Page 153 of A Soul to Steal

A groan fell from the male’s lips, and Aleron stiffened.

He wasn’t doing anything inappropriate... he didn’t think. One of his hands may be under his shirt, but it was upon his stomach, and the other had tightly gripped his inner thigh.

He considered it. He considered bringing both his hands higher to touch at his groin and chest, wanting to wake his bridewith pleasure. Aleron was tired of holding back. He longed to bring them closer until they’d meshed into one writhing creature of adoring need.

But, when Gideon put his knees together and slid his feet under his backside, and turned so he could place his cheek against the middle of Aleron’s sternum, he let a sigh flutter past his fangs. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the little human’s torso, and gave into a different urge.

He shoved his wings forward and wrapped them around his arms and knees. Although he couldn’t feel Gideon with them, his own body in the way, it still felt remarkable to enclose him like this. Aleron squeezed with all his might, letting himself be content that his bride was sleeping on his chest for the first time.

Ready to remove his wings in case Gideon woke, this was more than enough to quell the worst of his need.

Something white landed on the tip of his snout before melting. He looked up to find fluffy little snow puffs falling. They instantly melted against him and the fire, but he shielded Gideon from most of them. A few stuck to his light-brown hair, and Aleron found that rather cute.

A tiny heartbeat fluttered, as soft breaths made the fur on his chest dance. The itch to chuckle came when Gideon screwed up his features as some of the longer strands tickled his nose and lips.

A crack from the fire drew his attention to it, and something glinted from within its embers. Something golden, but he couldn’t make out what it truly was before a stick fell on top of it. The fire jumped and crackled again.

He threw metal into the fire?Aleron thought hard on this, unsure of why Gideon would do this.But is this not important to keep?As far as he knew, humans used such items for trade, especially if they were of that metal colouring.

Maybe he did not know it was within the parchment?

It was the only logic Aleron could come up with, but he shrugged. There was little he could do about it, unless he wished to stop selfishly holding his bride.

Which he didn’t.Mine. My pretty bride is lying on me.Hechose this.

He’d hold this human until the sun rose, or the fire gave out. Then Aleron would lay him down and let him rest properly.

A few minutes – hours – more couldn’t hurt.

Gideon’s face twitched and stiffened before he hunkered down under the draping warmth.

He didn’t remember falling asleep, nor when he’d chosen to lie on the ground on his side. He rolled onto his back, and with his arms crossed over his chest to keep them from touching the grass, he scooched over. He wiggled until he found what he wanted and then rubbed his face into the fur and feathers of Aleron’s back.

To say he was disappointed that this was how he’d woken up was an understatement.

He opened his eyes to near darkness; the only light peeking through was a small gap just above his head. Aleron’s wing blanketed him, as it did every night, but he’d been hoping for a little more. Maybe to be blanketed from the front? He wouldn’t mind being pressed up against his torso and having the Duskwalker’s arms secure him.

Gideon imagined it’d be even warmer – and sweeter.

He’d be able to take in Aleron’s big heartbeat better.

Instead, as per usual, they were back-to-back like an unspoken but distrustful truce.

He’s still being closed off with me.Even after Gideon held Aleron’s hand, thanked him for everything, apologised again for the past, and even sat between his legs. He pouted as he thought,He didn’t even want to hold me when I sat with him.

Other than being sniffed, Aleron didn’t even casually place his hand on his side or thigh. Nothing.

Since he’d rolled over, he pressed his forehead against Aleron’s back and let out a solemn sigh.

Given Aleron’s response in the cemetery, Gideon knew this Duskwalker still felt...somethingfor him. He worried it was too late. Had he completely lost all the potential of receiving free affection from Aleron?

Gideon had chosen to let go of his past completely last night. He’d smashed his own heart to pieces on purpose, and now planned to rebuild it, bigger and better than ever, so something like a giant monster could fit in it. But he couldn’t do that on his own.

He didn’t want someone who felt too nervous or scared to be affectionate with him. He’d always wanted to be the king of his own story, not thevillainin someone else’s.

Aleron had been a stranger to me.His anger, spite, and callousness hadn’t been towards a friend or partner, someone he was supposed to care for and protect. A stranger was no one, and they usually meant little to him.

Worse still, not only had Aleron been a stranger, he was something Gideon had been... terrified of. A creature of nightmares, who then followed him with a set of claws and fangs, threatening to never let him go.

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