Page 59 of A Soul to Embrace

The relief that swept through her was swift, and her grip on him lost its strength. “Well, yes. I would like to...” Zylah paused.

Isn’t this what she wanted? Some time alone?

But I’m not in the middle of my sickness.That was when she truly wished to be in private, as she was uncomfortable being gazed upon. It was why she’d chosen to hide in her burrow during it.

“If you promise to return,” Zylah stated nervously, her grasp on him tightening once more, “I would like to stay here, if that is okay?”

Like that wasn’t the answer he’d been hoping for, his face lost its softness and dulled once more. “If that’s what you wish.”

Zylah licked at the inside of her mouth warily and decided to push her luck. “Could... could you return tomorrow night?”

His ears shot back like they often did when annoyed, but his face remained the same. They were two conflicting images, making it impossible to understand him in that moment. “Why?”

“I would like some time to... think.” She hated that her orbs shifted to orange in guilt at the lie, but she didn’t wish to explain it.

Then, to make sure he understood, she lifted his arm so she could cup his hand, and he willingly let her. He dropped his indifferent gaze to where they were touching skin to skin, but Zylah had to stifle the way his warmth bled into her. She couldn’t remember if she’d ever held his hand so gently.

Strings wrapped around her heart and grew taut in the strangest ache, radiating tenderness through her.

Distracted by their joined hands, it took her longer than it should have for her to speak. “I wish to talk to you about something, but I don’t understand how to right now. I-I think tomorrow will be easier.”

Jabez looked to the side before he tugged his hand from hers and turned. “Sure. I see no issue with that. I’ll attempt to stay away, but I make no promises.”

Zylah chittered nervously when he immediately began to walk away, the bottom of his cloak billowing around his legs. A terrible feeling overcame her, like she’d made the wrong decision by waiting.

What she did know was being in his presence even for a mere few minutes had only made her feel... worse. Her heart rate had accelerated the instant she looked upon his pretty face, and his alluring scent had flooded her mouth with drool. Even her internal temperature had risen, causing a shiver to tear through her at the loss of his warmth. Touching his hand had sent a spark throughout her system, and she’d done everything she could to avoid reacting to it.

The moment he was gone, the urge to sniff where they’d touchedateat her like a terrible beast. Unable to resist, she raised her palm to her snout and her orbs flickered purple in reaction. Her body pulsed, and she gave into the desire to lick his taste from her skin and nearlymoanedwhen she did.

Now that she was near the cave entry, his lingering scent beckoned her inside. Her avoidance of him in the last few hoursmade her chest radiate with longing, and she already missed his presence like a horrible ache. The fact that the space was empty, and she was alone, meant everything she’d been holding back finally escaped. She dropped her book carelessly and fell to her bedding, before immediately crawling to his.

She’d never been called to another like this. The beginning of the sickness never nibbled away at her being so intensely before. Zylah shivered as she rubbed her skull over his fresh scent, as if he’d only just been sitting or lying there seconds ago.

Mmm.She grabbed his blanket to bring more of it closer.He smells so much nicer than usual.Strong, masculine, divine. It smelt... utterlysoothing.Her sight flickered with black as she secretly basked in it, her feet kicking while her toes curled in delight.It would be much better if I had his warmth.If it was coming right off his skin.

She nuzzled into her palm to relive his silky but brief touch.

This is why she’d been avoiding him. Every time he was near in the last two days, she’d been wanting to rub against him.

Zylah would greedily take his bedding for now.

Given that he’d been asked to refrain from returning to his current place of rest – for an entire night and day, no less – Jabez was feeling rather displeased. Although he’d done what was requested of him, with no objections on the matter, the current heavy downpour only deepened his frustrations.

Soaked from head to muddied toes, he’d given up shielding from the rain under a meagre tree. Dusk was approaching, and he was done being out in the elements like an animal. It didn’thelp that it was colder than usual, the water having an icy bite to it that was only ever present in winter.

Being closer to the coast stopped snow from forming, and the air was subtly filled with salty brine. He would have been truly pissed off to be caught in a blizzard like the ones that raged just a thousand kilometres north. Thankfully his cloak was mostly weatherproof, and it protected his torso and satchel from getting soaked. It also kept out the worst of the light wind.

Filthy.He sneered at himself, watching his footing as he stepped through mud and decaying leaf debris.I’ve been reduced to such a pathetic state.

Then again, he’d once lived off the land like a creature when he’d first arrived on Earth – after escaping his human captors, of course.I told myself I’d never be subjected to such disgrace again.

A branch slipped from his grasp when he moved it out of his way, and it recoiled to smack him in the face. It sprayed cold heavy drops inside his hood, and it only soured him further when they slipped down his neck and into his tunic. His feet almost came out from under him in the shock of the hit, and he grabbed that same branch to steady himself before he went arse over head.

Why am I out in the rain like a bumbling fool?The answer was simple – Zylah.

As much as he wanted to be annoyed with the female, he lacked the capacity right then to muster any ill-will towards her.

He understood.

---