by Leia Shaw
With a hand under her chin, he tipped her head toward him. “I care about you.”
She scowled and pulled her head away. “Caring is dangerous.” At his questioning glare, she explained, “It’s a gateway emotion.”
He laughed out loud. “A gateway emotion? What does that mean?”
“It leads to other, more dangerous emotions.” She squirmed uncomfortably when he slung an arm around her shoulders.
He laughed harder. “That’s that most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. But I suppose it makes sense coming from you.” He pulled her closer and kissed her temple.
It was ironic that he, being the man, was the one being used for sexual pleasure. Didn’t they get the roles reversed? After three hundred and forty years, he wanted more than just a romp in the hay…or a roll in the cave dirt.
He slid into the sleeping bag while Sage sat stiffly beside him. It was hard to hold back a grin at her stubborn expression. “Are you so stubborn that you’ll sleep in the cold dirt to avoid me?”
“Yes.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He dumped her off the sleeping bag and zipped himself in. “It’s going to be cold tonight. Good luck with that.”
The look on her face was priceless. “Oh fine, you obstinate vampire! Is this what you wanted?” She shoved her cold feet into the sleeping bag, shocking him a little when they touched his legs. “Now move over!”
He was about to start laughing, but she elbowed him in the chest, taking up more than her half of the space. But he was in heaven. He settled his body around her, entangling his legs with hers and tucking her against him.
“You’re going to make me cuddle, too?” she whined.
“Deal with it,” he whispered in her ear, catching a whiff of her seductive scent. He buried his nose in her hair and wrapped his arms around her possessively, as if she were about to run away.
Hell, she probably would run away if he let her.
Though her body felt tense, he knew it would only be a matter of time before she slipped peacefully into slumber. Perhaps in his warm embrace she wouldn’t have nightmares that night.
Surrounded by her scent and the warmth of her body, a soft smile settled on his face.
Chapter 12
Sage lay awake, enclosed in James’ arms hours after she first heard him purr softly in her ear. She kicked herself for getting too close. It was the reason she had to leave, but it also made it that much harder to go. If only they could have stayed friends. Even their demented teacher/student relationship would have been better than…whatever this was. Love? It was where they were headed anyway.
James could never go back to friendship. He’d said he wanted all of her. She couldn’t give all of herself – not to anybody. An independent survivalist, that was her, and always alone.
But she’d been right about the kind of sexual partner she needed. James had it all – the stamina to keep up with her, the strength to handle her, the teasing, the wicked games, his…freaking magic fingers. He’d delivered on every account. Just thinking about it made her want to wake him from his peaceful slumber with a sinful whisper in his ear. She bit her lip hard to distract herself.
For the past few days, she’d been having doubts about trusting him with her future. Tonight had clenched the decision to leave. Sex was one thing, but a relationship was quite another. And it was clear James would expect no less than possessing her in every way.
Intimacy. Affection. Trust. She just couldn’t do it. Even though she’d fought him when he’d insisted on sleeping together, the truth was, she’d melted into a pile of spineless mush the moment he’d curled her into his arms. And here she lay, his breath against her neck, his warm palm spanning her stomach under her shirt, his legs tangled with hers – she couldn’t imagine any place she’d rather be. But soon she’d be craving more. And that would put her in a very vulnerable position. If she needed James, it gave him all the power to hurt her.
Tears stung her eyes and she brushed them away with the back of her hand.
Ugh. James had opened the floodgates and now she was leaking emotion like a sieve.
Wetness flowed down her cheeks, pooling on the fabric of the sleeping bag. Why did this have to be so hard?
When she woke a few hours later, her cheeks felt stiff from dried tears. The sun had just begun rising over the trees, casting a dim light on the cave.
She slipped out of the sleeping bag, leaving James snoring softly. It was cold without the warmth of his body around hers. Her heart ached with unexpected emptiness, but she cleared it with a shake of her head and got down to business preparing for her departure.
When the sun rose higher, lighting the cave in yellow rays, James stirred. She rushed to pour the contents of the bottle she held into his coffee cup.
“Good morning, beautiful,” James said cheerfully.
He’d never forgive her. She pushed away her doubts and handed him his cup.
“What are you doing up so early?”
“Making your coffee. Isn’t that what couples are supposed to do for each other?” She batted her eyes. If he fell for it, he was more delusional than she’d thought.
He easily took the drink and began sipping away. “Thank you, cariad. That was very sweet.” His smile between sips surprised her. “Now, why don’t you tell me what’s going on because you and sweet don’t usually go together.”
Busted. Her lips twitched. Another reason to leave, he knew her too well.
“Maybe you were right last night,” she answered. “Maybe I need to learn how to be a good,” she gulped, “girlfriend.”
He took another sip. “Not buying it.”
“Why not? You really think I’m that evil?” she said in mock horror. But her conscience screamed, You’re poisoning the man who might love you. You are evil, dumbass!
“Not evil. Just misguided.”
She watched him carefully, waiting for the moment she could continue with her plan. After a few more leisurely sips he finally set the coffee cup on the ground. Sage leaned over and looked inside.
