“Breathtaking,” he whispered—the word lingering in the air like the final cadence of a song.
Something fluttered in her chest. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
His gaze smouldered as he drank her in. “I’d really like to kiss you now,” he murmured, his voice low and husky.
“Then why don’t you?”
He only smirked and lifted her chin, tilting her head to the precise angle he desired. “I can’t think of a single good reason not to.”
He leaned in, lips hovering just above hers. Her heart lodged in her throat and she stopped breathing, anticipation wound tight through every nerve.
And then—finally—their lips met in a gentle kiss.
A jolt of electricity tingled through her, making her entire body throb with need. The softness of his lips felt like velvet against her own. His touch, insistent, stirred something deep within her that she hadn’t realized was there.
He withdrew, leaving her breathless and longing. The taste of him lingered on her. More; she wanted more. She bit down, her teeth grazing her bottom lip.
He practically pounced on her. In the blink of an eye, his body was on top of hers. He cupped her face, his shadows wrapping around her, pulling her tightly against him. Shivers ran down her spine, igniting a fire that burned hot and fierce, spreading through her like wildfire. Their lips met once again . . . this time harder, with urgent need.
Eyes closed, Luna gave into the sensations of her body, rocking her hips back and forth.
Damien groaned as his fingers tangled in her wet hair, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. She moaned into his mouth, suddenly keenly aware of how naked she was under the blanket. Her heart galloped in her chest, the sound roaring in her ears.
Then he pulled away, leaving her gasping for breath once again, and slowly, he raised his hand to the space between them.
On top of it rested a butterfly, its wings spread wide on display. “We have a visitor.”
She blinked. “I see that.” Apparently, one of her ancestors didn’t want her itch scratched.
Damien sighed, his voice barely a whisper. “It’s probably for the best.”
He shifted upright, breaking their connection fully. She may as well have plunged back into the lake given how cold her body went.
With the moment gone, she followed suit and sat up.
Damien raised his hand to shoo the creature away, but Luna grabbed his wrist, stopping him. “No, don’t. It’s happy.”
The butterfly’s feathery antennae quivered, but it didn’t move from its place on Damien’s hand.
Watching the butterflies earlier had been mesmerizing, but nothing compared to seeing one up close. Black bordered its iridescent blue wings, framing the butterfly as if it were a piece of art. The edges of Damien’s lips raised, and he lowered his hand, letting the bug make itself at home, but it didn’t stay long. In one quick motion, the butterfly flapped its wings and fluttered to land on Luna’s arm.
It tickled—unbearably so. Goosebumps rose on her skin, and she immediately shook her arm, forcing the butterfly to fly away.
“What happened to letting it be happy?” Damien asked with a short, amused breath.
Luna shook her head. “That was when it was on you.”
Damien laughed . . . a full, hearty laugh that rumbled in his chest. Luna wasn’t sure if she had ever heard such a pleasant sound before. His arm wrapped around her shoulder, again drawing her close to him, then he kissed her lightly on her forehead.
Chapter 26
Stars Above or Lack Thereof
Luna’s stomach growled so loudly the dead could hear how hungry she was. It had been days since she’d had a proper meal, and it didn’t help that they’d been travelling since the sun rose without any breaks. Damien had said this was the hardest and, unfortunately, the longest leg of the journey; he hadn’t been lying.
They’d left the forest ages ago and were now steadily climbing up steep and rocky terrain. To avoid falling off Pickles, Luna had to lean so far forward that she was practically hugging the mare’s neck. Not exactly the most comfortable riding position.
“You all right back there?” Damien called out, twisting in his saddle to look at her.
