Page 47

I nod, tears blurring my eyes. My body shakes despite my faith in him. I've never trusted an Amarian like this. “Yes. You see? Amara doesn't know shit. She'd call me a monster, like she did you. If we're monsters, so be it! We'll be monsters together!”

His breath quickens, veins bulging under his skin. “How could you… How are you… What?”

There's a jolt of fear in my chest. Did I make things worse? “I hope you're not upset.”

His eyes flash wide. “No! I’m glad it's you!” He reaches a hand towards me but doesn't touch me. “I'm just… It makes sense… but it doesn't…”

A small smile twitches my lips. “I’m sorry I didn't tell you, but you’ve grown so much. I trust you with my life, just as you have when you saw me as a dreamscreecher.”

His face blushes as we stare into each other's eyes. His eyes brighten from black, slowly receding back into his pupils. His breath isn't so heavy anymore.

I take another step towards him, my heart floating with the relief of freedom. “I will always stand by you. Your grandmother might outcast you. The world might. Even Cosmo could outcast you, but I won't. I’ll be an outcast too.”

I step through the flowers again. He finches back again. I scowl. “I'm not afraid!”

When I take another step, he doesn't move. I walk past the flowers, forcing them aside. The flowers start to shrivel and wilt on their own, making it easier to reach Amias.

I reach for his hand, and this time he doesn't move. I squeeze it, wincing from the light burn his hand is giving me, like when he had knocked me down before. It's not as painful now.

“Clara?” Amias murmurs, pulling from my hand again.

I grab his hand once more, this time a tingling surge coming up my own. I gasp at the sensation, instantly turning my palm back to me.

“Clara!” he shrieks.

The healthy skin on my hand seems to chase away the redness, closing in on the blister. Within seconds the blister heals as if I had never been burned.

I whisper, “You can heal too?”

“Heal?”

I show him my palm. He squints at my hand as if it were a foreign object. “H-how?”

I shrug. “I have no clue…” Then I grasp his hand again. “But I was right not to be afraid.”

He blushes again, blinking with wide eyes. “Clara…”

I grab his other hand, and hold them out between us. “You're no monster. Amara is just a fool.”

From the light on the garden path, I catch a glimpse of Amias' pure blue eyes. Those rings are like precious blue jewels. “And neither are you, my flame.”

Almost too quick to comprehend, Amias leans towards me, giving me a peck on the lips. Though quick, it's so soft and sweet. My heart skips.

Wait… I just got kissed by Amara's grandson?

“Amias…” I whisper, my eyes widening as he does too.

Amias gasps before looking away, tapping a foot. “I'm so sorry. It just felt right at that moment.” He slaps his hand on his forehead. “I'm such an idiot. I know I'm already-”

My cheeks warm as he rambles. I know the last thing I should do is kiss Amias back. He's the prince of a kingdom that wouldn't hesitate to kill me. Even though he's changed, if anyone finds out, this love could be the end for me.

No matter how loving they are, never, and I mean never, trust an Amarian…

Father's words echo in my head. He would tell me not to kiss him. He might be looking down at me with disappointment. Rayden died because of kissing an Amarian. Father died because he loved someone that could and did kill him.

Amias continues, “And oh! What if you have a soulmate? Oh fuck! This was so stupid of-”

I scrunch my nose before grabbing him by the chin, pulling him for another kiss. This time, it's much more than a peck, with burning passion in my lips and tongue.

I know this is wrong. I shouldn't be kissing Amias.

Am I smart enough to stop kissing him? No.

I pull away before inhaling sharply, my heart thudding like it burst out to him. “I’m a dreamscreecher. I don't have a soulmate. If I had a soulmate, we'd tell him to fuck off. I don't need Amara's arrangements for shit!”

His lips stay parted, his cheeks flooding with color. He doesn't say a word, seemingly too shocked to respond.

I chuckle. His flustered reactions will forever amuse me. “You're everything I want, Captain Prettyface. I love you, more than I will ever love anyone else.”

He slowly nods, still silent. His eyes say everything for him tho, his dilated pupils staring back with complete love and adoration.

