Page 68 of A Love of Wrath and Rapture

I let go of her hands and pull her closer to me, letting out a snort. “It’s all your fault.”

Her head rests on my chest and I hold her tight. We stand like this in the darkness for a while, and I stroke her hair, wordlessly marveling at how soft it feels.

This woman… she may have some idea how I feel, but she doesn’t have an inkling how dangerous her hold over me is. I’d kill for her. I’d die for her. Even worse, I’d live for her.

She gently pushes me away.

“I need you to know how I feel.” Her beautiful sapphire eyes look almost magical in the dim light.

“I. Love. You.” She emphasizes every word. “I adore you. Every little thing you do… from the way your wings twitch when you’re excited by the promise of battle to the way you look surprised when I kiss you unexpectedly. I am deeply in love with you.” Her hand caresses my cheek, making my body feel warm all over.

I let her speak, not really sure what to say.

“Our connection is the truest and most profound thing I have ever known, and I know I’ll never find anything even remotely close to this again.”

Her voice is heavy with emotion and I can’t help but be affected. “Evangeline…” I whisper her name before burying my face in her neck, breathing in her incredible scent.

She wraps her arms around my back.

“There is no way of knowing what lies ahead. We could die out there, facing hordes of waira. Or we could be persecuted by ignorant humans, hunted because of our love for each other.”

She tightens our embrace. “But none of that matters, as long as we’re together.”

The sincerity in her voice stirs a profound warmth within me, my heart swelling with a mix of gratitude, love, and a shared understanding of the sacrifices we must make.

I pick her up, holding her slightly above me so she looks down into my eyes. Her legs instinctively wrap around my hips.

“And we’ll always be together, Evangeline.”

Her hair tickles my face as she leans her head forward to brush her lips against mine. The simple act makes my heart flutter. This time, I’m not annoyed at my body’s response.

Our lips meet in a kiss that embodies the depth of our connection, sealing our commitment to one another and fortifying our resolve to face the world united.

When she pulls away, breathing fast, I put her down, trying to calm myself lest I take her right here and now.

She picks up the satchel again.

“Before all that, we need to pack.” She rummages through a heap of cloth in the corner of the room. “Here.” I take the large shoulder bag she holds out to me. “You can help by taking anything edible from the kitchen.”

I search through the items in her cabinets, packing all the dried meat and fruits, nuts, and hard cheese I find. I also pack the water pouch hanging on the wall.

When I return to her, Evangeline sits on her bed, holding the flowers from earlier. She’s staring into nothing, her fingers gingerly playing with the petals.

She looks a little forlorn. Should I say something to cheer her up? Or should I leave her to work through her thoughts and emotions? Humans are so complicated.

I clear my throat to get her attention.

Her head snaps to me and it’s obvious she was lost in memories. She smiles faintly, holding up the flowers.

“These are from the first Night Wind Festival I attended. It’s held every two years at a neighboring village. It’s three times as big as ours. They celebrate the winter night wind that keeps them safe from tanku, small predators that can’t handle the cold too well.”

I sit down next to her, listening intently. Listening to others go on about their personal feelings and experiences was something that I had no interest in before meeting Evangeline.

Now look at me. My ears are perked as if I’m hearing the most intriguing tale of battles and wars.

“I picked these flowers to remember the day because I made a friend there,” she placed the flowers back in the cloth, wrapping them neatly. “She died not long after that from a sickness that affected her lungs.”

With a smile that belies the sadness in her eyes, Evangeline shows me the crystal she had earlier. It lacks color and is almost translucent, but brilliantly reflects the light of the lamp.

---