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"Whatever happens," I said, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. "I'm with you."
Selene nodded again, though this time it was firmer.
"And how do you intend to delight my body, Brody?" she asked, her voice taking on a more formal tone.
I took a deep breath, wishing I had given it more solid thought, but I knew where to start and I was determined now. Only once I was free could we see where our futures lay. And I wanted that.
"In the human world, there's a lot of research that suggests hugs are important. They have to last at least thirty seconds for the full impact of them. Do harpies hug?"
She frowned at me as though she didn't really understand.
"Can I… show you?" I asked, the deep desire to embrace her overwhelming me. I wanted to press her close to my heart, to feel hers thrum against my skin. Never mind that I had no idea where a harpy's heart might be.
Selene nodded, her eyes brighter now, and I stepped closer. With great care, I embraced her with both arms, slipping one below her wings, and the over above. That same warmth from before swelled inside me. She was delicate but powerful beneath my hands. Her feathers tickled my skin and flapped ever so slightly in response. I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of her, letting it fill my nostrils. Her arms lifted, moving around me to hug me back.
"Like this?" she asked.
"Yeah," I murmured into her hair. It was strange to be like this, to see her wings over her shoulder, just there. There was no way anyone could mistake her for human, but I forgot we weren't the same until a reminder like this slapped me in the face. Almost literally in this case. "Now we stay like this, I'll count."
"Do you really think this will work?" she asked.
"I don't know, but it's nice." More than nice, but I didn't want to draw attention to the way that my body was responding to hers. I twisted my lower half to the side, hoping that she wouldn't notice the bulge in my pants; the last thing I wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.
"Brody. We must be careful."
"Just try it, please? We still have two more tries after this. No more talking until I say."
She huffed out a small breath, but then rested her head against my shoulder, her face tucked into the crook of my neck. The feathers around her face tickled me, but I tried to ignore them and sink into the embrace. My brain kept thinking about how little clothing there was between us.
No, come on, Brody. Enjoy the hug. Breathe into it. Let those good feelings wash over.
Selene sank against me. Her body relaxed, her breathing calm. I had to wonder if she had any of the same thoughts as me or if I was the only one on that wavelength right now.
How long had it been? I counted ten seconds, twenty. My body relaxed too and I could feel her heart, feel her breath in time with my own. Felt the geas too, the magic between us which seemed to strengthen with each breath we took; until it punched me in the gut, alerting me to the failure.
"Okay," I whispered, letting out a breath and releasing her as I clenched my jaw against the pain. My fingers reached for her wings, stroking the feathers as she stepped back from me, her fingers pressed to her stomach. The last part of the geas had not been met and now I only had two opportunities.
She shook her head, sorrow on her face. "It was nice, but…"
I let out a sigh. "To be honest, I didn't think it would delight your body, but it was an excuse to hold you."
A smile spread across her lips. "You need no excuse. You may hold me whenever you would like."
The unspoken words hovered in the air between us.
If you survive this.
I had to survive.
It was only then that the reality fully hit me. If I failed, then that was it for me. I was dead. Would my body ever be recovered, or would the harpy queen consume me?
A shudder ran through me at that image. If she did, I could only hope she would kill me first, though I wouldn't put it past her to eat me while I was still alive.
"Can I kiss you?" I asked, desperation clogging my throat. I needed to taste her, and then perhaps I could delight her body.
"Kissing you is a delight, but we've already done that, and so it cannot count."
"No, I mean. I just want to kiss you. While I can."