He finally utters out, “I love you too.”

My smirk aches my cheeks as I bring his soft lips on mine. I start off with slow soft kisses. It takes a moment for Amias to actually kiss back and to be in rhythm with me, but eventually, we're coordinated. Each kiss is beautifully gentle and sweet.

More. I want more of him.

I pull away but leave with a bite on his bottom lip, earning a soft moan from him.

It's like pucking a string on a god’s sacred harp. Is it because he's of the Gift of Love’s lineage that his moan is so divine?

Whatever it is, I want more.

I gaze into those bright blue eyes. They've never been more vibrant. “I find it hard to believe that you were never meant to be kissed.” I drop my stare to his lips. “Not with how soft your lips are. Not with that moan.”

His lips part. “You actually liked that noise?”

“I loved it.” I snicker. “This is your first time?”

He nods. “You’re the only one that's ever kissed me. You’re the only one that ever will.”

I smirk. I have him all to myself. “Good, because no one else deserves to hear that moan. Only me .”

I bring him back to my lips, quickly licking his for entry. Once he allows me, I caress his tongue with mine, starting off slowly and getting rougher with time. Eventually Amias gets the hang of it, drawing hums of pleasure from me.

He's perfect for me. He must've been designed for me like I've been designed for him. No one can live up to his beauty, or his gentleness. Or the passion that stays hidden under the surface.

He's fucking perfect.

I laugh in my head as I draw another moan. Amara's grandson is kissing a dreamscreecher, and he’s enjoying every second of it. How fucking and beautifully ironic.

He grabs me by the waist, pulling me in as if I wasn’t close enough. Then he pins me against the Cherry Blossom beside us. Our lips and tongues connect once again as I hold him by the cheeks.

His tongue only caresses me deeper as I tilt my head up to him, but I'm starting to think kisses aren't enough.

More of him. I need more.

I place my hands on his chests, trying to undo some buttons. He shudders under my touch, which makes me smile against his kisses. My fingers find the first button to his undershirt, and don't hesitate to undo them.

Amias pulls away. “Clara…” He murmurs with his soft blue eyes turning into a warm glowing pink. He looks down at my fingers doing the work with his cheeks turning more pink, but he doesn't move to stop them. That's when I notice the amare flowers snaking up our arms.

“This isn't enough.” I smirk and continue to unbutton. “There has to be a private room where we can continue this.”With his fine chest exposed, I rub a hand over it. Finally.

He huffs, lowering his voice with his next words. “That can be arranged.”

He slides his hands around my ass, hoisting me up. I accept this movement and wrap my legs around his waist. There's a tingle going up my back from his touch and I can't tell if it's an emotional or physical reaction. It could be both.

I've wanted this… I've wanted to make him mine… he is mine and no one else can have him.

Already moving from his lips, I kiss his jawline, going down toward his neck. His breath wavers, like I'm drawing his breath away from him.

I can feel something tangle around my arms and body, and I pull away, looking into Amias’ glowing eyes and realize more amare flowers had made their way to my hands.

They're glowing… almost blindingly so.

“Clara…” he whispers. “The flowers! They're glowing!”

I squint at him. “What does that mean?”

“We're meant to be! That means-” He raises his brows. “No… That can't…”

“Mean what?” I cock my head aside.

“No…it can't-” He stops mid sentence and glances to the side. “Fire!” He drops us to the floor, shielding me with his body hovered over me. I yelp at the sudden move. As I try to catch my breath, he slowly tilts his head to what's in front of us. I follow his gaze to the burning bush before us.

Violet fire.

That means…

There are low growls coming from all directions as the bush catches fire. I push Amias off me, only to turn him over so he’s under me. I can't let him get hurt.

“Clara!” he snaps.

I bare my teeth. “Stay down.”

“I never thought I would see something so ironic,” Vasilisa's familiar voice cackles. I come face to face with the purple dreamscreecher, her deadly eyes glowing.

Shit!

“Amara's offspring and a dreamscreecher. Confessing their unrequited love for each other. How fun!”