Good enough. She focused her mind on one of the thin, spindly trees outside the cave.
He was still talking but she tuned him out and concentrated on controlling two small branches behind him.
A smile touched her lips when, in only a matter of seconds, they wound around his wrists.
If James was shocked about his arms being restrained behind his back by a tree, he didn’t show it. He actually smiled. “Now this is the Sage I know.”
She stood up and brushed the dirt off her knees and ass.
“Tell me, what’s all this about?” He didn’t try to free himself. Not even when Sage wound a lit rope from her finger around his torso just as he did to her when they’d first met. He looked mildly surprised about the lit rope then nodded when he saw the open sorcery book.
“I need to know the truth,” she told him when she finished her incantation.
“Ah, I see.” He looked down at the lit rope then back to her face. “Skipped over the asking part and straight into interrogation. You don’t mess around, do you? Alright. You can let me go. I will tell you the truth.”
“I know.” She stepped back and ceremoniously wiped her hands together, proud of her handy work. “Because I slipped a truth serum into your elixir.”
His brows darted up then a grin spread across his face. “Clever girl.”
She walked across the cave, feeling confident and, well, clever. Finally, he showed some pride in her achievements.
“And the rope?”
“Locked with a combination spell.” Eat that! She sat down in front of him with a granola bar and water bottle in hand. It would’ve been nice to spend more time gloating, but she couldn’t afford the delay.
He sighed as if he were merely put out by a minor inconvenience instead of trapped in a cave for the next three days. But he didn’t know that part yet. “I still don’t see the purpose but, alright, let’s get on with it.”
“First
question,” she said between bites of her breakfast. “Is the Counsel really after me?”
“According to Maddox, who’s never lied to me before, they are.”
She took a sip of water, considering which questions were most important. “When we left your house in the middle of the night, it wasn’t just because of the Counsel.”
“Was that a question or a statement?”
“Question.”
After a reluctant pause, he answered, “No. It wasn’t the Counsel.”
“Keep going.”
He smiled. Considering he was a captive, he was being awfully cavalier. “Ah, but truth serum doesn’t work that way. I only have to answer direct questions.”
She rolled her eyes. Of course he would be smug about her trap.
“But since you’re so damn adorable even when you’re betraying me, I’ll play nice. For now.”
Her cocky grin faded and she shuddered. Struggling to keep an emotionless exterior, she simply nodded.
“I knew the Dark King sent the werewolves after you. That’s why I was a little…extreme in my reaction.”
“What did you think when you first met me?” The question left her mouth before she could stop it. When he grinned at her mistake, she mentally kicked herself for not filtering her thoughts better.
“That you were a stubborn, sarcastic, smartass criminal.” He didn’t even apologize.
“And now?”
He shrugged. “The same. Without the criminal part. I know you only stole for survival. And you seem to have learned your lesson.”
She bit back a chuckle. If he only knew.
He looked down at the rope restraining him. “Though now I’m wondering what other lessons you need to learn.”
“If you didn’t like me, why did you want to train me?”
He cringed and rolled his head, as if trying to hold the information in.
“James?”
He pursed his lips.
“I demand an answer to the question,” she said sternly, hoping there wasn’t a flaw in the truth serum.
He gave in with a resigned sigh. “I saw how much natural power you had and wanted to mold you into a weapon to defeat Cadmael.” His eyes were filled with regret. “But before you get upset, it was wrong and foolish of me. I wouldn’t have actually gone through with it.”
“Why would I be upset?”
His brow creased and he cocked his head to the side. “Because, I was going to use you.”
She shrugged. “It’s nothing I wouldn’t have done.” It was true although she felt a twinge of disappointment. Unable to help herself, she asked, “So there wasn’t anything you liked about me other than my power?”
His gaze remained steadily on her face as he answered, “I was drawn to your courage, but that wasn’t until after I got to know you better.”
She frowned.
“But cariad, you are the bravest person I know. And there are many other redeeming qualities about you.”
“Redeeming? As in making up for the fact that I’m stubborn and immoral and reckless and a criminal?” Her tone was matter-of-fact though she should’ve been offended. But there just wasn’t time to rehash old feelings. And in all honesty, if those were the worst things he thought about her, she had it pretty good.
He pleaded with his eyes. “Sage, please don’t look into it too much. You know a lot has changed since then.”
“Doesn’t matter. I don’t care anymore.” She stared at the ground while she collected her thoughts and brushed off any unwelcome feelings. Vowing to be done with the personal questions, she forced herself back into business mode. “Why are you so hesitant to leave the mountain?”
“I’m scared.”
She almost choked on a bite of granola bar. Had she heard him correctly? James, the arrogant, powerful vampire-slash-Caerwyn warrior, was scared? Hats off to Maddox’s truth serum. He’d never have told her this without it.
“You’re in danger,” he continued, “and I don’t know if I should stand and fight or take you and run. But I don’t want you falling into the wrong hands.”
“You mean anyone else’s hands but yours? Because I’m your weapon, right?” She tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice, although she merely thought it ironic.
