Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 119942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
“I’m too impatient by nature to experience positive feelings of anticipation.” The teasing glint in his eyes was pissing Harper off. He didn’t want her to feel excited. He wanted her to feel agitated by the wait. “Just tell me.”
He took a swig of his gin and tonic. “No.”
“Mean.”
“Of course.”
“It’s my birthday; you’re supposed to let me have my way.” She’d woken just as he thrust deep in her…then he’d wished her a happy birthday before riding her so hard that her scream got trapped in her throat.
He arched a brow. “Is that so? I’m distraught to say I can’t give you that.”
She huffed. “Really, you could have just pyroported us to wherever it is we’re going. You’ve taken me on this long-ass flight just to drag it all out and drive me insane.”
Of course he had. “We are going to pyroport to where we’re going.”
“Are we going to hell?”
“I don’t think I’ve heard those words uttered with excitement before.”
“I just like to do things I haven’t done before.”
“I know.”
The wicked curve to his mouth both aroused and worried Harper. “Put me out of my misery and either tell me what the big mystery is or take me wherever we’re going.”
“All right, I’ll take pity on you.” He stood upright and pulled her to him. Tanner, Levi – we’re leaving now. We shouldn’t be any longer than an hour. Both sentinels were in the other cabin.
As he curled his arms tight around Harper, he kissed her softly. She stilled as the heat of fire enveloped them, burning her without hurting her. Then the flames died, and they were suddenly standing alone on a large stretch of land. And…“That’s a volcano.” Definitely not what she’d expected to see.
“It is.” Taking her hand, he walked her towards it.
“I’ve never seen one this close.” It was a scary yet beautiful sight. And seriously big.
“We’ll be getting closer. Much, much closer.”
She tensed, coming to an abrupt halt. “I don’t like the way you said that.”
“Ever bungee jumped before?”
Her heart slammed against her ribs. “Say what?”
“I’ll take that as a ‘no.’” Knox smiled. “Don’t worry; you’ll enjoy it.”
She gaped. “Wait, you want to bungee jump…into that?” Was he insane? Apparently so. It could be an archdemon-thing. She should probably look into that.
“We are going to jump into it. Not into the magma chamber. We’ll stop several feet above.”
He said it casually…like it was just a bus ride as opposed to a death-defying experience. “How? There’s no equipment or—” She cut off as wings suddenly snapped out of his back, fanning out behind him. “Oh. My. God.” The feathers were gold, red, and black…and on fire. Touching one of the wings, she realized they weren’t quite substantial; it was more like they were constructed of magma energy or something. Jealously crept in as she suddenly felt the absence of her own wings very acutely. The guy never ceased to amaze her. “Do all archdemons have wings?”
Nodding, he flapped his wings once. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Whoa there, Thorne…You’re going to fly us over there?”
“Yes. Then, while I’m holding tight to you, we’re going to drop.”
“Seriously?”
“You’re excited, admit it.”
Okay, yeah, an element of excitement was trickling through her. It was a terrifying idea, but it was also thrilling – she was a demon, her kind thrived on adrenalin rushes. But Harper also thrived on being alive. “Whole cities have been destroyed by eruptions of lava, gas, and ash from volcanoes. And you want to jump into one? Have you done it before?”
“A few times. Come on, you’ll enjoy it. This one only erupts at night,” he reassured her. “And it’s not like the lava or the heat coming from it can burn you.” Their skin was impervious to both. “Come here. Trust me.”
“I do.” So she stepped into his arms, both of which came around her. Then they shot into the air like a bullet. He was scaring her on purpose. “You’re an asshole!” He just chuckled. She kept her eyes closed as, still holding her tight, he flew in a horizontal position. It wasn’t long before he came to a halt, still in the air. Forcing open her eyes, she saw that they were soaring above an ash cloud.
“We’re going to drop down the throat of the volcano,” he told her.
He slowly lowered them to hover just under the cloud, and the breath left her lungs at the sight below her. Fuck. She fisted her hands tight in Knox’s shirt, locking her legs around him.
“Look.”
Oh, she was looking. She wasn’t liking. There was really nothing quite like hovering above an active volcano. As if the view of the descent into the crater wasn’t bad enough, there was the bubbling pool of red-hot, molten lava.
“You ready?”
Not really. Her heart was in her mouth, and she was pretty sure it belonged in her chest. Steeling herself, she took a long breath.