Page 76 of The Stone Initiation
What did that mean?
“But you crossed a line,” Orix jabbed a finger at him. “You’re playing with fire.” His voice vibrated with anger.
“And yet, I’m in complete control,” Serath retorted. “I feel…better.”
“There are other ways of ridding yourself of your blue balls,” Orix retorted.
I turned with a low menacing growl and pressed my back to Serath’s chest. “No one touches his balls but me.” The words were out before I could think and check myself.
Orix threw up his hands. “Great. Just fucking great.”
“I didn’t… I mean…” I was so confused right now. Torn between my human instincts of self-preservation and my gargoyle instincts to protect and claim.
Orix’s lip curled. “You have no idea how dangerous you are little halfblood. If you did, then you’d be encouraging him to get his rocks off elsewhere.”
“Then tell me.”
“We can’t,” Selas said. She looked genuinely sorry about it too. “But maybe we can help you in dealing with this connection. Maybe no contact is the wrong way to go about this.”
“What do you mean?” Serath asked.
“Yes.” Orix crossed his arms. “Whatdoyou mean? They should dry hump in the forest on a regular basis?”
“There was nothing dry about it,” Serath said proudly.
My cheeks heated and Serath stepped closer, his body heat soothing away my embarrassment.
“This connection is a soul bond begging to occur,” Selas said. “The consummation happens through sex, which is why your primal instincts are to mate. The more we keep you apart, the stronger the urge will grow.” She looked down at Serath’s ankle. “Which could explain why the cuff failed tonight. I suggest we try an experiment.”
“What kind of experiment?” Serath asked.
“You’ll speak daily, on the phone. Satisfy the bond through verbal contact so that the urge to mate doesn’t become unbearable. Maybe if you understand each other on an emotional level, it will help you control the mating urge.”
“Or maybe it will make it worse,” Orix snapped. “This is a terrible idea.”
But it made sense. “We give the mate bond something, so it doesn’t force us to give it everything.”
“We can only hope,” Selas said. She nodded at Serath. “Go now. I’ll get her back to her room.”
I turned to Serath, my heart in my throat as I looked up at the formidable male. “There’s nothing between Touron and me. I swear it.”
“You don’t owe me any explanation,” he said, but there was relief in his expression.
“I know. But I need you to know. Just…don’t hurt him. He’s my friend.”
His shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…I’ll speak to you soon, Cameron.” He reached out to touch me but changed his mind at the last minute, curling his fingers to avoid contact with my cheek.
He didn’t trust himself to touch me, and I didn’t blame him, because touching him felt too good. Too right.
He gave me a nod, stepped back, and then launched himself into the night sky.
Gone.
Orix shook his head then followed Serath, but Selas remained.
“Let’s get you back to dorms,” she said.
“Cam? Cam?”
