His skin tingled where it had been in contact with hers and the taste of her was still on his tongue, addicting and sweet. His beautiful little keeper tempted him with every breath she took, but he was afraid to touch her with his new, hulked out body.
Gabriel’s body felt swollen and uncomfortable. He wasn’t used to the changes yet, and his legs felt heavy and his hands too big. Even the short walk across the courtyard to his sleeping quarters had made him feel clumsy and anxious.
Elites and citizens had stopped to stare with their mouths hanging open in shock as he had walked by. Normally, he would have been self-conscious and embarrassed to be seen walking around in nothing but a scrap of material around his waist, but he’d had bigger things to worry about.
Leaving Harris and Alden behind had been irrational, especially since he and his friend shared living quarters. When they had become commanders, they had moved into a suite that took up half of an entire floor of the building. Gabriel and Harris’ bedrooms were located on the opposite ends of the suite, but they shared the living room, kitchen, and other common areas. He’d always thought they had plenty of space, but now that they both had mates, he wasn’t sure it was big enough for them.
Of course, it wasn’t big enough, he thought with a mental groan.
His mate was a Vesera of a magical island, which meant she was probably used to living in some sort of palace or castle. Could she be happy living in a high rise in the middle of a crowded city?
Would she even want to stay on Earth?
Lyrica stood in the center of Gabriel’s bedroom and glanced around. The room was sparsely furnished with a massive bed, a small sitting area, and two open doorways led to a bathing room and a closet. There were a few personal items scattered about, but she could tell he didn’t spend much time there.
As the silence stretched between them, she noticed her mate looked…conflicted. Perhaps the shock of going through the transformation was finally catching up with him. A part of her would always feel guilty that she had caused him to suffer so much, and she wished she could have done more to help him through it.
When he had backed away from her, she hadn’t been offended. If anything, it just made her feel more protected. She knew he was worried about hurting her with his enhanced strength, but she trusted him. Probably more than he trusted himself at the moment. Now, she just had to prove to him that she wasn’t as delicate as she might seem.
“Why are you all the way over there?”
“Because it’s safer this way.”
“You won’t hurt me.” She took a step forward, then froze when he held his hand up and pressed back against the door as if to try to escape her.
“No, not intentionally. I would never want to hurt you.” He swallowed hard. “But this is…I just need a moment to wrap my head around this.”
Lyrica frowned. Her language translator was working properly, but there were some human sayings she didn’t quite understand. “Does that mean you need to think?”
His lips curved slightly despite his obvious nerves. “Yeah, that’s what it means.”
“Perhaps you should lay down while you do your thinking.”
He shot a quick glance toward the bed, and his blue eyes darkened with heat. “That’s probably not a good idea.”
She wanted to respect his request, but it was as if an invisible tether were tying them together, pulling them closer. Normally, she wouldn’t push the issue, but he was her mate. She wanted him, wanted to kiss him again and to touch him all over. His body belonged to her, just as every part of her belonged to him. The longer they weren’t touching, the more the distance between them just felt…wrong and unnatural.
She took a small, tentative step forward. “You cannot think while I am near?”
“You definitely make it harder.”
Her gaze roamed down his amazing body, and she licked her lips. “I can see that.”
He choked out a laugh. “Damn, princess. I didn’t know you had such a wicked sense of humor.”
Since she hadn’t been joking, she didn’t know how to respond to that. Instead, she blurted out, “A princess wouldn’t be an accurate equivalent to a Vesera on my world.”
“Wasn’t trying to compare the two. I meant it as an endearment, not an actual title. You remind me of a magical fairy princess from a story I used to love. So, I think of you as my princess.”
That made her smile. “Then, I like it. Shall I call you my prince?”
“Gods, no,” he said on a half laugh. “I’m more of a beast than a prince now anyway. That’s in reference to another story about—never mind. I can explain that later.”
“What you are…is mine. Let me heal you.” She had noticed him wince every time he moved, and she wanted to take away all of his lingering pain. It was a compulsion, a need she couldn’t deny. “I could not help you through the transformation, but I can help you now.”
He squeezed his eyes shut as if he were in pain. “I don’t think this is a good idea. I’m already close to losing control.”
“I’m willing to risk it,” she said, finally closing the distance between them.
His breathing sped up as she placed her hands on his
