Page 63 of Chasing Stripes (Enchanted Falls #3)
SIXTY-THREE
T he next afternoon, after spending hours securing the bakery and studying the few articles, Haavi pulled Bartek aside while Artemis consulted with Tilly about additional magical protections.
“You can’t maintain this level of vigilance,” Haavi said quietly. “You’ve barely slept since the attack.”
Bartek bristled. “We’re being hunted. Vigilance is exactly what’s required.”
“No,” Haavi countered with the directness of long friendship. “What’s required is balance. Take her somewhere to de-stress. We’ll guard the perimeter.”
Bartek opened his mouth to argue, then stopped, considering his friend’s words. Constant tension would weaken them both. Every instinct demanded he protect Artemis through strength and vigilance, but perhaps true protection required more than just physical security.
“What did you have in mind?” he asked finally.
Haavi’s expression brightened. “Leave it to me. Just be ready in an hour.”
True to his word, Haavi arranged everything. Pride members secured the area thoroughly beforehand, hidden guards ensuring privacy and safety without intruding on their time together.
Bartek led Artemis along the tree-darkened path, her hand warm in his. “Where are we going?” she asked, curiosity brightening her voice.
“Patience,” he replied, enjoying the rare opportunity to surprise her.
When they reached the clearing illuminated by strings of fairy lights hung from the trees, Artemis gasped in delight. A blanket spread on the ground held an assortment of delicacies—honeyed pastries from her bakery, rare fruits, small savory bites, and a bottle of enchanted wine that glowed amber in the fading light.
“You did this?” she asked, turning to him with shining eyes.
“Haavi helped,” Bartek admitted. “He thought we needed... normality despite everything.”
“He was right.”
Artemis wore a flowing dress of pale green that showcased the beautiful golden patterns now covering much of her body. The marks shimmered in the fairy lights, making her appear to glow from within. Bartek couldn’t keep his eyes—or hands—off her as they settled on the blanket, his fingers continually drawn to trace the intricate designs.
They ate and drank, conversation flowing easily despite the dangers lurking in the shadows of their minds. The enchanted wine warmed Bartek’s blood, making the golden marks on his skin tingle pleasantly wherever Artemis touched him.
“I never thought I could feel this way,” he admitted, pouring her another glass of the glowing amber liquid.
“Like what?” she asked, leaning into him as fireflies began to gather around them, attracted to their magical aura.
Bartek considered his words carefully. He’d never been one for flowery speech, preferring action to declaration. But she deserved his honesty, his vulnerability—something he’d never given anyone else.
“Complete,” he said simply. “As if a part of me I never knew was missing has finally come home.”
Her eyes glistened in the fairy lights. She set aside her glass and moved closer, her lips finding his in a kiss that deepened quickly into something more heated. Magic swirled around them like golden mist, responding to their emotions and desire.
Bartek pulled her against him, his hands spanning her waist where it all began—where his handprints had first appeared. The marks brightened beneath his touch, spreading warmth through both their bodies. Fireflies gathered more densely above them, forming a protective dome of living light as their passion ignited.
Later, lying together on the blanket, Bartek traced the expanded golden patterns across Artemis’s bare skin, marveling at how they shifted and pulsed in response to his touch. The marks had spread further during their lovemaking, new patterns emerging across their bodies, connecting them ever more deeply.
“If we strengthen the bond during the eclipse instead of letting them weaken it...” he began, voicing the thought that had been forming since they read her mother’s articles.
“We’d be more powerful together,” she finished his thought. “But also more vulnerable if separated.”
“We really need my mother’s personal journal. I bet it has exactly what we need to know. Do you think the same person who took our family recipe book took it too?”
He shrugged. “More than likely, but then someone who foresaw all this might’ve taken it to protect it.”
“Then why haven’t they brought it out?”
“I don’t know.” He sighed. “I wish I had answers for you.”
Artemis gazed up at the stars appearing above them, contemplation in her expression. The fireflies still danced above them, their light reflecting in her eyes. “Some things are worth any risk.”
Bartek pulled her closer, inhaling her scent mixed with his own. His tiger purred with satisfaction deep within him—a reaction he’d never experienced before meeting her. The animal part of him recognized what his human side had taken longer to accept: she was his, he was hers, and together they formed something greater than either could be alone.