Chapter 32
Chapter
Thirty-Two
Araya leaned back against the natural seat formed by the stone ledge, stretching her arms wide across the moss-slick rock as though her heart wasn’t hammering against her ribs.
Water lapped against her skin as the others scrambled out of the spring, tugging their discarded clothing on over still-damp skin.
They might as well not have existed to Loren. His eyes never left hers, his hands moving slowly down his shirt, baring the scarred skin of his chest button by button.
Caela was the last to leave the water. The other female turned her back on Loren, deliberately ignoring the darkness spreading like ink across the crystal-clear water. Her bright blue eyes sparkled, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
“Give him hell,” she murmured, her voice pitched for Araya’s ears alone. Her voice rose, bright and irreverent as she hauled herself out of the water. “Nothing to see here, friends. Just a mated male letting his ego get ahead of his brain.”
“Goodbye, Caela,” Loren growled.
He shrugged off his shirt, dropping it to the ground beside his sword belt. He’d changed in the months they’d been apart, the vivid marks where dara’el had torn at him now faded to silver scars. New muscle rippled along his torso. She wasn’t the only one that had been training.
“This is your last chance,” he warned as the others disappeared into the trees, their voices fading until only steam and birdsong remained. His hands dropped to the laces of his breeches, tugging them loose with sharp, furious movements. “Get out of the water, ael’sura.”
Araya cocked her head, pretending to consider it. He had to be able to hear her heart racing, had to realize the flush climbing her chest wasn’t because of the heat of the water. She stretched deliberately, triumph flooding her veins as he fumbled with the ties.
She rose to her feet. The little shadow chose that moment to unwind itself from her wrist, darting away to vanish into the inky blackness that had swallowed most of the spring. But Loren didn’t even see it go, his attention transfixed by the water cascading down her body.
“Good.” His gaze slid over her wet, flushed skin, his voice ragged. “Now just step out and get your clothes—”
“Lorendrael,” Araya said, letting his name roll slowly off her tongue.
His gaze snapped back to hers, his pupils blown so wide Araya couldn’t even see the brilliant green. The raw hunger there sent a shiver down her spine, her mouth going dry. His whole body tensed when her tongue flicked out to wet her lips, his pulse hammering in his throat.
But he still thought he was winning.
Araya smiled sweetly at him, watching the exact moment realization dawned across his face.
Loren shoved his pants over his hips, cursing as they tangled around his ankles. “This isn’t a game, Araya,” he snapped. “Get out of the damn water.”
“Make me.” Araya challenged, nervous energy humming through her veins like lightning. Then she dove, plunging into the inky-black water.
Loren’s shadows made it impossible to see her hand in front of her face—but Araya didn’t need to. She kicked hard, gliding through the hot water and inky darkness until her outstretched hand brushed the jutting rock ledge she’d spotted earlier.
She pulled herself onto it, gripping the smooth stone with her toes as her head and shoulders broke the surface of the water.
“Araya!” Loren was already in the water, cutting across the deeper water toward her with powerful strokes. He reached the shelf in seconds, his eyes widening as he realized she was standing.
“Of all the reckless, stupid—” he pulled himself up, water sluicing from his shoulders as he stormed toward her. “Do you even know how to swim?”
“I can swim,” Araya took a step back, finding the edge of the ledge with her toes.
“Don’t you dare,” he warned, closing the distance, water streaming down his chest. “If you jump—”
“You’ll chase me?” Araya widened her eyes, letting her voice go breathless. “Do you promise?”
Loren scowled. “You’re still healing. You shouldn’t be exerting yourself—”
Well. That was enough of that.
Araya shifted her weight, glancing back over her shoulder like she was getting ready to throw herself back off the ledge. Loren swore, throwing himself across the remaining space between them—
Araya stepped forward instead of back.
Loren’s eyes widened, but he had already overcommitted. Araya grabbed his wrist and pivoted, dropping her weight just like she’d practiced with Caela over and over again.
She only meant to toss him into the water. To show him she wasn’t as helpless as she looked.
But Loren wasn’t Caela. He was heavier, stronger, and moving with far more speed than anyone had in their training drills. His feet left the stone, his momentum carrying him clean over her hip—too fast.
He hit the water with a thunderous splash, his stunned expression the last thing she saw before he vanished beneath the dark surface.
“Gods above—” Araya clapped her hands over her mouth. She held her breath, waiting for him to break the surface. Any second now, he’d pop up, sputtering and red-faced.
But the only thing that rose from the dark water was steam.
Her heart pounding, Araya stepped back up to the edge of the ledge. She peered into the water below, but the only thing she could see were Loren’s shadows. Cold dread filled her chest, stealing the last of her mirth.
