Chapter 18
D ucking into their tent, Rodric was greeted with the now familiar image of his stubborn, beautiful enchantress using her magic. Celina sat cross-legged on the bedroll, eyes closed, face serious, as she attempted to track Connor. Her hair glowed red in the firelight from the open tent flap.
He lay beside her, head resting a breath away from her knee. A few long, hard days of riding had passed since he’d discovered his magic. He was focused and attentive on their surroundings during the day. Hunting, scouting, tracking, and pushing them hard toward their destination. Once night fell, though, he was forced to face a whole new set of challenges.
Taking off his boots and heavy coat, he got as comfortable as he could on the ground, careful not to disturb her task. Behaving himself, he let her concentrate, his mind returning to the barrage of emotions choking him.
“Are you okay?” Celina’s fingers moved through his hair in soothing strokes. “I know today was difficult for you.”
Rodric kept his eyes closed and leaned into her touch as he relived the memory. His lungs had seized earlier when Celina had cut herself on the trail, asking him to help her heal the small wound. It wasn’t dire but a good opportunity to use his magic intentionally. He’d done it, shaking to the point his stomach had rebelled. Physically, he’d recovered from the event, but his mind felt ravaged, the remnants of childhood anxiety swamping him for the remainder of the day.
“Are you sure you can’t heal emotional trauma with your magic? Because I’m ready to admit how much I need it.” The question popped out without thought, but once uttered, he decided he didn’t want to take it back. He may be uncomfortable with magic still, but he trusted her completely.
“You’re healing Rodric. And I’m right here with you.” Lying beside him so they were eye to eye, she kept up the calming touch through his hair and along his face. “I have an idea. Why don’t you try connecting to me?”
He groaned. A magic lesson was not what he needed right now. “I finally ask you to use magic on me—healing magic—and you want to do something else?”
“Yes.” She encouraged him with a smile as her fingers trailed down his neck to his collarbone and back up. “Connection is integral to healing, but it’s different than actively using magic.”
After a moment of staring into depths of turquoise, he gave in. He didn’t close his eyes though. Keeping them focused on her, he found his magic the way she’d taught him and felt for her presence. The connection was strong and vibrant, reacting instantly to his mental touch.
Celina beamed. “See? Nothing to it. And you’re calm and relaxed.”
“It’s easy because it’s you. I think I felt you long before I ever opened the magic.”
“Mmm. That’s probably true. You know, I think that’s why I never asked your name the night we met.”
“What? Really?”
Her touch dipped under the vee of his shirt opening, coaxing a shiver from him as she played with the hair on his chest, tracing circles into his skin. She smiled, the hazy look of memory overcoming her features.
“The pull was so strong when you came to me, asking to dance. I knew it was something. But I was worried about Connor and Cat. Afraid to open myself fully to you. To the emotional weight you would bring to my life. You were safer as a dream. A dance I’d always remember when I needed a moment of light in the darkness.”
“And now?”
“I was right.”
Unable to help himself, he laughed softly, slipping his hand onto her waist and stroking her, pulling the fabric back and forth over her skin.
“You are an incredible emotional weight,” she continued. “But now I know how wrong I was to want to stay safe. Even the worst day with you is better than the dream.”
Heart blazing from her words, he squeezed the perfect crevice of her hip. Tugging her forward, he captured her lips in a kiss of sensual heat. Bracing his weight on his arm, he kissed his way up her neck to nip at her ear the way she liked. Through the open connection between them, he could feel her excitement rise, matching the racing beat of his heart.
Rooloo! The osa, who Celina had named Jed, bounded through the gap in the tent opening, bouncing at them and chortling. Wisely, the creature stayed an arm’s length from Rodric, focusing on gaining Celina’s attention.
Dropping onto his back, Rodric groaned in frustration. A familiar snicker caught his attention from outside. “Damn it, Cass! That’s not funny!”
The crazy wolf just laughed louder, Sev’s familiar booming voice joining the melee of disruption.
“Just for that, you both can handle the watch tonight!” he yelled. “Out, Jed!”
Celina laughed as the osa scampered out. The peaceful joy radiating from her warmed the remaining cold spots in his soul from the events of the day.
“Find that amusing, do you?”
“Yes.” She grinned, trying and failing to stop her laughter.
“Come here.”
Shifting closer, she returned to her position from before their interruption and pressed her hand to his chest.
Their meddling friends could most definitely handle the watch. Stroking her hair, he kissed her deeply, coaxing her to shift the lighthearted moment into something more intense.
Celina dipped her hand under his shirt, and he quickly pushed it up and over his head before reclaiming her mouth.
A wave of heat poured through their connection, bathing him in tantalizing fire as she drew her fingers along his ribs.
Rodric groaned, biting his lip to keep from sinking his teeth into her delicate skin. “Never thought about using the bond that way.”
“Mmm.” Celina sent more flames to him. “So, some magic is good?”
“ Stars , yes.”
“Finally, he agrees.” Eyes dancing with merriment, she pushed him far enough away that she could remove her clothes.
Rejoining her, he reverently kissed every bit of her skin, reveling in the gift of having nothing between them. Warm vanilla tempered her usual citrus scent, the essence of his mate making him want to purr in delight. Breathing deeply, he let her scent wash over him, filling his senses and marking him deep inside.
“My beautiful, sweet enchantress. What am I going to do with you?”
“I’ve got some ideas.” Grinning, she pushed on his chest to flip them.
Laughing softly, he took her hips and settled her over him. Waves of auburn cascaded in a shield around them as she bent to kiss her way up his collarbone to his jaw.
Be mine, Celina. He instinctively sent the words directly into her mind with a spark of crystal-blue magic.
I already am. Her voice had the same lilting caress in his mind as it did aloud. Join with me.
Elation at her words drowned out his shock that he’d actually spoken with her mentally. Or through the soul-bond? It didn’t matter, he was astounded either way.
Sliding an arm around her, he rolled her onto her back. He was in love with his fierce leopardess. The strength of the emotion made him hold her tighter, not wanting any space between them.
Letting his consciousness wrap around hers, he stroked them higher as he whispered to her intimately. She reciprocated, making every cell in his body come alive. Flames raged over him, a mix of heat, passion, and pure golden soul.
A shower of sparks lit up the dark space, raining down gloriously around Celina. Blue flames of his own joined her gold, the colors intensifying to a brilliant hue until they exploded like lightning in the darkness, joining them together in an ancient, primal way that fed the depths of his soul and inextricably tightened the weave of their bond.
Burying his head in her neck, he whispered her name over and over, like a talisman. His enchantress. His healing light. Connected through their soul-bond, he felt the promise of eternity singing in harmony between them, certain nothing would ever feel the same again.