Here,” he demands, and although he sounds annoyed, I can hear a note of concern in his voice. “You humans are so delicate,” he mutters, as I gather up my cloak and makeshift pillow. I use my hands to feel out the ground in front of me until they land on something warm.
Grunting, he makes some comment about poor human eyesight, and I know I’ve reached him. I set down my pillow, drape my cloak over my body, and slide my hand along the floor, feeling for the edge of his cloak. My hand brushes warm, bare skin and I pause for a moment until I realise it’s his arm.
“Just lie down,” he grinds out, his other arm reaching across and pulling me half across him. I gasp in shock as I lie sprawled across his chest, thankfully not pressing on his wound.
I freeze, my mind slow to process what’s just happened. His body is all hard edges and firm muscles, but also gloriously warm. My fatigue and the stress of the day finally hits me, overriding my logic as the primal, survival part of me takes over, and I snuggle into the warmth.
He lets out a hiss when my cold fingers press against any bare skin they can find. A sigh of contentment escapes me, the link between us practically humming in pleasure. It’s still not back to the way it had been, but it’s stronger than it was before he’d eaten the nos weed.
My mind is drifting into sleep now, my breathing evening out and becoming deeper, but I don’t miss the small, contented hum that rumbles through his chest as his arms tighten around me before I fall into blissful unconsciousness.
The sound of a horse neighing wakes me, and as I peel open my sleep encrusted eyes, I groan at my sore and aching limbs. I do not miss sleeping on cold, rocky floors. Sitting up, I stretch out my arms, enjoying the feeling of everything settling back into place as I look down at my companion. At some point during the night, I must have moved off his chest since we were lying side by side when I awoke. That’s when it hits me.
I slept on an elf’s chest. My breath catches in my throat and I have to take a large, calming breath. No, you’ve slept next to him before, pressed up against each other in trees. It wasn’t an issue then, why would it be one now? I justify. We’ve been on the run together for a while now, so it can’t be that I’m worried because he’s an elf. The only reason it would be an issue is if you have feelings for him. My eyes widen at the realisation.
Mother above, is that it? I have feelings for him?
I stare down at the still sleeping elf. Sure, he’s stunning in an exotic way, and we have this pull between us. I think back to the looks shared between us, and the fact he wouldn’t leave the castle without me even though he could.
No, he was just being kind, I theorise, shaking my head at the thought he could care for me in that way. He hates humans, and I don’t blame him for that, but I also can’t change who I am. Then I remember how I felt yesterday when I thought I had lost him. It was like someone had ripped my heart from my chest and the world would never be the same again.
What about Grayson? What about Tor? They’ve both made their feelings clear about you, you should stick with someone from your own race. As soon as I have the thought, I frown. It doesn’t sit right with me. Race shouldn’t matter when it comes to love. Love. Whoa, slow down. I’m working myself into a state. I know for sure I don’t love Vaeril, or Tor or Grayson for that matter, at least not yet. Who knows what could have developed if I’d had more time with them?
Groaning at the direction my thoughts have gone, I raise my hands and rub my face, wishing I could scrub the thoughts away with the motion.
The neighing noise catches my attention again, and I frown towards the cave entrance, about to get up and find out what’s going on when Vaeril groans. Frowning, I turn to look at him again and realise he appears pale and sweaty. I place my hand on his forehead and curse at the heat rolling off