Page 93 of His Darkest Desire

Vex lifted his finger to his lips and shook his head. The wisp shrank back but did not dim.

Gently, Vex reached down, hooked a strand of Kinsley’s hair, and brushed it out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. She didn’t stir.

Throughout his ordeal, his suffering, his…delirium, this human had stayed with him. Had tended to him.

She deserved better than sleeping on a pallet in this dark room, where the air was fouled with the odors of countless herbs and the tangs of ancient magics. She deserved better than he’d given her.

She deserved everything.

And he… He would not sleep alone again.

Moving with exaggerated care to counteract the stiffness and weariness permeating his body, he dismissed his wings, withdrew his arm from beneath her head, and sat up. When he slipped off the pallet and got to his feet, his legs trembled, uncertain of whether they intended to support him. He stood on his toes and lifted his arms over his head, stretching his back with a soft groan.

Echo danced excitedly nearby, casting shadows that mimicked the wisp’s movements. They whispered, “This one will tell the others.”

Vex nodded, offering them a wave, and turned to face Kinsley as the wisp flitted away. Kneeling, he slipped his arms under her and lifted her from the pallet.

She moaned and turned toward him, her fingers curling against his chest as though to grasp him.

“Sleep,” he said gently, infusing the word with what little magic he could muster.

Kinsley settled, nestling against him.

Holding her just a little tighter, he carried her to the stairs. It was impossible to ignore his weakened state, but each step roused a little of his vigor, undoubtedly aided by having Kinsley in his arms.

All three wisps awaited him at the entrance to the bedchamber. They brimmed with excitement, bouncing in the air, their ghostfire swirling, but remained silent as Vex brought Kinsley inside.

He strode to his bed, willed aside the blanket with a flick of a finger, and carefully—reluctantly—laid Kinsley down. After arranging the pillow beneath her head, he combed his fingers through her loose, damp locks and drew the blanket over her. Thankfully, the enchantment kept her slumber unbroken.

Vex cupped her cheek in his hand, stroking her soft, smooth skin with his thumb. “Ah, Kinsley…”

He’d not been sure how to feel when he’d first brought her here, when he’d first laid her in his bed. Having a stranger, a human, in his bedchamber had been…unsettling. But the implication of her presence had been too important to deny. His solitude was a small sacrifice to make in his quest for freedom.

Now he could not imagine his bed any other way. He could not imagine his home any other way. She had already become such an integral part of his life that even he, an immortal who’d watched centuries pass like leaves falling in the autumn wind, could not fathom existence without her.

Leaning over her, Vex pressed his lips to her forehead. He let the tender kiss linger. It afforded him the merest hint of her taste and allowed him a few more moments to drink in her fragrance, to relish her feel.

When he finally withdrew his lips, he whispered, “Rest easy, my mate. I shall return to you anon.”

Vex forced himself away from the bed and gathered a fresh tunic, trousers, and a pair of boots. He dressed quickly and exited the chamber. Once the door was closed, the wisps, who’d waited patiently for his emergence, all spoke simultaneously, their excited voices blending into unintelligible chatter.

Though their words were jumbled, their worry, gratitude, and relief were clear.

He chuckled, quieting them with a gentle gesture. “Be at ease, my friends. Though I am not fully recovered, I am hale enough to warrant no further worry. I must ask you to quiet yourselves. I would not have Kinsley awoken before she’s had adequate rest.”

“She remained at your side throughout, magus,” said Flare.

“How long has it been?”

“Eight days,” Shade replied.

Eight days? Had Vex truly lost that much time to the illness inflicted upon him by the barghest’s claws? Rage coiled in his belly, hot and sharp, but he tamped it down.

“She scarce tended to her own needs,” added Echo.

“I know.” Vex’s chest tightened with a strange mix of sorrow, pride, happiness, and guilt. “Thus, we must allow her to sleep. What of our unwanted guests?”

Flare dimmed. “No sign, magus.”