Page 20 of Shifter King
This was always the crucial moment, and it was the one that always had to be permitted. The point where the creature was freed and allowed to consider its treatment. What it wanted. What it despised. He had not always done well with this, but here there was a peace.
Proteus fixed him with a long gaze, then stamped his front claws once more. Bits of dirt sprayed Naatos's trouser leg.
The female bavril lowed again, shaking her head.
Amelia pressed her lips in a tight line, then nodded, her eyes bright and wet with tears. Of course, this would be emotional for her. The fact that she would get attached was a given at this point.
Proteus dipped his head forward once more, then turned and lumbered toward the female. As the two drew closer, they extended their trunks and gently stroked one another's faces. Then she turned her back to him and ran until she disappeared in the long golden grass. He trumpeted one last time and bolted after her.
He almost smiled. It was good to see. If they survived the Grey Season, they would likely have a litter of their own. And if he encountered them in the wild and they were hungry, there was a decent chance they might try to kill him. Though Proteus might remember. In the end, it didn't matter. This moment existed, and it had ended well.
Amelia slipped up alongside him and caught his hand. He paused, his pulse quickening. Her grip was still nowhere near as strong as it had once been, but she was here, present, breathing. He wrapped his fingers around hers and brought them to his lips. Black streaks and fragmented lines ran along their length and over her palms and down her wrists to her arms. "They'll be fine, veskaro," he said.
All traces of Proteus had vanished aside from a few footprints. The happy lowing and grunts that grew steadily fainter suggested they were still romping at a good pace.
"I know," she said softly, her voice thick. "I just…I needed to talk to you in private too."
He frowned. Were those more tears in her eyes? He turned to face her and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Why are you crying?"
She tried to smile, but her lips shook. Even more tears rolled down her cheeks. "I wanted to thank you, and I needed to apologize."
"We were never going to be able to keep the bavril forever," he said, still confused. Surely she had understood that. "We do not have the proper facilities for his care. And as he found a mate, we can't keep him, and we couldn't bring her as well. It has always been this way."
A small laugh broke from her mouth as she shook her head. "No. I've just…I've been thinking about everything. I wanted to thank you for getting me through Dry Deep and everything that you have done. But I needed to apologize to you for the vestov vow."
He straightened, almost pulling away. Had he heard her correctly?
She continued, wiping her hand beneath her eyes. "I still don't know what else I should have done. I just wanted so much to be certain. But I—" She pressed her lips together tight, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I took something sacred and used it against you. And, for what it is worth, I wanted you to know that I do not care what the vow said. I will never take another lover. I made my own vows to you, and I will stand by them because they are my vows before all that is divine and holy and good."
He tilted his head. What had brought this on? "Even if I break mine?"
She laughed weakly. "If you do, I will be angry. I will cut out your eye like I said. I will not share your bed. I will fight you. But…I will not dishonor our marriage, and I will not take another lover. Those are my limits. I just—I felt you should know that. I know it hurt you that you were not enough for me in that moment. That you felt unsupported and alone."
Some new heat rose within him. Desire as well. Of all the things she might have said, this perhaps surprised him most. She was his. Forever his. Completely his. "I know it cannot mean so much for me to say this," he said, stepping closer. "After all, I cannot take another lover. But even if I had the choice, I would not do so." He nudged his nose against her neck, breathing in her scent. She smelled so much like smoke and earth and gourds, but it was still her. Beautiful, wonderful her. And if there was ever some better way to prove to her that he meant this, he would take it. "I love you, veskaro," he whispered in her ear. "And nothing will ever change that."
She brushed her nose against his jaw. Heat rose from her and brightened in her cheeks. "I know that we're going to Darmoste soon and that we will have many tasks ahead of us. I don't think Darmoste will be good."
"No." He agreed. He splayed his hand along the small of her back, his palm just over her elmis and his fingers arched over them. He needed to focus now. This wasn't the time to be thinking of vestoving. She'd barely escaped death. The last thing she needed was him mounting her. Rest was what she needed. Rest and peace. His body already ached though, reminding him of just how long it had been.
"So," she said, leaning closer against him. Her hands moved up along his chest. "Before we return to the camp, do you want to—"
"Why would you want to vestov right now?" He cut her off, his words sharper than he intended. His frown deepened. Why was she even offering that right now? She couldn't be serious. She didn't smell aroused.
She tilted her head, her left eyebrow arching. "You're saying you don't want to vestov?" That skepticism was so obvious she might as well have called him a liar.
He pressed his lips in a tight line, his body tensing further. Already the blood was raging through him, heated and swift. What he wanted didn't matter. Her healing was more important. And damn her if she didn't stop stroking him, he was going to grab hold of her and not let go until they were both exhausted and panting. Which might not take long for her.
"I don't really know how long it has been," she said. "Dry Deep is all a blur. So—"
"My needs are not your concern right now." He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilted her gaze up. "Amelia, you understand that you went through a great trial. You should be in that hammock resting. You should have been resting while I was gone."
"Your brothers are back there. And if I'm in the hammock, you can't join me and do other things." She tugged on his doublet and looped her fingers in the toggles. "So are you saying you absolutely do not want to do this right now?" One hand tugged free and roamed lower.
Cantankerous little vespyr. Was it the fact he was trying not to be interested or the fact that he told her he wanted her to prioritize her own needs that was arousing her? He narrowed his eyes at her. Probably both.
She leaned up on her toes, her breasts pressing against him as she tugged at his belt. "If you can be gentle and we don't have to go to euphoria, then yes. Of course, if you can get to euphoria within an hour and without anyone hearing, that's fine."
He set his jaw, resisting the urge to pull her closer, lift her off the ground, explore her. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her. Of course he did. Just her presence. Her warmth. Her nearness. The fact that only hours ago she had been so near death. He tempered his strength, paying attention to her slightest breath and movement.
