Chapter 26
CHAPTER 26
JULIET
I ’m dying to speak with Valaric, but Elsie told me he was still asleep. I’ve been wandering the castle ever since I woke up, hoping to run into him. If he only wants to be friends, and nothing more, I’ll be all right with that.
At least, that’s what I keep trying to convince myself. In truth, I suspect I’ll be miserable if he doesn’t return my feelings.
Lost in thought, I turn the corner and bump into a hard wall of solid muscle. I lift my head, and Valaric’s red eyes pierce mine.
Despite my resolve to not long for something I may never have, my traitorous heart begins to flutter.
“I was searching for you.”
“Oh.” It’s the best response I can manage right now. The sting of his rejection is still fresh in my mind, and I’m not quite sure what else to say.
“I have a surprise for you.”
I’m completely off guard by his announcement. “What is the occasion?”
“No occasion,” he replies. “Just because.”
Perhaps this is his way of smoothing things over after what happened in the gardens. My grandfather often did this with my grandmother. He’d upset her somehow and then give her little gifts to make up for it.
Maybe Valaric feels bad because he knows I want something more between us and he prefers to simply remain friends.
“What is it?”
“Something I ordered for you a few weeks ago.” A hint of a smile crests his lips. “I hope you like it. It has just arrived this evening.”
My somber mood begins to lift. I love that it’s something he put a lot of thought into.
He holds up a piece of fabric. “May I?”
It takes me a moment to realize it’s a blindfold. There are some who might consider it dangerous to allow a Vampire to blindfold them, and if it were any other Vampire, I might agree. But this is Valaric, and I know he will not harm me. “Yes.”
He covers my eyes, securing the silken red fabric with a loose knot at the back of my head. When he’s finished, he slips his palm into mine, and I follow him trustingly down the hallway.
Nervous anticipation runs through me, and despite my determination not to dwell on the warmth of his hand, and the nearness of his body, my heart flutters in my chest like a caged bird.
We make another turn and then take a few steps forward before Valaric halts abruptly. The air shifts around me as he positions himself at my back and gently rests his hands on my shoulders. “Just turn a bit this way,” he says, guiding me to the left. “Perfect.”
Carefully, he removes my blindfold, and my jaw drops when I notice a wooden desk and chair facing the windows in the study.
“It’s for your writing.” He opens one of the drawers and pulls out an ink pot and quill along with a stack of blank parchment. “I thought the view might inspire your creativity.”
I mean to thank him, but emotions lodge in my throat, and I cannot speak around them. This is the best gift I’ve ever received.
Tracing my fingers over the desk, I study the beautiful inlaid wood carvings around the edge. The only people who knew of my writing were my family, Lucy, and Jonathan. When they dismissed it as folly, it broke my heart.
And yet, my Vampire husband recognized how important it is to me, and it is as if my heart has been pieced back together again.
I cover my mouth with my hands to stifle a sob as tears gather at the corners of my eyes.
“Forgive me,” Valaric says, his tone uncertain. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I should have consulted you before I picked the desk. If you’d prefer a different one, we can have a new one made when we travel to Nightshade.”
“You misunderstand.” I take both his hands in mine. “It’s perfect.” Tears of joy roll softly down my cheeks. “I love it.”
The worried look leaves his face, and a smile quirks his lips. “It’s not just a gift for you. It is also for me,” he explains. When I frown, he adds, “I’m desperate to know if Sir Danric is going to defeat the evil Lord Soryn and rescue and marry Princess Cassia.”
Laughter bubbles up in my throat, and I wrap my arms around him. I’m so happy I could burst. “Thank you, Valaric. I love it.”
When we finally pull away, he studies me, some unnamed emotion flitting across his expression. He takes my hands and guides me to the sofa, turning to face me. “I have something else I must say.”
Worry fills me. “Is something wrong?”
“I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier, in the garden.”
