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Her string of insults trails off as I remove my shirt. I watch as her eyes follow the black lines of my tattoos, trailing from ribs to shoulders and dying on my forearms. The lines break where several small, white scars slash across my body. I knew a human woman would be impressed by my physique.
I smirk at her reaction. “Yes, yes. I know. No mating. I can see it, you know. How badly you want this. For your world to open up and secrets revealed to you. You’re practically salivating at the thought. And once you wield this power, you’ll be begging to come away with me. I know that to be true. So touch me, Mira.”
I step closer, crowding her body with mine. I watch the lump in her throat bob up and down as her eyes rake over my chest.
“Why can’t we just hold hands?”
Her protest is weak. She’s already moving closer to me with raised hands, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth. The anticipation of holding Chroma again is welling up beneath the surface. Torturing me.
I growl out, “Just do it, Mira.”
She scoffs but obeys, placing her hand lightly against the hard wall of my chest. The warmth of her hand on my body sends electricity running through me. To my core. To my soul. My relief is palpable as a small breath escapes my lips. A torrent of power whisks me away into a vibrant existence. It’s almost enough to bring me to my knees.
I open my eyes again, capturing her with my gaze.
“The power flows between us, Mira. We’re connected in this universe and all others. Our souls will live and die in new bodies connected for eternity. Close your eyes and feel the energy trickle between us…”
“How long does it take?” she interrupts, her seething anger suddenly subdued by her curiosity.
I huff. “It depends on the person and their skill level. Some people have no magical ability. They might sense Chroma, but they can’t access it. Others can tap into it, but they may not have the control needed to direct it. A few can draw on Chroma and shape it, but they don’t have the mental discipline to maintain the channel.” I settle back in to my stance and close my eyes, reaching for her again.
She’s quiet. Blissfully so.
After a moment, I crack open an eye. Her face is peaceful, eyes closed. There must be hundreds of freckles dusting her cheeks and nose. Some are so light, I doubt a human eye could even detect them. I breathe in her scent, letting it fill me.
A roiling heat builds inside of me. I squash it immediately. Desire is immaterial; my mate and I do not exist on the same level, but I do need her. Maybe this exercise is tempting me more than her. But if she can just feel the existence of Chroma, she’ll be convinced to leave with me. She’s desperate for it. The smell lingers in the air any time we discuss magic.
Finally, Mira opens her eyes, catching me staring at her. She blinks, taking a step back. Removing her hand, the taste of power fades from my body. There’s an invisible string between us, like a fishing line reeling us into each other.
The voice of the madman enters my mind as I break our locked gaze.
“Let’s get comfortable. This will be a long day,” I say with a suppressed sigh.
I sit on the floor, my back against the couch. Mira sits in front of me, legs crossed.
“Focus on where our skin meets. Imagine there’s a river of energy flowing back and forth between us. And close your eyes. Try two hands this time. It feels like the more points of contact, the deeper my well of Chroma is, but I need to test it. Plus, the way you keep eying me, I know you’ll enjoy it more, too.”
She rolls her eyes but scoots closer. My heart races at the nearness of her. Her touch is almost unbearable. It takes every ounce of my self-discipline not to wrap my arms around her completely. She’s just a human, I remind myself. A tool for me to use. Can I accomplish it all before we both die? And if not, will my soul ever return, even though it’s just a fragment?
I swallow my worries, refocusing as she places both hands on my chest and pointedly sighs and looks away from me before closing her eyes, faking boredom. A smile tugs on the corner of my mouth.Brat.
My theory is correct. My access to Chroma is expanding. The source is deeper now. I close my eyes as it fills me. Her hands send wave after wave of energy coursing through me. Gods, I’ve missed this.
My breath catches in my throat as the direction of the waves change. Chroma still races through my veins in pulses, but the stream between us is flowing into Mira. I open my eyes to see her hands glowing against my chest. The skin beneath her hands tingles as warmth spreads through my torso.
What the actual fuck? My eyes grow wide with awe as a human pulls Chroma into her, releasing it into the surrounding air. A fuzzy aura of scarlet Chroma mists around her head like a halo.
“Mira, open your eyes.” My voice is hoarse, barely a whisper.
Her eyes pop open suddenly wide with amazement. Her jaw drops open and forms into a wide grin, revealing a pleasant set of white teeth.
“Holy shit! Now what do I do?” She’s practically bouncing up and down from her seat on the carpet.
I sputter out something unintelligible, unsure of what to tell her. It’s been centuries since I learned this skill. I didn’t expect to actually teach her much. I figured it would give us a chance to get closer.
“Okay. Breathe. Well, you are both the conduit and the master. Picture in your mind a small ball of light similar to the one I started with. Take one hand, palm up, and imagine the sensation in your body forming an orb of pure energy in your palm.”
Mira pulls a hand free from my chest. Instantly the connection weakens, providing less Chroma to each of us. She tilts her head, questioning. She must feel it too.
