Page 58 of Bitten

“You can see for yourself. My life doesn’t have room for mates. I don’t want the two of you in danger.”

“So you were just going to wham, bam, thank you, Caelian?”

Kane eyed him. “If it stopped the itch for a little while, yes.”

“Because you couldn’t have Ralnur,” Caelian said. “I was the back-up ass.”

“No,” Kane snapped and pulled Caelian into his arms. “Yes, you are a little more available right now, but I didn’t come to you because I can’t have him. I came because I wanted you.” Kane turned slightly and eyed Caelian. “I wanted you.”

Caelian smiled slightly. He stared at Kane, twenty-thousand questions circling in his head. “You can make room for your mates… it wouldn’t be that hard.”

Kane groaned. “I shouldn’t have done this tonight. It was a mistake.”

Caelian frowned. “A mistake? Wow. Thanks.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Kane sighed. “Just let me have a minute of quiet, okay? It’s been a crazy few days, and I just want to lie here and be with you. The afterglow and all that? Okay?”

Caelian rested his head on Kane’s chest and stroked the thin bit of hair that furred between the pecs. His stare went to the black gem hanging around Kane’s neck. Lifting it in his hand, he saw the blackness glittering with magic. And then realization set in.

“You know that’s a Carpathian onyx—one of the rarest magical gems on the planet.” He eyed it, amazed to be so close to one. “You could get a mint for that thing.”

He lifted the gem to look at it closer, but Kane yanked it from his grasp before covering it with a fist.

Caelian searched Kane’s memories, but didn’t see anything about how he’d gotten the gem. All he had were bits and pieces—mostly of more recent things, it seemed. “How’d you get that thing? They’re super rare.”

Kane stiffened beside him. “Long story.”

“Seriously? You’re not going to tell me the story behind that thing?”

“Leave it be,” Kane said before pulling out from under him and sitting up on the side of the bed.

“Yeah. I’ll leave it be,” Caelian said, realizing he’d already gone too far. Again. He struggled to remain quiet, especially with all the visions dancing in his head. He was like a kid at Christmas, opening present after present inside his mind. Quiet was impossible.

But he sensed an inner turmoil in Kane.

Caelian placed a hand on Kane’s arm, but knew the man was already miles away. “Come back to bed.”

The Halfling shook his head. “I should get out of here. You’ve got an early morning.”

Kane stood and crossed the room, picking up his clothing and putting them back on—which was a damned shame. That body was a piece of art.

“Will I see you again?” Caelian asked.

Kane looked over one shoulder as he dressed. “I think you already know the answer to that.”

“I don’t.”

Kane turned slowly to face him. “I can’t be the reason you’re hurt…”

Caelian frowned, ready to argue.

“But I’m drawn to you like a moth to a flame,” Kane finished, shaking his head. “The harder I try to pull away, the more I feel dragged back.”

Caelian smiled to himself, anticipation singing in his veins. “Do you really need to leave so soon?”

“I haven’t slept in three days. I don’t need much, but eventually I’ll crash. I need to get some rest—and if I stay here, neither of us will get any of that.” A hint of a smile crossed Kane’s lips before he finished dressing.

Caelian smiled wider. “Tomorrow night, then?”

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