The music almost came to a stall, and that’s when I slipped out of Torvin’s grip and made my way back to my pint. But thenthe music picked up the pace in a slower rhythm, and I found myself moving my body to its beckoning call.
I turned and flinched, finding Aegir standing right behind me.
“You have tostopdoing that,” I all but shouted.
“Stop doing what?”
“You know, sneaking up on me from behind.”
“I wouldn’t have the need to sneak up on you if you didn’t move away every time I came close.”
“I do not do that!” I countered.
“Oh, really?” he said, raising a brow. “So you wouldn’t mind if I dothis?” He took one full step towards me, closing the little distance between us. I had to tilt my head up to keep his stare.
“Mm-mm.” The sound came from my throat, and I shook my head as if I didn’t mind our proximity at all.
“Will you dance with me, then?” he asked, opening the palm of his hand towards me. My heart pounded at that question. My eyes left his hand to meet his gaze.
I pretended that he had never hurt me and slowly placed my palm on top of his. I almost didn’t notice—which was very surprising to me—that his skin was not at all calloused, but was rather soft and silky. Thinking of the twin axes he often carried strapped at his back, I was expecting otherwise.
I followed him.
Also to my surprise, I noticed that he moved us away from the crowd and not towards it. Then he turned my way and lifted our joined hands to shoulder height. He moved close and slid his hand around my waist, settling it at my lower back. I could not properly describe what I felt in my stomach at that moment, but it was as if someone had lit a candle inside of it.
I had just danced with three males, two of whom were jaw-dropping gorgeous. Joel and Darius had also grabbed me at my waist and held me by my back, and it did absolutely nothing. Yetnow, havinghisarm wrapped around me,hishand at the small of my back…I—I burned at his touch.
The soft music melted around me as he moved us in time with the slow rhythm. I took that moment as an opportunity to touch his muscled arms, slowly tracing my free hand along his shoulder, then resting it just above his elbow. My eyes found his.
He let go of my back only to spin me around once, then pull me close, his hand finding the exact same spot. Mine went to his front, close to where that waitress had earlier placed hers. I found his heart thundering beneath my palm, and I resisted the urge to press my ear against his chest, if only to make sure that it was truly beating as fast as mine was. My hand left his chest as he spun me around again, then pulled me in before I could complete my second turn. He wrapped his arm around my belly, my back finding a comforting wall. I couldn’t help but lean against him, secretly dissolving in him. Another half spin brought us back to touching chests, and we silently danced like that for a while. For how long, I couldn’t tell—for too long, not long enough.
And when the music came to a stop, Aegir kept our slow dance going for a while longer. I stayed there—cradled in the moment’s spell.
But then I blinked, freeing myself from his silky chains, and snapping myself back into reality. “I’m going to get a glass of water. Would you like one?”
Aegir appeared to have fallen still and silent—an Alarik kind of silent—and simply shook his head. I pushed my way to the bar, easily at first. But when the music resumed and the people moved at its command, I had to push harder. I shouted my order.
“Hey, beautiful,” commented a man whom I could see in my peripheral vision staring at me. I don’t know why I did it, but I looked. Then the bearded man with a thick scar across his righteye leaned in. “If you’re looking for some fun, you can join me tonight, you know? I’ll gladly show you the best time.”
I decided I’d get the water later, so I pushed myself off the bar and made to turn away, but the bearded man hooked his arm around my waist, soiling my memory of Aegir’s touch, and pulled me towards him. I tried to push him off.
“Oh, come on, don’t be shy,” he purred, sniffing my shoulder. “Mmm, you smell nice.”
“Let me go!” I yelled, trying to escape his rough grip and failing.
“Let her go, or I’ll freeze your fucking arm off,” a harsh voice, which I’m sure was Aegir’s, came from behind us.
“Mind your own business.” His warm, ale-smelling breath fanned against my neck and I winced, squeezing my eyes shut.
“Sheismy own business—now let her go.”
His tough act crumbled the moment he turned us around and came face-to-face with the male who threatened his arm. His grip slacked, and I quickly slipped to Aegir’s side. “I’m—I’m sorry. I—I didn’t realise she was your lady,” Bearded stammered.
Before I could blink, Aegir dipped his hand in the tankard of water—that the waitress conveniently decided to finally bring—then grabbed a tight hold of Bearded’s upper arm. The man grimaced and let out a loud, agonising yelp. Sizzling white fumes formed where their skins touched.
Aegir’s words were cold and misty. “Do so much as look her way and I swear to Boreas, I’ll freeze you to death, then shatter you into tiny little pieces.” When Aegir let go of his arm, a purple-black handprint remained. And as the white mist dissipated, purple veins appeared, snaking their way out of the hand mark and wrapping themselves around the length of the man’s arm. Bearded cradled his limb and scurried away like a scared dog—tail between his legs.
“Are you all right?” Aegir asked, lifting his arm to grab my own.
