Scaling Mountains of Fire

Chapter 12

Red stained vision, blood boiling, she made it to a frozen pool. Well, frozen before her heat melted the ice, turning into her personal hot spring. Commanding her armor to fold back into her neck brace, Dev let the water wash over her searing skin. Steam rose from the surface. Fog covered the air. None of the chill reached her body. There was nothing to be done about the roaring fire within her. It felt exhilarating.

She rested her head back. Eyes closed or open, flames flickered in her vision. For once, her head felt empty. Or as empty as it could be. Muted might have been the better term. All the voices in her brain dimmed behind the wall of fire in her mind.

Drifting in a pool of exhilaration she almost missed it. The pure, decadent wisp of sweetness. Her eyes snapped open, nails digging in the ground behind her. Goodness, how succulent. Her fiery core recognized the smell before her brain processed the information.

"Are you alright?" the Ambassador whispered. Was he whispering or were her ears ringing? Was that her heart hammering against her skull?

Dev beckoned him forward, tongue attempting to cool the heat from her lips. His brows furrowed, "Are you hurt?"

The Ambassador searched around her either for signs of blood or a way to reach her without getting in the water. After testing the temperature with his hand, he nodded and removed his clothing. Dev thought she couldn't boil any hotter. Goodness she was wrong. The water around her bubbled dangerously as her eyes skimmed over his naked skin.

He threaded his way to her, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He looked over her, everywhere but her eyes, scrutinizing. Had Dev not been intoxicated with fire, she would've realized the lack of said fire in his gaze. He let out a breath. He was too far. Why wasn't he reaching her? Pushing her back off the rocks, she swam to him. Only then did he search her face, her eyes. Whatever he found there caused his lips to part. That was all the invitation she needed.

Dev wrapped her arms around his neck, undulating her body against his. The skin to skin contact urged a relieved sound from her throat. The Ambassador inhaled between his teeth. She followed his intake of air finally merging her flaming lips to her mate's. Her throat let out another purring-like sound. Fingers twirling in short, soft hair, Dev's tongue licked over the Ambassador's teeth, begging him to let her in.

But as she did so, where a moan should have been, a pained sound resonated. The sound echoed through her frenzied state. A draft of cold air cooled the first layer of lava encompassing her brain. She was too hot to let such a small breeze stop her. But it happened again, this time dimming the red from her sight. Enough so to open her eyes and finally see. First, the pained dip between her mate's eyebrows. Second, the red imprint surrounding his neck where her arms were.

A frozen waterfall crashed against her head. Claws scratching at her diaphragm as the realization hit. She pulled back from him, threading backwards. Hissing in pain, he fumbled back to climb over the rocks and out of the scalding water.

"Fuck." he swore, frantically wiping the water from his body. "How is this water so fucking hot?" he looked back at her, hands deep in the snow. "How are you withstanding that?"

All adrenaline cooled from her veins, it took a few extra moments to climb after him. But as she tried to reach him, the snow melted under her feet. She halted. She couldn't touch him. Even if her mind had cleared, her body was still consumed with her flame. Any contact would hurt his mortal skin. The claws in her chest dug deeper, guilt scratching her lungs. She was sorry. She was so fucking sorry. So much so that she opened her mouth, uselessly.

The Ambassador grabbed snow to lather on his shoulders, blisters peppering his immaculate skin. Blisters that decorated her own skin. She looked down at her trembling hands, scarred and blistered, all bandages melted from the heat.