Page 25 of Eldritch
“Never said it was.”
Clearing my throat, I wriggled out of his grasp, for fear of what his hands might easily compel me to do, and took a step forward, the echo of his firm grip still burning across my skin. “Going back to our previous conversation…in a nutshell, you’re telling me I need to ignore my empathy. The very emotions that have given me pause.”
A lingering smile played on his lips. “Yes. You struggled to kill your uncle because you couldn’t perceive him as an enemy. Remember, I told you, magic is thewill of the wielder. You gave your power over to the dark side of you. There’s a danger in that. You have to learn to embrace it yourself.”
I sighed and crossed my arms, catching the prolonged dip of his gaze where my nipples had undoubtedly made themselvesknown, as cold as it was. Not even tipping my head managed to pull his attention away from my chest.
“Let go of the empathy. It can beincrediblydistracting.” His brow lifted, eyes still riveted on my thin tunic.
“Is it me you’re talking to?” I glanced down at my breasts. “Or them?”
The dimple in his cheek bloomed with a smirk. “Was it your intention to look irresistible for a training session?”
“Did you intentionally untie your tunicin the middle of winterfor a training session?” I countered. “At least I wore a cloak.” I wrapped the thicker fabric around me, shutting out the view of my breasts.
“Yes,” he said, unabashedly. “It was intentional. It’s been rather hot and constricting the last few days.” He ran his finger over the collar of his shirt, widening it for more of the muscle beneath. “I’d take it off entirely, but I wouldn’t want tosuggestanything.”
I had to physically turn away to keep from visualizing his sweat-slicked muscles, hard and gleaming. “Nor would I want to give you the impression that seeing you without a shirt hadanyeffect onmyability to focus on training.”
“Glad to hear it.” He crisscrossed his arms, hooking the hem of his tunic as if to pull it off.
“But …” I lurched forward, holding my hand up to stop him. “I think it’s a bit cold. I wouldn’t want you to get frostbite.”
A grin crept across his face as he lowered his arms.
Annoying. “You are insufferable. Must you always smile at me that way?” In truth, he smiled so rarely, his face usually tight with a scowl, it was a welcomed sight.
But still annoying.
He lifted a shoulder, that infuriating grin never fading. “You’re always welcome to avert your gaze.”
“And give you the upper hand? Is that how you defeat your opponents? Charm them with smiles?”
“Depends on the opponent.” His gaze trailed over me again. “And how badly I want to see what’s beneath her cloak.”
His words cast a flicker of heat between my thighs, drawing to mind the night he’d put his mouth on my breasts, suckling and flicking his tongue over them.
Stop it right now!
Squinting, I shook my head of the mental image. “Good to know. I’ll be sure to keep my eyes on you, then.” I waved my hand toward him. “Might we return to the lesson now? How do you suggest I learn to cast aside my empathy, seeing as I’ve had it since birth?”
A clicking, hissing sound echoed through the treetops of the adjacent forest, and as I whirled that way, a flock of birds darted toward the sky. Breath shot out of me, and I snapped my attention back to Zevander. “The spiders?”
He rolled his shoulders back and groaned. “And so the lesson begins. I’ll be right back.” Drawing the sword from his back, he strode toward the archway of The Eating Woods in the distance.
Frowning, I stepped forward, watching him cross the field with determined steps. “You’re walkingtowardthem? Shouldn’t we be going in the other direction? Back to the cabin?” I called, but he ignored me, keeping on toward the woods until he breached the archway.
Minutes passed. Cold slithered over my skin, and I wrapped my arms around myself, glancing around at the empty, open field. I took small steps in the cabin’s direction, but paused, conflicted and frustrated. “Why would you gointothe woods?” I muttered angrily and trudged three more steps, pausing again.
Icy fingers palmed the back of my neck, drawing focus to the vulnerability I felt right then and casting a shiver through me.
Another minute passed.
Another.
Finally, he emerged from the forest.
On a dead run toward me.
