A Ride of Peril (A Shade of Vampire #46)(7)

There were a few wooden crates in there, along with a pair of broken shackles abandoned in a corner. We started searching through the chamber, opening each crate, turning each stone, checking every drawer and obscured space.

I finally broke the silence. “Someone was held captive in here.” Maybe Bijarki would know more about it.

“Almus had a few run-ins with incubi and other friends of Azazel during his campaign to weaken Azazel’s advances on Eritopia,” the incubus replied. “He used these chambers to keep them from running but also to protect them from Azazel. Azazel doesn’t take kindly to traitors.”

He lifted the shackles from the ground and brought them closer for both Field and me to see the symbols etched into the dark metal.

“What are these?” I asked, squinting in the dim torchlight.

“Binding spells, proprietary Druid formulas. Only a Druid can unbind them. Once they’re on, you can’t speak or act against the Druid who bound them,” he explained. “I’ll hold on to these. Draven might find them useful.”

“There’s nothing here,” Field said, looking at me.

I turned away and headed straight for the door.

“Let’s try another room then,” I replied as I made my way further up the corridor.

Three chambers later, Field and I had yet to exchange another word. I watched him when he wasn’t looking, and as soon as his gaze would find mine, I’d look away, making myself busy with various boxes and crates.

I could feel the tension building between us, but I couldn’t address it with Bijarki around. But even if Bijarki were to leave us alone, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to clarify anything. I mentally chastised myself as I found another crate to rummage through.

Bijarki stood up from one corner and let a heavy sigh roll out of his chest. Both Field and I looked at him curiously.

“You two clearly have something to sort out between yourselves,” he said.

I froze and gave Field a sideways glance, noticing his straight face and the sudden flush in his cheeks. Bijarki had seen that there was something off between us, making me marvel at both the incubus’s impressive attention to detail and the intensity with which my dynamic with Field seemed to function.

My face was on fire as I realized just how transparent I was despite my attempts to seem cool and composed. Who was I kidding? Field rattled my senses. Why play that down?

“So, I’ll make myself scarce and look in another room. You two take the next chamber, and I’ll meet you somewhere later,” Bijarki added.

He then left me alone with Field, closing the door behind him with a loud screech. The hinges were rusty, probably as old as the mansion above.

A few moments passed with Field and me looking at each other before we both laughed nervously. He took a few steps in my direction, and I felt my heart racing the closer he got. There was nowhere for me to run or hide. I had to face my insecurities.

His expression hardened as he towered above me, measuring me from head to toe. I wasn’t sure what to make of the thin line of his mouth or the darkness in his eyes.

“What’s going on with you, Aida? Talk to me, please,” his voice sounded softer than the look on his face.

“I…I don’t know how to explain it.” I had a hard time finding the right words. My fingers fumbled behind my back as if I was the nervous little wolf-girl he’d once caught staring at him during GASP training.

“I’m in no rush,” he replied.

I sighed, finally accepting that I only had two choices: tell him about my doubts and get the truth out of him, or walk away and forever ruin whatever this was between us. The mere thought of the latter made me feel miserable, so I braced myself.

“I’m nervous, Field! I don’t understand this sudden interest you have in me. What happened? How come we kissed? What changed?”

He looked at me for a while, turquoise flames bursting in his eyes as he licked his lower lip, then bit into it.

My temperature spiked at the sight of his tongue. The memory of its taste teased me.

“Aida, it’s only now that I can see you for who you really are,” his voice was low and deep, sending heatwaves through my core. “I am sorry I didn’t see you sooner, as the woman you are, as the extraordinary creature you’ve become. It’s like I’ve been blind over the last few years, and it took this unexpected trip into the In-Between for me to realize how utterly stunning you are, both inside and out.”

He’d said something similar before, and it wasn’t enough for me. It didn’t feel like a good enough reason, not when I could still sense Maura’s shadow chilling my spine. I almost choked up, but I decided to let it all out.

“I don’t know what this means, Field,” I replied. “I feel like I’m your post-break-up crutch. I feel like I’m the rebound chick, the one you’re suddenly noticing because you need to get over Maura. I don’t know how you feel about me, and I don’t really get why you’d ever be into me in the first place. I mean, look at me! I’m not your average girl for sure. You’ve known me since I was covered in wolf hair, I’ve got too many curves on my body, and I’m the tomboy of The Shade. I fight and kick my way through almost anything, and—”

Field’s mouth crashed over mine and shut me up instantly. His lips were soft, and his tongue demanded access. I gave it to him. I opened my mouth and welcomed his hunger. His breath was hot, as was his body against mine. He held me, his hands finding their place on my hips as he pulled me deeper into the kiss.