“Don’t try and change the subject,” she said with a raised brow.“What did you almost bring with you?”
Rezer straightened slowly, every movement deliberate, measured.He felt the mirror behind him shudder once and then go still.Creepy indeed.
“It followed me farther than I expected,” he said as he took a step towards her.Now that he was here, in front of her, and the Chamber, or its inhabitants, couldn’t get to her, he wanted to touch her.To feel that she was safe.
That thought detonated in him.One heartbeat, and he wasn’t content to hover protectively.His power lunged.The invisible force wrapped around Lisa, not to hurt, but to hold.Tokeep.
The moment it touched her, something inside him broke open, fear, relief, hunger, all jammed together until they were indistinguishable.He saw her react, eyes widening, breath catching, that flash of outrage he’d been expecting.But she didn’t fight.She stood there, every line of her body strong, unafraid.His every instinct roared in satisfaction at that.
“Rezer,” she said, voice sharp but low.“What are you doing?”
He couldn’t breathe enough to answer.The Chamber had shown him her face, threatened her, and now she was right here, alive, warm, within reach.That vision of her ascollateralhad lodged in his skull like a splinter; the only way to remove it was toproveshe existed, solid and unharmed, under his hands.
He moved.One step, then another.The power holding her drew tighter, pulling her toward him until she was close enough for the air between them to blur.Her pulse beat against the magic like a second heartbeat syncing with his.
“I need to touch you,” he managed, voice rough.“To know you’re real, whole, safe.”
Her chin lifted, stubborn even now.“You could just ask.”
“Not this time,” he said, and reached for her.
His hands found her shoulders first, cool fingers against warmth.Lightning-bright sensation shot through him.Every nerve screamedmore.She exhaled, a small sound–half startle, half surrender–and his control went to ash.
He dragged her closer, his power wrapping around them both now, indistinguishable from the air they breathed.He didn’t even think about restraint.His mouth found hers, harsh, desperate, and finally, since the moment he woke that morning, he could breathe.
The kiss wasn’t careful.It was promise and apology, fear and fury welded together.She tasted like herbs, spices, magic, and tea and everything he’d been denying himself since he first walked into her world.Her hands came up instinctively, he felt the brush of her fingers against his chest, thankfully not pushing away, but resting there, giving him permission to satisfy the driving force inside of him.
The room spun with energy.Crystals along the shelves flared brighter, mirrors fluttered with ghostlight.His magic recognized her now, roared around her like armor being reforged.His body aligned to it without conscious thought, shielding her from every possible direction.
He finally tore his mouth from hers, breath ragged.“You don’t get to be threatened,” he said, voice low, shaking with conviction.“Not by some sentient Chamber, or its inhabitant.Not by anything.Not while I’m breathing.”
Lisa stared up at him, lips parted, eyes dark with a storm of emotion he couldn’t name, shock, defiance, want.“Rezer,” she said softly, “you can’t protect me from?—”
“Yes,” he interrupted.“I can.I will.”His hand slid up to her jaw, thumb brushing the spot he’d just kissed.“You matter too damn much now.Whatever comes through that Chamber, whatever games they play, it ends before it touches you.”
Her breath hitched.He felt it, every tremor of it, in his own chest.“You’re furious,” she whispered.
“I’m aware.”
“And you think kissing me fixes that?”
“No.”His mouth curved in something almost feral.“It reminds me what’s at stake.”
For a heartbeat they simply stood there, the hum of magic still vibrating through the floorboards, the mirror behind him pulsing faintly with residual power.He hadn’t released her yet; maybe he couldn’t.His arm still encircled her waist, her body fitting perfectly against his.
Finally she spoke, quiet but steady.“So this isn’t you losing control?”
He met her gaze.“No,” he said.“This is me taking it.”
The words landed between them like another pulse of energy, hot and final.He could feel her heartbeat answering in perfect time.His arms tightened just slightly as he breathed her in and let the world outside the room wait.He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers and took several deep breaths.After a minute had passed, Lisa pulled back.
“As much as I like being in your arms, I think we have a lot to discuss,” she narrowed her eyes on him.“Namely, the fact that you knewit, whateveritis, was following you and yet you still came here, is not comforting.”
“No,” he agreed.“But, I don’t need you to be comforted.I need you safe.”His mind jumped to the way the Chamber had shown him Lisa and had attempted to use her against him.Fear hadn’t been something he’d felt in a long time.But he’d felt it then.He stared at her, the concern in her eyes searing his soul.
Relief slid through him, quick and unexpected.She wasn’t shaken by his intensity.She wasn’t shrinking.She was exactly who she’d always been, strong and resilient.
Lisa ran a hand across his chest, perhaps attempting to soothe him.“I am as safe as I can be, considering I seem to be in a relationship with a dark elf and ‘safe’ is relative when it comes to your kind.I think we can move on to more pressing matters.”
