Chapter 23 · You're shaking

Rayne grabbed my wrist with his good hand.

The bond locked us together. Heat shot up my arm, dragging the silver poison out of his shoulder and into my palm.

Pain ripped through my veins.

"Stop."

"No."

"You're shaking."

"So are you."

His forehead dropped against mine. His breath broke across my mouth, hot and uneven, while the poison crawled higher through my arm.

"You're taking too much," he said.

"Then give me less."

"I can't control it."

"Try harder."

His fingers dug into my waist to keep me standing. His nose brushed mine. Every breath tangled between us, close enough that one careless movement would put his mouth against mine.

The bond pulled again.

Not toward surrender.

Toward trust.

That scared me worse than the silver.

"Say my name," he whispered.

"Why?"

"Because I need to know you're still here."

"Rayne."

His eyes opened. They'd gone almost black.

"Again."

"Rayne."

"Don't let go."

"I wasn't planning to."

The silver reached my elbow. My knees buckled, and Rayne dragged me against his chest.