AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Valerian growls, the sound a low warning rattle . . . and also an order to leave seeing how everyone flees at once. Even poor banana hammock Gaius.
Valerian is suddenly in front of my stool, calling my name. I try to meet his worried face but darkness swirls around my vision.
I can’t breathe. The air—it’s so thin. My heart pounding into my skull.
“Summer.” His voice warbles in my ears from the end of a tunnel. I feel his cool hand press into my chest, just above my heart. The other slips under my chin and lifts my face to his. “Summer, look at me.”
The second our eyes meet, a surge of crisp white stillness spears through my core, driving back the mindless fear, the sticky black cloud of desperation. The brilliant light grows brighter. Clearing my spirit of darkness and hopelessness.
A delicious warmth blossoms, filling my limbs, my torso, my toes with a hollow, throbbing ache.
Just as that ache begins to center between my thighs, he jerks his hands away and steps back until we’re no longer touching.
The light vanishes, sending me crashing back to reality. I fight the stab of disappointment, grateful that my panic is gone. “What was that?” ords die a quick death on my tongue the moment I see the hurt flash across her face. She focuses on the tiny jeweled half-moons on her nails, composing herself.
When her eyes meet mine, there’s a practiced callousness there. “Hellebore was a mistake.”
“What happened?” I ask softly.
“Most Evermore wouldn’t talk about that part of my past and live, Summer. Understand?”
I nod, but the veiled threat in her voice doesn’t scare me. I know what hurt looks like. Whatever Hellebore did to Eclipsa, it really messed her up.
A splash draws my eyes to the middle of the pool just as Asher and Valerian land. They’re both breathing hard. Blood drips from Asher’s nose and Valerian’s bottom lip, and deep scratches rake their flesh.
Valerian claps his hand on Asher’s massive shoulder, and they chuckle over something I can’t hear.
“You totally gave up your flank, Prince,” Asher is saying as they swim over.
“Only because you tried to incinerate me,” Valerian growls. “Next time, I’m shredding one of your wings, you overstuffed lizard.”
“Have fun?” Eclipsa calls.
“Not as much as if you were there, Eclipsa.” Valerian’s tone is teasing, but his eyes are serious—and totally focused on me.
“Oh, so you enjoy being embarrassed in front of your girlfriend?” Eclipsa grins slyly. “Noted.”
His eyes never leave mine as he shakes his hair out like a wet dog, water droplets sprinkling the air.
But Eclipsa was right. Before, Valerian’s attention was filled with raw, masculine power.
Now, the pull between us is intense, but manageable. Ish.
Unless he comes any closer—
Oh, hell. Goose bumps ripple over my arms and legs as he stalks toward me. I let out a breath as he takes a seat two stools down, leaving just enough space between us that I can breathe.
My senses are hyper alert, taking in his every move, every sound. I nearly flinch as he orders two elderberry cocktails.
And then I do flinch as music fills the air. The others look in horror as my ringtone for Mack—the Bohemian Rhapsody—blares from my cell on the counter.
“Crap,” I hiss, grabbing my phone. “What time is it?”
“Dusk,” Asher answers. Most Fae don’t give specific times—it’s considered mortal and rude to do so—but rather, generic terms for whatever part of the day it is.
Dawn. Mid-afternoon.
But I very much care about the specifics, and my heart sinks when I make out the true time: 7:30 PM.
