We collapsed together, breathing ragged, the light slowly fading to a gentle glow. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me close, his lips brushing my temple. "That was... extraordinary," he murmured, his voice still husky from our exertions.
12
MALRIK
Iawoke to the unfamiliar sensation of warmth against my side. Not the warmth of hellfire or brimstone. I was quite accustomed to those. But the gentle heat of another being, breathing softly in peaceful slumber.
Charlie.
I felt something I'd never experienced before. Peace.
I turned carefully, not wanting to disturb her rest, and allowed myself the indulgence of simply watching her sleep. Her hair spilled across my pillows in wild disarray, a stark contrast to her usual meticulous composure. The perpetual furrow of concentration between her brows had smoothed, making her look different, more vulnerable.
The patterns were still there, pulsing gently with each heartbeat. More prominent now after last night. Permanent. Beautiful.
I traced the line of her shoulder, following those patterns. I could sense her dreams. Warm, content, touched with echoes of pleasure and something deeper that mirrored my own feelings.
Love.
The realization settled over me with startling clarity. I loved her. I loved Charlie Davenport.
I could imagine staying like this forever. Watching her sleep, feeling her breathe, knowing that for once, I'd found something worth more than power or status or fear.
I brushed a strand of hair from her face, and she sighed contentedly, unconsciously pressing closer. A smile curved my lips, an expression of genuine warmth rather than calculated charm.
Then something shifted.
Charlie's breath caught. Just slightly, but I felt it through our connection, a flicker of discomfort. Her brow furrowed, and the patterns on her skin pulsed erratically for a moment.
I stilled, watching her carefully. The patterns settled again, but something felt... off. Wrong.
Her body jerked suddenly. The crimson traceries blazed brighter than they should, and she gasped, a sound of pain that sent ice through my veins.
"Charlie?" I sat up immediately, one hand on her shoulder. "Charlie, can you hear me?"
Her eyes flew open, confused and frightened. She clutched at her chest where the patterns were flaring wildly, pulsing with erratic intensity. "Malrik? What's... it hurts..."
The power. I could feel it, surging, burning hot, as if rejecting something. Her body tensed, and she cried out softly.
"I've got you," I said, gathering her into my arms without thinking. I pushed my own power forward instinctively, trying to calm whatever was happening inside her. "Breathe with me. Slowly."
She tried, gasping against my chest. The patterns flared again, painfully bright, before gradually beginning to dim.
Slowly, agonizingly slowly, the surge subsided. Her breathing steadied, her body relaxing against mine as exhaustion overtook her. Within moments, she'd slipped back into sleep, though this time, her face remained creased with lingering discomfort.
I held her, my own heart racing. What had just happened? The bond had felt stable last night. Complete and harmonious. And now...
Now something was very wrong.
I laid her carefully back on the bed, pulling the covers around her with shaking hands. She murmured something unintelligible but didn't wake. I stood, backing away from the bed, staring at her sleeping form as dread built in my chest.
The patterns on her skin were still pulsing too rapidly. The power inside her felt... unstable. Like it was burning instead of resting peacefully as it should.
This shouldn't be happening.
I dressed quickly, my movements jerky and uncoordinated. Every few seconds, I glanced back at Charlie, half-expecting another surge.
I needed answers. I needed Paz.
