Page 89 of Seared Fates

In the quiet, our voices are hushed. Thunder grumbling somewhere outside is the only other noise.

“I always thought you were fae, so not much has changed.” He kisses my forehead. “Now you're just my tempting little demon prince.” A wet hiccuping laugh leaves me, my fingers relaxing around my braids one by one. “The rest?” He shrugs a shoulder. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”

A niggle of doubt creeps in. “...And you’ll stick around?”

Vidar tilts back enough to brush kisses over the last two fingers still clutching at my hair.

I hate my nervous tic. The lack of control, the way it might as well be a neon bloody sign pointed directly at my source of deepest insecurity. Yet Vidar doesn’t make me feel ashamed or lacking. He makes me feel…

Freed. Loved.

“I’m right here, Kai,” my soulmate promises. “I am going nowhere.”

It takes longer than I’d like, but slowly—inch by inch—my hand fall away from my braids, and then my mouth is captured. His lips move with mine, a slow brushing, a gentle caress. He drinks down each of my sighs, and I learn the curve of his mouth, a shape just hours ago I nearly gave up.

Not again. I’m keeping this—him.

Us.

“I don’t want to betray my family,” I whisper.

“My love, all I want to do is protect this lovely heart of yours.” His palm cups my cheek. “You won’t betray anyone by learning more about yourself.”

“What if I hurt them? My Dad can be pretty sensitive. I’m obviously not going to tell them about the demon or fire stuff, but the other family stuff…”

“If they’re anything like the amazing man they’ve raised, I can’t imagine your parents turning their backs. Besides—” Vidar’s voice turns wicked “—I can always compel them to forget if they do.”

Laughing, I shove away from him, but Vidar keeps hold of me. “I can’t believe I have to say this, but do not compel my family.”

“Mm, I’ll think about it,” he teases, kissing the shell of my ear. Sending shivers down my spine. A shiver that spills low and pools hot in my belly.

“Ya know…” My eyes travel up to his grey gaze, my fingers running up to the large expanse of his shoulders. “I’ve been so curious about your tattoos.”

Vidar’s grip on my back slowly drags down to my ass, and I moan out a breath when he cups me. His hand so hot even through the thick material of my sweats.

“How about I show you…” Vidar rocks his hips into mine. “Every…single…one?”

Gasping, my tongue flicks out across his bottom lip. “I wanna—”

The shrill sound of my phone going off breaks the tension. Vidar growls as I sigh and slip it from my pocket, a possessive hold staying on my backside.

“Hey?” I rasp, impatient.

“Why are you in a creepy, unlisted mansion in the middle of nowhere?”

It takes a couple of seconds for my brain to register who’s speaking. “Teagan?”

“You’ve been acting so weird lately, big bro. Not messaging in the chats, keeping secrets and going to random places.” Teagan’s voice is louder than normal, which for everyone else would be a regular volume.

“You’ve been watching where I’m going?” I pull away from Vidar.

“Yeah, stalker. TheFind My Friendsapp works both ways. Feels weird to be on the other side, doesn’t it?”

“Listen, Teagan, I can’t talk right now—”

“Butwhy?” There’s an edge of panic to his voice. Like when he got chlamydia and thought he was dying.

“I…shit.” My hand drops to Vidar’s forearm, and I use the thick muscle as a stress ball. “Little bro, I can’t explain right now.”