Page 78 of Blood Caged

I take a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. The images from our shared vision still dance behind my eyes – centuries of memories, both hers and mine, tangled together in a dizzying tapestry.

“I’m not entirely sure,” I admit. “But that magic… Mia, I’ve never felt anything like it. How long have you been able to do that?”

She shakes her head vehemently. “No, that wasn’t me. I can’t do anything like that. My magic is…it’s nothing compared to what just happened. Besides, I can’t use it in here, remember?”

I raise an eyebrow, skepticism clear in my voice. “Come on, Mia. There’s no need to hide it. I’m not going to tell anyone.”

“I’m not hiding anything!” she insists, frustration coloring her tone. “I swear, Soren, I don’t know what that was. If I could do magic like that, do you think I’d still be here?”

“Okay, fair point,” I say, holding up my hands. “Let’s say it wasn’t you. Then what was it? Because something happened, Mia. Something powerful.”

She looks away, biting her lip. “I don’t know,” she whispers. “But I saw things…your past. You were different once.”

I nod slowly, uncomfortable with how exposed I suddenly feel. “Yes, I was. A long time ago.”

“What happened to that man, Soren?” she murmurs, her eyes meeting mine again.

The question twists something in my gut. I’ve been asking myself the same thing lately.

I brush off Mia’s probing questions, uncomfortable with how exposed I suddenly feel. “Never mind about my past. Let’s focus on what just happened here.”

“There’s nothing to focus on,” she mumbles. “Probably just some sort of freakish electromagnetic glitch. I mean, you’ve got enough witches locked up here that there’s got to be magic floating around somewhere, right?”

I sigh. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, Mia.”

Mia scoffs, her eyes meeting mine again, filled with wariness. “I can’t believe you,” she says softly. “How do I know you won’t use this against me?”

Without thinking, I reach out and gently take her hand, placing it on my chest where my heart would beat if I were still human. The contact sends a jolt through me, and I see Mia’s eyes widen in surprise.

“I swear to you, Mia,” I say, my voice low and intense, “I’m not lying. Whatever just happened, I won’t tell anyone. You have my word.”

I feel the warmth of Mia’s hand against my chest, her pulse quickening beneath my fingers, where they’re wrapped around her wrist. Our eyes lock, and suddenly, the air feels like it’s crackling between us.

“Soren,” she whispers.

I know I should pull away, maintain the distance between us. But I can’t. It’s like she has me on a leash, pulling me closer. Myhand moves of its own accord, cupping her cheek gently. Mia leans into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment.

When she looks at me again, I see a storm in those jade depths – fear, confusion, and something else. Something that makes my long-dead heart feel like it might beat again.

“We shouldn’t,” I murmur, even as I lean closer.

“I know,” Mia breathes, but she doesn’t move away.

The last shred of my self-control snaps. I close the distance between us, capturing her lips with mine. The kiss is gentle at first, hesitant, as if we’re both afraid this fragile moment might shatter.

But then Mia’s hands are in my hair, pulling me closer, and I’m lost. I deepen the kiss, pouring centuries of longing and loneliness into it. She responds almost frantically, her body pressing against mine.

I taste the salt of tears on her lips, though I’m not sure when she started crying. All I know is the feel of her in my arms, the softness of her lips, the racing of her heart against my chest. For this moment, nothing else exists – not my duty, not our impossible situation, just us.

I break the kiss, panting as I gaze into Mia’s eyes. They’re dark with desire, matching the hunger I feel coursing through me. For a moment, we simply stare at each other, the air charged between us.

Then Mia’s hands are on my shirt, frantically undoing buttons. I should stop this. I know I should. But the feel of her fingers brushing against my skin sets me on fire. I capture her lips again, kissing her deeply as I slide my hands under her top.

She gasps into my mouth as I caress her bare skin. The sound lights something primal within me. I lift her easily, carrying her to the bed. Mia wraps her legs around my waist, pressing herself against me.

We fall onto the mattress in a tangle of limbs. I trail kisses down her neck, reveling in the way she arches into me. Her hands explore my chest, nails scraping lightly across my skin. Every touch feels electric.

“Soren,” she breathes, and my name on her lips is nearly my undoing.

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