go.”
Worriedly biting her lower lip, Clarissa gazed at Mel.
“None have ever come back in one piece. Staying here in one piece is not very easy either.”
Her eyes saddened, she got up from the table. She walked back to face the fire, her mind reeling with all the implications.
Azamel frowned as he looked at Clarissa, concerned how this affected her after all she had already gone through. “Thank you for the warning and the information. We shall depart come morning. If you would be so kind as to show us where we may sleep?
“You may take the bed, my lord, my wife and I will sleep in front of the fire.”
“I wouldn’t think of putting you out kind sir. You have housed us and we shall take the space in front of the fire.”
Standing, Mel went over to take Clarissa’s hand as he pulled her down to the ground with him. Her back to his front, his arms encircled her as he whispered in her ear, “Relax, we need to rest.”
She mumbled softly back, “You should not be here. This is my hell. I was sent here, not you. You shouldn’t be trapped with me.”
She starred into the fire as she felt him pressed against her back, his arms holding her tight.
“I’m sorry. Everything I seem to do is wrong. You should be safe in your home, not stuck with me in a world of horror.”
He nuzzled her neck and inhaled her scent, reveling in her closeness. “I vowed to help you, didn’t I? Last time I checked, I’m a grown man capable of not only making my own choices but also living with the consequences of them.”
Turning to look over his shoulder, checking to see the goblins were resting, he moved his hand to turn her head so she faced him. Her lips were very close to his. His warm breath brushed against her delicate skin.
“I have lived more centuries than your mind can deal with and I’m more than capable of keeping myself and my wards safe. Now ssh, you need to rest. We have a long journey ahead.”
Mel dipped his head and kissed her lightly, moaning at her taste as she opened her lips. He let his tongue slip inside her warm mouth. Reluctantly, he pulled back, still maintaining his hold on her. “Sleep, Guardian.”
Her nerve endings roared to life with just a simple kiss and then he told her to sleep. ‘ Oh sure. Just as soon as the fire in my body is doused.’ She turned back towards the fire as her mind raced. She had to make sure he got out of here safe, even if she didn’t. Sure, he vowed to protect and help her but that vow shouldn’t include little jaunts into unknown realms of hell or put his life in such danger. Closing her eyes, she immediately felt the whips flashing across her skin as razor blades cut into her flesh. She snapped her eyes open as her body unconsciously jerked. Well that wasn’t going to work.
Mel felt her twitch. He started to rub her arm up and down in a calm, soothing manner until she settled. Taking in Azamel’s scent, she let it course through her as she tried to conciliate her body and soothe her mind. After several moments, her eyes shut and exhaustion took hold.
Mel realized her breathing had become uniformed and allowed himself to relax into a restful pose he used to regenerate even though he kept his senses wide awake and attuned to his surroundings. The peasants may have sheltered them but his experience had taught him nobody was above suspicion or treachery. All became quiet, even the creatures outside stopped stirring. The stillness, however, was more disconcerting than the subtle noises.
The night passed quietly and the morning light came in against Clarissa’s eyelids. Though embers still glowed, the fire had died. The chill made her shiver slightly. She felt safe in Mel’s arms, relaxed, able to sleep a dreamless slumber once she got past the initial discomfort of being pressed against his body. His scent invaded her every pore, his hot breath against her neck stirred her insides. Slowly opening her eyes, she didn’t move as she tried to awaken her senses to
Worriedly biting her lower lip, Clarissa gazed at Mel.
“None have ever come back in one piece. Staying here in one piece is not very easy either.”
Her eyes saddened, she got up from the table. She walked back to face the fire, her mind reeling with all the implications.
Azamel frowned as he looked at Clarissa, concerned how this affected her after all she had already gone through. “Thank you for the warning and the information. We shall depart come morning. If you would be so kind as to show us where we may sleep?
“You may take the bed, my lord, my wife and I will sleep in front of the fire.”
“I wouldn’t think of putting you out kind sir. You have housed us and we shall take the space in front of the fire.”
Standing, Mel went over to take Clarissa’s hand as he pulled her down to the ground with him. Her back to his front, his arms encircled her as he whispered in her ear, “Relax, we need to rest.”
She mumbled softly back, “You should not be here. This is my hell. I was sent here, not you. You shouldn’t be trapped with me.”
She starred into the fire as she felt him pressed against her back, his arms holding her tight.
“I’m sorry. Everything I seem to do is wrong. You should be safe in your home, not stuck with me in a world of horror.”
He nuzzled her neck and inhaled her scent, reveling in her closeness. “I vowed to help you, didn’t I? Last time I checked, I’m a grown man capable of not only making my own choices but also living with the consequences of them.”
Turning to look over his shoulder, checking to see the goblins were resting, he moved his hand to turn her head so she faced him. Her lips were very close to his. His warm breath brushed against her delicate skin.
“I have lived more centuries than your mind can deal with and I’m more than capable of keeping myself and my wards safe. Now ssh, you need to rest. We have a long journey ahead.”
Mel dipped his head and kissed her lightly, moaning at her taste as she opened her lips. He let his tongue slip inside her warm mouth. Reluctantly, he pulled back, still maintaining his hold on her. “Sleep, Guardian.”
Her nerve endings roared to life with just a simple kiss and then he told her to sleep. ‘ Oh sure. Just as soon as the fire in my body is doused.’ She turned back towards the fire as her mind raced. She had to make sure he got out of here safe, even if she didn’t. Sure, he vowed to protect and help her but that vow shouldn’t include little jaunts into unknown realms of hell or put his life in such danger. Closing her eyes, she immediately felt the whips flashing across her skin as razor blades cut into her flesh. She snapped her eyes open as her body unconsciously jerked. Well that wasn’t going to work.
Mel felt her twitch. He started to rub her arm up and down in a calm, soothing manner until she settled. Taking in Azamel’s scent, she let it course through her as she tried to conciliate her body and soothe her mind. After several moments, her eyes shut and exhaustion took hold.
Mel realized her breathing had become uniformed and allowed himself to relax into a restful pose he used to regenerate even though he kept his senses wide awake and attuned to his surroundings. The peasants may have sheltered them but his experience had taught him nobody was above suspicion or treachery. All became quiet, even the creatures outside stopped stirring. The stillness, however, was more disconcerting than the subtle noises.
The night passed quietly and the morning light came in against Clarissa’s eyelids. Though embers still glowed, the fire had died. The chill made her shiver slightly. She felt safe in Mel’s arms, relaxed, able to sleep a dreamless slumber once she got past the initial discomfort of being pressed against his body. His scent invaded her every pore, his hot breath against her neck stirred her insides. Slowly opening her eyes, she didn’t move as she tried to awaken her senses to
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