Page 19 of Cherished By the Gargoyle
Her face twists in disappointment, and she turns away.
Without thinking, I catch her wrist and spin her back toward me.
Her breath catches as my claws graze her skin, the pulse at her wrist fluttering wildly beneath my fingertips.
“You are perfect.” A low purring growl builds in my chest as I wind my tail around her ankle up to her calf. “No male could ever be worthy of you.”
She inhales sharply, and my gaze drops to her lips—soft, slightly parted, so temptingly close.
Gods, I want to taste her. I’ve wanted her for so long. Intense need and hunger claw at me as my father’s warnings snarl in my head, tearing at the edges of my restraint.
Aurora stares up at me, a lovely pink flush rising to her cheeks as my ears detect the rapid fluttering of her heart.
I want her. She is warmth and fire and every dream I’ve ever denied myself. I want her in ways I should not. She deserves a male who will fight for her, worship every part of her. And if no male is worthy of her, then let me be the one to try.
“But gods, Aurora”—I pull her closer, her warmth searing through me—“I want to try.”
CHAPTER 11
AURORA
Istare up at him, my breath caught in my chest, heart thundering against my ribs. Thalric’s golden eyes pierce mine, each word he’s just spoken burning in the space between us.
But gods, Aurora, I want to try.
Before I can react, before I can even think clearly, he moves.
His grip tightens gently yet possessively on my wrist, claws grazing across my skin, sending a rush of heat spiraling through me. He leans in, his breath warm against my parted lips, and then his mouth claims mine.
His kiss is fire and tenderness, a fierce hunger tempered by barely restrained control. My fingers clutch desperately at his shoulders, needing something solid to ground me as my pulse pounds in my ears.
Something inside him snaps as I arch into him, pressing into his solid chest.
A low rumble of approval rises in his throat, reverberating through me. His powerful arm wraps around my waist, pulling me flush against his muscular frame, wings flaring to shield usfrom the world. His other hand slides through my hair, fingers gripping the silken strands as he angles my mouth up to his, deepening our kiss.
Gods, this is everything I’ve ever wanted and so much more.
He claims my mouth and my tongue like a man possessed, making me dizzy and breathless as I cling to him. My knees weaken as my body practically melts into his, but Thalric holds me tightly, pressing me against the rough stone wall behind me.
I trace my fingers over the thick planes of muscle that line his abdomen and chest before reaching up and caressing the pointed tips of his ears. His low, tortured groan sends heat pooling low in my belly.
I gasp as his fangs graze lightly against my bottom lip before he curls his tongue around mine, deepening our kiss in a dance of give and take that is both teasing and yet demanding in its intensity.
When we finally part, both of us are breathing hard. Tracing his fingers tenderly along the side of my face, his gaze holds mine as he whispers, “Savryl.”
Although I don’t understand what this word means, I understand its meaning in the way it leaves his mouth, full of sacred reverence.
Soft moonlight reflects in his eyes, turning them into molten gold. His features are chiseled and striking, like a warrior sculpted from night and stone. Reaching up, I cup his cheek. “What happens now?” I whisper softly.
He rests his larger hand over mine, leaning his face into my touch before turning his head and pressing a tender kiss to my palm. “You will be my mate,” he says, voice low and deep. “And I will be yours.”
My pulse skips. “What does that mean?”
His gaze softens. “A claiming. You would wear my mark, and I yours.” His expression shifts as a hint of uncertainty reflects inhis eyes. “Or we can go to the temple, if you prefer. A priestess would bind us formally before the gods.”
“Yes,” I whisper, unable to contain my smile. “Fiora, Lyria, and Maribel would want to be there. So would our friends.”
Relief flits across his features. “Then that is what we will do. Afterward, we can go to the capital together. The mates of those training to become royal guards are allowed to stay in a separate wing, near the barracks. You could live there while I train, and you could work toward your apprenticeship to become an apothecary.”
