Page 119 of Trials of Dusk and Dreams
“This is why you’re called Legion.” More plucking of blankets. “I don’t understand why this means you reject me.”
“I do not reject you.” That muscle in my chest squeezes. Her shaky exhale cuts short on my next word. “However . . .”
“However?”
I clear my throat, pushing past the lump forming there. “I was not a good leader. Our Seventh died because of it.”
“Oh, Legion.” Her voice is soft, filled with misplaced compassion. “So now you’re punishing yourself?”
“No. I’m correcting my mistake. I am the First. So with you, I must be the last.”
At her silence, I roll to face her and wish I hadn’t. Now, I have the picture to accompany the alluring smell. She is perfection, from her tiny scars to the sprinkle of freckles on her nose to her golden eyes and tiny fangs. I want them on my flesh. I want them biting hard, cruelly, and possessively. I want them making me feel only one thing.
Her eyes dart between mine, searching for something. She nods. Her jaw sets with determination. “I get it. You need them to trust you. It’s admirable.”
Rolling to her back, she tugs the blanket to her chin and contemplates geodes in the ceiling. I almost see her thoughts ticking over in her expression. What does this all mean? Why won’t I tell her more? How much pressure have I laid at her feet?
She glances at me, her eyes shining with determination. “I’ll help you.”
“With what?”
“With helping you keep your vow. I won’t ask about the distance between us again. I won’t ask why you won’t make love to me. I respect your vow and trust this is what you need. Thank you for telling me.”
“I’ve hardly told you anything.” Not really.
“I know there’s more.” She frowns. “But it’s clearly too painful to speak about. You’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
She tries to shove me away, and my heart wrenches. But it quickly becomes apparent she’s tugging the blanket from beneath me. I lift my hips to allow it freedom. She raises it to make space for me beneath the shadowy warmth.
“I’m your mate,” she yawns. “And . . . I can still hug you, even if I can’t fuck you.”
That word on her tongue. My lashes flutter. A wave of hot, hungry need hits me. Oh, what I’ll do to her when she’s finally mine. The pleasure I’ll give her. The devotion I’ll show her. The worlds I’ll burn for her. Unable to resist, I slip beneath the covers and gather her to me. The Cauldron itself sighs as her body presses against mine. I frown when my palm runs down her bare back.
“Willow,” I growl, my lips brushing against her hair. “You’re nude.”
She wiggles closer, sighing contentedly.
“I can see why you’re the First. So clever,” she mumbles sleepily.
My lips twitch. My fingers flex on her back, savoring the feeling of her warm skin against mine. I should really leave. Now.
“Relax,” she breathes. “Punish me tomorrow.”
“Now there’s an idea.”
Tomorrow will come sooner than we realize. The small reprieve from my vow will be over, and that ugly crawling feeling will return. Perhaps she is right. Perhaps this resistance of mine is a form of punishment. But she will agree it is warranted when she learns my crime. For now, though, I simply hold her, listen to her steady breathing, and feel a sense of peace for the first time in my very long life, knowing it won’t last.
Chapter 49
WIllow
Morning light filters through the sheer curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. I wake feeling more refreshed than I have in days, the weight of uncertainty lifted from my shoulders. As I dress for the day, I notice Legion’s stilted movements as he sits facing the window, rubbing his temples. The only part of his tailored suit he removed for sleep is the jacket. Dark shadows smudge beneath his long-lashed eyes.
Standing before the mirror, I run a crystal-handled brush through my hair, the silver strands slipping through my fingers.
“Didn’t you sleep?” I ask, catching Legion’s reflection turning my way. “Was it because you didn’t want to risk the spectacles falling off?”
He gives me a look that could melt stone, his obsidian eyes flashing. “You were naked, Willow,” he grinds out, straightening his collar.
