Just as she starts to shiver again, I attempt to send her a wave of affection. Though I know the coldness of winter will always cling to me, I feel boundless warmth for Isabel, and it’s my hope that if I can send her a wave of that affection through the bond, it will be of comfort to her when she needs it.
To my relief, she gives a faint gasp and goes very still. She peers at me in surprise, and through the strengthening tether that binds us, I know that I succeeded. She felt the warmth I harbor for her and sending her that warmth did, in fact, comfort her.
Thank the gods.
I can only imagine the closeness of our mating bond once we physically consummate the union. Perhaps if I keep sending her waves of warmth, she will begin to feel more comfortable around me, and eventually, she will surrender, allowing me to claim her for all time.
She presses a hand to her chest and takes a deep breath. “Is that truly how you feel about me, Gideon?”
“Yes, little moth. The warmth I feel for you began when I first started dreaming about you… before I even knew your name. As the days passed, it only kept growing. And now that we are together, my devotion for you feels endless. Tell me you feel it too. Tell me you feel something for me.”
She presses her eyes shut, and a look of anguish comes over her. She’s trying to resist the bond, but no matter how desperate she is to suppress her feelings, she finds it’s impossible. And despite the warmth I’m sending her and the affection she feels for me in return, this causes her sorrow.
“You don’t have to keep fighting it, Isabel,” I murmur.
“I must.” She tries to pull her hand from mine, but I tighten my grip, refusing to let her go.
“Isabel,” I whisper.
Then I feel it. The warmth strikes me with so much force that it nearly knocks the air from my lungs. I find myself gasping as she inadvertently sends me a wave of affection, revealing the tenderness that’s been growing in her heart. The regard she feels for me, despite her efforts to resist it.
I grip her hand tighter, and she finally opens her eyes.
The roar of the wind and the crackling of the fire fade into the background as we send one another waves of warmth. Her soul is revealed to me, just as mine is revealed to her, a promise of a bond deeper than desire.
A bond that’s inevitable.
A bond neither of us can outrun.
Then, at last, she whispers the words I’m longing to hear.
“I feel it too, Gideon.”
CHAPTER 13
ISABEL
There’sno denying the charge of sensual tension in the air as we clean up dinner together. My breath quickens and I can’t stop the pulsating warmth between my thighs. But beyond my physical desire for Gideon rests a yearning from deep within… a need for gentle companionship and shared affection.
I decide to stop fighting the bond. Just for one night. I still won’t surrender my body fully to him, and I know he senses that reluctance, but I also know he won’t force me.
After we’re finished cleaning up dinner, he guides me to the bedroll he prepared. It’s layered with soft furs and even a few pillows. He sits beside me and drapes an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. For a while, we simply sit and stare at the fire, as well as the darkness beyond the cave. I note that the smoke from the fire travels outward, but the winter wind that’s roaring outside doesn’t find its way to us. I can hear it, just as I can hear all the sounds of the night, but I can’t feel it. Not for the first time, I’m impressed by Gideon’s talent at creatingprotective wards, even though I hope he never uses such skills to keep me imprisoned.
He brushes his nose along the side of my face, and his winter breath caresses my neck, prompting a rush of goosebumps all over my body. And yet, inside I’m burning. I’m sweltering with desire.
“Does the idea of being my captive truly frighten you so?” he asks, his voice a deep rumble at my ear.
My breath hitches. I almost sayyes, but then I quickly realize that’s not quite the truth. When it comes to Gideon and my feelings for him, it would seem the truth remains... complicated. The truth is, the idea of being his captive does frighten me, but it also excites me. Even though it shouldn’t.
He pulls away slightly and places a finger beneath my chin, forcing me to meet his dark, all-knowing gaze. The flash of victory in his eyes reveals he’s already sensed the truth through our bond. He knows how conflicted I am. He knows that I crave him and yearn for him, just as he knows the idea of being his captive isn’t quite so frightening as it once was. He realizes it also excites me in a way that’s making it impossible for me to think clearly.
A whimper escapes me as I squirm slightly in place. I can’t help it. The ache between my thighs is becoming so intense, I’m no longer able to control my responses to it. I sense Gideon’s immense satisfaction through the bond.
You smell delicious, little moth, he tells me, his voice a deep, comforting murmur in my head.
I whimper again, then I flush. If only I could control my responses to him. If only I were stronger.
You are strong, Isabel. Strong and so very brave, he says through the tether.
