Reign of Ice (Forever Fae #4)(16)

Brayden moved closer, the dagger in hand. “Is that what you want? What if the guardian bond isn’t enough? What if we need to consummate the relationship and be bonded fully?”

I held out my hand, palm up, ready for him to slice open my skin and get the bond started. “I just hope it doesn’t come to that. This has to be enough,” I whispered.

He winced at my words but stayed silent; even I caught myself wincing at my words as they came out of my mouth. They were harsh and cruel, and he didn’t deserve it after all he’d done. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him when he was being nothing but sincere to me, but I didn’t know what else to do or how to feel.

Taking my hand, he held it gently in his, rubbing his thumb along my palm. “I’m sorry you feel that way,” he said sadly. My gaze immediately shot to his just as he sliced the dagger across my skin. I hissed at the pain and took a deep breath while I watched the blood absorb into my dagger.

Why was he being this way? It would be a lot easier if he didn’t say things like that. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that, it’s just—”

“There’s no need to explain,” he murmured, handing me the glowing blade that just absorbed my Summer blood. He held out his palm and finished, “It’s probably easier this way.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, grasping his cold hand. “It is.” But I don’t think either one of us believes that.

The dagger felt warm in my hands, but when I grazed Brayden’s palm with the blade the vines on the handle started to change; they turned cold and began to ice over … literally. “Wow,” I breathed. “That’s amazing.”

Staring at each other, with bloodied palms, we both took a step forward. Breathing hard, Brayden wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer, never taking his gaze from mine. “What are you doing?” I asked nervously. “I don’t think we need to be this close for it to work.”

Clasping his fingers with mine, there was only a breath of space keeping his palm from connecting and completing the bond. “No, we don’t,” he replied, “but I think it’ll make it more enjoyable.” The look in his eyes was heated, full of hundreds of emotions that I thought he would never open up and let me see. I was so enamored by his gaze that I didn’t even stop him when he lowered his lips to mine.

Groaning, he pulled me closer, and even though he was a Winter Fae, he had me melting in his arms. He deepened the kiss at the same time he closed our palms together, sealing our minds as one. My mind flooded with images and feelings, all of which were from Brayden. However, what overtook them all was the growing need I felt coming from him, from within his heart.

He grasped me tighter. I could feel my feet moving closer to the bed; being that I secretly craved his touch, I didn’t protest. Slowly, I sat down on the edge of the bed and Brayden followed by lightly covering my body with his, leaning us back across the mattress. His hunger fueled my own and it was hard to tell who was feeling what with my own warring emotions mingling with his. I could feel him growing harder between his legs, and if things weren’t so difficult I’d demand he take me. Unfortunately, it was too soon to let it go that far.

“Look inside,” Brayden insisted in my mind, as he grazed my lips with his teeth. “You are the only one who will ever know me like this.”

Closing my eyes, I pressed my forehead to his and concentrated on the images he replayed in his mind. It was like I could see myself through his eyes. They were all images of how he saw me from his past and how he felt during those times. The first one was of me at Calista and Ryder’s marriage ceremony and how he wished he could dance with me, but he also thought I was immature and young. The second one was at the Winter Solstice Ball and how he was amazed at how much I’d changed from the years prior. I could actually feel the anger flowing through his veins when he saw me dancing with another Winter Fae at the ball.

I laughed, but Brayden squeezed my hand and growled. “It’s not funny, Princess. I could see the lust in my warrior’s eyes and I didn’t like it. I didn’t want him taking advantage of you.”

I scoffed. “Please, give me a break. I’m not exactly the type of girl guy’s take advantage of. You obviously don’t know of my experience with men.”

“How can I when you have your mind blocked? I think it’s only fair that you let me in. Do you have things to hide, Princess?” Actually, I did, but I couldn’t tell him that.

I sighed. “Soon, Brayden. Right now you owe me this.”

I couldn’t let him in fully, but if I played it just right I wouldn’t have to; I could give him bits and pieces of my life. It was already a hardship for me knowing I didn’t have much time, and the last thing I wanted to do was burden him.

The next image that came through our bond was of me sitting beside his bed when he was injured. He loved the way I sang to him and …

“You mean to tell me you were awake during that time? I sat there and sang to you for hours hoping you’d wake up,” I scolded him. “For hours I sat there!”

Sheepishly, he muttered, “I know and I’m thankful that you did. For the first time in my life I was selfish. I wanted you there with me and not with Kamden. I heard you were staying with him while he healed, but I wanted you with me.”

“Kamden is just my friend. He and Zanna are very special to me.”