Page 42

Draven’s eyes search my face, his expression one of wonder and awe. “Did you feel it?” he whispers hoarsely, a hint of vulnerability in his voice that I’ve never heard before.

“Feel what?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest.

He smiles softly, a secretive smile that leaves me wanting to know more. “The connection,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “Did you feel it?”

I think back to the intense sensations we shared, the way our souls seemed to merge and become one.

“Yes,” I admit, my voice shaking with emotion. “I think I did.”

His lips press against mine, gentle and lingering. “Good. I’m never letting you go.”

That’s when the world came crashing back down on me. Suddenly, I could feel the cold again. If he had bitten me, there would be no returning from that. I can’t do this. I need to fix this now.

16

Draven

All my senses are focused on the raven-haired beauty in my arms, her lithe body pressed intimately to mine against the crumbling stone wall. Thorn meets my passionate kisses with equal fervor, our tongues tangling in a primal dance. I can still taste the metallic tang of my blood on her lips from when she fed moments before, taking just enough to regain her strength. The memory sends a spike of longing through me.

I smooth back her windswept obsidian locks, marveling that this extraordinary woman is in my arms right now and that she trusts me enough to show me her vulnerabilities, to take what she needs from me. The connection growing between us feels profound in a way I’ve never experienced before.

My fingers trail down her elegant neck to glide teasingly along her collarbone. Thorn exhales a quiet moan. How is it possible to want someone this much? To feel your souls resonate in perfect harmony?

“Look at me,” I plead hoarsely.

Her luminous eyes meet mine, sparkling with vulnerability and trust. The openness there resonates through my soul.

I smooth her windswept hair back from her face, my touch reverent. “You are so beautiful,” I breathe.

Color stains her porcelain cheeks. I hope she can read the depth of my feelings in my gaze. Though we’ve only known each other a short time, my heart recognizes her as my other half. She is meant for me, just as I am meant for her.

Slowly, I become aware of the cold once more seeping into my back from the unyielding stone. With utmost care, I withdraw from Thorn, shifting us into a more sheltered alcove among the ruins.

She nuzzles into me with a contented sigh, clearly not yet ready to break our connection. I wrap my arms around her securely as the snow swirls down around us. Pressing a kiss to her temple, I marvel that only hours ago she was still a stranger. Now I know withabsolute certainty that I will do anything to protect this woman who has so quickly become my entire world.

We stay huddled together as our breathing gradually returns to normal. I smooth her mussed raven locks, filled with awe, but as the fierce hunger of passion ebbs, her composure seems to shift, shoulders tensing. She won’t meet my gaze, biting her kiss-swollen lip anxiously.

Concern blooms within me. “What’s wrong?” I ask, ducking my head to catch her downcast eyes.

Thorn shakes her head vaguely, clearly troubled. “I can’t do this,” she whispers.

I freeze at her words, pulse skyrocketing. “Can’t do what?”

She pulls away abruptly, leaving me bereft. Her arms wrap around herself as if to shield from a sudden chill.

“Talk to me. Let me help you.”

Thorn seems lost in her own spiraling thoughts, heedless of my words. “Are you staying at the royal hunting camp nearby?” she asks urgently.

“I am, but…” I trail off, baffled by her non sequitur.

Thorn begins mumbling disjointedly about knowing where the camp is from her childhood. I strain to make sense of her rambling, to understand what has sparked this panic. My heart aches to see her so distraught.

Reaching out slowly, I graze her cheek with trembling fingers. “Please, I’m here for—“

Before I can finish, the world lurches sickeningly around me. Bright light sears my vision for a split second. Then, the scenery shifts, Thorn’s distressed face is replaced by… my mother’s?

I stagger in shock, abruptly finding myself in the middle of the royal hunting camp, still unclothed from my encounter with Thorn.