Page 22 of Condemned to Love

I push harder, testing her limits. She counters each move with an agility that catches me off guard more often than I'd like to admit. She's resourceful, using every trick and tactic to keep me on edge.

As the session ends, we're both breathing heavily, sweat dripping down our faces.

"You did well today," I concede reluctantly, sheathing my sword.

Elowen nods, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. "Thanks," she replies simply.

As we catch our breath, the realization hits me harder than any blow she could land. I'm attracted to her. Not just in the simple manner that she is beautiful — which she is — but I can't stop looking at her, thinking about her.

Craving her.

Her tenacity, her spirit, her unyielding drive — they draw me in like a suru to a trap. It's more than just her fiery hair or the way her eyes flash with determination. It's everything about her.

It's not unusual for vrakken to indulge in their desires. Our kind has always taken what we want, when we want it. But this... this is different. Elowen is human, and I've never been tempted by one before. Yet here I am, considering it.

She stretches, muscles taut beneath her skin, and I can't help but admire the way she moves — like a predator ready to pounce. The thought of indulging with her stirs something primal within me.

"It was a good session," she says, breaking the silence. Her voice is steady, but there's a flicker of something in her eyes—curiosity, perhaps. I have just been standing here staring at her.

I nod, unable to tear my gaze away from her. "You’ve come a long way since we started."

"Thanks to you," she replies with a hint of sarcasm that makes me smirk.

My mind races with possibilities. I love her sass, and I would love to see how far I could push her — outside the ring. I've never had to hold myself back before. Vrakken are taught our entire lives to indulge, to take what Akeldama has given us.

And I'm starting to think I should do just that with a human…which I've never tried before. But the idea of being with Elowen in such a way is both thrilling and dangerous, and it is starting to consume.

She notices my lingering gaze and raises an eyebrow. "Something on your mind?"

For a moment, neither of us moves. The world around us fades as we stand there, locked in this charged moment.

"I should go," I say finally, though my body is warring with my mind.

"Oh." She nods, unwrapping her hands. "See you tomorrow then."

I turn on my heel without another word, stopping myself from doing anything else stupid. My feet seem to move of their own violation, because the next thing I know, I'm shouldering open the library door and spotting Raziel sprawled out behind his favorite table.

Raziel looks up from his maps as I enter, his dark eyes appraising me. "Aldric," he greets, setting aside his quill. "How goes the training?"

I drop into a chair across from him, still feeling the adrenaline from sparring with Elowen. "Better than expected," I admit. "The humans are... surprising."

"Surprising how?" Raziel asks, leaning back in his chair. His wings shift slightly, a sign of his curiosity.

"They're adaptable. Determined." I hesitate, recalling Elowen's fierce gaze and unyielding spirit. "They're not as weak as I initially thought."

Raziel chuckles, a deep sound that echoes in the library's quiet. "You sound almost impressed."

"Maybe I am," I confess, running a hand through my short-cropped hair. I've had it tied up, now cut close to my skull so that another dark elf can't disrespect me like that on the battlefield. The memory of it being sheared off still stings, a constant reminder of our vulnerability.

Raziel studies me for a moment, then nods slowly. "Humans have their strengths. They're resourceful, resilient."

I can't help but wonder how he ever came to take a human mate. Selene is fierce and capable, yes, but... human. The thought of such an intimate bond with one feels foreign to me.

"Selene taught me that," Raziel continues, as if reading my thoughts. His gaze sharpens, and I sense he's testing me.

I shift in my seat, choosing my words carefully. "Having humans and vrakken so intertwined... it's different. But maybe it's not entirely a bad thing."

Raziel raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by my line of thinking. "Go on."

---