Page 64 of Unbound By Shadows
Without even bothering to brush the sawdust from his tunic, Sam stole a glance at Selene before climbing up into the front seat. He had kept his distance from her all day and was surprised to see that she wore a formal dress. It was pink with delicate straps skimming over her Nereid-creamed shoulders, with a skirt made of voluminous netting. The brief glimpse had made his pulse pound, yet he declined to comment as Rainsilver set off for the town hall.
While they rode, Brunie jabbered away, pointing out local landmarks. Sam could tell from Eldridge’s posture he wanted to talk, but Sam didn’t initiate conversation. They had conversed enough for the day.
Eldridge had found him in the barn about an hour after he hadstormed out at breakfast. Not only did the Goblyn chastise him for leaving the table so rudely, he quietly explained that they had told Selene everything about their past together. Sam had felt sick, but he should have known that a Harpy can’t resist answering a question posed to her. He had wanted Selene to see him as a self-commanded male who valued justice and reason—steadfast, controlled, and merciful. Not a sadistic killer who had taken the lives of innocents. Or someone who was easily manipulated and unable to escape his own confinement for many years.
Yet Eldridge had assured him Selene wasn’t upset by the news. She was sympathetic, he had said. She was horrified by what Julian had done, but not by Sam's violence. Sam refused to believe him. It was too much, too confusing for him to take in, especially after how he had lost control in the kitchen the night before.
So he had spent the day avoiding everyone, fixing any little thing he could find around the farm, and telling himself he wasn’t affected at all by what a human thought of him. He reminded himself that he was using her to get to Zaybris, nothing more. It had worked, almost—until he saw Selene in that dress.
After they arrived at the community hall, Sam lingered outside as the others went in. Using the excuse of tying up the horse, he performed a thorough inspection of every spring, strap, axle, and spoke of the carriage. When he was certain everything was in working order, and he had no more excuses to stay outside, he entered the hall.
A wall of sound hit him when he passed through doors—music, singing, and laughter. The hall’s design was humble but appropriate for the needs of Snowmelt. It was in the shape of a rectangle, with hardwood floors gleaming under lamps hung from the ceiling. Homespun quilts decorated the brick walls, while two massive porthole windows were set high up near the ceiling on either side of the building. The twin surfaces were foggy with the heat of so many bodies, but stars could be seen glinting through the glass.
Brunie caught his eye from her post behind a table serving pie.She pointed to the stage. Eldridge stood singing in front of a handful of musicians while a small crowd of Harpies cheered for him from the floor. The tune was fast and upbeat, and Sam’s mouth tugged up at the sight of Eldridge’s enthusiasm.
The sound of Eldridge’s voice and the scent of Brunie’s pies made Sam feel gratified. It was good to see them both so happy. If he did nothing else honorable, at least he would know that the two he loved best in this realm had found peace.
Sam made his way toward the drink table. Snowmelt was mostly a town of farmers, and it was obvious that the presence of a demon flustered them. After receiving a generous pour of ale, he found a quiet corner to disappear into.
He hadn’t called the shadows, but they seemed to know when he was in turmoil and came swirling. Slumping onto a tiny stool, he stared down into the ale’s foamy surface. A familiar laugh jerked his attention up.
It was Selene. Far across the room, giggling and stepping from one male’s embrace to the next in a line dance. It seemed to be a well-practiced routine from the movements of the other participants, but Selene did not appear embarrassed about her inability to keep up. On the contrary, she seemed to find it delightful. Other males took advantage of her ignorance with hands-on corrections, extra touches, twirls, and dips.
Sam watched them with narrowed eyes. Did she relish being pawed at by so many strange hands? Where was her sense of prudence? He began to fantasize about elaborate ways to torture each male she touched. He wondered what the Underworld’s Master of Pain would recommend. Skin flaying? Acid? Impalement? The possibilities were as endless as they were intriguing.
The musicians ended their up-tempo song and started a slower-paced tune. More couples strolled out to the dance floor, and Selene became surrounded by males trying to press a drink into her hand. Most of them held mugs of ale, which made Sam snort.She loathes ale, you fools.It was the Nereid with the wineglass who gained herfavor. When Selene took a sip, a tremor ran through him. It was her desire for a glass of water that had brought on the events of last night.
He still wasn’t convinced he hadn’t imagined the whole thing. The feel of her in his arms, so pliant and lush, was like a dream. He couldn’t get enough—her touch, her taste, her scent. To have her warm skin under his tongue and her hands on his body had made him crazed. Desperate and greedy for more.
Why had she kissed him? The movement had been so unexpected he froze—he was sure she hadn’t meant to kiss him fully on the mouth. But she didn’t pull away. She had parted her thighs as if in welcome and arched her back towards him. She had made him feel as if she wanted his mouth, his hands on her. Suddenly Eldridge’s idea that she was a little bit fond of him didn’t seem so outlandish.
It was her hair that smelled of honey, he had realized. Her skin was like red berries, but the honey scent came from her hair. Exquisite. Addicting. And the sounds she made? He could have come just from hearing her little gasps and moans.
But then his control… faltered. He had become mindless. Selfishly dragging his mouth all over her tender flesh, ready to tear her clothes off and slake his desire any way he could. A slave to sensation, no better than a filthy vampire.
He watched the Nereid male across the room whisper in Selene’s ear and her head tip back with laughter. Familiar urges to punish rose. Dark possessiveness shot through Sam as his mind fogged with one word—mine.
It flashed across his consciousness for only a second, but the effect was powerful.Mine.That was how he was starting to place her. He rubbed his forehead, startled by the way his mind was now beginning to keep pace with his body’s absurd delusions of matehood. The pair spun around, and he stared at the skin of Selene’s exposed back. Wingless. Very human shoulder blades and nothing more.
The hall felt too hot, and the air seemed stale. He needed to leave. Now.
After slipping out the front doors, he relished the brisk night air. The hall had been built on a wooded area near the river, and the water’s sound was soothing.
Mine.What was wrong with him? One kiss from a beautiful human, and he was certain she was his mate? Absurd. He tried not to relive each moment of their encounter in the kitchen, but he couldn’t stop. He wished he had gone slower, taken the time to savor every second, every moment until he had started to lose control.
The sound of footsteps crunching along the ground made Sam turn, then mutter a curse. Of all the people who could have come out at that moment, it had to be Selene. She sank onto a wooden bench overlooking the water. Her breathing was still choppy from dancing as she slumped back and sighed.
“Grown tired of cavorting with simpletons, have you?” Sam asked, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.
Selene jerked upright. “Where are you?"
Sam moved from behind the tree to stand in front of her.
"You nearly gave me a heart attack,” Selene said. Her relieved expression changed to one of indignation. “Did you just say ‘cavorting?’”
“That’s one word to describe your wanton display.”
“Really? Cavorting? What am I, a nymph?”