How long could he hold his breath? She’d thrown him so much further than she meant to—he could have hit his head. He could be drowning—
Strong hands wrapped around the backs of her thighs.
Araya barely had time to gasp before she was yanked from the ledge, plunging into deeper water.
Heat and darkness swallowed her whole, bubbles tearing from her lips as she was dragged under.
She twisted, her fingers scrabbling over slick stone—but Loren locked an arm around her waist, taking her with him as he kicked off.
They broke the surface together in the center of the spring.
Araya sucked in a ragged breath, then another, coughing up the water she’d swallowed in her surprise. Loren held her above the surface easily, his hands still tight on her waist like he thought she might bolt again and a wide, infuriatingly pleased grin plastered across his face.
“You—” she sputtered, drawing back just far enough to punch him in the shoulder, her fist landing with a solid thud against wet muscle.
Loren didn’t even flinch. “What?” His green eyes danced. “Is it only funny when you throw me into the water?”
“I thought I hurt you!” Araya yelled. “I thought—are you laughing at me?”
Loren tipped his head back, drifting away from her as his shoulders shook helplessly. “You threw me like a sack of grain,” he said. “I can’t believe it. You did it exactly right.”
Araya flushed all the way to the clipped tips of her ears. “I’m not helpless,” she snapped, splashing him. “I’m capable of learning things—which you’d know if you ever stopped treating me like I’ll shatter at the first wrong move.”
Loren stopped laughing. “Ael’sura—”
“Don’t deny it.” Araya turned in the water before he could see the tears pooling in her eyes. She paddled for the edge of the spring, hauling herself up.
“You never want me to try anything that might be hard or dangerous,” she continued, hugging her arms around herself. “You almost never touch me unless you think I’m asleep or we need to share magic—” her voice hitched embarrassingly. “You don’t kiss me anymore.”
“I almost lost you.” Loren drifted through the water toward her, his hands finding her knees. “You nearly died in my arms—”
“But I didn’t!” Araya shoved him off, scrambling to her feet. Water sluiced off her reddened skin, tears spilling freely down her cheeks now. “I survived. And I’m right here.” Her hands clenched into fists, her nails biting into her palms. “So why won’t you touch me?”
“I wasn’t sure you wanted me to,” Loren protested. “After everything they did to you—” he broke off, his gaze dropping. “You’re still healing. And your back—”
Araya stiffened, reading what he didn’t say in his expression. He couldn’t even stand to look at her. Human men, fae males—they were all the same.
“So that’s the problem?” She laughed, the sound broken and ugly. “My scars?” She turned her back on him, baring the thick ridges of newly healed skin. “You have them too, Loren, and I still want you. Are they truly that repulsive?”
“What? Araya, no—” he broke off with a frustrated growl. “Goddess help me.”
Araya locked her shoulders, steeling herself to keep standing when he walked away. She’d survived so much. A broken heart would be nothing compared to everything she’d been through.
His hand tangled in her wet hair.
Araya gasped, the sharp sting of pain racing down her spine like lightning. His fingers tightened, the heat of his gaze fixed on the rapid pulse thundering at the base of her throat as he craned her neck back, back, back—
“Do not ever,” Loren murmured, his lips scorching where they brushed against her shoulder, “speak about yourself like that.”
Then he kissed her.
There was nothing careful or gentle about it. No denying the heat of his body or ignoring the hardness pressed against the base of her spine. Even without their bond, his desire filled her senses—saying everything words couldn’t.
Araya made a broken sound against his mouth, his name slipping from her lips as he broke the kiss with a sharp inhale. His head dropped onto her shoulder, his breathing ragged. And then his hands were on her hips, turning her as he pulled her down with him into the steaming water.
He settled her across his legs, his pupils blown wide and his cock bobbing in the water between them. He held her back though, his thumbs rubbing gentle circles in the divots of her hips.
“Look at me,” he ordered. “Do you want this?”
Araya nodded frantically. She wanted him—would always want him. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders as she rocked against his grip, a soft, desperate sound that should have embarrassed her tearing from her throat.
But Loren’s hands tightened, stilling her movements.
“No,” he said. “You have to make me a promise first.”
Araya shuddered. He was torturing her. Torturing himself.
“We go at your pace,” Loren continued, his voice too steady. “You do not do anything you don’t want to do. You will not push yourself for me. And if you need to stop—” His thumbs stilled, pressing into her hips. “You stop. Immediately.”
Araya swallowed, her heart twisting in her chest. “I promise.”
For a moment, his grip tightened, fingers digging into her skin as he stared at her—like he was bracing himself. Then something in him eased. He let his head fall back against the moss-softened edge of the spring, his throat working as he swallowed hard.
“Then take what you want, ael’sura.”