Page 44 of Zel
“Remarkably so.”
“You’ve never confirmed if there is a way to permanently save you from your pain.”
“Besides you?” Ulrich grinned. “Only removing it.”
“Your arm?”
“Yes. Then I would no longer feel its pain, for I would die.”
Zel’s eyes bulged at the admission. “But… how could it be removed if you are impervious to damage while you have it? Isn’t its sacrifice what makes you immortal?”
“It is. But if a strong enough person of natural-born magic drained me of my power the way I drain souls…” Ulrich slowly used his black hand to pull Zel’s braids out from within the cloak to stroke the bundle, thus keeping its plumpness even as the saliva dried. “I would be weak enough to make it possible.” He tried to lean in for another kiss, but Zel withdrew.
“I… I’m sorry.”
“Zel? What—”
A presence snapped Ulrich’s attention down the other end of the alley. Someone was there. Watching? Listening? Maybe merely trying to stay out of sight and too scared to run, but as tempted as Ulrich was to slaughter whoever it was for intruding, he had no patience for further interruption.
“Come. We are not alone,” he said, and after pulling Zel to him, he blinked them back to the tower.
Zel gasped at the sudden change in location and pushed from Ulrich’s arms as if feeling guilty for having clung to him.
“Please, Zel, it is I who should be sorry, not you. I ask for too much when we are both intoxicated. I tried so hard to not want you.”
“To…notwant me?” Zel turned back to Ulrich.
What a pretty little liar Zel was. But much as Ulrich might want to give in to the temptations before him, he knew the truth, the real reason for Zel being here, and their little dance of push and pull was nothing but a ruse.
Wasn't it?
“It doesn’t matter,” Ulrich said, “because you do not want me. Not really.”
“Ulrich…”
The utterance of his name, whispered back at him, when Zel more often said, “my lord,” urged Ulrich to meet Zel’s gaze.
“I do want you. I want you more than I expected I could ever want anyone.”
There was no lie, no clever subterfuge in the rawness of those words. How… surprising. “I think you mean that. But then what causes you to recoil again?”
Zel looked at the floor.
“Is it that you truly wish to wait until we are wed to do more than kiss and tease one another? I do not believe that. Your desire is too strong. Even contrary to your mission.” Ulrich held Zel’s stare when their eyes locked again. “I do not fault you for your secret intentions here, little cabbage.”
“You… you knew? Of course you knew.” Zel squeezed watering eyes shut. “Yet somehow that does not feel like the worst secret I’m keeping. Because you would not want me if you knew all my lies. If you knew… the truth of your bride’s birth.”
Ulrich studied Zel, confused, until he realized how tightly Zel clutched the many layers of petticoats and skirts. “Oh, Zel.Thatyou needn’t ever have worried about.” Ulrich approached and bent low enough to whisper intimately, “Since the day you arrived at my tower, I have been more than eager to discover my bride's cock.”
Ten
ZEL
What had Ulrich just said?
“You knew that too?” Zel backpedaled, nearly toppling over onto the chaise when his legs hit it. They were in the main room, and being night with only the usual candles and sconces lit, the darker parts of Ulrich looked more contrasting than ever between shadow and light.
He didn’t look angry though. He seemed confused. “Did you think I did not?”