Unable to look at him, I lower my gaze as embarrassment burns through me. “It is I who should be apologizing. Not you. I’m the one who initiated the kiss.” The one who tried to make our relationship into something more than just friendship. “I appreciate you trying, but some things cannot be forced, and I understand and accept that.”
He goes completely still. I lift my head and find confusion etched in his features. “I don’t understand.”
My cheeks already felt flushed, but now I’m almost certain they’re about to catch flame as the words tumble from my mouth. “I asked for a true marriage between us and you tried, but… you are simply not attracted to me in that way.”
“You think I am not attracted to you?” he asks incredulously.
Now, I’m the one confused. “I—you pushed me away when we kissed. So I thought—”
Valaric folds his wings around me. Embarrassed, I try to pull away, but he cups my chin, forcing my gaze back to his. “I pushed you away because my need was too great, and I worried I could harm you.”
“You would never do that.”
“You have so much faith in me.” He brushes his thumb lightly across my cheek. “Why?”
“Because you’re a good man.”
He drops his forehead to mine, closing his eyes as he clenches his jaw. “No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
He shakes his head. “You look at me as if I were a man, but I am not. I am a Vampire. And that is why I pushed you away. That is why I must be cautious for us both. I don’t want to hurt you. Ever.”
Cautious hope builds deep within. “Are you saying that you want me, but you do not trust yourself?”
Valaric opens his eyes, their normal crimson color shifting to black. “Yes.”
Happiness blooms in my chest. “Then we will work on your control.”
He frowns. “And how do you propose we do that?”
Swallowing hard, I push down the nervous flutters in my stomach as I whisper, “Kiss me again.”
His gaze drops to my mouth, and his eyes turn raven black. He hesitates a beat, his gaze flicking up to mine, searching for confirmation. I give him a slight nod, and he leans in.
His lips hover over mine a moment before he captures my mouth with his own. I part my lips and his tongue finds mine. He tastes of peppermint and spice.
A soft moan rises in my throat and I curl my hands in his tunic as he strokes his tongue against mine, deepening our kiss. I’m lost in sensation, every nerve ending in my body alight with pleasure as he devours me with his lips and his tongue.
This is more than I could ever have imagined. I’ve never wanted anyone the way that I want him.
Valaric growls low in arousal as my tongue grazes over the tip of one fang. The delicious vibration moves through me as he wraps his wings around my body and pulls me even closer.
Dipping my hands beneath the hem of his tunic, I trace my fingers over the deliciously hard muscles of his abdomen and chest before moving to his back to explore his powerful wings.
He groans as I smooth my hands along the inner folds, marveling at their soft, suede-like texture.
Lightning fast, he grips my wrists, stopping my exploration. Breathless and panting, he drops his forehead to mine. “You must stop.”
“Did I do something wrong?”
“My wings,” he murmurs, panting heavily. “They are very sensitive.”
Worry fills me. “Did I hurt you?”
A soft huff of laughter escapes his lips. “Quite the opposite, my beautiful wife.”
I want so much to kiss him again, so I’m disappointed when he allows his wings to fall away and pulls back.
He lifts my hand to his mouth and presses a tender kiss to the center of my palm. “I believe we’ve found the limits of my control this night.”
I’d be lying if I said I was not disappointed that we stopped, but I’m also so happy to know that he desires me as much as I do him.
“Perhaps you might like to work on your manuscript this evening.” He motions to my new desk. “I’m dying to read more of your book.”
“Well then.” I grin as my mood instantly improves. I take my seat and place the ink pot and quill to my left. “It’s been a few days. Where did I leave off?”
“Sir Danric was besting Lord Soryn in a duel.”
“All right.” Already, my mind is churning with several possibilities to resolve the ending to ensure my characters get their happily ever after. Dipping the tip of my quill into the ink, I look down at the blank parchment. “Let’s see if Sir Danric has what it takes to defeat Lord Soryn, then, shall we?”
My heart clenches as Valaric flashes a handsome smile. “I will await with great anticipation for your new pages.”