Blood Pledged (Arcane Arts Academy #3) - Elena Lawson Page 0,60

the eyes of the council, when I turned eighteen, would it be so bad? Would he still be reprimanded if it came out then? With a heavy sigh, I realized that, though it wouldn’t be illegal, it would likely still be frowned upon. Even if it didn’t ruin his career, it would ruin his reputation.

I chanced a glance up, meeting his sad eyes. My heart rebelled against the words I was about to say, but I couldn’t wait until something happened and then live regretting not saying them. “I think we should—”

He didn’t let me finish. Elias’ mouth fell on mine swiftly, and I gasped as his hands came around my face, holding me to him with a deep and unsated hunger tinged with something like desperation. Into the kiss, he poured his need for me. All the reasons not to cool it down or stop doing anything. All the reasons it was so, so worth it. And damn if it wasn’t the best fucking rebuttal I’d ever not heard.

It took exactly two and a half seconds for me to cave. And another one second for me to wrap my hands around his neck and knead my fingers into his hair. He had his fingers in mine, too, and with a gentle tug, he pulled my face back from his, holding it with a fist full of my messy red locks. I panted, glaring at him. Hating him for what being around him did to my body. How it affected my heart. But mostly angry at him because I knew I could never truly give him up—not really.

I couldn’t. More than that, though, I wouldn’t.

There was nothing quite like the feeling I had with him. The complete connection. Of body, mind, spirit, and magic.

Like calls to like.

Where Cal and Adrian were my bonded familiars, and Draven was… well, whatever the hell Draven was, Elias was my counterpart in another witch. And that couldn’t be denied.

“Tell me you want me to go,” he challenged me, his voice coming out rugged and raspy, which only made me want him even more. “Tell me you don’t want this.”

I couldn’t. It would be a lie to say it. And I had to be one of the shittiest liars. Why even try?

Or breaths mingled between us, and our chests heaved against one another. His cold pine and bergamot scent wrapped around me like a ward of protection, made me feel safe. Warm.

So, selfishly, foolishly, I kissed him back.

He moaned into my mouth and his heart pounded hard against my breasts. I pulled back. “But we have to be more careful,” I said, and he tugged me back to kiss him again.

“Okay.”

“You can’t come to my room ever—”

He silenced me with another kiss, this one making my belly flutter.

“Done.”

“And Elias?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s one more thing.” I did my best to disentangle myself from him, but he wouldn’t fully let me go.

He waited for my final condition, and this one was a doozy. I felt strange even asking for it. But it had to be done because I wouldn’t be forced to choose, not between them.

I saw something click into place behind his eyes, and his narrowed gaze relaxed. “It’s them, isn't it? Your familiars. You…” He hesitated like he was having trouble saying it.

Please say it.

Please say it so I don’t have to.

“You want them, too, don’t you?”

I shrank away, afraid that he may not understand. That he’d reject it. Reject me. I mean, how many girls out there had three of four boyfriends and all of them were okay with it? I’d wager not all that many.

“Is that...” I said, shrinking even further into myself. “I mean, would you—”

He pulled me back from the shell I was trying to retreat into. Drawing me back up to him. Elias caressed my face as he considered me, as though he was looking at a piece of fine art or some mysterious, ancient artifact. As though I were something uniquely precious, and when I was with him, sometimes it felt like I was just that.

“I would be lying if I said I didn’t want you all to myself.”

My heart fell.

“But,” he added, sensing the change. “I would never seek to own you. Or to control you. I’ve known for a while now that there was something more between you and them than what would be normal for a witch-familiar bond, and I’m still here, aren’t I?”

It wasn’t an explicit yes, but it wasn’t a no, either. It was an acceptance