“And worlds apart in others.”
His voice lowered and he said, “It doesn’t have to be that way.”
“Yes it does. I can’t change who I am—I wouldn’t if I could. And I know my place.”
He sat back and swept his fingers through her hair. “I respect that about you. But I also want to alter it.”
“I don’t.” She unfolded her arms and linked one with his.
He glanced down at her and she stared deep into his eyes, wishing she had the magic words to take away the haunted expression plaguing him. “Darien, I’m okay with being human and facing an hourglass with the sand running out. When my time is up, it’ll probably be a lot more peaceful for me. I’m also happy with my position in this community. I can live with the destiny designed for me.”
His brow furrowed. “Anyone can do that, Jade. But to change it… That takes courage and imagination.”
She leaned toward him and whispered against his lips, “You exhaust me the way your mind is constantly churning.”
He let out a low groan. “I’d like to exhaust you with my body.”
Moving into his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “You didn’t just come here to bring me reading material, did you? Or to spew some sort of valiant and selfless crap about wanting me to build a life with another man.”
“I do want you to be happy.”
The heat flowing through her veins and the swelling of her heart made her say, “Then take me to bed.”
* * * * *
Darien’s groin tightened at the prospect, yet he hesitated. “I just told you to marry someone else.”
“Yes, but you didn’t really mean it.” A coy smile played on her lips. “I may lack romantic experience, but I can see through a ploy such as that. And while, yes, it might better my situation in some aspects, it wouldn’t in others. It would be false. You have to know that. And Michael deserves more than a tiny piece of my heart that now only feels friendship toward him.”
“Love can grow from that.”
She shook her head and let out a soft laugh. “Stop talking about this. You’d be an ogre if you knew I was with Michael, and I wouldn’t wish that on Sheena, Jocelyn and Morgan. Or your horse.”
His tense jaw loosened. “You have a point. They might resort to mutiny.”
“Never. They’re loyal to you. Devoted enough to help a human you care about.”
“I do care about you,” he said in a fierce tone. “That’s why I have to stay away from you. If the fire wraith returns and monitors the situation, he needs to believe you no longer mean anything to me. He’ll leave you alone.”
She snuggled close to him. “And yet, here you are…”
“Well, there’s always the chance I can talk you into returning to the castle with me until we’ve resolved this issue.”
Yes, in the back of his mind, that was still his deepest want and desire—along with making her immortal. And it was true he could force her hand. He had the authority to demand she stay at the castle while his army hunted for the rogue demons, not merely request she go with him. But he was smart enough to know she’d be miserable away from her home for an extended period of time.
Not to mention the slayers and villagers would be in an absolute uproar over him whisking her off again.
“I can follow your strategy for now,” she said, her breath warm against his neck. “I’ll continue to let the slayers escort me into the village when I go and I’ll keep to the cottage otherwise until the trouble passes.”
Her agreement with his precautionary measures put him slightly at ease. But it still irritated him that he had no control over her full protection. Not unless he ordered her to follow his command, that was. While a heavy hand might keep her from getting killed, she’d be miserable anyway. So he had to find a compromise. Strike a balance.
“You won’t be left to fend for yourself, I assure you,” he said. “But after tonight, I’ll need to continue to keep an ample distance. I have to make it appear as though I’ve tired of you. The fire wraith will find another tactic to engage me, which won’t involve you.”
She was quiet a moment, then asked, “But it’s just a guise, right?”
He grinned, despite the piercing sensation in his heart over her hint of doubt. “You already know the answer to that. You called my bluff, after all.”
Her sigh of relief blew against his skin, making it tingle. “So it would be hell for you if I were to marry Michael?”