Page 47 of Bound
I stand in the silence for several long moments. Though fatigue weighs on me, I know it is more a tiredness of mind than body. I trail my fingers over one of the gleaming bed posters.
The curtained French doors catch my focus once more and my feet carry me over the polished hardwood. I press outward onto a narrow pathway of smooth stone and stop.
My inhale is loud in the quiet.
Rich green grass spreads all around the enclosed garden. A few delicate saplings offer shade over a carved bench and simple beds of seasonal flowers. The towering wall is made of more rough-cut stone, no doubt the expanse is another fortification measure for the manor.
A low travertine pool is nestled amongst tall tufts of heather and sprigs of pompous. The entire space is well tended. Cared for.
I gingerly step from the stones, nudge off my simple shoes, and sink my feet into the lush grass. Each blade tickles my soles, and my lips pull upward into a smile.
The soil is cool despite the heat that has beaten down on it all day, and I want to lie out over the expanse.
Lifting my skirts so they do not drag, I walk through the lush greenery to the small pool and gaze down at crystal clear water.
I inhale, expecting human chemicals to keep it so pure. So clean. There is nothing but mouthwatering freshness. Nisha was truthful earlier. They do not use chemicals here.
Several small steps offer an easy way down into the pool, and I hesitate at the edge of the smooth stone sill. The basin is a soft pink and white in the dimness, the odd tiles creating a breathtaking pattern under the clear water.
Peering around, I dip my toes into the warm liquid with a sigh.
It is like a gentle bath. I let my dress fall and the hem grows damp, but I don’t care. With the water lapping at my skin and the cooler night air, there is perfection in the simplicity. A calm.
Though the coven house is far from the Sith, far from home, somehow a vampire was able to create such a beautiful oasis.
Since arriving in the city, Nisha and the little garden are the first things besides Gage that I like about the human world. Everything else is like white noise.
Sighing, I sit at the edge of the basin, dampening my dress until it clings to my legs.
Now Gage is even more distant than I remember. Gone is the protective Fae male that made me feel so safe at the hotel. He seems angry. And I don’t know how to handle the change.
In the morning, someone will have to go with him to bring Liam back to us.
Vish would be a good choice. Or Wena.
But perhaps it is only my cowardice that makes it seem so.
If I was as fair or as strong as Bran, I would go with Gage. I would bring Liam home.
My hands fist into my skirts. The chiffon is embroiled with the faintest swirl of vines in a ghostly green. Made for a lady of the white tower.
Disgust fills me.
Standing, I reach and fumble until my fingers slip the buttons loose. The fabric spills from my body, sliding down my arms into a heap atop the water.
Swathed in only my silk chemise, the night breeze spills over my skin like a caress. Heat bathes me. I shiver and let my head fall, basking in the moonlight like the goddesses of my kind.
The clouds swirl above, obscuring the moon in wisps of gray. I spin in a slow circle. Raising my arms, I dare to go faster, whirling and whirling. My heart races and my skin flushes. But for the first time in so long, I feel alive.
Like how I feel when I’m with Gage.
My feet slide in the grass and I stumble. Crashing to my knees, I press my palms into the thick stalks, grounding myself.
Breath sawing through my lungs, the reality of it all spills through me.
No matter how angry Gage is, I feel more alive when I’m around him. I feel safe. Cared for.
Whatever caused the change in him, I need to change it back. I need …
