Page 53 of First Ritual
“You’ll keep wondering,” came the terse reply.
“Must be kinky as fuck,” Sven replied. “Foot stuff.”
I shouldn’t grin. Doing so wasn’t sensitive to Wild’s feelings.
I grinned.
“What have you experienced since touching Wild?” Corentin sat forward as he spoke, and I observed the enormous magus similar in size to Sven but with none of the teasing vibe. The guy was a ball of tension. He could soak in a bath of lavender oil for a week and it wouldn’t do a thing to relax him.
My hand lifted to my chest. “An aching chest. Mostly when I’m with him.” I frowned, thinking of his bruises and cuts. “Mostly when he’s in pain or angry.”
Excitement edged Huxley’s tone. “What else?”
“Irritation,” I answered.
Wild shook his head. “You felt that before our magic met. When I came to your room before esbat.”
My brow cleared. “True. You’ve always annoyed me.”
“Not when you were kissing me in the bar.”
“Just from when you opened your mouth.”
A smirk appeared on his lips. “I believe I opened my mouth when we kissed.”
“To speak.” I glared, then rubbed my chest again.
“Anything sexual?” Sven asked, his usual teasing expression tucked away.
I pursed my lips. “I can appreciate Wild’s visual. That hasn’t increased since the bar though. Probably decreased.” At Wild’s look, I clarified, “The speaking thing. Doesn’t do it for me. I don’t like the way he looks at me.”
“In what way?” Sven prompted.
I hesitated.
All four leaned closer. Mother be. Did I smell like burgers or something?
My words left me in a rush. “I feel like I’m drowning. Out of control or something.” My cheeks warmed, and I picked at a thread on the blanket to avoid their intense looks.
“What have we noticed?” Huxley said.
Corentin. “Avoidance. Dismissal.”
Now wait one second. “Because his behavior is freaky. Not because of any weird juju.”
“I’ll put a question mark on that.” Huxley ignored my sputtering response. “Whatever this is, it does seem one-sided. Animalistic, as we’ve theorized.”
I couldn’t believe this conversation was even happening. “Why did it happen?”
“We only have theories,” Sven said. “That’s why we need your help. It’s clear that something happened to both of you. Whatever it is affects the male more but has certainly locked the two of you in some kind of courting sequence.”
Courting sequence.
My heart hammered. What did that even mean? “How am I meant to help?”
“Experiments much like what you just did by touching me,” Wild said. “Our object is to get rid of my urges. Whether we need to play things out to the end or find a magic way to sever the issue.”
I tilted my head. “I’m not adverse to helping you in any way I’m comfortable with. Domination is off the table, for instance. With you.”