Page 25

Evander

T he feeling of her body pressed against mine is the first thing I notice before I even open my eyes.

And when I eventually do, I take in the golden waterfall of hair that cascades over the arm arranged beneath her, the length of her slender neck—ivory skin gleaming in the early morning light.

She’s still sleeping. Breathing deeply. Easily.

It’s a stark contrast to the heavy panting of last night when that agony wracked her body, made her convulse like someone being tortured. I squeeze my eyes shut and wince at the memory. I’ve tortured enough people to recognize that kind of suffering and it worries me more than I’d like to admit.

I’ve understood for some time now that she was different, powerful beyond measure.

But to me, she was always a friend, someone I wished could be more.

Last night was the first time I witnessed what the threads of fate were doing to her, how destiny was devouring her and twisting her into what the prophecy needed her to be.

I can’t bear the tightness in my chest when I think of her fate. Instead, I focus on her. On Bria. I shove away the thoughts and take in her sleeping form, still tucked in tight to my body, her back flush against my chest. And I vow to myself, here and now, to do so for as long as we have left.

Looking at her now, I know. I know that I’m lost already. I’ve waited so long for her, and I’m not coming back from this. I’m not coming back from her.

As I lie there gazing at her, I don’t want to wake her. Unfortunately, neither of us are the type of people who can be missing for long. We will both have others looking for us if we don’t get going soon. People will notice.

Feeling the thin slip of fabric under my fingers, I move my hand under it, grazing up along her hip until my hand reaches her stomach.

I lazily drag my fingers across her abdomen until she starts to stir, relishing the smooth feel of her skin under my hands, indulging in the freedom to touch her as I desperately want to.

I nudge my nose against her ear, a light tickle across the soft lobe before burrowing my face into the expanse of her hair.

I gently kiss the nape of her neck. She starts to squirm, her body pushing against me, and I smile.

Maybe waking her isn’t all that bad, though it’s causing my already hard cock to ache with need.

I draw my tongue across the same space, up the soft side of her neck to her ear.

She lets out a soft groan and twists her body around to face me, eyes bleary with sleep.

“And what exactly do you think you’re doing?” she questions, her voice hoarse. A smile pulls at her lips, her head still resting on the pillow beneath, enrobed in a tangle of blonde.

I grin. “You needed to wake up,” I murmur, captivated by the brilliant sheen of her hair, the blue fire smoldering in her eyes. Perfect , I think.

“Mmmm,” she agrees, stretching her arms above her head.

I want to stay in bed with her all day, to finish what we started last night. I stare at her, willing her to stay and ignore the responsibilities of our days, to ignore the looming darkness over our lives even though I know we can’t.

“You’re right, we’d better get going,” she says, slipping out of bed before I can protest. But I wonder if she’s thinking the same.

I reach for her arm as she stands, but she quickly evades me. Disappointed, I slam my fist onto the empty sheets beside me and let out a groan. I hear her chuckle as she softly moves to the dresser and begins digging through the measly contents for clean clothing.

“You need to go before Quinn comes looking for you,” she offers as she rifles around the dresser. “I’m not quite sure how you would explain this.” She gestures to me, still lying in her bed.

She’s right. I slide a hand through my hair, pulling the loose strands out of my face and sit up, tossing my legs over the side of the bed.

Snagging the tunic from the ground, I stand and tug it over my head, pulling it down to rest at the top of my trousers.

I turn to find her leaning against the dresser, watching me intently, her clothes forgotten in her hands.

My heart skips when she looks at me like that and I take the few steps across the room until I’m standing before her, thighs flush against hers.

I place my hands on either side of her, trapping her against the small dresser, and her throat bobs.

Knowing I can affect her the same way she does me makes it hard not to carry her back to bed.

Or better yet, just turn her around and bend her perfectly tiny frame over this dresser.

But then neither of us would leave this room.

Instead, I lean down and brush a soft kiss across her lush rose lips.

And when she presses her lips back into mine and I feel the flick of her tongue, I have to peel myself away while I still can.

Because I would stay with her until the end of time if I could.

“I’ll see you later, Bria,” I whisper into her hair, pulling fully back and smiling as I turn to leave.

As I’m about to close the door, I hear her voice once more. “Thank you, Ev.” The faint whisper barely reaches me. I pause before nodding my head and leaving, pulling the door shut behind me. The soft click echoes through the barren hall.

A smarter man would have peeked out prior to taking his leave so as not to cause any suspicion among the commanders.

But I’m in a daze as I traipse across the narrow corridor.

My head swirls with the scent of lavender from her honeyed hair, the floral taste of her skin, everything about her taking over my senses.

I shake my head as I enter my room, as if I could physically shake off the thought of her.

But I can smell her on me as I ready for the day, and I don’t dare wash it away.

I want to carry her scent with me until I can see her again.