Spit or Swallow: Kiss Of The Basilisk

Tem cried Kora’s name when she came. As she drifted off to sleep, she imagined the princes on either side of her, cradling her body between theirs. The next day dawned cold and joyless. Tem completed her farm chores on autopilot, forcing herself to stay busy until dusk. When the sun was finally setting, she…

“So?” Tem insisted. “Are you going to do something about it?” Caspen’s gaze bore into hers. He let out a dry laugh. “No.” She stared up at his infuriatingly perfect face. “No?” “If you think the human prince matters to me, then you are sorely mistaken.” The human prince. It was clear now. Tem saw…

“Tem,” he said, his voice low, his face centimeters from hers. “I am ashamed that my people allow this.” “Allow what?” When he didn’t answer, she pushed him away, crossing her arms and staring into the fire. This was beyond infuriating. Her heart was pounding; her shoulders were tense. All she wanted was to run…

Nobody had ever touched her that way but Caspen. But her body knew what to do, and Tem knew to let it. Caspen’s words came suddenly back to her: He has had anyone he wanted his entire life. So he is familiar with a woman’s body. Leo was familiar indeed. He knew exactly how to…

“And what exactly is the nature of your connection?” Tem had no idea what to say. No answer would satisfy Leo: no explanation would make this situation acceptable to him. How could she possibly tell him the extent of her mental bond with Caspen? How could she tell him that they had sex through that…

And Caspen. She loved them both. It shouldn’t have come as a shock to her-too many things had brought her gradually to this conclusion to make it any sort of a surprise. Still, she marveled at how she could feel such a draw to them both, how she could want two people in the same…

“Your father is wrong, you know,” she said quietly. Leo looked at her. “No, he isn’t.” “You don’t even know what I was going to say.” “You were going to say that my father is wrong, that I’m not a child-that I’m capable of making my own decisions and that he should trust me to…

Tem closed her eyes. She couldn’t deny that she was drawn to Leo. But she also couldn’t deny the look she’d seen in his eyes when he told her about Evelyn. He loved her-still loved her-the type of love that didn’t fade easily, if it ever did. Tem didn’t want to kiss someone who loved…

Leo laughed. “Please. Call me Leo.” “Call me Gabriel.” “I certainly shall.” “What’s with the hardware?” Gabriel pointed at Leo’s mouth, where his gold teeth glinted in the dim light of the bar. Tem elbowed Gabriel. But Leo only smiled wider, showing the full extent of the metal. “They’re traditional,” Leo answered. “The men in…

Leo went completely rigid, his fingers twisting tightly in the fabric of Tem’s dress, still holding her behind him. His next words were so quiet-so deadly-that Tem felt a chill go down her spine as he said, “I will return when I fucking well feel like it.” Something dangerous glimmered in Maximus’s eyes. He stepped…