Shadow Reckoning

Shade's wrists burned where the metal shackles bit into his skin. The stone wall behind him was damp, cold, pressing against his spine like a grave marker. His head throbbed, his side ached where Selene's knife had dug in, but none of that mattered.

Because the real battle wasn't in his body.

It was in his mind.

He wasn't supposed to be here. He was supposed to be hunting, tearing the Vultures apart from the inside. Instead, he was strung up like a caged animal, waiting for whatever game Lucian and Selene wanted to play.

And then—

The door creaked open.

Selene stepped inside, the dim torchlight casting her in flickering gold. She had changed—tight black leather, a slit up her dress that revealed toned legs, her long dark hair cascading over one shoulder.

She looked like sin.

And the worst part?

Shade wasn't sure he wanted to resist it.

She smirked. "Still awake?"

Shade exhaled slowly. "Try harder."

Selene tsked. "Oh, sweetheart, I haven't even started."

She stepped closer, trailing her fingers over his exposed chest, pausing where his shirt had been torn from the fight. Her nails grazed the raw skin near his wound, just enough to send a pulse of pain and pleasure through him.

Shade clenched his jaw. "What do you want?"

Selene's lips brushed his ear. "I want you to break."

Shade chuckled, despite himself. "Gonna have to do better than this."

Selene's fingers trailed lower, down his abdomen, slow, teasing. "You think you're still in control?"

Shade wanted to say yes.

But when she pressed her body against his, her lips skimming his throat, his pulse betrayed him.

Selene chuckled softly. "See? You like this. The tension, the fight, the surrender."

Shade exhaled sharply. "I won't surrender."

Selene pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. "Not yet."

Then she kissed him.

And Shade, for one terrible, intoxicating second—

Kissed her back.

It wasn't just a kiss. It was a battle. Teeth, tongues, fire. Selene's fingers tangled in his hair, pulling, testing, teasing. Shade growled against her lips, shackles rattling as he fought against them, but she knew he was trapped.

Knew he liked being trapped.

Then, just as suddenly, she pulled away.

Shade exhaled hard, chest rising and falling.

Selene smirked, wiping her thumb over her swollen lips. "Lucian was right about you."

Shade forced himself to breathe. "And what's that?"

Selene leaned in, whispering against his lips.

"You belong to the dark."

Then she turned and walked away, her heels clicking softly against the stone.

Leaving Shade alone.

And worse?

She left him wanting more.