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“That was so fucking sexy,” he says.
The way he watches me robs me of my voice. “I…”
“I may not have cursed you on purpose, but your curse is mine to break,” he adds, his voice rough.
I look up at him, hope and fear and need and what feels a lot like trust all blooming inside me.
“I’m going to find a way to touch you.”
His words ignite a hope inside me that is scarier than any threat to my life.
“You don’t believe me,” he says.
I look away, emotion swirling, threatening to pull me under. “It’s easier to hate you,” I whisper.
“Then hate me, my little assassin. Even while you come for me, while you scream my name and beg for more, loathe me. It won’t stop me from claiming you in the end. From killing for you. From draining you of every drop of cursed poison in your veins. You’re mine, little poisoner. There’s nothing you can do to change that.”
Chapter 19
Legion
Late into the evening, I pace my study where traces of her scent still linger. The heat from the crackling fire is nothing compared to my own raging emotions. Not being able to touch her is fucking with my head. Even with Februlune behind me, the darkness threatens to take hold. The longer I resist her, the closer to the edge I veer.
Knowing I’m the reason for her curse only makes my torture worse. Telling her the truth about it would paint me as the monster. Then again, I’ve never pretended to be anything else.
A light scraping sounds at the window. I look up to see a hawk staring in at me. Its gaze is sharp and pointed as it watches me stalk over to the ledge where it waits. I push the glass open and pull the string tied to its ankle. A piece of parchment comes loose. The moment the message is in my hands, the hawk flies off.
Unrolling the paper, I read the note.
The Western Isles are secure. Suspect in custody. -Caius
I frown, walking to the fire and dropping the parchment into the flames. The news is good. It means the threat at the wall is behind us. But I can’t help but feel as if something much bigger is on the horizon. A threat I’ve yet to identify. One that will attempt to take from me the one thing I never thought I’d want in the first place.
Tori’s presence through the mate bond makes it impossible to think of anything else. Not while both moons are still full.
I need to see her. To feel her. To know that she’s safe. My dragon will not rest until he’s reassured.
Storming from the room, I follow the scent of her straight to the library. Shoving the doors open, I find her bent over the table, studying a thick volume. She jumps at my sudden arrival, but I bury my guilt at startling her. Besides, the shadow beast inside me is all about hunting its prey. Seeing her off balance only feeds his enjoyment.
“What do you want?” she asks warily, candlelight dancing over her cheeks.
I don’t answer her.
Instead, I keep going, crowding her until she scrambles back and runs right into the wall of shelving. Her eyes are wide, and her lips part as she brings her gaze to mine, her head tilting to accommodate our height difference.
Her scarf and gloves are gone.
Getting this close is dangerous. But so is staying away.
“You look so fucking sexy,” I growl.
Her expression flickers with surprise. “Don’t…”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t talk to me like that.”
“You don’t want to hear flattery?”
