Page 29 of A Snowed in Valentine's

Fire and Snow

She missed the days when falling asleep simply meant sinking into sleep, whether that was accompanied by dreams or merely hours of unconsciousness. Ever since she’d cast that spell and split herself in two, sleeping meant traveling from one world to another. It might not have been such a problem if she weren’t still in the custody of the FBI.

Then again, maybe it wasn’t so bad after all. In times like this, after what had just happened with August, she felt relieved, if anything, to be back here.

She was alone in the room until Carter and O’Hara returned, which meant plenty of space and time to think about what had taken place in the cabin. Back on Frost Mountain, she was no doubt still asleep in August’s strong arms.

Or had time already moved forward? This business of dimensional travel wasn’t easy to get used to. Several weeks had passed on Frost Mountain since she first found herself on Earth, yet she suspected barely a day had gone by on Earth.

She’d figure that out later. Right now, she needed to think.

You definitely like him, said that familiar voice in her head.

Daphne didn’t bother denying it. What had occurred confirmed their attraction to each other. Those moments in front of the fireplace had been…electric? Passionate? She wasn’t sure any words could accurately describe the experience. Forget the insignia on her hand—the man had made a mark on her heart that she wanted to keep forever.

But what did that mean for the two of them? She remembered what he’d told her about his history as a witch hunter. For all she knew, he probably thought what had happened was a mistake.

The memory of August kissing her neck, of August’s lips forming the wordsI’m sorry,crossed her mind then, blotting out that smidgen of doubt.

That aside, she was still stuck in this sticky situation with little hope of getting out.

No, notlittlehope. There had to be a way to fix things.

In fact, there just might be.

Hope surged through her like an electric current.

This is going to work,she told herself.

She twisted slightly in her seat, looking right at her reflection in the two-way mirror, certain that someone was still on the other side, watching her.

“Look,” she said, “you want to know what the words in the Book of Nyx mean? Bring it, and I’ll tell you.” She paused for a moment, then, in a bid to make herself sound more convincing, she added, “But you’ll have to let me go if I do this. Do we have a deal or not?”

There was no response, and for the next minute, she sat wondering whether she’d been wrong about the room surveillance.

Then, the door swung open slowly.

***

Hours had passed. August was aware of that the second his eyes flickered open. He looked around, taking in his surroundings and lingering on the cracks in the walls. It was semi-dark outside. It was either the middle of the night or the early hours of the morning.

Still wrapped in his embrace, Daphne stirred but remained asleep. He’d pulled their clothes back on before falling asleep himself, but he could still feel her breasts crushed against his torso. He replayed the memory of what had happened hours ago and felt a light stirring his groin. His growing erection wasnestled against her thigh, and the slightest movement brought a hiss to his lips as he fought to remain still.

In his mind’s eye, he saw Daphne nod at him and saw her body clench as he slid into her. He could still hear her moans and cries as if from a distance. The entire experience had been nothing less than intense. It had been hours ago, yet the sensation of her soft body clenching around his, of her breast between his lips, of her lips parting and her eyes locked on him as he pleasured her, remained burned into his mind.

Control yourself, he told himself.

He rested his gaze on her face. Her eyes were closed, but he could still remember her grey eyes widening as they rocked together. Even now, she was a stunning sight. In his embrace, she slept peacefully. It felt…right.

It should not feel this way.

He understood this with absolute certainty. She was a witch, and he was a hunter. Not just any hunter, but awitchhunter. They weren’t just different—they were sworn enemies. He should be the bane of her existence. Yet all he had done since she came into his life was try to prolong and preserve hers. She was a threat, a bomb that could go off at any moment, and here he was, holding her in his arms as though she was his lover.

Is she not?

He started to brush the thought aside but froze, stunned at the warm flutter in his chest that he realized was his heartbeat. He took a few deep breaths and then some more. This woman had come into his life and somehow enchanted him, even while her magic had been bound. He’d been bewitched.

Keep telling yourself that, August. It’s easier than entertaining the other possibility.

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