Page 34 of A Castle of Broken Memories

He trailed off as I bent over, shimmying the pants down my legs.

“The uh…”

My brown, leather corset fell to the ground.

His voice was little more than a rough whisper. “…decanter.”

I kept my back to him while I plucked each of the buttons on my silky, white tunic free. “We can hardly leave now with Gregar all riled up and you running on empty. Might as well get a bath in while we’re waiting.” I allowed myself a quick peek over my shoulder as I shrugged the shirt off and was immediately struck by the hunger burning in Jack’s eyes. It was a look I’d seen a hundred times over, and yet it’d never left me this breathless before. This… agitated.

I’d never had a problem strutting about naked, so why in fuck’s sake did I feel so vulnerable now? It’s not like Jack hadn’t seen me naked before. I’d shifted in front of him this morning, for crying out loud.

But this morning my walls weren’t crumbling.

This morning, I’d been determined. I’d been focused.

And now…

Now all I could think about was that mouth and those fangs, the memory of his hands ghosting their way up my thighs. The way they’d tease and torture before he’d slip inside, filling me so full I’d see stars⁠—

I dove into the water, wishing it was colder. Swimming beneath the surface, I held my breath until my fingers brushed the rock cliff on the other side of the pool.

Get yourself under control. You and Jack can’t happen. It’s a bad idea.

I breached the surface with a gasp and turned, determined to play it cool. Only I wasn’t prepared for the sight that met me: Jack, standing in waist-high water. Shirtless. Most likely pantless. I tore my gaze from the broad swath of bare chest and toned abs long enough to spy a full pile of clothing on the shore.

Yep. Definitely not wearing pants.

I swallowed. “What are you doing?”

He quirked a brow. “Same thing you’re doing. Bathing while we have the chance.”

“Oh. Right.” I gripped the rocky ledge behind my back, my legs strangely wobbly. The motion arched my chest forward, and Jack’s jaw clenched in response, a storm brewing in his eyes as he slowly looked me up and down.

He took a step forward.

I pressed back against the wall, legs squeezing together for all they were worth.

His eyes hooded while he waded closer. “Maybe you’re right.”

“I’m right about a lot of things.” I bit my lip as the top of his sculpted v-line disappeared beneath the water. The pang of disappointment was offset by the anticipation of knowing he’d soon be close enough for me to see straight through the clear surface. “You’ll have to be more specific.”

He ran his tongue over his teeth, twin sets of fangs extending on either side. “I should probably feed. Just to be safe.”

He was so close now, I could reach out and touch him. My fingers itched to do just that, but I held my grip on the cliff as I forced my gaze to stay fixed on his. Feeding was practical. It was the smart thing to do, and I was happy to oblige. It did not, however, require climbing him like a tree. No matter how much my body ached to do just that.

“I’m glad you’re finally seeing sense,” I said, trying to recover some semblance of indifference and failing miserably. It was all I could do not to wrap my legs around his waist and slide my needy center onto all of the delicious hardness lurking beneath the water’s surface. I swallowed a wanton mew when he took another step closer and his cock pressed against my belly. Tilting my head to the side, I closed my eyes and whispered,

“Go on then. Bite me.”

21

In the taverns back in Mondue, old men would tell stories about the world outside our forest, of mythical sea creatures who could lure sailors to their happy deaths through the sheer power of their voice. I’d always considered them to be tall tales—an exaggeration twisted out of proportion for the amusement of those who had nothing better to do than sit around drinking.

And yet, here I was—every fiber of my being burning with need for the woman standing before me. Moonlight reflected off the freckled column of her neck, glistening wet and surrounded by a thin mist of steam. The sight made my mouth water as it drew me closer, reeling me in like a hooked fish. If you do this, that’s it. Any hope of taking things slow will be ruined.

My hand gripped the curve of her bare shoulder.

Her breath hitched.