Page 43 of Avaritia

“It’s so beautiful,” Verity whispered, plucking the pendant from where it sat between her breasts—a particularly lovely spot, if I said so myself—and holding it up to admire. “You’re full of surprises, Your Grace.”

She looked up at me, and the moment felt oddly charged, thick with a tension I didn’t understand. Verity’s gaze dropped to my mouth as she took half a step closer, her front brushing mine.

She paused for a moment, as though waiting for something, though I couldn’t determine what. Did she want me to tell her to run? To release my tentacles, as she’d so aptly called them?

Or was it something else?

“Do you wish to feed me?” I rasped.

Verity blinked up at me, a slight frown marring her expression. Damn it. I’d gotten it wrong.

“Um, sure. We can do that.”

“No, tell me what it is you wanted to do.”

Verity laughed awkwardly, taking a step back. “It was nothing. Should we go upstairs then?”

The ground seemed to be crumbling beneath my feet. Things had been going so well, and I’d ruined it with one clumsy misstep. Even her scent was changing, souring into something less settled.

“I did not intend to ruin your mood,” I told her solemnly.

Verity’s smile softened into something affectionate. Too affectionate for someone like me.

“I know. I’m gonna head upstairs and check on Fester, maybe you can work on one of those fantasies I mentioned later,” she added with a wink. She was trying to lighten the mood. Unsure how to assist with that, I simply nodded.

I’d paid close attention to my mate’s desires, sensing that this was the one way Verity felt as though I could make her happy here.

And that was fine. She was probably right.

“I’m looking forward to it. I’ll leave you to work—thanks again, for the necklace. It’s beautiful.”

With a slightly shaky smile, Verity left the room, and I felt as though a part of me left with her. The workshop was too quiet, too still.

She’d like the necklace, though. Something had been about to happen after I’d given it to her.

With a renewed sense of confidence, I picked through the pieces of silver for the nicest materials. I’d simply make her another necklace and we would recreate this strange, stolen moment between us. Yes, that was a very wise idea.

I’d try again.

Chapter 14

Ireturned to the library for the remainder of the afternoon, the necklace resting against my chest a constant reminder of the reason I was trying to clean myself into distraction in the first place.

God, that had been awkward. I had been awkward. Generally, Theon was the one who lacked social graces, but I’d totally been the bumbling mess in that moment.

We didn’t kiss. That was not a thing that we did. Why had I gone in for one? Ugh, that was going onto the list of Memories That Would Haunt Me Forever, for sure.

Kissing wasn’t a Shade thing in general, from what the mated ex-Hunters had mentioned. Probably because of all the terrifying, flesh-shredding teeth. But it was all a thing that their mates had learned to do safely for them.

But it wasn’t a mate thing, it was a love thing.

Their mates loved them. My mate didn’t love me.

For a brief, idiotic moment, I’d expected affection when Theon had only ever offered passion, and a comfortable life here in his home.

I’d agreed to those terms. Arguably, I’d proposed them, though he was the one who’d decided to make it a forever deal. It wasn’t fair on me to move the goalposts now.

Besides, I doubted Theon had it in him to offer more than what he was already giving, even if he wanted to, and I wasn’t going to derail the fragile friendship we were forming by demanding it.

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