Rolling his shoulders, Marius looked over the area.
Crimson stained the snow and mud, the signs of a scuffle apparenteven from where they stood. If Vivienne hadn’t come out when she did, he and Felix would’ve died.
She’d saved them, pure and simple.
“Thank you for coming to our rescue,” he said, the words feeling painfully inadequate.
He wasn’t too proud to admit that he and Felix had been outnumbered. Death had been on the horizon. He would’ve died, and then his vision of Luna screaming with blood tears running down her cheeks would’ve come true.
Gods.
His heart clenched, and guilt soured his stomach.
Stupid.
He’d been so damned stupid.
“I was just doing my job.” Vivienne unhooked Azil’s reins from the nearby tree.
Felix had saddled the steed before leaving, the groom having thankfully brought saddles in the carriage’s storage compartment, just in case. He’d also come equipped with saddlebags, provisions, and two spare cloaks.
Felix had taken one, and the other was slung across Marius’s shoulders. The saddlebags were on Azil, and with careful rationing, Marius should have enough food to last up to a week.
“I appreciate it nonetheless.” Marius stepped towards the horse, his hand outstretched, intent on taking the reins.
“You do know how to ride, right, Prince?” Vivienne’s tone was teasing, but her words had a serious undertone.
He scoffed. “Of course I do.”
Luna was overprotective, but Marius had insisted on learning to ride a decade ago. Thank all the gods, the king had backed him up, saying thatit would be a good skill for him to have. Luna had been nervous, but she’d eventually agreed.
She hadn’t had anything to worry about.
Marius had taken to horses like a natural, and his sister was forced to admit that riding was good for him.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Vivienne handed him the reins, and their pinky fingers brushed.
The touch was barely more than a whisper, but it reverberated through his entire body.
He sucked in a breath, and she froze. Marius’s heart thudded, and his muscles tensed. Warmth suffused him, starting at his hand and moving through him like fire.
Silver moonlight outlined their fingers, still gripping the reins. Hers were lithe, thinner than his, and as pale as snow. Callouses ran along his hands, decorating his flesh alongside the nicks and scars he’d received from training with the guards. Her skin was flawless.
And they were touching.
For one long moment that seemed to last a lifetime, neither of them moved.
Why did this feel so good? Why were jolts of awareness running through him? He didn’t know, nor did he care. Fire was warming him from the inside out. If this came from a touch, what would happen if he held her?
Before he could find out, the vampire inhaled sharply. Her fingers spasmed, and she released the reins.
“I’ll check the saddle,” she choked out. “After all, I need to make sure you’re safe. That’s my job.”
Because she was his bodyguard, and he was…
A fool.
He couldn’t hold her. Couldn’t kiss her. He wasn’t even supposed to touch her.
