AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I knelt down on the hard floor, trying to avoid the splinters. Once, Tavion had given me hope when I’d thought there was none. The least I could do was offer him the same. And if this was the mutation his father had talked about, then we needed to get him home, as quickly as possible.
“Tavion, listen to me.” I reached out and ran my hand down his arm, marveling at how soft the silver fur was that sprang from pale, perfect skin. Even the scales were fascinating, cold and silvery and iridescent. “You can do this. I don’t know how your magic works, but it’s still there. If you were able to partially shift, you can do it again.”
“Only one way,” he panted, his powerful, muscled back flexing with every breath. “But I can’t. I’ve been trying.”
I remembered what Lucius said, about going from one form to the other, about how the wolf was easier, while the Fae form took more finesse and control. I scooted closer, and after a short debate with myself, I pulled his head into my arms and stroked his hair.
His chest rumbled, but I couldn’t tell if he was in pain or was warning me off. I ran my fingers over his head, rubbing his soft ear between my fingers.
“Your wolf will be easier right now. But there will be limitations. When we get back to Nightcairn, we need you in your Fae form, Tavion. We need your input on what to do next, where to go. You can’t do that as the wolf.”
“No.” He shook his head but didn’t pull away. “But this…this is all I can manage.”
“What if you had help?” Gods, was this the stupidest thing I’d ever considered? Maybe, but I’d healed Raziel, and this might work the same way. “What if I fed a little power into you, like a boost to your own magic?”
I swore he shuddered against me. Tavion Montgomery, the most arrogant bastard I’d ever known, burrowed deeper into my arms. “Remember when I healed Raz? I could do the same for you, maybe enough to push you through the shift.”
I ran my fingers through his silky white hair again, and in that moment, I did not want to let him go. I wanted to hold onto him like this forever.
Something about having this powerful beast wrapped in my arms…I couldn’t understand how his vulnerability could make me feel so protective.
“You can try, but it won’t matter.” I felt like there were a hundred unspoken sentiments hidden in that sentence, but then Tavion pulled back, enough for me to see his face. I couldn’t stop my shock quickly enough, earning me a rueful smile.
“I was afraid of that. It’s neverfeltquite this bad, I can only imagine how I look. Sorry to disappoint, wife.” I couldn’t stop my jolt of surprise at the endearment, either, but he just shook his head. “I wish…you never saw this, Anaria.”
“We try my magic, just a little. Worst case scenario, you can change back into the wolf.”
“Yes,” he agreed softly, but then he looked away. “Except, I’ve missed talking to you these past days.”
He had been trying to shift back for days? Was that why he’d remained the wolf for so long?
“Even more reason for you to try, then. I’vealmostmissed you being a huge pain in my arse.” I tousled his hair, like I used to do to Ember when we were little. “I have to admit, there were times I preferred the wolf.”
“There are timesIprefer the wolf.”
“I know.” I dipped my head to hide the sudden burning in my eyes. “I think I would, too. Now tell me when you’re ready.” I slid the bands down until they hung loose around my wrists like ridiculously enormous bracelets. “I’ll just let my power trickle in slow. Where should I send it?”
Tavion gently grasped my wrist, guiding my hand to his chest, flattening my palm over his thundering heart. “Here. Send your magic here.” I refused to acknowledge how warm his skin was, the emotion swelling in his gaze, how every heartbeat seemed to echo within my own.
Absolutelyrefused.
Nerves, this was just nerves, and when Tavion was himself again, me and the arrogant bastard could go right back to our old ways. Enemies, forever.
This…this was too hard, feeling so much, so fast.
“Ready?” I was surprised at how steady my voice was, and at his nod, I let my magic off its leash. A drop. Just the barest drop, and yet, Tavion jerked as though he’d been struck, his body going rigid against mine, though he only clamped my hand against his chest tighter.
“You can do this,” I murmured, because I didn’t know what else to say while he trembled uncontrollably against me. If I could have wrapped my arms all the way around him, I would have, but he was too godsdamned big.
“You can do this, Tavion. We need you to do this.” I swallowed. “I need you to do this.I need you.” There it was, and the words weren’t even a lie. “I need you,husband.” The word slipped out of me before I could stop myself, but then I couldn’t take it back.
He whimpered, the small, desperate sound sending a burst of paralyzing fear through me. I didn’twanthim to hurt. I wanted to protect him.
I stroked my fingers through his fur, over his ears, touching him everywhere I never would have if he’d been in his other form.
“You are always there for me; you always figure out what to do next. Now concentrate and shift.Now.” I put a little more force behind that last word than I intended, but ever so slowly, Tavion changed.
Silver fur melted away, replaced by pale, smooth skin. His size shrank down and down, until my arms did fit all the way around him. The scales were the last to go, disappearing slowly, his soft groan making me wonder if that part hurt. And when Tavion raised his green eyes to mine, they were fully, completely Fae.
