Page 85 of A Dance of Water

It was an effort to keep his face straight.

I won’t let Vale try to kill her just to make her power manifest. He’ll have to fucking kill me, first.The mage’s innermost thoughts were shocking to Bastian—hecaredfor their Vincire?

"No. I will not let her be hurt," growled Azgorath.

"Relax, beast," Tharen scoffed. "No one is going to try and killyour precious lover." His features were unforgiving, but Bastian knew of the turmoil brewing behind those icy eyes.

Ever the diplomat, Bastian stepped in before the situation could escalate further. "We’re in no state to hold such important conversations."Especially not with her attacker waiting,he whispered into their minds—save Luella. "She needs to rest, let the potion take effect. We’ll address her powers later."

Vale held Bastian’s gaze for so long that he worried the dragon shifter would break and let his beast free. "Very well," the King finally proclaimed. "Later, we’ll discuss her magic. And theotherthing."

What he didn’t say—Caliban. The name was a curse that invoked memories better left buried.

Without another word, Vale swept from the room. Tharen followed after with a strange, charged look thrown Azgorath’s way. Subtly nodding, the demon grew tense. Luella seemed to sense it, for she reached up and placed a searching hand on his cheek.

She was so small next to him. It made Bastian wonder how she’d appear underneath one of them, her nude, small frame shadowed by their large, powerful bodies. He didn’t grow envious at the thought but hot with sensuous curiosity.

"Don’t speak, Lu. I’ll be fine when you’re healed and safe," the demon said.

Her brow furrowed as she watched him.

If Bastian did not know any better, he’d assume the two were speaking in their minds like Bastian and she had—but no, they were just that close. The vampire felt like he would have to work for decades to earn her forgiveness and be on the receiving end of such free, wholesome adoration.

"There’s no risk of me angering the King," Azgorath assured. "I wouldn’t do anything to keep me away from you."

Satisfied, she sat back against the mounds of pillows, shimmying down until she rested on her side. Azgorath tucked the blankets around her shoulders and passed a hand over her forehead, soothing her. "Sleep, angel. I’ll take care of everything else."

He pressed a kiss to her brow and extracted himself from her. She stared after him as he made for the door, hurt lingering at the edges of her mind as the demon left.

Alone with his Vincire, Bastian sat on the bed, stretching out his limbs and getting comfortable. His side pressed against hers, and without the demon there, she hesitantly nestled into Bastian’s side.

You’re cold,she complained sweetly, yet that didn’t stop her from tangling her fingers with the hem of his shirt and rubbing her cheek over the cool silk.

Her bare toes skimmed over his calf, and he gripped her thigh, hooking it over his leg.

And you are, too. If Vale got his head out of his ass, he would have stayed and helped warm you up.Bastian soothed over her hip, ensuring she was entirely cocooned in her piles of blankets.

Even with how cold she was, he still saw a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

Time slowed between them both, her breaths evening out as the elixir worked to heal her nearly crushed windpipe—a tidbit they decided not to share with her lest her panic spiral out of control. For all she knew, she merely had severe bruising and a sore throat.

Bastian?she questioned, thoughts tinged with sleep.

He brushed a hand over her head.Yes?

What’s happening to me?

He knew she was referring to her dreams, the strange scenes that haunted her days and filled her nights. The name that had spilled from her lips, an uninvited entity finding a way to terrorize them from kingdoms away.

I don’t know, pet. But we will find out,he said.

She nuzzled against him, cheek rubbing over his thigh. Though she was cold, her breaths were dangerously hot, and they ghosted over his thighs and far too close to his cock for him to feel at ease. She must be feeling dazed to be so tactile. He wouldn’t complain—anything to make the damned call in his chest ease.

He regarded her closed lids, lashes fanning out against her cheeks, her translucent skin; hair frizzy and slightly matted to her face from how it had dried naturally, soaked with ocean water.

At that moment, Bastian thought he might have done anything to keep her safe and protected like she was now.

But threats of darkness loomed. The Tenebrae would never stop. Not until he had what he wanted—her.

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