Page 32 of Unbound By Shadows
The beautiful female standing in front of him was Selene. Looking down, he saw her hand rested against his sleeve. Her other hand held his; her fingers curled gently around his tight fist. Skin to skin. With a rush of heat to his groin, he understood.
It was her.Like murk beetles scattering at a beam of light, Sam’s need to hurt and punish had retreated. His mind cleared, and his will restored the moment Selene had touched him.
Sam's furious need for vengeance was abruptly replaced by desire. Hot, heavy, and urgent. Blood pulsed in his loins and desire clouded his thoughts. Boldly, he took Selene’s hand and covered it with his, holding her in place. Savoring the feel of her bare flesh against his. Waiting until whatever calming effect she seemed to provide dissolved every last drop of his violentflare.
Closer.
He needed more. More of her touch. Her attention. The relief she brought.
He wanted to tear off his sleeve, shirt, and everything he wore, to have her run her soft hand over every inch of his body. He wanted to lift her onto the stall’s surface so he could press more of himself against her. To grind his cock against her soft heat. He imagined laying her down in the forest, all barriers shed between them, to cover her body with his. To touch her and make her understand the effect she had on him. To see if he could bringhera fraction of the pleasure she had bestowed upon him.
They stood there silently for a moment, her small hand pressed between his large palms. She stared back with wide eyes, seeming to understand something significant had occurred but not knowing exactly what.
“Are you all right?” she whispered.
He nodded, unwilling to speak for fear that the lust coursing through him would show in the rumble of his voice. Despite his fantasies, reality was beginning to set in.
“What happened?” she asked.
Swallowing, he tried to think of a plausible explanation. He glanced at the nearby bread ovens. “The heat… I… ”
“Good sir, can I help you with anything for your flowing locks?” the Goblyn hair device seller asked cheerfully while twining a ribbon around his spindly fingers.
Sam shot him a glower that made all color drain from the Goblyn’s weathered face. Sam reluctantly released Selene’s hand and said, “No.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Selene said. “You were so tense and seemed a bit woozy.”
Sam straightened his posture. “Whatever ‘woozy’ is, I can assure you I do not suffer from it. Did you find what you needed?”
She held up a small bundle of thin leather ribbons. “Yep.”
Sam paid for the items quickly, desperately wanting to leave Padu. The noise, the smell, the memories were all too much. Hecraved the quiet of the forest and the anonymity of darkness. He glanced up at the sky with unease. It was later than he anticipated. Sunset was imminent, and the vampires that frequented Padu were surely about to emerge.
“We need to leave this place,” Sam said.
“Hmm? Oh yes. I’m finished. Thank you for letting us stop,” she said. She seemed distracted after their strange interlude.
As he led her out of Padu, they ignored the vendors calling out offers of discounts and deals. The sky was growing darker, and Sam knew the switch pouch would expand soon with their dinner, but it would have to wait. He wanted more distance between Padu and their campsite.
They had nearly reached the last of Padu’s stalls and were only steps away from the forest’s embrace when their path was suddenly blocked. A petite figure in a red wool cloak stood in front of them, eerily motionless. Sam could tell by her bearing she was female, but a hood covered her face.
“Step aside,” Sam said, but the obstacle didn’t budge. He studied the stranger’s slight build and the strands of black hair peeking out from beneath her hood. Then he caught a whiff of her perfume and froze. He knew that scent. The essence of violet water couldn’t mask the odor of moldering flesh that hung in the air. The woman let out a creaky giggle.
Sam sighed. Had he really believed he could pass through Padu without anyone recognizing him?
“Margery,” he said flatly.
The woman held up one finger, in a gesture that indicatedwait.She remained motionless until the last sliver of sunlight was swallowed up by the horizon. Then, as if she were a stone statue gifted with life, she lifted her head to bare her face to the night.
Breathlessly she said, “Samael. You’ve come back.”
Selene stood at Sam’s side, wondering who orwhatthis Margery person was. She was still reeling from the intense moment she and Sam had just shared at the hair stand, and having him stand so close wasn’t helping her nerves. Selene squinted. Since they were in the darkest part of the market, she couldn’t make out Margery’s features. She could only see that she wore a lot of red—from the toe of her boots up to the hood of her cloak, like a demented Little Red Riding Hood.
“I haven’t come back,” Sam said. “We’re leaving.”
“So soon?” Margery made a disappointed sound, then gave Sam an appraising look. “You seem different. Less unhinged.”
“And you haven’t changed a bit.”
