Page 107 of The Book Reader
Gaelan runs his fingers through his hair. “Rose, that is some powerful magic. How are you doing this?”
“I don’t know, it just…happened. Like freezing those weapons—I was scared and didn’t know what to do—” I pace away from him and look over the calm water of the lake, the way the ripples skate across the surface is almost soothing. “—I felt this heat, like my body was on fire, but in a good way. Then his burst of power.” Gaelan watches me intently. “At the lake, the voice. Told me to walk over it—my guide.”
Gaelan pulls me close and kisses the top of my head. “Let’s go home, we have a lot to talk about.”
Gaelan closesthe door softly behind him. He turns, grips my face, and kisses my lips so tenderly it takes my breath away. I can feel how scared he is with each sweep of his lips over mine, the way his tongue dips into my mouth, tasting me, loving me.
Gaelan’s fingers absentmindedly draw circles on the skin of my arm, tracing one of my markings. My skin tingles under his caress. I think back on everything that happened, and although I have some answers to all the questions, I know I have a long way to go before I uncover everything.
“What happened? After I disappeared into the sand?” I ask softly.
I know what happened from my perspective, but I have to wonder what Gaelan saw.
“I tried to dig you out—Rex and everyone were trying to save you. The ground started shaking, like an earthquake, and a huge crack appeared in the earth. It split open, and you came shooting out. You floated high in the sky in a gold light.”
I turn so I can look into his eyes, shocked. “Have you seen that happen to me before?”
He shakes his head lightly. “No. What I saw you do was amazing, you killed daemons without even breaking a sweat.”
“I killed daemons?” I ask, stunned.
“After your scent was so strong, daemons started shimmering in from everywhere. You killed them and then passed out.”
He lowers his hand to my cheeks and moves some hair from my face, his voice soft and imploring. “Where did you go?”
“I’m not sure. I woke up at my aunt’s house. My mom, dad, aunt, and grandpa were there, telling me how proud they were of me—how strong I was going to become.” Tears flow down my cheeks, remembering the feeling of the hugs I’ve missed so much. “I saw all my lives; every time I was killed, times that I was hurt so badly… My powers and you—” I smile. “All of ourlives together, the fun, the sad, the love.” My voice trails off into a whisper. I shift a little on the sofa. “Then I ended up back at Westery. My spell book was floating like it’d been there the whole time. I cast a spell to protect the lands there.”
“How, my Rose? Before, you would always have to learn how to use the book.” He sounds bewildered.
“I don’t know, it’s like I have all this knowledge in my head.” I lift my arm, point to the spell on the inside of my wrist, the gold writing curling around it. “This is a healing spell, I’ve never spoken it before. But I know the words and I know what it can do.” I undo the shirt I’m wearing and pull down one shoulder to show him the wording there. “This is a resurrection spell—I’ve never even heard of this kind of spell, but I know what it can do. It’s like everything from before… every past life that learnt something from the book has given it to me.”
Gaelan reaches over and places his hand on my chest, which is completely bare of markings. “This is the most powerful I have ever seen you. I have only seen a small part of your powers in the past… maybe this timeisdifferent,” he says, hope shining in his eyes.
I hope that this time is different, too.
I hope that this time, I can beat them all.
The past me in the caves said I was the last. I wasn’t sure what she meant by that. I hope it somehow means that I will be able to survive this time.
I smile softly. I want to tell him what the past me said, but I don’t want to see him crushed again. If I am another life he loses—it’s the last life. The thought of that is enough to break my heart.
My eyes flicker down at where his hand rests on my chest, just above the curve of my breasts. “I wonder what spell goes there.” I changed the subject. Avoidance is best right now.
“My mark will.” He says possessively.
“Our mating mark?”
He nods, his eyes flick to my lips, staring at them hungrily, and he licks his lips slowly. I track the moment with my eyes, wanting to kiss him. He lifts his eyes slowly to mine, staring for a few seconds, the desire I see seated deep makes me breathless. “It’s been in the same spot every time.”
“How do we mate?”
His eyes flash a bright blue, the fire in them swirling. He runs his hand up my chest to wrap lightly around my neck. He leans in closer and breathes against my lips. “I fuck you until you are screaming my name, then we exchange blood.”
My mouth opens on a sigh, losing a breath, and the tone of his husky voice sends a shiver along my body. I want that so much, I want him more than ever, but the thoughts of those daemons back at Westery… the way they touched my body—their hands crawling over my skin run through my mind, making me shut my eyes tight. My chest gets tight in panic, and I duck my head away from Gaelan.
“That is, if you want to wear my mark again, my Rose.” He says, sounding a little sad, which makes me peek at him.
“I do, Gaelan, I just… those daemons, all of them…” My voice trails off in pain.
