Page 46 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
She pulled away, caressing his cheek.Hissilver eyes were dull, his pain crushing. “Thetime between heartbreaks is getting less and less.Letme break the curse.It’sone mortal’s heart.Onemortal for a hundred lifetimes.”
“My father will never agree to this if there is no benefit in it for him.”
“I will make it worth it for him.”Shedidn’t look atThane.
“How?”
“I don’t know.Theremust be somethingIhave that he would want.”
“You.”Thanetilted her chin up. “Hewill want you.Withyou he will not only control your father but me.Hewill keep you locked away.I’llnever see you.”
“How different is that from what we have now?”Theyhad been living with the curse now for ten lifetimes; she couldn’t fathom living another one.
“You are here now.IfIwanted to,Icould take you right here on my bed.Swallowyour cries and steal the stardust from your lips.Ihave all the moments between the heartbreaks.Theyare far better than never having you.”
“Moments?Webarely had a breath this time.”Aurorastepped away and flopped down on the bed.Herlips were dusted with stardust; a wish made when kissing her was powerful.Andyet she was helpless to stop her own heartbreak.Shewas so tired of the tears that fell.Tiredof the sickness that a broken heart filled her with.Sheknew it was the curse.Thewords that sat between them were all part of the curse, but that didn’t make it any easier.
Thane walked over to her and knelt before her. “Iwill take a lifetime of moments over never seeing you again.”Hetook her hands, kissing her fingertips.
“And what of the heartbreak?Whatif next time we never heal?Whatif you grow tired of me and the pain and…”
“Aurora, that will never happen.Iam yours, dove.Untilthere is not a breath left in my immortal body,Iam yours.”Thanepressed a kiss to her mouth.
His sadness was replaced with desire.Sheliked the taste of that so much better.Itwas sweet like moonbeam wine and had the same effect. “Thane, please, you must let me do this.”
“I will not let you break for me.Iwill not lose to my father.Nothingis ever simple with him.Hewill take this opportunity and turn you into something you are not.He’sdone it before, and he will revel in doing the same to you.”Hecupped her cheek. “AndIam not worth what you must give to break this curse.”
“But you are.Icannot live in a world without you.”Theirlove had been written in the stars; it would be there until the last star burned out.Sheknew because she wrote it there. “I’mnot as weak as you all think.It’sone mortal life for the rest of our lifetimes.Please.”
Thane ran his thumb over her bottom lip, then down her throat, and stopped at the base of her neck. “Youdon’t even know what you are asking of him.Youhave no idea what a soul weighs.Theheaviness that you must carry back.Theregret and fear that press down as you break the threads ofFate.Andnot just for that moment.Itstays with you and leaves its residue on your soul.SomedaysIcan’t breathe the weight is so much.Iwould not wish that upon you.”
Aurora kissed the palm of his hand. “Butyou would wish the burden of marrying another on me.Theburden of another’s child upon me.Doyou know that weight,Thane?Doyou know how heavy that is?”
His eyes moved from her throat to her face. “Itwould lessen with time.”
“No.EvenifImarry another, it is youIwill always want.Itis your bedIwill find myself dreaming of.Iwill not marrySky.Icannot love a god so vain that he spends his days gazing upon himself in any reflective surface.Heis more insufferable than you.”
“Than me?”Thaneraised a dark brow.
“Yes, you.”Itwas hard to stay mad at him, which was part of her problem.Ifshe could, she’d already be married toSky, watching him preen himself in the nearest mud puddle.Skywanted nothing more than to sit in the heavens and feast upon clouds and drink raindrops.ButAurorawanted more.Shewanted to visit theUnfortunateMarket, to pick teardrops in theValleyofShadows.AndThanewould give her those things.
“Tell me how insufferableIam.”Thanepushed her back on the bed, his desire sweet on her tongue, his mouth hovering over hers.
Aurora inhaled his words, letting her thoughts slip through her fingers.Howlong had it been since she had felt his body press down on hers?Toolong.Theseasons had changed from spring to summer. “Thane,Iknow what you’re doing.Youare very pretty, andIdo miss you.Butthis is not over.”
“I know.Iam simply taking one of my moments.Andit has been too long.Butplease, do go on about how insufferableIam,”Thanewhispered.Hemoved closer.Hislips brushed her cheek, then her ear, sending chills down her spine.
“Very.Tostart with, you never wear anything but black.Yourhair always looks like some god has been running their hands through it.Andyou’re broody.”Shelooked up at him.Helaughed, a low sound that settled low in her belly.Godsbelow, she hated the effect this god had on her.Theyshould be discussing how to break the curse.
“ThenIshall switch up my wardrobe for you, dove.ShallIadd the color of the sunrise, or maybe the first blush of the dawn?”Thaneteased as he pressed kisses to her neck.
“You’d look silly in yellow and pink.Maybetry a nice silver or gray.Itwould bring out the color of your eyes.Thecolor of your eyes is your best feature.”Thiswas silly, the fact that they were talking about clothing choices and not the curse.Butif the moments between the heartbreak were lessening, she’d need to take what she could get.Atleast until she broke the curse.
“That’s the only reason you come to my bed each night?Thecolor of my eyes?”Thanenuzzled her neck.
“Well, it’s not your personality.”Aurorapushed him away so she could look into those eyes. “Ihave to do this,Thane.”
Thane brushed the hair from her cheek. “No, love,Iwill not allow you to do this.Thatwitch sold her soul to my father.Shecannot be trusted.Thecurse is mine to live with.”
