Twin Flames by Elizabeth Winters Page A

of stopping. Each day, Devlin would bring in more wounded. When they healed, they would arm themselves and return to the fight.
    Raven was leaning against a wall in the hospice dozing when the cheer rang through the room.
    “The enemy has retreated.”
    Her heart pounded in her chest. Could it be true? Was it over? She raced to the doorway. There Chalice stood, still bloody from battle, a huge grin on his face.
    There was no sign of Devlin.
    Her heart dropped. She turned away before her sadness could dampen the mood. It was easy to slip away unnoticed, so she made her way to her bedroom intending to lock herself inside. She would not celebrate until Devlin arrived and she saw him whole.

Chapter Twelve
    Warm hands traveled the length of Raven’s body. She arched beneath them as they caressed her swollen breasts, squeezing each pert nipple until the pleasure was so intense it bordered on pain.
    Devlin.
    His warm body slid into the bed, the length of him pressed against her. Muscles rippled against her skin as he pulled her closer. She had so much to ask him, so much to tell, but in this moment all she wanted was to feel his body, feel the strength of his cock as it slid into her to take possession.
    She arched against him until she could feel him pressed firmly against her ass. It wasn’t enough. She wanted him inside her, wanted to feel the power of him plunging into her woman’s core. The sensitive flesh between her thighs swelled at the thought, weeping with her juices.
    Devlin’s hand smoothed between her damp thighs, making Raven whimper with need. “You missed me,” he murmured, his breath hot. She groaned with pleasure as he took control of her body, his fingers working their magic. When he finally entered her, filling her with his cock, she screamed with the joy of it.
    He was back, and he was hers.
    The next morning Raven woke alone. Fear lanced her heart. Had it all been a dream? But then Devlin appeared around the side of the bed and her heart stopped pounding.
    “I thought I’d lost you,” she whispered.
    He settled on the bed beside her and pulled her close. His strong hand stroked her bare back. “Me too. But you won’t lose me again.” He moved to face her. “I promise.”
    “What do you mean?”
    He only shrugged, a mysterious smile on his lips. “I have no intention of losing you. Not again.”
    His words troubled her as the day progressed. What had he meant? There was much to do. She spent the main part of her day tending to the wounded. It was nearly dusk when she received the summons.
    She was wanted by the Council.
    Fear threatened to choke her. What did they imagine she had done this time? Was she to be punished because the enemy attacked?
    Returning to her rooms, she dressed carefully, not wanting to offend. By the time her escort arrived, she was trembling, her hands shaking so badly she stuffed them in her pockets so no one could see.
    She followed the guard down the narrow corridor that led to the Council room. Her fate waited behind the stone door in front of her. It was all she could do not to turn and run. But she was no fool, they’d find her anyhow.
    Her heart pounded as she stepped into the blazing circle. This was a different Council, she reminded herself. They were fair, just. Well, to their own people anyway. They had yet to apply that same standard to her.
    At the guard’s insistence, she knelt before the new leader of the Council. A position called the Flame.
    “Stand, my child,” the old man ordered. His white beard nearly brushed the floor.
    As she stood, she noticed Devlin standing to the side of the circle, at his brother’s side. He gave her a reassuring nod, so quick she would have missed it had she blinked.
    The Flame rose and beckoned her towards him. She stopped only when she could go no farther.
    “It appears we were wrong about you.” He reached forward to place his hand on her head. “You sacrificed yourself to save our people, despite our poor treatment