Page 64 of Veradel
I like the feel of his eyes on me. The burn that cascades down my body.
Smoke infuses my senses, a warm, woodsy scent that fills every space in my head. The crackling of the fire adds a layered rhythm to Ashe’s song, and my eyes get stuck for a moment, mesmerized by the orange embers flaming like they’re alive. I almost feel as if I’m one with the smoke, twisting around, lingering in the air.
Vivian moves sensually against me, and I mimic the ribbony flow of her torso as the music slows and drags its notes.
Twirling, I come face to face with Lucan to find that his smirk has deepened. He pulls me into him, folding his body into mine.
“Dance with me, little nightmare,” he breathes against my temple.
I glance back at Vivian, making sure she isn’t left alone, but Merrick is already scooping her up into his arms with a kiss.
Lucan spins me, his fingers digging into my hips as he nestles my ass against his front. I follow his lead with each turn and dip and let my head fall back against his shoulder.
My body starts to warm, a slow tingle spreading up my arms as I reach behind me to clasp the back of Lucan’s neck and just move with the flow.
It’s slow at first, a soft tempo that our bodies keep time to. Our body parts meld together. Our body heat rises. His hands fan out over every inch of my exposed skin. And we just dance together through the soft smoke from the fire.
After who-knows how long, Soren appears in front of my face with another little glass of amber liquid. Lucan chuckles as I squeeze my eyes shut and throw my head back, bracing myself… but it stings a little less going down the second time.
Then the music picks up, and we’re twirling. Lucan lifts me in the air, and laughs tumble out of my mouth as my arms rise above my head.
Until I’m breathless and lightheaded, all wide toothy smiles.
“So, do you like to dance?” he asks me eventually when the music slows into more somber, soft notes.
When I pause, unsure what to do, Lucan situates my left hand around his shoulder and places his right palm on my waist before taking my other hand in his.
I tuck into him as he maneuvers my body and nod against his chest, deciding in the moment that yes, I do like to dance. It’s carefree, energetic, like a string of pure happiness weaving throughout your body.
But my mood shifts suddenly and solemnly with a sigh on my lips.
Looking up at him, I pout. “I’ve missed out on so much.”
All this time, he was dancing and hunting and learning and doing…everythingthat we couldn’t.
Lucan cocks an eyebrow, eyeing my dramatic bottom lip, before he brushes my hair back and kisses my neck.
“You have so much time,” he says, “to discover everything. Everything you never knew existed. Things you’ll hate. Things you’ll love. I promise I’ll show you.”
I suppose I will if we make it that far, but it’s a strange concept to not even know your true self at twenty-three. I assume that before the Wall and the Guardians, most people began experiencing things like this when they were much younger. And I’ve experienced nothing.
Lucan traces a finger up and down my arm as we stare at each other, lost to the outside world.
“What was it like?” I ask. “Your childhood. Growing up here.”
His eyes trace the ground in front of us, almost guiltily. “It was good.”
“Andddd…” I tease.
“And it was fun.” He pauses, presses his lips against my forehead. “I was a free-range child. Viv, Soren, Merrick, and I, we’ve explored every inch of these woods, every mountain peak.”
“Did you have a school here?”
“Sort of,” Lucan laughs. “One of the older werewolves here tries to get the kids gathered to learn math and reading. But Merrick and I used to ditch all the time to go swimming and fishing in the river. I thought I was such a little bad-ass. We’d jump off roofs, pretending we could fly. We’d steal apples from Mrs. Wright’s orchard.”
My eyes widen as I stare at his lips. So pretty. Smooth. Full.
“Drove my mom so crazy, she blames me for her white hair. And, of course, my dad would threaten to skin me alive.”
