Chapter 19 · Blood in the Frost

"Don't bite me unless you mean it." Ronin's hand locked around my throat before his fangs could sink any deeper into my collarbone.

His thumb pressed against the hot edge of my mark. The bond burned under his glove, wild and ugly, matching the pulse jumping in his wrist.

I shoved at his chest. "You dragged me into an ice cave, pinned me to a wall, and now you're giving me rules?"

"I'm keeping you alive."

"You call this alive?"

His eyes dropped to my mouth. Just for half a second. Then his jaw tightened.

"You were about to lose control."

"So were you."

That landed. His grip shifted, not looser. Worse. His fingers spread over my neck like he wanted to feel every beat of my heart.

Outside the ice wall, boots scraped over frozen ground.

Ronin turned his head.

The bond pulled me with him. My shoulder hit his chest. Heat rolled off him through two layers of black uniform, sharp enough to make my knees weaken.

"How many?" I whispered.

"Eight. Maybe ten.