Page 35 of Avidian (The Demon and the Savior #1)

Chapter Twenty

“Come on, tell me where we’re going,” I say, blindfolded in the passenger seat. My fingers fidget in my lap, anticipation getting the better of me.

“I want it to be a surprise,” Malachi replies. “Trust me, it’s better this way.”

I huff but can’t deny the thrill. No one’s ever done anything like this for me before, and as much as I hate giving up control, the excitement outweighs my nerves. Or maybe it’s the two drinks we had at dinner loosening me up. Either way, the suspense is killing me.

Thankfully, the drive isn’t long. It feels like only a few minutes before he finally says, “Okay, don’t move. I’m coming to get you.”

I hear the engine cut off, and a second later his door slams shut.

My senses heighten in the darkness as his footsteps crunch through the snow.

When he opens my door, his hands are warm and steady as they grip my hips, lifting me effortlessly out of the truck.

The motion sends a jolt of something through me, making my breath hitch.

“Alright,” he murmurs, guiding me a few steps forward with his hands on my shoulders. His touch lingers for a beat longer than necessary before he steps back. “This is perfect. Ready?”

“I’m ready.”

His fingers brush against my temple as he unties the blindfold, and I catch the warmth in his gaze before the cloth falls away. I blink, my eyes adjusting to the brilliance of lights.

“Oh my God,” I breathe.

In front of me stretches a winter wonderland come to life—a carnival blanketed in snow, but the first thing I notice is the Ferris wheel, its gondolas glittering like jewels in the moonlight.

“Welcome to the Winter Carnival of Devil's Lake,” Malachi says, stepping beside me, his hands slipping casually into his pockets as he watches me take it all in.

“Devil's Lake?” I repeat, the name snagging my attention.

“Yeah,” he says with a mischievous grin. “Isn’t it fitting I bring my very own little demon to a town called Devil's Lake?”

I blink at him, stunned for a second, before his laughter becomes contagious, and I burst out laughing too. “You’re impossible,” I say, shaking my head, but I can’t stop the smile tugging at my lips.

He nods toward the bustling scene before us.

Strings of glowing lights crisscross above the snowy lot, bathing everything in a soft, golden glow.

A giant ice castle stands at the heart of the carnival, its jagged spires glittering like diamonds under the twinkling fairy lights.

The air smells of roasted chestnuts, sweet pastries, and something warm—mulled cider maybe?

Booths line the streets, selling everything from handmade crafts to steaming mugs of hot cocoa.

Children dart past us, laughing and chasing each other with snowballs, while couples stroll hand-in-hand, bundled up against the cold.

“We have a winter carnival every year around this time,” Malachi says, stretching his arms. “What do you think?”

I let out a slow breath, marveling at the scene. “It’s magical.” The kind of magical that feels too good to be real, like something out of a storybook.

He leans closer, his breath warming my ear in the chilly night air. “Good. Tonight’s about fun. About us. No missions, no ghosts, no training. You deserve this, Kat.”

That sends a flutter through my chest, and I look up at him, seeing something unguarded in his expression, something I haven’t seen before. “Alright, Savior,” I say with a smile, trying to shake off the sudden vulnerability I feel creeping in. “Show me how Devil's Lake does winter.”

He holds out his hand. “Let’s start with the ice maze. Try not to get lost, demon.”

Malachi’s smile is infectious as I take his hand, the warmth of his fingers a welcome contrast to the biting cold. “An ice maze?” I echo, raising an eyebrow. “You do realize that sounds like an excellent place to get frostbite and die.”

“Come on, where’s your sense of adventure?” he teases, tugging me toward the glowing entrance.

The maze is enormous, its walls made of thick, perfectly translucent ice that reflects the twinkling lights above like a kaleidoscope. The entrance arch glows with a soft blue light, and I can hear the muffled laughter and shouts of people trying to navigate its twists and turns.

“After you,” he says with a playful bow, gesturing for me to enter first.

“Chivalrous,” I remark, stepping in, the ice crunching softly beneath my boots.

The maze’s narrow pathways wind in unexpected directions, and the further in we go, the quieter it becomes, the walls absorbing the noise of the carnival outside. At one point, I reach a fork and glance back at Malachi, who’s still holding my hand.

“Left or right? I’m thinking left,” I ask.

“Right,” he says without hesitation.

“Why?”

He grins. “Because you asked, and I like being contrary.”

