The time to leave arrives, but I refuse to say goodbye. I just can’t. Instead, we talk through our bond off and on, keeping each other company if only in our minds. It’s a comfort unlike anything I’ve ever known. When my flight crosses over the ocean, I nearly panic, worried I won’t hear him once I’m stateside.
“You still here?”I ask tentatively, scared I’ll only be met with silence.
“I’ll always be here, Tempest.”His low chuckle vibrates through my mate mark.“Remember that cute little bite you gave me? You’re stuck with me now.”
“Cute? Little?”I say in mock offense, taking a quick glance at the subtle silvery glow coming from my sternum. It’s faint but there in all its reassuring glory.“I happened to feel very ferocious when I did that.”
“Oh, you certainly are ferocious.”Without seeing him, I can tell he’s smirking, and I wish I was there to kiss and nip at his bottom lip.“I’ll make sure to warn the other harbingers to stay wary now that they’re on your radar. My perfectly feral mate.”
“Only feral for you,”I chime back.
His silky growl simmers below my belly. I’m certain if he were closer he’d be able to scent my desire, and that thought brings with it a slew of memories:
My handprints smeared across the studio mirror.
Delicious mint chocolate coating my tongue.
His skin stamping frost marks upon my own.
The searing stretch of my body around his knot, locked together for hours.
A low rumble vibrates through our connection. He’s remembering too.
Our stolen moments are small treasures I’ll pull out and admire until winter brings Jax back to me. He’ll still need to hibernate. There will be times of radio silence despite our newly formed mate bond. But hearing his voice from thousands of miles away is better than nothing. It’s a reminder that even as he fades back into the veil of his world that he’s real.
That he is, and will always be, mine.
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
41
JOLIE
It’s been over a month since I last saw Jax. The distance sucks, but we manage to talk each day while he finishes up winter in Australia and I kick off another season with Ballet Potomac, only this time as a soloist.
Evelyn, Veronique, and Sara are thrilled for me—albeit envious, which I totally understand. They aren’t any less supportive of me, though. It’s all I could ask for, and at least we get to see each other at company classes and rehearsals for Act I of our fall showcase. We’ll be dancing Kingdom of the Shades, an excerpt fromLa Bayadere.
The tips of leaves shift from green to rich ambers and maroon, rustling with the breeze, signaling fall’s arrival. It was Mom’s favorite season, and I always think of her when they begin to change.
As Lark and I head toward the metro, movement pulls my attention toward the trees lining the streets, and I spot two golden-skinned harbingers. They swirl in and out of each other’s way, tapping at branches, working so quickly I nearly miss them. It’s crazy to think how unaware we are of their existence. How easy it is to take their harbinging for granted.
The mugginess of summer remains, the heat more stifling than it should be in September. Sweat beads along my chest and brow, and I wipe it back into my hair, using it to slick the wisps around my bun.
After tucking my dance bag between my feet as soon as Lark and I sit down, I strip off my loose t-shirt, desperate for air. You’d think the metro would be filled, but it’s earlier than the commuting rush. Only five other people are spread out along the empty seats in our section.
“You okay?” Lark asks, not looking at me. I follow her gaze to the front of my leotard that’s mottled with sweat, turning the pastel-pink hue into deep-mauve splotches.
“Yeah,” I reply, though my tone’s a bit breathless. Pulling up my phone, I swipe to my camera, inspecting my pallid skin and the droplets peeking from around my hairline and the base of my neck. Could it be—
“Tempest?”
My heart pounds at Jax’s voice, and I cross my legs, body warming all over. Lark stares at me with her brows bunched together. Her thick sweatshirt has me grabbing my water bottle. I twist off the cap and chug down a few sips as I reach back out to Jax.“Hey.”
“I’m so sorry.”His lilt is low and gravelly, scraping along my skin like the canines I wish were dragging down my throat again. Claiming me all over.
Oh no. This can’t be happening…
