Page 58 of Unbound By Shadows
“She’s your mate! She’s your mate, lad!”
“My mate? Country life has turned your wits dull. She’s a human,” Sam said dismissively, though his heart started to race. He didn't want to admit he had already mistaken Selene for his mate in the ballroom. The disappointment at finding her human had been crushing.
“Hear me out. You were probably too small for your parents to have explained it to you, but I’ve read up on this. Demons don’t always have the same ideas about fidelity as others, but they believe in fated mates. It’s said that each demon is destined to find a consort, one to be held up above all others.”
“I know of the legends,” Sam snapped. “But if I had a fated mate, wouldn’t she be in the Underworld?”
“Not necessarily. From what I’ve read, when a demon male encounters his mate, he will know her by scent. That scent will call him to protect and cherish her.”
“This is just another story like the ones you used to tell me in the wagons,” Sam retorted.
“Imagine it’s true. What then?”
Sam fidgeted with Rainsilver’s bridle hanging from a nearby hook. Damn that Goblyn! Always pushing with hisbreathe, focus, controlnonsense. Pushing him to deny his baser urges, pushing him to master his instincts, pushing him to believe in delusions.
An image of Sam’s mother giggling while his father whispered in her ear came to mind. He thought about how the demon king would gaze at his mate with utter devotion and seek her advice on royal matters. He had been too young to know the intricacies of the Underworld court, but he had always known his mother did not carry royal blood. Her wings were gray as a Goblyn’s instead of coal black as other female demons, and her nature was not as ruthless. Yet she was considered queen—the one his father adored above all others. Could Selene be that for him?
If so, it could change everything.
“Fine. Let’s say it’s true. It’s all true, and by fate or some act of great magic, she wants to be with me. What if… ” he swallowed thickly. “What if I can’t control my instincts? What if… when we are intimate… I lose control and hurt her? I can’t hurt her. It would destroy me.”
“You have to trust yourself. Ask her to tell you if she senses a change in you, or you become too rough. Go slow.”
“But how would I even court her? I know nothing of females and what they want.”
“It’s not so hard. Offer her compliments, bring her gifts. Be kind. Listen to her. Respect her. Show her there’s no one able to protect or love her better than you can.”
When Sam didn’t respond, Eldridge left his side to stack the drinkware on a tray. When that was done, he pulled the barn door open. A blast of cool air blew Sam’s hair back.
Eldridge’s voice was gentle. “You have to see where this might go, my boy. If fate is offering you a chance at happiness, you mustn’t spurn it. Goodnight.”
Chapter 23
Selene traced her finger across a seam of the quilt on her bed and frowned. She counted her breaths for a full minute. Then another minute. And another before she punched her pillow in frustration. It must be well past midnight, and she still hadn’t been able to fall asleep.
When she let out a huff of annoyance, the sound scratched her throat, making her realize she was thirsty. That must be it. She was restless and agitated because she was thirsty. Definitely not because she couldn’t stop thinking about Sam.
She wondered how he was sleeping tonight. For her, it felt positively luxurious to have a room to herself. And yet, after many nights of sleeping within a few feet of each other, it felt strange to be separated.
I miss him.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, wishing it wasn’t so easy to lose herself in daydreams of Sam. All night she had been stifling fantasies about how his muscles would feel flexing under her hands or how his lips would taste.
Get a grip.She was playing a dangerous game, especially nowthat she had seen his darker side. Selene flung back the covers. Maybe if she got up to grab a quick glass of water, she’d doze off soon after.
The house was peaceful as she crept out, but the wooden stairs squeaked as she descended. She waited to see if the sound had disturbed anyone, but all she could hear was Eldridge snoring. Or was that Brunie? She glanced back at the door leading to Sam’s attic room and saw it was closed.
Selene was not surprised to find the kitchen as snug and tidy as the rest of the house. It even smelled clean, like lemon and sugar. Cool light from a full moon streamed in through the wide bank of windows that ran above the sink and counter. Bundles of herbs hung from the ceiling beams along with a variety of pots and pans.
When she approached the sink, she caught a glimpse of the brilliant moon through the window. It was too high to see from where she stood, so impulsively, she hoisted herself up to sit on the wooden countertop. She pressed her face closer to the glass.
The silver orb was like a luminous pearl. Its light bathed the trees and plants outside the cottage with a dreamy glow. Selene sighed. Was it a full moon back home too? She tucked her bare feet up under her nightgown and leaned her head against the window frame.
No matter how strange Aurelia was, no matter how many monsters, legends, and strange beasts it held, it was nice to imagine that they all looked up at the same moon. Cass and Evan could be looking up at that moon right then too. The familiar wave of worry and guilt surfaced when she thought about how concerned everyone must be about her. Would she ever see them again? Would they ever know what happened to her?
A blast of cold air and the sound of a door shutting made her jump. She looked toward the side door with alarm, trying not to pitch herself over into the sink. It was only Sam.
“What’s wrong?” he asked sharply. “Why are you down here?” His thick hair was disheveled, and his boots were dirty. Thedarkness of the hallway made his chiseled cheekbones more pronounced, and his horns gleamed. He looked wild, brooding, and a bit dangerous.
