I feel relief flood through her, followed by a sigh. Agitated, I rise, pacing in the rented room. I put Briar in danger constantly, as if she’s a magnet to it when she’s with me. But if we were to be apart, I know it would be painful for both of us. I’ll simply have to work harder to ensure her safety. And that means this is the last night she’ll spend with Aiden. I grit my teeth and loose a long, frustrated sigh. Even if that means I can’t touch her the way I did today. It will be nightmarishly difficult to resist her now that we’ve been bonded. But Aiden is right; I could hurt her. It was different with Lilith, she was a vampire, like me, and she was vicious in her own right. Briar is fragile and soft; gentle where others have been cruel.
Before I realize it, my hand is on the doorknob, and I am wholly intent on finding Briar. I simply want to see her, to assure myself that she's alright and Aiden hasn't done anything to terrorize her. A small voice in the back of my mind warns me to turn around, to go to sleep. I ignore it, wrenching the door open. The hall is filled with a silver glow from the windows at the end of the hall. I peer out the closest one, near the stairs leading down to the first floor. Outside, the night is gray and dull. I can see lights winking on in the distance as the mortals prepare for a day of work.
I don’t like the mortal realm. I don’t like its garish light during the day or the colorless nights. I don’t like the hustle of the mortal realm; where everyone is intent on money and objects. I prefer the even pace of the Underworld. Even now, I miss the way the orange and pink glow of the sun refracts off of the obsidian mountains in the distance. And the night smelled eternally of jasmine. Here it smells like piss and sewage. The sooner we find the Nephilim, the better.
"Kane?" Briar asks her soft voice caressing my ear.
I take a deep breath, hands splayed on the windowsill to steady me. I know she's real. I can feel her warmth radiating from her petite frame. I can hear her blood pounding through her veins; intoxicating and sweet. I turn, eyes softening at the sight of her in a long, plain nightgown. She hovers a few feet away from me, hands clasped in front of her chest nervously. Her hair is loose, cascading over her shoulders. I forgot just how doll-like her features are.
“What are you doing up at this hour?” I ask quietly, making room beside the window.
Briar hesitates, her brows furrowed. After a second of deliberation, she inches closer. “I couldn’t sleep, and Aiden went out.”
I feel a flash of jealousy at the mention of my older brother. “And you would have stayed with him?”
“He,” Briar starts before falling silent. She mulls over her next words carefully. I don’t like it. “He is demanding, your brother.”
“And you’re frightened of him,” I say flatly.
Briar bites her bottom lip, and I feel a sudden urge to trace it with my thumb. By the Night, this soul bond will ruin me. "I'm frightened of what he could tell you," she whispers.
“What could he tell me?” I ask, staring, enraptured, as she runs her thin fingers through her hair.
"Lies," Briar says. Her gray eyes meet mine, and I see a flash of guilt in them.
“What kind of lies?” I prod. “Surely, I should know what they are so I can identify them.”
“He might tell you that I don’t want to be your bride,” Briar finally mumbles, after long seconds of torturous silence. “Or something like that.”
I cock my head, a strange feeling building in my chest. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t want to be my bride. You were only a baby when I bargained with your father,” I pause, watching her closely. “Do you want to be my bride?”
Briar flushes; even in the moonlight, I can see her blush. "I do."
Her words hit me like a summer storm, and I have to drop my gaze for a moment. I’m foolish, I tell myself as the warm feeling bubbles in my chest. I’m damned foolish. I shouldn’t care what this mortal girl wants – she’s nothing to me.
And yet.
“I should go, get some sleep,” Briar says softly, breaking the silence.
I glance up sharply. She lingers still, her hands behind her back. Wordlessly, I close the distance between us and wrap my arms around her slender frame. She sucks in a sharp breath, surprised, but doesn’t resist when I press my lips to hers. It’s like a glacier melting inside my body, hot and cold colliding in a fierce blaze. Briar’s lips are soft and supple and sweet. I feel light-headed by them as I drink her in. She moans softly, barely more than a breath, but I bask in it.
How long has it been since a woman made me feel like this? I can’t remember. I trail my fingers over her neck, feeling the pulse of her heart. Our hearts beat to the same rhythm as I relinquish my control on the soul bond. My barriers drop when her arms wrap around me. My apprehensions disappear as she arches into me. I feel her, every piece of her. She’s light and music and fresh air on a summer day. Her soul collides with mine
