Page 123 of A Dance of Water

She curled her hands into his chest. "You’re my favorite, too," she confessed.

Pleased, he grumbled softly.

Lavender and vanilla permeated the humid air of the bathing chamber, and she felt her robe stick to her skin. She remembered the last time they were alone here, and her thighs quivered, mouth growing dry.

"I cannot… go into the water alone," she hedged, "so will you bathe with me again? Like last time?"

"Of course," Az said, fingers trailing over her robe.

"I want to keep it on for now," she murmured.

A pause, and she went over what she had said—for now. As if there would be a time she would bathe with him nude. The idea was not unpleasant. She trembled again, but not from fear of the water. From something greater.

He cleared his throat gruffly. "As you wish."

With Az’s hands on her, directing her, Luella entered the water.

A breathless sound escaped her lips at the first lick of warmth against her toes. She sank deeper, feeling tiny bubbles against her bare calves and thighs.

When the water was up to her waist, she felt him move behind her. The water shifted around her as Az sat, pulling her between his spread legs.

She braced a hand on his chest—bare. When had he removed his shirt? She settled back against him, shifting to get comfortable.

He groaned. "Stop moving, angel."

"S-sorry," she stammered.

He held her waist to still her movements. She sighed at his hands on her. Her robe clung to her body; it felt like nothing was between them.

Just like last time, Az softly trickled water over her collarbones, letting it drop down her chest and wet the swell of her chest, fallingover her arms and her neck. With him by her side, she got used to the water. Salty terror was replaced by something entirely different. Fragile and burning.

"You’re trembling," Az muttered, voice thick with something deeper than worry. His lips brushed against her arched ear.

"I’m cold," she lied.

He made a knowing sound that vibrated through his chest, making her shiver, anew.

She shouldn’t get distracted. They had much to discuss. She forced herself to ignore his warm hands on her body and the awareness between her thighs.

"Az," she started, "when I was in the library, I saw Nyx."

The demon hummed in acknowledgment, continuing to stroke over her curves, fingers tapping along the impression of her ribs.

"It made me think of the"—her breath hitched when his hands dipped lower, skimming over her upper thigh—"theCompendium of Fates. I lost it."

Az stilled against her. He exhaled harshly against her neck.

"I think it was lost somewhere in t-the… b-battle." It was hard to get her words out as the memories threatened to drown her. The water enveloping her was no longer welcoming and warm.

The crunch of bone. Bloody maws. Howling. White fur.

She pressed her face into Az’s bare chest, and he cupped the back of her head and drew her closer to him. She wished they could become one, wished she could fit herself inside him and never leave.

"Angel, we will figure this out. Lost does not mean forgotten." Az tapped her temple. "The words of the prophecy are up here." He pulled away from her slightly, and his fingers skimmed over the edges of her blindfold. "No more talk of this for now. Okay?"

She sighed. "Okay."

Az had a way of righting her mind, turning something dreadful back to safe. She knew he was concerned, could hear it in the edges of his voice. But he was right, what good would worry do?

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