Page 83 of A Shard of Ice

I have to let him go. I will be strong.

28

Damon

I’m reeling.

I knew our coming together would be magical, but it ended up being so much more than I could ever have hoped for. I’ve never felt so joined with another person. Not just in body but in soul. Our connection is real, and it runs deeper than I could have known or imagined. It scares me.

Perhaps this wasn’t the best idea. It has only served to deepen my feelings…and my resolve.

I will leave Kyrie soon, and despite what Xander and Thesha said, I do have to walk away; there is nothing else to it.

Even if she is willing to take a gamble with her life, I won’t! Not now and not ever. I feel even more strongly after making love to her. After being inside her. I am most certainly very deeply in love with this woman. Of that, there is no question.

I pull out of her with a soft grunt. My body wants to stay joined with hers. From the way she holds onto me, I would say that Kyrie is feeling it, too.

Her eyes are beautiful. All hazy from pleasure. Her mouth is plump and wet from my kisses. Her cheeks are flushed from her orgasms.

I want to have her again. I want tomorrow. I want a thousand tomorrows.

“Ky…” I start to say. I can’t tell her all the things I want to, so I kiss her softly. I pull back and trace her face with the back of my fingers. “You are amazing. You’re everything. Remember that. Everything and more.”

And she is. My heart beats for her…it bleeds for her.

“I want to go with you.” A whisper into the dark.

My heart stutters, and for a second, the selfish side of me wants to accept her offer. I want to forget about the dangers. I want to forget about everything so that I can have her in my life. Thankfully, my senses come back to me.

“No,” I say softly, lying on my back next to her. “That won’t work.”

She leans over me, putting her hand on my chest; her breasts press against my side. So damned soft.

Her eyes are pleading. “Please. It is my choice to make and my risk to take, and I want to—”

“No.” I try not to be too harsh with my tone, but I fail. “I’m sorry. We said one night, Ky. One night only. We agreed.” I manage to inject some softness into my voice.

“That was before we—”

“My answer is still no.” I sigh. “I know where this is coming from, love.” I capture her face in my hands. “I felt it too, but it doesn’t change things. I can’t concentrate on toppling Snow if I am fearful of what could happen to you. I can’t put you at risk. I won’t!”

“So, this is it, then?”

I nod. “Yes, it has to be. Tomorrow, I will take you somewhere safe.”

“Where are you going to take me? There is nowhere that is safe anymore. I don’t have a home. It’s all gone. My whole village was ransacked by fae. Everyone they could catch – and there were many – were taken. I have no friends or family left.” Her eyes fill with tears.

“The human kingdom isn’t safe anymore.” I shake my head.

“Neither are the villages scattered around the fae courts,” she says. A tear falls and rolls down her cheek. “Maybe one of the villages around here…or perhaps I should stay with Grigor. Maybe he would let me—”

I shake my head. “It won’t be safe after we’ve been here. Perhaps after some time has passed, but not right now. People will talk about a band of travelers. Two fae and two humans. Word will spread. We will need to warn Grigor. Chances are good that the fae will come searching before long.”

“You’re right.” She buries her head in my chest. “Nowhere is safe, Damon. I feel safest when I’m with you.” Her eyes are pleading. I would like nothing more than to give in…to agree, but I can’t.

“I will attract danger wherever I go. You will be in a direct line to that danger. You heard those bloodfae; there is a bounty on my head. I have a plan. It isn’t foolproof. In fact, it might be crazy, but I think it will work. It is your best bet at staying safe.”

“What is it?” She narrows her eyes.

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