Page 8 of Magic in the Moonlight

He smirks like he knows how he’s affecting me.

Since he mentioned food, my stomach is catching up with how hungry I am. It growls loudly, echoing in the cave.

Ellister raises an eyebrow with a pointed look at my plate.

“Okay,” I breathe out, exasperated. “But we need to have a serious talk.”

“I’ll happily listen to your grievances, darling. As long as you eat first.”

I have no argument to that. I’m starving.

I’m surprised when I touch the meat—it’s still a little warm. The skin is unseasoned, but it’s crisp and toasty.

It felt like Astrid was here for hours, but that whole thing we did when we stuck our hands in the bowl must’ve lasted for a couple minutes at most.

As I gobble up my breakfast, Ellister sits against the far wall and watches me.

Just like he does every time I eat.

I couldn’t understand it before. I’d started to think he had some kind of fetish with watching a woman consume food, but I recognize his expression for what it really is.

Satisfaction. He likes seeing me taken care of, but the glint of pride in his eyes is mixed with caution.

Even though my fear of him is completely erased, he’s wary.

And I kind of hate that. I can’t stand the thought of making him suffer rejection from his own soul mate.

After wiping my greasy fingers on a cloth napkin, I pat the sleeping bag. “Will you come closer?”

Face lighting with happiness, he crawls over to me. “You want me near you?”

“Of course I do,” I answer honestly. “When you sit over there, I can barely see you.”

“I’ve been trying to give you space.”

“You’ve been freaking me out. You’re just this shadow with fangs.”

He reaches up to touch one of the sharp teeth. “I had thought seeing me without my caps would trigger some recognition. I was very wrong about that. My fangs are frightening for you.”

“Not anymore.” If anything, they turn me on. A lot.

Before, I just didn’t have the memories necessary to recognize anything about him.

But now…

Now that I know what it’s like to have him latched onto me, sucking my blood, I can’t stop thinking about how good it felt to have him bite me.

Poking a few berries left on my plate, I get back to the topic of making a brief return to the farm. “So, about going home… Are we going to come to a compromise or are you going to be a difficult brute?”

I think I can convince him. I’ve seen into his mind. Into his heart. If he had a soul, I’d be immersed in that part of him, too.

I’m confident that his soft spot for me will get him to cave to my request.

Abruptly, Ellister stands and extends a hand. “Dance with me.”

I blink up at him. “Right now?”

“Now.”

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