I roll my eyes but follow his suggestion, only for us to hit a dead end a minute later. I stop and turn to face him, narrowing my eyes. “Contrary, huh? What’s it like always being wrong?”

“I wouldn’t know,” he fires back, stepping closer, his grin widening.

I’m about to retort, but he catches me off guard, backing me gently into the icy wall behind me. The chill seeps through my coat, but the heat of his body so close to mine is enough to keep the cold at bay.

“Malachi,” I warn, though I lack any real conviction.

“Yes, Kat?” he says, the mischief in his eyes softening into something deeper. His free hand comes up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear, and I swear the world outside the maze fades away.

“Are you trying to distract me?” I ask, my breath visible in the cold air, mingling with his.

“Maybe,” he murmurs, his lips curving. “Is it working?”

“Not even a little,” I lie, my pulse racing.

“Good,” he says, leaning closer. “Because you deserve to be distracted. From everything.”

And then he kisses me, slow and deliberate, like he’s savoring the moment. The cold of the ice at my back vanishes under the heat of his touch, and I lose myself in him, in the way his lips move against mine, in the way his hand slides to my waist, anchoring me like he never wants to let go.

When he finally pulls back, I can’t help but laugh softly.

“What?”

“I’m pretty sure we’re lost,” I say, and he chuckles, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead before taking my hand again.

“Good thing I’m an expert at finding my way out of tricky situations,” he says, tugging me back through the maze.

Malachi navigates us out of the maze so quickly it feels like he’s been holding back and letting me stumble around a little longer. The thought makes me smile. By the time we emerge on the other side, cheeks flushed from the cold, he grabs two mugs of boozy hot chocolate from a nearby stand.

The first sip warms me from the inside out, the alcohol cutting through the chill in the air, and we spend the next hour playing carnival games. He wins me a small plush polar bear at the ring toss, which I absolutely do not gush over, even though it’s kind of adorable.

“Let’s ride the Ferris wheel,” I say, pointing toward the glowing wheel lighting up the sky. Malachi doesn’t hesitate, guiding me through the crowd to the line. He exchanges a few words and slips a bill to the teenage operator before ushering me into one of the creaky little carts.

As soon as we sit down, he drapes his arm over my shoulders, pulling me closer. I tuck into his side, grateful for the warmth radiating from him. “What did you say to that kid?” I ask, squinting up at him suspiciously.

“I paid him to stop the ride while we’re at the top,” he says with a teasing grin.

“You didn’t,” I laugh, but the ride slows sooner than I expect, and our cart jerks to a halt at the very top. “You did!”

I turn to him, my laughter spilling out into the quiet night air.

He grins, unapologetic, as the first snowflakes of the evening start to fall.

I look out over the carnival, the snow glittering in the glow of the twinkling lights below.

The flakes catch on the air, sparkling like tiny stars as they drift lazily around us.

It’s stunning, and I lose myself in the beauty of it all.

But when I glance back at Malachi, I realize he’s not looking at the snow. He’s looking at me. His expression is warm, steady, and unflinching, and when he leans in, brushing a few stray flakes from my beanie, my heart skips a beat.

His lips press against mine, desperate and wanting, I let him explore my mouth as I try to get closer to him.

The snow falls around us, catching in his hair and melting against my cheeks.

It’s perfect, almost too perfect, like something out of a dream.

His hand cradles the side of my face, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin as he deepens the kiss, and the world fades away.

When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine. “Worth every penny,” he murmurs.

“You bribed a kid so you could make out with me in the sky?” I ask, my own smile spreading wide despite the teasing lilt in my voice.

He shrugs, unrepentant. “You make it sound so calculated. I’d call it...spontaneous.”

I laugh, nestling back into his side as the Ferris wheel begins to move again, our cart swaying gently as it descends. “I’m not sure what’s worse—your smugness or the fact that it actually worked.”

“I’ll take that as a win,” he says, his arm tightening around me as he looks out at the carnival lights below. “You seem like you needed a night to just...be.”

I glance up at him. “To just...be?”

“Yeah,” he says, his expression thoughtful now. “No missions, no projecting into creepy veils, no looking over your shoulder every five minutes. Be Kat. Laughing. Smiling. Forgetting the rest of the world exists, even if it’s only for a little while.”

As the ride slows and we near the bottom, I tug on his coat sleeve. “Thank you.”

“For bribing a Ferris wheel operator?” he jokes, but his eyes soften when he sees my expression.

“For tonight,” I say, looking away. “For making me feel like...me.”