Page 112 of A Serenade To The Elf Queen
“Is it a bug?” he asks, his perfect eyebrow arching.
I chew the inside of my cheeks. “A snake.”
But nothing horrifying comes jumping out from the pile of metal. I don’t mind if a spider suddenly crawls out because this is embarrassing. I think I’m drowning again like that time. The air stops flowing into my lungs.
“Whatever it is, it’s gone now,” he whispers to me. “Calm down, Nel.”
My pulse is still drumbeating in my ear. He presses me firmly against him, his hand brushing on my arm in soothing strokes.
“I did see something.” My voice is barely a whisper as I descend into a cold dark place.
“I believe you, little fawn,” he says into my ear. “Now breathe.”
Those words bring me back to the surface. I force myself to inhale slowly, taking comfort in the steady rise and fall of his chest.
“Come back to me.” The sound of his voice guides me like a lighthouse. It helps that his scent and touch are anchoring me. All the worries of the world simply melt as I nestle into the safety of his embrace. I like it here. I’m going to build a home and live here forever.
“Rhianelle.”
“Hmm?”
“How long do you plan on staying in my arms?” he says softly.
I jerk my head instantly.
“It’s—it’s the stupid Arawynn bond,” I mutter, cowering with shame. Svenn says he’s just as affected but I’m the only one who seems to be unable to control it. Maybe his hatred for the curse is enough to keep him away.
“Would you like to bite me again?” he offers.
My stupid head almost nods.
“No,” I say firmly. It sounds convincing enough.
An amused sort of smile dances on his lips.
Svenn sets me on a tree stump with a softness that startles me for a moment. He hates me so much I half expect him to toss me into the forest for his night creatures to devour.
Maybe if I stay with him long enough, we can finally talk about the curse, the bond, and everything else. I pull my knees to my chest as I watch him work on the armor. His determination to salvage it is admirable. The intricate scales seem to have lost their luster with rust and time.
“We can get new ones once we reach Aelfheim,” I mutter quietly when I see him struggling to refine the old relic.
His lips almost curve into a smile over the comment.
Svenn starts wearing the plates, his powerful muscles shifting with the movement. I’m fixated on everything he does. I imagine running my hand over that beautifully sculpted body and that coal-black hair.
I’m openly ogling the vampire’s half-naked form.
And he’s letting me.
“Will you help me?” he suddenly asks.
The request startles me, sending a flush of heat up my spine. I try not to sound excited when I say, “Yes!”
He lowers to his knee, bracing his arms on either side of me. My fingers toil with the leather latches silently.
“This thing has bad luck attached to it,” I exhale, trying hard to concentrate on my new task. His broad body is so close to mine that I can almost feel his warmth seeping into me. I know he can hear the rapid beating of my heart.
Svenn pulls back, his fearsome stature paired with the armor makes him look every bit like a conquering king. Despite his intimidating presence, I am drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
