Page 35 of Necromance
Without so much as a glance back in my direction, he vanished intonothingness. Before I could even let out the breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding, he reappeared right in front of me, holding my bag. I gasped, stumbling back against the shelf.
He reached for me, steadying me with his free hand, a slight tick in his jaw as he held me for just a moment longer than necessary before releasing me and stepping back. I reached for my bag instinctively, but he pulled it just out of my grasp, a slow grin curving one side of his mouth.
“What do you say?” he asked, the teasing in his tone returning, yet still holding a hint of darkness that relayed that he wasn’t quite letting go of his suspicion.
“What?”I shot back, my eyes narrowing.
He stepped back further, still holding it out of my reach, and raised an eyebrow. “Do you know how much energy it takes me to transport things?”
I lifted my shoulders slightly, shaking my head. Curiosity flared within me. What else could he do? What did he have control over, and how much power did he truly have?
I thought about the night he’d saved me from the gruesome figure, the dangerous gleam I’d seen in his eyes only a few moments ago… I shivered, not from fear though, but from the nagging interest that was now piqued. My eyes roamed the length of him, hard, distinct muscles clearly evident under his dark clothing, and my heart gave a small stutter.
”How much?” I asked before I could stop myself, my voice a little more breathless than I’d intended.
Lucien’s gaze darkened as he stepped closer, the distance between us closing in one smooth stride. His eyes locked onto mine, intense and deep, like they were searching for something… like one single reason to keep this moment hanging in the air between us.
”Quite a bit,” he murmured, tone low and thick, his mouth so close to mine that I felt the warmth of his breath graze my lips.
I swallowed, feeling that familiar tension rise between us like an electric charge. He didn’t break eye contact, and I was suddenly aware of how my body ached to press into him. The heat of him seemed to reach out, wrapping around me in ways that made my pulse quicken and my mind forget how to breathe.
”And to hold things?” I asked, voice unsteady as I glanced at my bag in his grip.
His mouth quirked. “I assure you, I have the strength.”
I took a small step forward as if no longer able to fight the tether that pulled me into him. My breast pressed into his chest and I stifled the pleasure of soothing the ache there.
“What else can you do?” I whispered,biting my bottom lip between my teeth.
His expression shifted, something gleamed in his eyes, a knowing grin that only deepened the heat between us.
”Careful, witch,” he mused softly, a warning that needed no explanation. Heat crept up my cheeks, but I didn’t take my eyes from his.
Just once. What could be the harm in just one small kiss… for research purposes, of course.
”Show me,” I said, stunned by my own brazen words.
His smile deepened as his gaze dropped to my lips, and I could feel the air around us charge, thick.
He leaned in and I sucked in a breath, my lips parting with anticipation. His mouth hovered just a hair above mine, teasing. I pressed my hand to his chest, my fist curling around the fabric of his shirt, itching to pull him the rest of the way.
”When you learn to say please,” he said softly, voice thick with his own desire. “Perhaps I'll grant your request.” He stepped back then, the distance between us now feeling like an ocean.
He held my bag out to me. I reached for it, my hands trembling slightly as I took it from him. The moment still hung in the air, untouched, unfinished.
He smiled as if he knew exactly what he had done to me.
I cursed him silently.
CHAPTER TWELVE
I carefully opened the spellbook, my fingers grazing the pages with a delicate touch as if the very act of opening it might unleash something dark. The book felt ancient beneath my fingers, the weight of its memory pressing down on me, and I focused all of my energy on making sure the spells didn’t trigger anything sinister. My magic bubbled beneath my skin as I muttered a soft incantation, ensuring the book’s dark power stayed dormant.
I was used to summoning loved ones, family members, lovers, friends… not this. This was death in all the most heinous ways. This was the book that ultimately killed my father.
Across the room, Lucien was pacing. Back and forth. His quick footsteps echoed off the walls, and each step seemed to tap away at my concentration, my thoughts drifting from the ancient language I was trying to decipher. I could feel the annoyance growing in my chest. He hadn't said a single word inthe time that I’d been pouring over my translation book, but at least his suspicion of me seemed to have faded… just a little… for now.
“Lucien,” I muttered under my breath, though I didn’t take my eyes off the page. “If you’re going to pace like a caged animal, could you do it somewhere else?”
