Chapter 103 BOTH SIDES OF TEMPTATION PART 8

Chapter 103 BOTH SIDES OF TEMPTATION PART 8
I swallowed, staring up at him. His face was so close now. Up close, he was even more unreal—his white hair dripping against his chest, his markings glowing faintly like light under his skin.
“I…” My voice broke. “I don’t know.”
For a heartbeat, everything went silent. The forest. The stream. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Before I could blink, he moved. His hand slid from my cheek to the back of my neck, fingers wrapping firmly but not painfully.
His mouth crashed against mine, and for a heartbeat, my mind went completely blank.
It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t sweet. It was fierce, demanding, and it made my heart stutter in my chest. His lips were warm and firm, moving against mine with a hunger that stole the very breath from me.
My body froze at first, shocked at the suddenness, but the heat of him, the taste of him, melted through me in seconds. My lips parted without me even thinking, and he took full advantage. His tongue slid past my lips, hot and insistent, and I let out a muffled whimper against his mouth.
His hand stayed tight on the back of my neck, holding me in place, making me feel small and helpless under his touch. But not in a way that scared me. It was different—like he wasn’t just kissing me, he was claiming me, marking me as his in a way no one else ever had.
My hands rose clumsily to his chest, pressing against the hard wall of muscle beneath my fingers. His skin was hot and slick from the water, his markings glowing faintly under my palms as if they could feel my touch. My fingertips traced one of them without meaning to, and it pulsed like living light, making me shiver.
His wings shifted behind him, feathers brushing the air, sending a soft gust across my damp skin. The movement made me gasp, and he swallowed the sound with his mouth, deepening the kiss even more.
He tilted his head, angling the kiss so his tongue could stroke deeper into my mouth. I could taste him now—something sharp and sweet, like honey mixed with lightning. It made my head spin. I tried to breathe but couldn’t; every breath I managed was taken by him, stolen by the force of his mouth.
My knees weakened, trembling beneath me. I swayed, almost stumbling, and his other hand shot to my waist, steadying me. His grip was firm, fingers pressing into my wet skin as though he was holding me there, refusing to let me fall or run.
I whimpered into his mouth again, my fingers curling tighter against his chest. He groaned low in his throat, the sound vibrating through me, and it sent another rush of heat straight between my thighs. My body was already betraying me, growing hot and needy just from his kiss.
His hand on my neck slid lower, down to the curve of my throat. His thumb pressed lightly over my pulse, feeling it race like a trapped bird. The faint pressure made me shiver harder, made me feel caught in a way that was both terrifying and thrilling.
The kiss slowed for a moment, his lips softer now, brushing against mine in teasing little pulls. He nipped my bottom lip gently, tugging before sucking it into his mouth, and I let out another shaky sound I couldn’t hold back. His smirk brushed against my lips as though he was pleased by it, as though my helpless noises belonged to him.
When he finally pulled back, only an inch, my lips tingled and my chest heaved as I dragged in air. My whole body shook, but he didn’t let me go. His golden eyes were so close that I could see strange sparks dancing in them, glowing like molten fire. They weren’t normal eyes. They were alive, like they carried some secret magic I couldn’t even begin to understand. His breath fanned over my wet lips, hot and heavy, and I knew he was deciding something in that moment—something that would change me forever.
“Why…” My voice was a shaky whisper, almost swallowed by the sound of my pounding heart. “Why are you doing this?”
His hand tightened at my waist, pulling me closer until my bare skin pressed flush against his leather-clad body. The material was rough against me, but underneath it I felt the sharp planes of his muscles, every line and edge carved like stone. The heat of him radiated through the fabric, making me shiver even though I wasn’t cold.
He tilted his head, and his lips brushed mine again—barely a touch, so soft it made me ache for more. Then his voice slid into my head, smooth and low like a rumble in the dark, and it made me tremble all over.
Because you are mine now.
My heart nearly stopped. The words sank into me, wrapping around my chest and pulling tighter and tighter.
But then—something strange. As soon as he said that, I felt it. A presence standing close behind me, so close the fine hairs at the back of my neck stood on end. My breath hitched and I turned, my eyes wide.
I froze.
He was there. Behind me.
But he was also still standing in front of me, his golden eyes burning into mine, his hands still firm on my waist.
My lips parted in shock. “H-how…” My voice cracked. “How are you… there?”
A faint smirk tugged at the lips of the one in front of me, as if my confusion pleased him. His voice slid back into my mind, dark and smooth. Because I can split myself. Two bodies. One soul.
I swallowed hard, my head spinning. It didn’t feel real. My mind screamed that this was wrong, unnatural. But my body didn’t back away.
The one behind me moved, his hand sliding onto my waist from the other side. His touch was different—gentler, almost teasing—but it still sent shivers racing down my spine. I felt trapped between them, one in front, one behind, their bodies crowding me in, stealing every drop of air from my lungs.
His breath brushed my ear as he leaned close, his voice a low whisper that made my knees weak. “Are you afraid of me now?