Page 68 of One Last Wish

“We were mostly fighting. There was a lot of pent-up, sexual frustration between us. Oh, and I was paying you in gold. I had no idea of the timeline. Our clothes, the surroundings...none of it made any sense.”

“Pent-up, sexual frustration sounds fun.” I slapped his chest and continued.

“There was a dream with two dog-like creatures. You appeared in my bedroom in a cloud of mist, but they didn’t alert anyone. We...umm...yeah, we gotcloseon my bed.” Gazing up, I swear he knew the memory well. His eyes definitely darkened. “One dream you were half naked. I could see a tattoo made up of mostly black circles.”

“You saw my markings?” Rolling up his sleeve, he showed me the inside of his forearms. Staring back at me was the tattoo I’d dreamt of; three large black circles, the middle one had different sized beams coming from it. Smaller circles were at the top and bottom.

“H...How...did I know this? How did I dream about those markings before I’d everseenthem?”

“Your power is beginning to channel faster than I realised.”

“Mypower?” Did he mean the light that seemed to radiate from my fingertips?

“Try not to overthink it. We need to take this a day at a time. You will start to glow brighter, the more you remember.”

“The no touching and kissing at the beginning. Was that for my benefit or yours?”

“Both. Too much contact can be dangerous for both of us.”

“Does that mean we still can’t have sex?”

“Alora, aftereverythingyou’ve learnt tonight, how cansexbe a concern?”

“Do you want an honest answer?” He gave me a look that made me giggle. “I get ridiculously dirty thoughts about you all the damn time. Not to mention, you’ve proven how good you are with your tongueandfingers. Can you blame me?”

“Mmm...well, no, when you put it that way.” Darce put his hands in his pocket and looked straight ahead. We had reached the end of the park.

“So, is it a completenoor maybeone day?” Right now, I’d do anything to be close to him, but if these...feelingsgrew, my desire for him would make it way more difficult.

“It’s...when the time is right.”Oh! Not a no then!“That grin on your face is ridiculous. Can we change the subject to something other than sex, please.” Could he be as frustrated as me?

“How much of Theo’s date did you plan, and what thefuckdid you put in that hot chocolate?”

“Okay, I’ll confess. Thewholedate was my idea.”I fucking knew it!“I had a little help getting it ready.”Nyx!Crap, was she like him?

“Is Nyx like you? Is that why you’re both so damn beautiful and made for each other!”

“We are the same, yes. Nyx is like asisterto me. She would throw up if she knew you thought she and I were in a relationship. Have I not made my intentions towards you clear enough?”

“No! Darce, this last month, all you’ve given me iswhiplash!” His eyes widened, shocked by my statement. “Whatareyour intentions?”

“To keep you safe.” Ugh! This guy didn’t know what clear intentions were! “You’re not going to be happy when I explain what I did to the hot chocolate.”

“Tell me.”

“I put a spell in it. To open your eyes to see the safe life you could have with Theo. I gave Theo a confidence spell, too.”

“Youwhat?” I seethed, stopping in my tracks. “You took away my free will!”

“Things were getting dangerous! I needed you to forget what you were feeling for me. When your power surfaced, I was as surprised as you.”

“Darce, what would have happened with that spell if my powers hadn't shown up?” Petrified at his answer, I pleaded for the truth with my eyes.

“You would have lived a happy life with Theo, and I would have faded into nothingness.”NO!“It wasn’t an easy decision, Alora. You can hate me all you want, but my only purpose is to keep you safe. I stand by my words. Theo wasalwaysthe safer bet. What we have...how we feel about each other...it will end up getting one of us killed.”

“Is this your way of trying to make me stay away from you?”

“No. We’re past that point already. I amtryingto make you understand the danger that we’ll have to face at some point.”

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