Varian frowns, looking thoughtful before noting, “I suggest we refrain from telling anyone that Nymara is the daughter of Need. That knowledge will only put a target on her back.”
Reluctantly, I nod in agreement. Nymara and I aren’t exactly friends, but she risked everything to help me. I can only hope Need didn’t get to her.
“Speaking of people who are missing, the Fates are gone,” Ragna adds.
I whirl around to face her, instinctively reaching for Sin’s hand. I haven’t forgotten Clotho’s warning that her sisters want his soul.
My chest tightens at the thought that they could be anywhere, just biding their time to hurt him.
Sin has been mostly quiet, content to let me work through problems, and occasionally offers suggestions. But at my pulse of fear, he leans in and brushes his nose across my neck. “It’s all right. Breathe. I’m sure Clotho took her sisters somewhere they won’t be able to cause problems.”
His beard brushes the sensitive underside of my neck, and I swallow, trying to hide the heat that pulses through me in response.
Time and place, Vivian. Get a grip, I mentally urge myself.
“But,” he continues, no doubt feeling my arousal through our one-sided bond, “If you’re worried, you could always complete our bond. Then you’d always know I was safe.”
I jerk back at his taunt and narrow my eyes at him. “Nice try. And not a chance. I’m not condemning you to death.”
A sharp pain spears through my chest, and I ignore the exhaustion that clings to me.
Clearly, my body is just adjusting after two weeks of stress.
It’s definitely not a side effect of having a crumbling soul that is draining me from the inside out.
Sin’s eyes darken. “You’re going to give in, kitten. I’m not letting you sacrifice–”
“Can you two stop fighting and get a room? The sexual tension is making me nauseous,” Arianna groans, slamming her coffee mug onto the table.
“We’re not fighting!” Sin and I snap back at the same time.
It’s true. We aren’t.
We spent the night wrapped in each other’s arms, neither of us willing to give in. And even though we were still having a disagreement (not a fight) about the whole soul thing, having him close was everything.
Twice, I woke up in a panic, and he rubbed soothing circles on my back, telling me I was safe until my eyes drifted shut once more.
That’s not what people do when they’re fighting.
Then, this morning, he kissed me like he wanted to devour me, before asking if I was ready to be his again.
I laughed, knowing exactly what he was up to, and reminded him that a part of my soul was still intertwined with his. So, who I belonged to really wasn’t in question.
He hummed thoughtfully as he got out of bed and slowly stretched in the morning sun. He’d stripped off his shirt at some point in the night, and my mouth went dry when I took in how the light played off his muscles.
He smirked, definitely knowing what he was doing to me, when he innocently asked, “You’re right, you’re mine, kitten. But don’t you want me to be yours?”
That’s when I realized this isn’t even a disagreement.
It’s a game.
And from the barely restrained desire that has yet to leave Sin’s gaze, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a heated one.
Game on.
Varian clears his throat and stands, returning me to the present. “Well, this has been a productive meeting. I’m going to relay our next steps to my people.” He gives Ragna a curt nod. “We’ll move to the barracks asordered and update you about space.” His warm amber eyes meet mine. “I look forward to working under you.”
Sin stiffens beside me, and I’m trying to figure out if there was a sexual undertone to those words.
