He came up behind me and ran his hands up and down my arms. “I’m more than happy to warm you.”
Desire swelled in his aura, and the stirrings in me tripled.
Shite.
Tingles that I’d often felt in the warrior’s presence reared, but they were more intense, more...savage. Involuntarily, venom coated my fangs, and once again, they wanted to lengthen.
Drink. Suck. Fuck him.
Gasping, I lurched forward and brought a hand up to cover my mouth.
“Prim, what’s wrong?” Concern filled his tone, and Kole advanced on me, already trying to fill my space again.
I swirled away, giving him my back as I desperately tried to control this newthinginside me. “Nothing, I, um...I’m just feeling overwhelmed.”
His presence pounded into my back, his warmth seeping through my clothing as he came right up behind me once more. Hands softly clasping my shoulders from behind, he leaned down and said soothingly into my ear, “It’s okay now.Everything’s out. The Council and your parents know that we’re mates, and I’m still allowed to be here.”
I wanted to lean into him, to let him hold me and shoulder some of the burden that’d been placed upon me. But he couldn’t.Icouldn’t. I couldn’t tell him anything even if my existence depended on it.
Cautiously, I replied, “Yes, they know. I confirmed it with them today. Initially, they wanted to keep you from me, but I told them that wasn’t an option.”
But now I’m starting to see how wrong I was.
Anguish gripped me as strongly as a constricting snake. I couldn’t have Kole and keep hidden what I was. Sooner or later, I would make a mistake, and then I would have to enter his mind and erase his suspicions.
I would have to hurt him.
Completely oblivious to the war raging inside me, a growl of contentment rumbled from his chest. His hands ran up and down my arms, and I thanked the gods and goddesses that I was wearing long sleeves. “How did your parents take it?”
I swallowed the dry heat in my throat.Gods, I’m so thirsty.
In a rush, I replied, “They’ve allowed you to return, upon my request, but beyond that, we’ve reached no agreement. For the moment, they’re okay with me bedding whom I choose, but come a hundred summers...” I couldn’t continue. Even though that day was less than seventy summers away, I also knew it would be here before I knew it, but I was starting to wonder if it even mattered.
I wasn’t Primelle Hollaran any longer.
I was a princess of Mistvale Kingdom, and on top of that, a complete monster.
Kole stiffened. “They still want you to wed someone of noble standing? Even after knowing we’re fated by the gods?”
“Yes.”
“Prim...” An ache filled his tone, but then his voice hardened. “You belong with me.”
But do I?I didn’t voice the question. I couldn’t. Because if he knew what I’d turned into and that just last night I’d nearly killed an innocent female as her blood called to my soul...
A shudder racked my frame.
“Come here,” he said gruffly, obviously mistaking my shiver for worry over my parents’ involvement.
He turned me in his arms, his gaze locking with mine. Tenderly, he cupped my cheek and leaned down to kiss me, but just as fast, he stopped.
“You’resocold.” He brought a hand to my forehead, and I tried to pull back. “Galaxy Above, you’refreezing. Are you sick?” His frown deepened even more, and his gaze skimmed over my face, as though he could somehow identify my illness if he just sought it hard enough.
Gods, this was helpless. Entirely helpless. Tears erupted from my eyes. I’d been a fool to think that we could make this work. Everything I’d feared was coming true. He knew. Koleknewsomething wasn’t right with me.
And all of a sudden, it was toomuch.
A sob shook my shoulders.
