AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey, are you okay?” she asked, making me want to laugh at the irony of it all. Was I okay? The answer to that was no. I was not fucking okay. I was losing my damn gluttonous mind and was ready to lay all I owned at the feet of this woman. Just so as I may experience an eternity of her touch. Of her softly spoken words and her caring expression. Ready to give her everything and take all I wanted in return was as simple as it wasn’t.
The highest price to pay.
I wanted her heart.
For with it, all would follow. Her body, her mind, her spirit, and her soul would all become mine to treasure above all else. Which was why I answered her.
“No. But I soon will be.” Then I kissed her and, this time, it was far more heated than the one I had given her upon waking. Because now we were alone, I wanted to take my time to savor her.
My hands explored more of her beautiful body, as if I needed to reassure myself that she hadn’t been harmed during the fight. Because the second I burst through that door, too many fucking emotions had hit me all at once.
Of course, the first was fearing for her safety. But then came others, like concern for what she may have seen. I didn’t know whether the Demon Azhdar had masked his true self or not. Fuck, but I didn’t even know what had happened after I passed out. Most of the details leading up to that were hazy at best. I was putting this down to the heart stone’s control over me, stealing my memories seconds after it had all taken place.
Which was why I needed to know…
“What happened?”
“I think I should be asking you that, all things considered,” she replied, making me tense.
“You don’t remember?” she then asked, no doubt guessing as much based on what she saw from my features. Of course, I remembered enough, but I decided to see what she would say first. This was so I could assess whether I needed to add more or ideally to see if I could get away with saying very little for now.
“I think that stone did something to my memory of it,” I told her, not exactly lying about this part but also not exactly divulging the entirety of it either.
“And the monster, do you remember fighting that?” she asked with her hands on her hips, as if she didn’t believe me. Of course, the use of the word monster I couldn’t help but find endearing.
Granted, the terminology used wasn’t far off the mark, no matter how juvenile it sounded. But obviously the word Demon hadn’t even entered her head, which had me dodging that particular bullet for now.
Although I knew that I had to tell her something, and I doubt trying to convince her it had just been some fucked up crazy guy in a rubber suit, taking cosplay way too far, would pass as a workable explanation. So, I told her,
“His name was Azhdar.”
“Jesus, it had a name,” she muttered on a breath and, again, this didn’t exactly go in my favor.
“What was he and why was he here after me?”
“What he was is more complicated to explain but the reason, I believe, was to use you as ransom to the bird I stole back,” I said, hoping this was enough. However, when she asked her next question, I knew I was about to head further into dangerous territory.
“And that portal thing, where did that lead?” This was where I had to get creative so as not to lie.
“I am not sure exactly but most likely to where they were planning on keeping you until an exchange could be made,” I said, holding back on some vital information.
“Christ, do you know how crazy this all is? I mean, did you see that thing?! I never knew shit like that existed but, clearly, you did,” she said, now putting more space between us and running a hand down her face.
In truth, it pained me to see her struggling, but then I guess this was the inevitable I faced. I knew, at some point, I was going to have to tell her what I was.
“I did, sweetheart.”
“Of course, you did, you fought the bloody thing!” she shouted, and I could see her getting more worked up by the minute. So, I walked over to her, took her by the shoulders, and told her,
“Calm for me, Little Bird.”
“Calm, how can I stay calm? I…” I quickly cut her off by reaching up from her shoulder to the ponytail of hair and gripped it, enticing a shocked little gasp from her. A sound I had quickly become addicted to extracting out of her. Then as I pulled her head back, I told her,
“Because right now, he does not deserve your attention or your thoughts.” At this she swallowed hard and gave me what I desired, starting with her brave little thoughts forming her next sassy question,
“And you do?” she asked softly and without malice.
“I do,” I replied confidently.
