Chapter Twenty-Seven #2
“Too late, little viper. I’m in love with ya.
And there are no takesy backsy’s on this.
Yer mine, Avelina Dalethorn. I care more about you than I do myself, and that itself is a great feat.
You should know that I don’t care about nothin’ more than me.
Until you, that is. And now, here I am. I’m sorry Avelina.
Yer right, I did all those things. I’m a terrible man.
I’m a rotten, murderin’ bastard and I’m not ashamed of it.
But I am ashamed of turnin’ away. I never shoulda left ya alone that night.
I shoulda dragged ya on the train with me.
We’d be halfway to the Chroma Coast by now. ”
She stopped shaking. He released his hold on her poor wrists and cupped her face. Relief flooded him as she leaned into the touch.
“You are a cruel bastard, you know that?” she whimpered.
“Yeah, I know,” he sighed dreamily. His thumb brushed off the tears that coated her cheeks.
Her voice wobbled, cracking in the middle. “You’re not a storybook hero, Callum. You’re a villain. You’re a nightmare.”
“Now, don’t butter me up, darlin,” he purred, leaning down to be a breaths width from her lips.
“I love you too,” she confessed. “But that’s not a good enough apology.”
The words should have been final. She should have blasted him into smithereens and walked. But for the first time, Callum was calling her bluff. He exhaled a heavy breath that she inhaled deep through her nose.
He smirked, “Oh? Well, let me try again? Hmm? I can do better.”
Her lips were soft to the touch. Pliable too, as they molded to his.
She melted into his touch, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.
The grass around them rustled as a hot breeze combed through the blades.
Goose flesh prickled along his spine. Tail curled around her leg; his warlock wasn’t going anywhere.
Callum broke the kiss first, murmuring against her damp lips. “I’m sorry, darlin. Truly. From deep in my festerin’ heart, sorry.”
“Mmm, getting warmer.”
“Oh, I can make it warmer,” he teased. With a nip to her lower lip, he wrangled a groan from his girl.
He kissed her cheek, then her jaw, then her throat where another dreamy sigh escaped her.
Callum nursed a spot on her jugular until her fingers dug into his shoulders.
He broke away from her neck with a wet smack before groaning in her ear, “Darlin, ya can stay pissed with me all ya want. Make me grovel for it, beg for forgiveness, I’d kill for it.
And I will. Just let me try. Let me keep tryin’ till I’ve earned it. ”
She giggled softly, turning her head to catch his eye. While he was toying with her earlobe, his words playful, the look he gave her was serious. He meant it. Avelina’s green gems studied his hardened face. He whispered hoarsely, “I mean it, little viper. I’d burn this world to keep ya at my side.”
“I don’t want you to burn it,” she breathed, leaning toward his lips till they brushed as she spoke. “I just want you to choose me first.”
“Not even a choice,” he hummed, kissing her hard.
A familiar rumble spread through the earth.
His ears perked up, listening to that telltale whistle.
Within a moment, a whole new plan formed.
He pulled back from her lips. “There’s just you, darlin.
Now, how’s about you and I get the fuck outta here.
Once they put out those flames, they’re gonna realize yer not deep fried.
Best to put some distance between us and this place. ”
“What are you thinking?” she furrowed a brow.
“We catch the train to Eshorion. Ransack a couple of trunks, hunker down in a cabin, and when we get to the city we can see about catchin’ up with this friend of yers?”
A loud train whistle split the air and they both grinned from ear to ear.
Her eyes sparkled. Choose me first. She wanted him to pick her, to care more for her than selfish gain.
It was going to be a change, but he couldn’t imagine it would be that hard of a change.
Because all he wanted was her, safe and sound in his arms. Life would be rough.
They were on the run. If it was found out he didn’t die, then both of them would be on posters all throughout the major cities.
But Callum always worked best when he had a challenge.
His greatest work came from having a lofty goal.
First was reputation, becoming the one outlaw no one wanted to mess with.
Then it became freedom, how to escape the life he worked so hard to build.
Finding a happily ever after for them was the loftiest goal there was, and he couldn’t wait to see how he accomplished it.
“Don’t think just because we’re doing this,” she blurted out, bunching up her skirts so that she could wrap her legs around him.
They lay in wait in the grass, ready to strike.
The train came into view on the horizon.
It chugged toward them, rattling the ground.
“That you’re forgiven yet. You promised to keep groveling till you’ve earned it. I’m holding you to that!”
“So long as yer at my side, little viper,” he smirked. Tail curled, dagger with rope attached to the hilt in hand, he was just waiting till the cargo cart came into view. “Ye can make me earn it for as long as ya like.”
The train roared. Grass blades were uprooted.
A swirling tornado of steam and noise as the metal beast raced past them.
Avelina clenched her eyes closed. He felt every finger as she dug her nails into his sides.
One moment, they were lying down in the grass.
The next he was a kite. Avelina’s scream of terror was swallowed by the clatter of the train on the tracks.
Air whipped around them and he dropped them onto the back door balcony.
With a head thud, he slammed the cargo door open.
The pair of outlaws slithered into the shadows of the train, headed far away from Parandor, the strong hold that smelled of smoke.
Callum stood by the door, one hand on her to keep her steady as Avelina watched the massive stone walls disappear behind them.
“Yer an outlaw now, Avelina,” he teased against her ear, closing the door and that chapter on their life. “Time to start livin’ like one.”