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He smirks at me, a look I’m starting to realize might be his true superpower. That single look, the way his dimples flash, could make me do unspeakable things. My walls shouldn’t crumble this quickly around them, yet all it takes is an instant and he has them turned into rubble.
Sebastian drops his gaze to the sigils on his hand. It glows with power, reflecting the strength of the elements we have invoked. “When will these sigils disappear?”
“Now that we’ve completed our vows, maybe an hour or two.”
His eyes narrow thoughtfully. “It doesn’t require consummation?”
I swallow hard, unsure where he’s going with that question. “It’s not required to marry us, but it is for you to be named a prince. My father will send someone to check in the morning.”
He steps closer, his figure towering over me. “I won’t force you into anything, Scarlet. I want you to know that, but I need to ask. Seeing as you’re not a virgin, will that be enough?”
A mixture of relief and uncertainty swirls within me. “I don’t know. I’d assume so, but I can’t know for sure.” I hesitate for a moment before adding, “The choice is yours. If it’s not enough, then you won’t be named a prince, and your right–your truce–will be void. My father could arrest you.”
Despite the seriousness of our conversation, Sebastian’s eyes soften, and he shakes his head. “That doesn’t change anything. If you don’t want to, we’ll find another way.”
His words send warmth spiraling through my middle. “Thank you,” I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion. “That means more to me than you could ever know.” My mind whirls, taking in the gravity of the situation.
I reach up to cup his face in my hand. His eyes search mine, and I see a flicker of surprise before they fill with warmth. “Are you sure, Scarlet?” he asks, placing his hand over mine on his cheek. Before the surge of courage can fade, I kiss him.
10
Hook
HowamIsupposedto react? I don’t kiss women. I mean, sure, some want it and that’s all fine and dandy, but I’ve never yearned to kiss someone before. Not like this. I physically couldn’t stop myself from touching Scarlet in the bathroom. Even now, every ounce of my being desires to be closer until it’s impossible to be anymore.
My body relaxes into hers, our lips moving in tune. Is this what it feels like to be whole? To have emotions? If so, I understand why some call them consuming.
Without my shadow, I essentially have half of my soul. I still feel, but the sensations are muted like my emotions are trying to go through a barrier. I only get to experience what slips through the seams. At least that was the case until the blood oath.
It’s trouble.
Scarlet is trouble.
I knew the moment she danced with me that this woman was going to wreck my world. From the way her dainty hand fit in mine to the way she held nothing back... Maybe a small part of me wanted her to. I just didn’t know what to expect.
Scarlet’s skin is so soft beneath my fingers. Even as I dive them into her silky white hair, I can’t stop myself from deepening the kiss. I want more. I’m just not sure if it’s her specifically I crave or the feeling I’ve been deprived of for as long as I can remember.
I’d been just a little boy when my shadow was taken, and I hadn’t realized what I was missing until I knew what it was like. Now, it’s like a drug I can’t get enough of. It’s a new experience I want to explore and push the limits, to test and see what variables elicit different sensations.
In a way, I’d already started doing that without noticing it. Every time I changed the subject of our conversation in the bath, every time I touched Scarlet in a different way, a response rippled through our blood bond, as if I felt it myself. It’s both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.
The scent of lavender floods my senses and my nostrils flare, but the scent is nothing compared to the way she tastes. I hold her to me, kissing her while trying to stay gentle. She’s so fragile in my hands...
Scarlet knows what I’m capable of. She’s witnessed it, yet not an ounce of her soul is worried. She trusts me not to hurt her, even if she won’t admit it. I won’t break that trust. Not tonight, not ever. Except, a part of me knows this won’t last forever. It won’t be safe for her on the Jolly Roger, and I don’t think she’ll want to stay in the Luminaries. It won’t be safe for her anywhere else without me, though, and if I want to get my shadow back, I’ll have to leave.
Letting my hands roam down her slender throat, over the delicate curves of her shoulders, and the satin slip of her dress. I bend, hooking my hands behind her knees and lifting her up so her legs can twist around my torso.
Scarlet links her arms behind my neck as I blindly feel for the bed. As I set her down, she nips her teeth into my lower lip, and I swear my brain short-circuits. A growl reverberates from deep within my throat and I push her back onto the thick comforter. My towel slips from my waist, pooling onto the floor as I climb onto the bed and position myself between her legs. Just as I bend to kiss her chest, she stops me.
“Your shoulder,” she pants against my lips, worry flickering in her gaze.
“Healed,” I lie. Finding the hem of her nightgown, I slip it up her thigh and my mouth waters at the thought of kissing her there. I’m desperate to hear the sounds she makes and to feel her shake in my hands, and for the life of me, I don’t know why. I’ve never been this out of control before.
“Sebastian,” she whispers, though her hands clench my hair at the base of my neck.
“Yes, little lamb,” I trail kisses along her jaw, down the delicate column of her throat. Her pulse leaps under my lips and I groan.
“I want to do this. You need that title, and I’d be lying if I told you that I wanted you to stop.”