He rolled his eyes and snapped, “I told you I changed my mind about that. Right now all I’m trying to do is protect you.”
“So why not tell me any of this? Why keep it secret? And why on earth would you think I need protecting?”
“This is exactly why I didn’t tell you!” Frustration seeped into his tone. “First, you’re arrogant and reckless enough to think you don’t need me. Second, I was afraid you would leave me. And not because I wanted you for myself, although now I think I do, but because I was afraid you’d get hurt. Or worse.”
She opened her mouth to argue then stopped. “What do you mean, ‘now you think you do?’”
His expression softened. “I mean that I do want you. I want all of you. I meant what I said last night, Sage. I care about you. Sarcasm, bad temper, foul-mouth –”
“Such a charmer.”
“I want it all. I want to be your shelter when the world is too much to bear. Your protector when others would seek to harm you. I want to be the one to wipe your tears away –”
“I don’t –”
“If you have them. When you have them. I want to be there to hold you close, whisper in your ear how perfect you are, just the way you are. I want to comfort you when you wake up from a nightmare –”
She opened her mouth to deny it.
“Don’t argue. I know you have them.” He caught her gaze and held it captive. “I want to possess your heart, cariad. If you’ll let me. Take a chance and trust me.”
She stared into his eyes for a long moment, biting her lip so she wouldn’t fall apart.
“Let me in.”
It was hard to ignore the way her heart fluttered like a butterfly in her chest. She swallowed a lump in her throat. I can’t, she wanted to scream. Fear held her back from opening up to him – to anyone. She was scared. And most of all, she didn’t deserve him.
The more she hung around and listened to his impassioned speeches, the weaker her resolve would become. She had to break this off quick.
“I’m sorry James.” Her voice sounded strained from swallowing back her emotions. “That’s exactly the problem. You want to possess me. You wouldn’t have it any other way. And I don’t want to be possessed. Go back to Caerwyn. Find an honorable sorceress to love. We both know that’s what you’ll want in the end. I’m just a good fuck along the way.”
His eyes darkened to a deep blue, ire rising in them. He tried, for the first time, to break out of the restraints.
Sage held her breath, half-expecting him to manage it. But when he couldn’t, she grinned.
“Is that all of your questions?” he snapped.
“Yes.”
“Then release me.” His tone demanded obedience, but she didn’t have time for power games.
She stood up and searched through the bags for the rest of the items she needed to pack.
“Sage…” he warned.
“I can’t James. You’d only stop me.”
He didn’t sound worried, only angry. He probably still thought he could break free. “Stop you from what?”
“Leaving.” She placed three water bottles and all the snacks they’d packed into her backpack.
“Why, cariad?”
She turned to face him. “What does that mean? Cariad?”
“I already told you.”
“Verbatim, in Welsh?”
Reluctantly, he answered, “It means love.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m leaving.” She turned to finish packing, and muttered to herself, “Before it’s too late.”
“This rope won’t last the hour, cariad. You won’t even get halfway down the mountain before I break free.”
“It’s got an enchanted lock.”
He’d alre
ady drunk a paralyzing potion but she wasn’t going to tell him that yet. Knowing he would be unable to move a single muscle, but still be conscious for the next three days was bound to put him in a foul mood.
“You’ve been reading the sorcerer’s book, haven’t you? I’d be proud, and maybe even a little turned on, if you weren’t trying to subdue me and sneak away. Where are you going anyway?”
She flashed him a smile over her shoulder. “What kind of runaway would I be if I told you that? Now be a good prisoner and be quiet.”
“You know I’ll find you, right? And quickly. It will only take me half a day to hack through the lock spell then I’ll pick up your trail by nightfall.” He may still have been acting like this was a minor inconvenience, but she could hear the tension in his voice. “And I’m not going to be happy about all of this.”
“I know. That’s why I’ve set up precautions.”
“Precautions? Like what?”
She spun to face him. Looking him in the eye was the least she could do. She wouldn’t hide from his anger. “A paralyzing potion. It should kick in, in about,” she glanced at the time on her phone, “ten minutes.”
A dozen emotions flickered over his face, landing on a barely contained forbidding graveness. It was frightening.
“Sage, don’t do this.” He may have sounded calm but underneath that cool voice was a tornado of rage.
Retribution would be severe. Good thing she didn’t plan on sticking around for it.
With a cheery tone, she reassured him, “You’ll be fine. It’s only three days. You’re out of the sun and your elixir will be here after the three days. It will give me enough of a head start so you won’t find me.”
His nostrils flared. “I will always find you. I will hunt you to the ends of the earth.”
She patted his cheek. “I guess that’s to be seen. But your tenacity is charming. It almost makes up for the fact that you intended to use me without my knowledge for your own ambitions.”
“Where did you get the potion?”
“Maddox gave me the truth serum. The paralyzing potion, well, if you find me, I guess you can follow up on your threat to strip search me.”
He smiled without humor. “There’s no if about it, cariad. Make no mistake, when I find you, you will wish you had let me go.”
