red thong and parted the folds of her pussy.

“I’ll never finish,” she protested as she braced against the bench and leaned forward so that he had access to her from behind.

He nuzzled her ear as he slid a finger inside her drenched pussy. “We’ll finish.” He pushed her panties past her hips. “But I have to touch you. Now.”

Hot juices coated his finger. He commanded a tiny breeze from his finger into her core. She gasped softly and moved against him. The block slipped from her grasp and clattered to the concrete floor.

“Hot,” she whispered.

“Sweet torture,” he replied and thrust his finger deeper into her honeyed channel. “Is this what you want?”

“More,” she pleaded.

He slid another finger into the tight passage. She pressed against his hand. He kissed her neck, infusing her skin with chilled air. Kenna gasped.

She abruptly reached out and grabbed the blown glass—a dildo, Erion realized with a jolt. He stared. Heat radiated off her in waves from contact with the glass. The piece glowed in her hand, a natural conduit to channel her element. She settled back against him, holding the dildo as if fondling newly formed molten glass was the most natural thing in the world.
It was.

For her.

“Fuck me,” she whispered and grasped his hand.

He entwined his fingers with hers around the phallus. The glass should have burned his hand. Instead, it cooled with his touch. His heart pounded. How was he able to touch fire? They hadn’t bonded. Her element hadn’t emerged, yet she controlled the heat so that he could touch the glass. Was he wrong? Had her element emerged? No! He had to touch her one more time.

Erion slid the dildo through her drenched curls, parted her folds, and rubbed the end against her clit. Cream sizzled on the glass, and the sweet scent of her warm juices rose in the air. She hissed and rocked against the glass, attempting to impale herself on it. Fire arced from the furnace.

Erion gave a low laugh. “Easy, baby. Not so fast.”

She reached between her legs. “I have to come.”

He resisted the force of her fire as it drew wind from his being. Holding the dildo between her pussy lips, he denied her the orgasm she desperately sought. With his free hand, he tugged her shirt over her head.

Cream coated the glass as he rubbed it back and forth against her folds. “Do you want this?”

“Yes,” she whimpered.

Erion set the dildo beside Kenna, then picked her up and gently laid her on the marver. Eyes on her face, he yanked off her jeans and thong, then grasped the phallus and eased it deep into her channel. Kenna’s eyes rolled back into her head, and she bowed off the table. Bending over her, he blew on her soaked pussy.

Red and blue colored cane on a shelf to their left began to melt in a slow drizzle. In the corner, water bubbled in the ten-gallon dispenser. Erion glanced back at her. Kenna heated everything near her, including his blood.

He rubbed the dildo against her, eased the thick glass between her legs until she writhed on the table and cried out in a language he understood all too well. Desperation clawed at his conscience. The instinct to mate was surfacing.

He funneled a tiny extension of his air to her. Wind gusted through the rafters. Fire popped in the kiln. Erion rammed the glass fast and deep. Amber light radiated from Kenna’s flesh. Blinding flashes burned his eyes, but he couldn’t tear his stare from the dildo. The glass glowed with the iridescence of the northern lights. Her emerging fire…her life force. He had never witnessed the
Giris
so intimately, and he never would again. This woman was his.

They’d begun the mating process.

Careful
. Her need to mate would compel him to give his
spark
. Strong, determined, beautiful.
His
. The thought rocked him to his core. Could he claim the woman and deny his mate?

“Erion.”

Hunger to feast and the inability to refuse her demands answered the question. Erion pulled the dildo from her pussy and fastened his mouth to her clit. Sliding his tongue between her folds, he drank from her scorching pussy. Her hips lifted off the table and thrust against his mouth. Erion eased away and plunged the dildo back into her channel, then brought his mouth to her again and flicked her clit with his tongue. Sweet, tangy flavors floated across his palate. He lapped at her cream, savored her essence.