Their Burning Touch on my Skin

Chapter 13

Emma

My heart pounds against my rib cage as I try to keep my breathing steady.

I’m frozen to my spot as I stare up at him.

“Mate.” Jax’s rough voice vibrates through me, making goosebumps rise on my skin. “You called for me?”

I’m only able to shake my head slightly, my body shivering as if I had been pushed under ice water.

‘Don’t worry.’ I gasp as my wolf talks to me for the first time since we came back. ‘I got this. But your body might be too weak to handle the temperature drop. Just bear with me. If you manage to fight through it, he won’t be able to hurt you.’

Her voice, as melodic and silvery as it is, makes panic explode in me as I feel myself shuddering even more.

Maybe it’s just my imagination, but I feel as if my body is getting colder, my hands turning numb while the cup in my hands suddenly feels insanely hot.

Ace tilts his head, jumping from the balustrade as I take a step back. I know that it is a dumb move, as it just stimulates the thrill of the chase for him, but at this point, it wouldn’t matter anyway. Exhaling, I see my breath form a small cloud, making my eyes widen while my mate stalks closer. “You called me.”

“Ace.” I hear Kai’s voice thundering up the building before he bursts into the pack house. “Ace, don’t be a moron! Get him back under control!”

But his brother isn’t listening to him, stepping closer while my heartbeat hammers in my ears and I stare up at him shell shocked.

“I felt that,” he growls, leaning down to me. “It was nice.”

His face is so close, I can feel his warm breath fanning my lips. His mouth-watering scent invades my system while my skin starts sizzling as the vicinity creates an electric field made out of sparks around us.

The only thing I felt was the fire streaming through me. Did he feel that? Was this how I called him? But I wouldn’t even know how to do that on purpose.

So, what else could it be?

Have I looked at him for too long?

“I didn’t do anything,” I gulp, not breaking eye contact even if I’m looking into black nothingness.

And still, I can sense him beneath all this.

My Ace.

“Lie,” he mocks, and I feel like a prey pleading with her most dangerous predator. “Why are you lying to me, mate?”

‘Don’t be scared. Waste time. I need to drop your body temperature just another bit to get you to survive until Kai reaches us,’ my wolf urges, giving me another spur.

I shake my head a bit more confidently but fail to take another step back. “What would I even lie about, Ace? I didn’t do anything! Less call you. What are you talking about?”

My limbs start feeling colder and colder, my teeth clattering as soon as I don’t clench them together.

“But I heard you.” He is persistent, his face empty of emotion if it wasn’t for his playful grin. “Loud and clear.”

Shivering as I feel like being locked into a walk-in freezer, I nearly don’t get my lips to move as they must be turning blue. “I’m sorry. But I didn’t call you.”

I hate how the cold I feel aggravates my stutter, undermining my confidence and making me want to toss and scream out of frustration.

But even if my brain is screaming at me to run away, and my wolf is preparing for something that must be bad but I still can’t figure out, I feel like losing myself in his eyes as he drags me further down to the abyss where Ace must be standing.

He studies my face, his dark eyes checking every little trait of my face as he snarls. “Are you cold, mate? I can warm you up.”

It takes my brain a few split seconds to react and grasp the situation of what is happening around me.

“No!” I shriek as he is already wrapping his arms around me, pulling me close.

Panic streams through my chest, clasping my throat as I clench my eyes closed. But as soon as his burning hands touch my skin, scorching a hole into the sweatshirt, I feel the sansation of getting enveloped in gelatine waft through me once again.

I gasp as blue flames erupt on my skin, shielding myself from his fire. They cover my body gently, passing over to him where he is grabbing me. It also closes the wounds, making me feel like he never burnt me in the first place. He watches the flames envelop his hands curiously, his grin broadening.

“This feels strange,” he chuckles as he leans in further, claiming my lips.

My heart stills in my chest, the sparks exploding on my skin before I feel like burning up again.

His full lips move against mine, his tongue moving into my mouth to taste every inch of it. I moan against his lips as I feel the strange sensation diminish, the coldness in my limbs slowly getting fought back by the heat.

‘This is too much. I can’t cope with that without killing you. Stop him!’ my wolf pleads but even if I feel the fire expand on my lips and down my throat, I let my cup fall to clasp his shirt.

The pain increases but I can’t let go, my senses shutting down as the sparks cover the destruction he is creating on my skin.

Blood drips down my chin as he keeps devouring me.

Literally, as it seems.

‘No! It’s too early to let him have your blood!’ my wolf shouts panically, but I shut her out.

As I am feeling now, pain or not, he could have everything he wants.

Even my life.

I ignore my wolf’s screams, as I let myself melt into my certain death.

“Ace!” A guttural roar resounds and Ace gets ripped off me.

The air feels uncomfortably cold as I come back to my senses and the excruciating pain expands in my body.

Growls mix as Kai must be fighting back Ace, but as much as I try, I can’t make out what is happening exactly. Black spots move in front of my eyes as my sight fails over and over again to focus on what is happening around me.

With a last deep inhale, I slump to the ground.

‘Don’t worry.’ My wolf’s voice shakes as she speaks while I slowly lose consciousness. ‘I got this. I got this.’

“Mate,” I hear a preoccupied voice breathe out as I’m lifted off the floor. “I’ll take you to the pack hospital. You are safe now.”

His touch feels so good on my skin, that I lean into him automatically, closing my hurting eyes with a sigh.

But what a strange thing to say.

Have I ever been not safe?

Kai’s worried face is the last thing I see as I fall into deep darkness thankfully because it takes all my pain away.