Chapter Five #2
He nodded and walked past me, careful not to graze my side. That made me feel… like I was missing out on something, which was ridiculous. So I brushed it off and went to close and lock my door before joining him in the living room.
He’d chosen the loveseat, so I sat on the couch in the corner closest to him so he didn’t feel like I was trying to keep my distance—I wasn’t. I was simply curious about this icicle and wondering why the hell he thought I was his viramore.
I couldn’t be. I could never be so lucky as to find my one true soulmate.
The thought made my heart hurt, and I rubbed at my chest as I took a breath to speak. “Why in the world did you give me an icicle?”
He winced, and I stared at the icicle—still in my hand—for a long moment before he said, “You’re my viramore. You… you own my heart.”
I blinked at that. Say what?
He took in my expression and winced again. “You… you’re my viramore, and I… wanted to reach out to you… to get to know you.”
I stared at him for a beat, then at the icicle before waving it around. “And instead of asking me out, you gave me an icicle that doesn’t melt?”
“Um…” His eyes were wide, and he looked ashamed. “I… I tried… to ask you out a couple of times. It’s just… I’m not good with… I… I… my words…” He grimaced, and I decided to give him a small break. I didn’t want the poor guy having an anxiety attack or anything.
“It’s okay. I get it. Sometimes finding the right words is difficult.”
He sagged in relief, nodding his head. “Yeah… it is.”
I sent him a tentative smile before holding up the icicle again. “So… what’s the significance of this then? It obviously means more than I think it does.” Considering Anton and Jed’s reactions, it meant a whole hell of a lot more.
He stared at me for a long moment before clearing his throat. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. Tentative. Shy. “You know I’m a snow yeti, right?”
I nodded.
“Right, well… snow yetis carry an icicle in their hearts. It’s a piece of their magic, and when they find their partner, their viramore or chosen mate, they… they give it to them.”
I stared down at the icicle. “So… you’re asking me to be your partner?”
“Not… exactly.”
“Then what? What is it that you want?”
“I want to… date… if you’ll have me?”
The man clearly thought I was his viramore. Naturally, he wanted to date me.
But… I couldn’t be his, no matter how much I wish it could be true. Werewolves didn’t… we didn’t… we didn’t get viramores the way others did.
My heart ached, and I stared down at the icicle in my hand.
I’d always been told it was a part of the were curse, that not only did we transform into monsters, but the curse broke the part of our souls that could bond to another person.
My chest burned at the thought, and the ache grew, the longing. It almost felt like my heart was reaching out toward the snow yeti across from me.
His eyes were just as earnest as they’d been when he’d announced it, and I couldn’t help but wonder… because why would he think I was his unless he was feeling some kind of draw to me?
The one who’d told me everything there was to know about being a were could’ve been wrong, couldn’t she?
What if… what if there really was a chance I could be Lanche’s viramore?
A teeny-tiny pulse of hope lit up in my chest, but I did my best to ignore it. No reason to get my hopes up after all.
Lanche was watching me closely, and despite him being so shy, I could read him easily. His face was an open book.
He was practically dying to get to know me, to prove to me that I was his viramore.
Even if I wasn’t, I’d had my eye on the yeti for months. Could I really give up on a chance to get to know him better?
I stared at him for so long that the hopeful look on his face melted into sadness. When I realized it was my fault he looked that way, I quickly said, “Yes. I’ll go on a date with you.”
The smile he sent my way was huge, bright, and lit up his face. Somehow, the expression made him even more handsome.
I didn’t want to crush the mood, but I had to ask, “And this?” I waved the icicle around. “You said it contains a part of your magic?”
His smile dimmed, just a little. “Uh… y-yeah.”
Why was he acting all shy again? “Okay, so… here.” I tried to hand the icicle back, but he held his hands up and wouldn’t take it.
“No, it’s for you to keep.”
I shook my head, my eyes wide. “But… it’s part of your magic. I can’t… I can’t keep this.”
“Yes, you can. I trust you.”
“You don’t know me.”
He sent me a small smile, his cheeks flushing. Tentatively, he patted his hand over his chest. “You’re my viramore, Dain. I know you won’t do anything to hurt me.”
My eyes bulged. “You don’t know I’m your viramore. You can’t.”
His smile was a little sad, but all he did was offer a small shrug.
With a sigh, I ran my free hand over my face, taking everything in for a moment before his words hit me. I turned sharply to him. “What do you mean you know I won’t hurt you?”
His cheeks flushed further—who knew a snow yeti could turn so red? “Anyone who holds a snow yeti’s icicle can… can tap into our magic, and sometimes, they can even… force us to do things.”
“What the fuck?” I shoved the thing at him again. “I don’t want to control you, you giant doofus! Take it back!” My voice sounded a little panicky now.
He shook his head. “No. I want you to have it, my viramore.”
“Don’t call me that. You don’t know what we are. This is the longest conversation we’ve ever had.”
“That doesn’t matter. I can feel it deep in my soul.”
My heart squeezed in a panic. How could he possibly know that? How could he be so damn sure?
“It’s okay if you don’t believe me yet. I’ll prove it to you soon enough.”
If I didn’t roll my eyes at him, I would’ve swooned.