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He got closer, his mouth right next to my ear. “I didn’t know how dark you were, my Shadow Queen.”

Looking away with embarrassment, I realized that he was right. Angie said that themaxzfor theMachmuax2 breed was based on the rider's connection. Angie told me that the lunarmaxzwas the use of shadows, light, water, and moon phase manipulation dependent on the moon itself. It was something that felt so dark and so closed off. It didn’t feel me. But maybe it was. Maybe Damian was right. Maybe I was darker than I thought.

“Use your fear as the weapon you are.”Maybe Iwasa weapon.

My breath caught in my lungs as he picked me up and led me around the circle of lights he had created for us. His breath was hot and heavy, and I wanted to feel more of it. I wanted his gasps and breaths in my ear. I wanted his lips on my neck and his hands to cover more of my body.

His movements were swift and gentle, yet sexy at the same time. I would never have expected him to be such a wonderful dancer by the looks of his roughness and tattoos.

“You promised to teach meSatas Lerma, correct?” he said, as he gripped my waist, leading me in the dance he was teaching me.

“Should I be worried about what you’re wanting me to teach you right now?” I joked, giggling.

“Teach me how to say, ‘I care about you, Aurelia.’” I smiled, squeezing his hand tight.

“Yana3wasainalai4malmai5yata6, Aurelia,” I said, pronouncing the syllables so that he could easily repeat.

He repeated it perfectly, swinging me into another dip, eyeing me ferociously, smirking, knowing that he said it exactly as it should be. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

“One more,” he said, swinging me around his body again.

“Let’s hear it.”

“How do you say, ‘I want your lips on mine again’?” His voice was unwavering, confidence overtaking his eyes as he stared into my own, gently biting his lip.

I stopped mid-motion in our dance, grabbed his face, and stood up on my tippy-toes.

Reaching above the tattoos scattered on his neck, I whispered, “I’ll teach you when you beg on your knees again.” He rolled his eyes this time, swinging me further and further through the vast area, but not on his knees.

“You’re becoming greedy, my Queen,” he said, his eyes concentrated and focused. “That’s not our bargain, if you remember correctly.” He swooped me low, my hair falling behind me, his hand strong beneath my back.

As he lifted me up, he held the dagger that was in my boot in his hands, twirling the bejeweled hilt between his fingers.

“Hey! Give it back!” I demanded, mesmerized that he took it without me noticing. “I thought you were a skilled assassin, not a thief.”

He chuckled. “Sounds like your fault for underestimating me.” I snorted, eyeing the blade in his hands. “Then teach me to say it. However, it just got more difficult. Teach me to say, ‘I need your lips on mine again. I need you, Aurelia.’”

His eyes fell on my own. Longingly. Desire.Cruel.

My eyebrows pulled together. The knife that was supposed to be mine hung in his hands as his eyes were preoccupied with my own.

I lifted my boot up against his hip, eyeing it for him to put the knife back. Stubborn as he was, he shook his head as his dimple showed, a slight smile on his lips.

Rolling my eyes, I leaned closer to him.“Yana7wasainalai8wimeiinaiman9uama10mash11mesmeiin12. Aurelia yana wasainalai wimeiinaiman.”The dimple that I loved on his cheek grew larger, teeth showing as he smiled. He then pursed his lips together, his eyes growing warm.

His dark eyes not leaving my own, his fingers released the hilt of the dagger, letting it fall into my boot.“Yana wasainalai wimeiinaiman uama mash mesmeiin. Aurelia yana wasainalai wimeiinaiman,”he repeated, his smile lingering.

***

We continued to dance for a while until exhaustion filled my bones; the energy depleted. My body ached, desiring for a break.

I felt drunk from my steps and our movements. My fingers tingled in an unnatural way. Then my arms and legs, and then it reached my neck. Stumbling back, my muscles shaking, he caught me. Our gazes intertwined. “Aurelia, you’re…”

“Exhausted, yes,” I said distractedly, realizing that I wasn’t feeling normal.

“No, translucent.” He was still holding me and set me down on the logs that were provided for us. I glanced around, watching the small flames still flickering on the outside of the area we were dancing in, circling around us.

“Huh?” I asked, peering down at my hands.