It wasn’t the first time I was trapped in the dark. That much I knew. But for the life of me, I couldn’t remember how I got out last time.I think there was a smell. Dammit all, what was it?Whatever it was, there was no trace of it here.
Frustrated and scared, I lashed out into the nothingness.I hate this. Somebody please get me out. I can’t remember how to get out.My lips moved, but no sound came out.
“Felix?”
My eyes snapped open. The room was dim, but I could just make out familiar lavender curtains. Crocheted ornaments hung from the walls in delicate pastel patterns. I took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh floral incense.
“Felix, are you alright? I heard you cry out.” I turned to see Brie standing at the foot of the steps. She was huddled in an absurdly fluffy blanket and held her lantern up high in front of her. Her long black hair was neatly hidden beneath a blue bonnet and dancing lambs once again lined the bottom of her nightgown.
Relief flooded through me.I’m out. That’s right. I’d been freed from Myva’s curse for over a year now.The false goddess was dead, and I was at my mate’s home. I rubbed at my tired eyes and tried to slow my erratic breathing. “It was just a bad dream. I’m sorry for waking you.”
“Well, at least you’re up now.” She sounded a little breathless and rushed toward me. Her bare feet padded against the wood floor before she set the lantern down on the table and dove into the couch. She kicked my blankets up, then snuggled into my side, placing her own massive blanket on top. The soft silk of her bonnet brushed against my chin as she wrapped her arms around my torso. “OK, so you were right, but don’t be a jerk about it.”
As if I’d do anything to jeopardize her keeping her hands on me. I wrapped an arm around her and buried my nose in her scent. Letting the comforting smell chase away the last remnants of my cursed prison. “What was I right about?” I asked.
“I heard a noise outside and I couldn’t sleep.” She confided, the words half mumbled into my chest.
“You live on a farm, Sweetheart. You’re going to be hearing noises for the rest of your life.” My response earned a light swat. I bit back a laugh and held her tighter.
My normally reserved little lamb threw a leg around my own and pulled me closer. It wasn’t hard to guess why. The poor thing was clearly still shaken up from before. “You’ll be alright. I have you.” I whispered, tracing small circles on her shoulder.
“Will you stay up with me?” She asked. “Just until daylight. Those things don’t like the sun, right?”
“Of course I will.” My hand slid into hers, taking the opportunity to lace our fingers together. “They’ll burn right up if exposed to the sun. Morning will be here soon, too. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
She squeezed my hand tight and nodded. “What were you dreaming about?”
“Nothing.”
“It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me.” She sighed.
“No,” I began. “I meant I dreamt of nothing. It’s what I experienced when I was under Myva’s curse. It’s a little hard to explain, but it was like being trapped in a pit of darkness.”
She didn’t answer for a moment, then gave my hand another squeeze. “I’m sorry. That sounds really scary.”
“It was.” I admitted. “But it’s over now.”
Brie’s shoulders tensed beneath my fingers. “And now I’ve got you trapped in another curse.”
“It’s fine.” I slid my hand down the curves of her body, then grabbed her ass. “This one comes with benefits.”
The sound of her giggles rang through the early morning air.Shit. It was morning.Telltale red and orange hues peeked through the hillside just beyond Brie’s farm. It was still too early to notice the sun’s rise unless she looked directly out the window, but I only had a few minutes tops before that damnable light illuminated the room. It was childish of me, but I pulled the blankets further over her head. Anything to make the moment last a little longer. When it ended, Brie would remember to be wary of me. She’ll pull away and I’ll be stuck waiting until the next time she lets her guard down. But for a moment, I was a little less scary than the noises outside. For a moment, she was mine.
Brie rubbed her cheek against my chest and held me tighter. “I’m going to be so pissed off if I’m not your fated mate.”
My heart stopped. “What?”
She pulled the blanket further over her eyes, no doubt trying to hide her face from me. “I just…I really enjoy having you around. It seems weird and fast to develop feelings for you this early. But I did. Even though your wolf form scares the shit out of me sometimes, I don’t think I want this to end.”
“It won’t.” I said. A fierce surge of possessiveness hit deep in my bones. No one would take this from me. Not magic, not the sun, not even the absence of an imprint. Brie was my wife.
Her voice cracked as she spoke. “How do you know?”
I closed my eyes and reeled in the sudden urge to build a fortress around my lamb’s home. “If we find out I haven’t imprinted when the potion has worn off, I’ll just drink it again.”
Brie shifted against me, poking her head out from under the covers to look me in the eye. In a panic, I gazed out the window to see the sun had continued its infernal accent into the sky. Without thinking, I moved her to lie on top of me and pulled the blankets over us. She yelped at the sudden movement, then steadied herself. “You’re not drinking more of the love potion.” Her voice was stern, as if reprimanding a petulant toddler.
“I’ll drink an entire barrel of love potions if it means you stay with me.” I grinned, took her hips, and ground her against my cock. “Just like this.”
