Page 72 of Ransomed to the World
He nudged her chin up, amusement gone from his expression. “I want you to be protected. While you have a natural affinity for dark matter, so do phantoms. These daggers have been be linked specifically to you. Think of them as a last line of defense.”
Annora pulled away from him slightly. “You’re expecting trouble.”
“I always expect trouble. I don’t trust Daxion or the council. Keep the daggers hidden, and don’t use them unless you absolutely have no choice.” He smoothed a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Most phantoms aren’t adept at using weapons, much less afford them. Blades like these are awarded to only the most talented members of the family, and only for special occasions.”
“Awarded?”
“Enchanted blades can take years to forge and can lose or gain power depending on the skills of the owner. They’re usually purchased by the head of the house and given to those who have earned the right to own a set, such as warriors who have proven themselves in battle.” He ran a finger along her jaw and lifted her chin. “You are my family, and I don’t know anyone more worthy than you. Do you accept?”
Instead of answering, Annora rose up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. At the contact, he sank his fingers into her hair and pulled her close with a groan of white-hot desire. He didn’t try to be gentle, and she didn’t want it.
She was crushed to his chest, her back pressed against the wall. She cursed that her hands were full, aching to touch him in return.
But Edgar eased back, breathing heavily, and she bit back her protest. Now wasn’t the time. Still, the spicy scent of him was subtle but addicting, and she nuzzled his chest.
He kissed the top of her head, then stepped back, and she gazed up at him, studying the sharp angles of his face, his skin pale, as though he’d spent too many years in the afterworld. His eyes were dark, weathered by the hardships he’d endured, his nose long and straight, his lips generous if a bit hard, his jaw strong but stubborn…and she loved every inch of him.
The boat bucked, the world dropping out from under her feet, much like what she felt when he gazed at her with such hunger. He caught her close, and she marveled at the warmth spreading through her. She never knew her heart could ache with happiness. All the pain, all the suffering, were worth it.
The guys were precious to her, the only good things in a world of darkness.
Without them, she would be lost.
She pressed her hand over his chest, opening up the connection between them and showing him what she couldn’t put into words. “Thank you.”
Her thanks were for so much more than the knives. They were for entering her life and giving her hope when she had none. For making her cling to life when she was pushed beyond endurance. He kept her alive until she was strong enough to fight her way free, until she could find her family and make them her home.
He stilled, not even his chest moving, his eyes shading completely black, then he picked her up by the waist and claimed her lips for in a ravenous kiss. Annora wrapped her legs around his hips, her arms around his neck, and tried to keep up with him. He tore his mouth away and pressed his forehead against hers, cradling her against him, his hands gripping her hips hard to keep them from wandering. “Your timing sucks. We should be on the island in twenty minutes.”
He lowered her to the floor, then grabbed her chin with a firm, almost brutal grip. “You will not put yourself in danger or take any unnecessary risks. Do whatever you have to do to survive and come back to me.” He gave her a slight shake. “Understand?”
“Yes.” She nodded, feeling his desperation as if it was her own.
He crushed her to his chest, squeezing the air out of her lungs, a tremor going through him. “I can’t lose you now. I wouldn’t survive.”
Things were going to get bad, and she didn’t like the idea of him going back to the people who left him to die in the banished land. She dreaded how they might treat him when he showed up again with her in tow.
“We stay together, no matter what. No unnecessary risks for any of us.” Annora pushed him away, releasing a shaky breath to steady her nerves, then held out her weapons and gave him a brave smile. “Now show me how these things work.”
He rubbed his brow as if collecting his thoughts, a rare show of emotions that he normally kept bottled up tight. It steadied her to know he was just as rattled as her, but she was sure that together, they could survive anything.
He grabbed her wrists, lifting until the blades were between them. “All it takes is a drop of your blood to activate them, and they’ll come when you call.”
Annora spun the blades, offering him the handles. “What do you need me to do?”
He hesitated, then took one of them, and she willingly held out her hand. “These blades are sharper than anything known to man, so you have to be extra-careful.”
She pressed her lips together to stifle her smile, his nervous babble calming her like nothing else could have done. He tightened his grip on her wrist to hold her steady, and held the tip of the blade over her index finger. The knife wavered for a second, and he flexed his shoulders, firming his grip. “Ready?”
He was almost more nervous than her.
He didn’t wait for a reply, but simply pressed the tip just hard enough until a bead of blood formed. The edge was so sharp that she didn’t even feel the cut. At the taste of her blood, the blade shimmered for a second, then the metal seemed to absorb the drop.
He lifted her hand and squeezed the tip of her finger until another single drop of blood welled and splashed down on the second blade, christening both daggers. Even as the metal glistened, Edgar popped the tip of her finger in his mouth and sucked on it lightly.
Her breath caught in her throat, and she could do nothing but watch, entranced, as he lapped at her finger. Her body heated, her nipples hardening, and she craved more. His tongue made another pass, making her shiver, and when he pulled her hand away from his mouth, she nearly whimpered at the loss.
He spun the blade until the hilt was toward her, a blush coloring his cheeks. “That should help stop the bleeding.”
