She didn’t have to abide by Celestial customs. She had not consented to marry him so their marriage was invalid. But annulments never occurred among the Celestials. Blood Bonds were sacred. Perpetual. If his father learned about this, he might compel her to honor it.
Then he must never know. No one must know.
Cassiel cursed and kneaded his temples. It would be impossible to hide this for long. He’d be forced to confess if his father attempted to wed him to another. Once bonded he could never exchange his blood with anyone else. Doing so was adultery. That infidelity would not only defile a Blood Bond, but it would also bring self-suffering and spurning.
Even if that didn’t happen, Dyna would feel the change between them. While she would not understand it at first, he would have to explain what it was eventually. Angst stirred in him. He didn’t want to see her disgust when she learned she was tied to him.
No.
He would not let anyone obligate her to honor the bond.
Not to him.
Cassiel refused to let her live the life his mother had. If they forced Dyna to stay in Hilos, the hatred of his people would break her. Imagining it made his fists clench. If he could protect her from anything at all, it would always be from that.
Perplexed with himself, he studied the soft curves of Dyna’s face. The fire’s glow highlighted her silken mouth and nose. He lightly brushed a stray strand of hair from her cheek, his fingers tingling.
What was it about this human that gave him the insane need to keep her safe?
Perhaps it was because she was trying so hard to do what she could on her own, and he wanted to help where she fell woefully short. Or because as silly as she was, he found her incredibly brave to venture out into the world to fight a demon.
Dyna whimpered in her sleep. She murmured indiscernible words, growing more agitated as teardrops formed in the corner of her eyes. Cassiel touched his chest at the trickle of fear weaving through him. It wasn’t his fear—it was hers.
Filtering through the bond between them.
As her whimpers grew, so did the panic he felt from her until it grew frantic. Cassiel reached out to wake her but hesitated to touch her battered body. He found a spot on her ankle and wrapped his fingers around its delicate circumference. The bond vibrated with warm energy, fading the fright that had twisted through him.
Dyna’s cries quieted. She woke and blinked sleepily at the night sky. He removed his hand, and she noticed him.
“Cassiel?” She moaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. “What happened? Where is Zev?” She sat upright, causing the blanket to drop and expose her.
He snapped his face away.
Dyna screeched, rushing to cover herself. “Where are my clothes?”
“I had to remove your dress to mend your wounds,” Cassiel said, forcing his voice to remain even. He motioned at the pile of bloody rags near him. “That’s what’s left of it, and I found no change of clothing for you.”
“Oh … I lost my clothing in Hilos.”
Cassiel sighed, lacking the energy to be annoyed. He was busy trying to get the image of her breasts out of his head.
“Did you rip your tunic for me?”
She must have noticed the color of her bandages, and that he was bare-chested as well.
“Garments are replaceable, you are not.” Cassiel cringed for saying such a thing. What was wrong with him?
There was another short pause followed by the sound of Dyna shifting around a bit. “I’m covered. You may turn around now.”
He didn’t dare. It was fortunate the dark hid his hot face because he was sure it had turned red. His wings twitched at her stare digging into his back.
“You have saved my life once again. I’ll forever be within your debt.”
He groaned. Instead of being upset with him, she was grateful. That only made him feel more ashamed. “Enough with that nonsense. This is the last we speak of debts.”
“Thank you, Cassiel. You’re a good person.”
The flush seeped down his neck. “I’m not.”
