Page 17 of A Kiss From a Revenant
“Silence. Those are my demands, and they must be met.Speak to anyone about what I have told you, and my magic will undo you before your next breath.”
Icy shock coats my skin in frost. Metal invades my lungs and coats my tongue. The light presses in on me, smothering me until there is no air left in my lungs. I choke, writhe on my knees before I feel the power snap. I greedily such down lungfuls of breath. A greasy sheen coats my skin, and I know our bargain is struck.
“Maker,” I rasp, bowing my head.
By the time I gather the courage to look up, the being is gone. The clearing is just as still as I found it. I take stock of my body, feeling the familiar press of my armor and the worn edges of my cloak. One male entered this clearing, but another is leaving.
One who is determined to accomplish this daunting feat. I rise on shaking legs and turn back towards her—Nory. There is no time to waste. Each moment has become more precious than the last, with our finite time together barely more than a handful of days.
It spurs me to move fast—cutting throughThe Woodsuntil I find myself at the outskirts of her town. Despite the odds, I have to try to fulfill this bargain.
Even if it kills me.
This planshe’s presented me with has to be more foolish than the last.
I am pressed in amongst a clustering of evergreen trees, a few feet from the simple road. At least the scene before me looks believable enough. The only praise I can think of as I take in the broken horse’s bridle in Nory’s hand. We took it from theblacksmith’s shop before making our way to a quieter part of the Snowlands.
The biting chill of the weather seemed worse out here for some reason. Yet, Nory was once again dressed in her scarlet dress. The way it hugged her body made my teeth grind together. Now that I know what she feels like against my palm, I have to swallow my groan and will my errant cock to behave.
Her pink cheeks and the loose tendrils of auburn hair clinging to her brow make her even more enticing. There is a tightness in her muscles, indicating her unease at the situation. Still, she is here to help—that kind heart of hers pounding soundly against her ribs. I can practically taste her pulse and hear the rushing of her sweet blood.
When I had returned fromThe Woods, it had been nearly late evening. I had snuck unseen into her cottage, finding her in a state. Was it merely my hope, or had she seemed genuinely pleased to see me? Like she had missed my presence throughout the day, and now that I had returned, she could relax. Her shoulders had sagged a bit upon my entrance. That has to mean something.
Unless it is my own unchecked fantasy, but then she said she believed I had departed early, forsaking our bargain entirely.
“I am a male of my word,” I had said. “There is nothing in this world that could persuade me to leave with you on the line.”
Color had stained her round cheeks, and the look of pleasure danced in her green eyes. The subject of my abandonment was dropped then, and she imparted to me her ludicrous plan.
Her soft heart had been on full display as she told me about the woman she longed to help. Nory is unlike any human I have ever met. Her kindness is uncommon. However, the more I think about it, the more I realize that might not be true. Maybe I have just spent too much time on my own—wrestling with myown misery—that I never took the chance to learn about another human.
To be fair, none of them who saw me for more than a moment seemed inclined to hold a polite conversation. Nory is different in that regard—she summoned me, boldly and unafraid. Still, I am far from angry when I consider Nory being the first and last human I’ll ever truly know.
Each moment with her is a gift—and that is why I have no plans to tell her of our limited time together. Suppose there is any chance of making good on this bargain imposed on me by my maker, then I could not tell her. If she learned of my predicament, it may taint what was between us. The burden is mine and mine alone. More so, I would not want her to submit to me out of pity.
That would be a fate worse than death.
I will endure in silence and be grateful for the moments we share in whatever capacity they may come. Watching her petite frame shiver, I know it’s not merely from the cold but from what we are about to do. She should have no part in this. If she simply gave me a name, I could dispatch these men for her.
Nory hadn’t gone for that idea, telling me she had to do it. That, even if it was a small part, she had to know she helped in some way. Her words float back to me from the night before. She enjoys my power—how I will kill for her at the slightest provocation. It is at odds with her good nature, but then perhaps not entirely. The Snowlands are a harsh place for anyone to grow up in. There is a darkness that infects all who live here. Nory’s darkness has just manifested in this way, and I am more than happy to be the outlet for her wicked ways.
Is that not proof that she is perfect for me in all ways? She is the one thing I’ve spent centuries looking for: her heart, her soul, her beauty, all of it mine. I just need a chance to prove myself worthy of her devotion. If I do, then maybe she will?—
The soft clicking of hooves on stone steals my attention.
I tuck myself firmly into the dark treeline, hidden in shadow. Tilting my head around the nearest tree, I can make out the lone rider who approaches the magnificent, glittering brown steed. He is an older man, with gray at his temples and lines around his eyes and mouth. The state of his clothing is impeccable. His coat is trimmed in fine gold thread and adorned with matching buttons. Broad of shoulder and long of leg, he must be nearly twice as old as Nory.
I glance over to her and watch her morph into the perfect distraction: a distressed damsel whose horse has bolted and left her stranded along the road.
She waves a delicate hand and smiles warmly at the approaching man.
The man stops—of course he does—and seals his fate.
“Trouble?” The buttons of his coat refract the moonlight as he hitches his horse to a nearby post.
“L–Lord Peter,” Nory whispers, throwing back her shoulders and exposing more creamy skin. “My horse. I—I don’t know what happened. An owl must’ve scared it—the poor darling snapped free and took off before I barely got my bearings about me.”
Through narrowed eyes, I watch the man—Lord Peter—survey the scene for any hints of deception. Nory withers his inspection, and I see the moment his gaze turns from weary to lecherous. My teeth grind together as he stares pointedly at the swells of her breasts. My fingers sink into the bark of the nearest tree, coating my hands in wood shavings.
