Page 333 of Bitten By the Fae
“Even with the spell, I can still seeyou, Aflora. And you take my breath away every time, even with the blonde curls and green eyes. You’re still my Flora beneath it all. My bright star. I’ll never see anyone else but you.”
A lump formed in my throat, my mind conflicted on how to respond. It was such a moving story, and yet, so incredibly wrong.
They’d all made so many decisions about my life, removing all my choices.
However, I also understood those decisions.
And if I were to truly evaluate them, to decide for myself, I wasn’t sure how much my choices would have varied from the outcome. Perhaps, initially, I would have fought for a differentoutcome, but knowing what I did now, I couldn’t see another path for me to have walked down.
It seemed like years ago that I sat in that cafe waiting for Glacier to arrive. I was no longer that delicate flower, pining after a boy who didn’t value my worth.
Now I stood in the arms of a man who had given up so much to protect me.
If this was all a ruse, it was a very convincing lie. Because I could feel his emotions in our bond, his sincerity a warm sensation creeping through my veins and going directly to my heart.
There were no words for me to say.
No accusations or rants.
I could fight him forever, hate him for deciding all this on my behalf, or I could choose to recognize how many of his choices had been stolen from him as well. I could choose to admire how he’s dealt with all the weight on his shoulders. I could choose to forgive him for his actions. I could choose to trust him. I could choose to embrace him.
I curled my fingers around his arms, feeling his heat and masculinity through the soft silk of his jacket. And then I went up onto my toes to press my lips to his, making thechoiceto kiss him. Making the choice to grant him a piece of my heart. Making the choice to allow this moment between us to grow. Making the choice to accept our intertwined fate.
It wasn’t perfect.
It wasn’t a fairy tale.
It wasn’t even kind.
But it seemed right.
I choose to believe you, I told him with my lips, kissing him gently.I choose to accept us.
He wrapped his arm around my lower back, his opposite hand still against my neck, and he returned my embrace, his tongue sliding into my mouth to find mine.
His essence swirled around me, his power an addictive flavor I wanted to revel in for all of eternity. My soul rejoiced, life thriving inside me as he awakened a dormant part of my spirit.
My long-lost mate.
My Kai.
I clung to him, indulging in the heat and prosperity of our connection. Then sighed as the kiss slowly came to an end.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered against my mouth. “But if we continue this, we’ll never get to the Blood Gala, and I owe you the truth, Aflora. You have to see everything to understand our destiny.”
I nodded, agreeing with his intentions. “Promise me you won’t harm anyone.”
“I promise I won’t harm anyone without provocation,” he countered, capturing my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “If anyone means to harm us, I will retaliate.”
That seemed fair, so I conceded with another dip of my chin. “I accept that.”
He smiled. “Good.” He brushed his lips against mine once more. “Now hold on to me. We’re going to portal-jump several times to cover our tracks.”
I walkedinto Kols’s bedroom and paused at the sight of him bending over the bench at the foot of his bed.
“Almost ready,” he said without looking at me, his focus on tying his shoe.
I leaned against the doorway and folded my arms, more than content to enjoy the view of him in that all-black suit. Our relationship had deepened over the last few weeks, the blood tiesto Aflora and each other stirring foreign sensations inside of my soul that left me evaluating life a little differently.
