Deciding to test out my newfound knowledge and using the skills Adriel already taught me, I leave my stuff in the grass and get to work.
Chapter 20
Adriel's POV
Another day.
Of the same God-forsaken thing.
I sit up from my bedroll with a loud groan, running my fingers through my long hair. Hunched over, I drape my arms over my raised knees. My head falls forward between my legs, and I groan.
My existence was always tolerable. Until now. When Rami entered my life and showed me how freedom could look. And the image was intoxicating; wrapped up in such a desirable package. Either Fate sent him to be my salvation or to taunt me. I wasn’t sure which he was yet and whether my heart would survive it.
Ludo saunters over from his little nest by my bedroll and stares up at me from between my legs.
Knowing there’s work to be done and little point in me focusing on things I cannot have, I push up from the floor andslip on my shirt. Staring down at the ties and primitive clasps, I wonder if I could procure one of the lighter blouses Rami seems to be so fond of. They hug his delicate frame beautifully, and he has never once complained about getting hot in them.
That’s if he ever returns to me.
Not bothering to comb out my tangled hair, I twist it into a ball at the back of my head and use one of my sharpened bone spikes to hold it in place.
Glancing down at my little animal familiar, I decide now is as good a time as any to get on with my evening. He climbs into my waiting hand so I can carry him into the warm night. The sight that greets me is enough to make me freeze in my tracks.
Rami has divided one of my larger plants and is adding it to the end of the row of flowers. The loose plant is sitting on its side while he prepares the hole and delicately buries it in line with the others.
But that’s not what steals my breath. Rami has divested himself of his blouse, and the last remnants of the setting sun create alluring shadows along his slender frame. I can’t rip my gaze from the way his muscles work beneath his tanned flesh. Not until the last vestiges of the dying sun fade completely.
Even after centuries of being forced to hone my night vision, I can barely see him, and I hate it. Lifting the hand without Ludo in it, I channel the aether around me to create the golden aura around my fingers. It tickles along my flesh until I whisper, “Ignis,” and snap my fingers. The torches spread throughout my space ignite all at once, making Rami jump and squeak adorably.
Rami snaps his head around to find me watching him intently. My gaze runs down his exposed torso, free of any hair aside from a faint line of blonde hair from his navel into his breeches. A crystal necklace is front and center on his chest, radiating power to ward off negativity and evil. Whoever gave it to him must be powerful. But it’s the little pink areolas on either sideof the necklace that steal my attention and stand out in stark contrast on his slender chest. I bite my bottom lip painfully to draw the blood away from my plumping erection. I would never debase Rami in such a way, but I can’t deny how magnificent this creature is.
“I-I hope you don’t mind that I did some work while I waited,” he mumbled, toeing the dirt with his boot. He scratches the back of his neck, looking bashful.
That yanks me out of my thoughts to really look around at my flowers, slowly moving around my space. There’s not a weed in sight. And over by the fire is a small bowl of seeds and another of grubs for Ludo. There’s also a bucket of water and one cup partially filled.
“You did all of this?” I question, realizing I stopped inches from him.
He nods as he scratches the back of his neck again. I’m realizing it’s an adorable nervous tick he does often. “Is that okay?”
With one more step, I barely leave a breath between us; needing to be as close as possible to him. His pink tongue darts out, and I have to fight with every ounce of my hard earned self control not to dive in and taste him. I stare down at him, our size difference finally clicking into place. And I want to growl possessively to claim this man as mine. But I can’t do that to him. I can’t trap this beautiful mortal to a life with no future.
And still, my eyes bounce between his mesmerizing blue gaze to his pouty pink lips. Over and over. Mapping every line on his stunning face. The faint sprinkling of freckles along his high cheekbones and nose are like the constellations of the cosmos. His slightly rounded cheeks and squared chin are an odd mix of both masculine and boyish.
When his lips part on an exhale, his sweet breath ghosts against my skin, pebbling my flesh in its wake. I can’t fight themagnetism and reach out to touch him. He doesn’t flinch from me, and the incessant need to press him against me to map more than just the contours of his face nearly consumes me. But I manage to fight it, just barely, and grasp onto one of the locks of his satiny hair that escaped his knot. My fingers twirl the strand even though my gaze never leaves his.
“Thank you,” I croak out, redirecting the forbidden strand behind his ear; no longer trusting myself not to further our contact if I maintain my hold. The minuscule distance between his skin and my fingers feels like an endless chasm. Though I can imagine closing the distance, the feat is impossible, leaving me with a soul-crushing frustration.
Needing to put space between us, for both of our sakes, I carry Ludo to the bowls of snacks left out by Rami. He digs in greedily while I sit on a stump and lean my elbows on my knees. For the first time in centuries, I don’t know what to do.
I open and close my mouth multiple times, unsure what to say. “I’m sorry,” I finally manage, peeking up at him as he sits in the wooden chair too far away from me. He’s slipped the thin blouse back over his head, hiding his form from me. Part of me wants to demand he remove it again, but I don’t have such claims on his body.
Not yet.
Not ever,I correct myself.
“For what?” he asks, taking a long drink from the cup of water.
My eyes track the movement of his Adam’s apple and the little dribble that trails down his chin. I swallow thickly, thankful my thick breeches hide my burgeoning erection. “For the last time we spoke,” I answer weakly. “I wasn’t kind toward you, and yet you have returned with more kindness than I could ever imagine.”
