I smile down at her.
“What are you waiting for?” she asks, struggling to the tips of her toes and running her tongue over my lips.
I straighten, standing too tall for her to reach.
She’s right. We’d normally be all over each other. The smooth surface of the stone is enticing on its own. It’s not slippery, just wet, and the leverage from the pebbles underfoot would be more than enough for me to support Kitten’s weight.
The moss that has covered the space from the base of the wall down along the stones and the stream – that looks like it would be a fun surface too. A perfect balance between being able to bend and push and maneuver a person, and yet not hurt them.
Teegan settles one long finger over my lips. “Shh,” she says. “Whatever you’re thinking…”
Her power slips over me, then off me. Like I have my own bubble.
I didn’t want the pretty things at the inn in Rengurra, and I didn’t want the Seduction at Lackshir. None of them.
And Teegan, an Elite Seduction, her power should compete with mine – able to be the sun to a sunflower. Irresistible.
But all of that is gone.
Replaced by a feeling as smooth as glass and as permanent as stone.
I splay my hand out against the wall, my chest heaving through this strange new part of my heart that I didn’t know existed. Teegan has one leg hitched over my hip. One hand had already worked the clip loose on my pants, and damn if I wasn’t close to getting that tumble my brothers wanted – without even realizing it.
I couldn’t now, even if for some reason, I did want to.
I couldn’t, and I don’t want to.
I trail my hand through the flow of water over stone, marveling at the clean sensation. Not that I felt dirty before – but that my fingers are alive with every slice of liquid-over-skin in a way that makes me wonder if I’ve ever really felt this in control before. This clear-headed. This alive with my own choices. Calm and pure and… everything.
If this is what it should feel like to be alive, have I really felt anything before?
Anything.
Ever – or at least since I was a young child and my power revolved around obtaining sweets and not cleaning my room.
Teegan pushes and wriggles just enough to free herself from between me and the cliff. Then she begins to pace behind me.
“You’re right,” she huffs. “Nothing.”
She stops and crosses her arms over her chest, waiting. Finally, I pull my hand from the water and re-fasten my pants. I don’t turn my body, just my head, settling my calm gaze on her.
My far too calm gaze – which falters slightly as the weight of Kitten’s role in my life begins to descend. Telling her my power wants her is way down on my to-do list. Keeping her safe is way up on the top of that list.
“You played a part in Rose’s actions,” I begin, power seeping out with my words, “and even if you didn’t, I need you to know that it will be your death too, if any harm comes to that mortal.”
She smiles. Long. Slow. Seductive… but not.
“That’s exactly what I expected you to say. I could taste it on you. In all this time, all the other partners you’ve had since me, you have always tasted the same. Available. Desirable. Now you taste like sweet honey. You taste like her.” As she talks, she runs her tongue over her lips, a quizzical squint in her eyes. “I can’t explain it or understand it, but I will respect it.”
I don’t believe it. Not that I don’t believe her, just what she thinks she can promise. I seem to have new limits, and I flex my power out in all directions to test them, but I’m quite certain she does not.
Five Paces
Killian puts me down on the edge of the big cleared rectangle of land, where the beginnings of green grass are shooting up through the dead crops. This is where he dumped me in the mud and reset my arm – for the millionth time.
Without thought, I flex and curl my fingers. My arm feels good, barely even an ache.
Seth catches up to us carrying a sword and spear. Then he moves about our training space, throwing stray sticks and the odd rock into the trees. The sword gets strapped to his belt, then he spins and twists the spear in wide warmup arcs while Killian sits on the ground and begins to stretch.
I turn my back to them and instead seek out Jada. Pax had said they would talk – which is probably what they’re doing now. I can’t see them. I bet they can see me, though, trying to hide the tremor in my muscles as I stand here not having a clue where to start – while the people around me know exactly what they’re doing and move smoothly into the activity.
I bet Jada would know what to do right now – how to train with Sabers.
“Stable your jealousy. She’s good people,” Killian says, making me jump a little. “If she hurts you, I’ll kill her, but jealousy is pointless.”
Big guys shouldn’t be able to soundlessly move from stretching on the ground to being way too close without making any noise. Shouldn’t, but Killian can.
“I don’t get jealous,” I mutter as Jada and Pax finally amble into sight. “And who’s good people?”
They’re still talking, walking next to each other like equals. It’s pretty damn clear he values her. And it’s pretty damn clear that stirs up emotions in me.
“That bond you’ve got with him is strong,” Killian says. “She can’t touch it.”
And that, right there, is pretty damn sweet – like honey.
But I can’t tell him that. So I just grunt. A low grr-uh sound that he follows with a hhhhrrrr-ing noise.
Pax turns sharply to look up where the stream merges
