My kisses were rough, each one bringing me closer and closer to the lust I associated with the moon. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the fun kind of craving that sex could satisfy. No, it was deep, and savage, and dangerous, andcompletelyinvoluntary at this point.
She blinked up at me as I pulled away.
I took a few calming breaths, trying to quell the ugly urges that I carried deep in my chest. She inched back, fingers finding the strap of her canvas bag, and while she was well within her rights, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
“You’re filthy, Little Light,” I murmured, wrapping my arms around her, preventing her from fleeing no matter how desperately she wanted to.
“I’ve been–” She stopped to catch her breath. “–running through mud. All night.”
I nodded, trying to prepare a half-hearted apology, even if it would be a lie. Instead, I buried my face in the crook of her neck, breathing in the scent of her sweat.
“Come with me. There’s a creek out back,” I whispered, lips buzzing against her skin. “I have an extra set of clothes hidden in the rectory. Once I’m done, you’ll be more fit to tackle the night.”
Once I was done speaking, I lifted my head to see if the weight of my words had landed right. Unfortunately, she still seemed skeptical. Good. She had little to no reason to trust me.
Still, I pulled her to her feet and dragged her with me, whispering sweet nothings about how none of the others could hurt her when she was with me. I just hoped I’d be able to hold myself to the same standard.
Chapter 6
Lux
There was absolutely no reason for the creek behind the church to be warm. I’d spent half this night shivering, and the other part running for my life… or being fucked, but I wasn’t going to complain about that. As much as I should hate everything going on, the dirty part of my brain waslivingfor this level of attention. And while the fear was definitely there, if it wasn’t for the whole threat of being murdered, I could get used to this.
The water of the creek rivaled most baths I’d taken, leaving me to relax in a way that wasn’t safe, not right now. I was beyond tired, and just as sore. I sank to my knees, letting the water rise to my shoulders as I closed my eyes for just a moment, trying to think of what to do next.
The crying man was…odd, to say the least. But, he wasn’t a threat. That was a bonus, but I wasn’t sure how much protection he’d offer if Ronan charged at me.
There had to besomewherefor me to hide.
The water shifted as the crying man waded in behind me, as he promised he would. I didn’t look back at him, I couldn’t. Right now, he was the least of my worries.
“I’ve never seen a bride get this dirty so quickly,” he scolded, running a hand down the curve of my spine.
Even from the slight gesture, I could tell he was unnaturally tense.
I cast him a look over my shoulder. “I’ve heardbridea couple of times today. Why?”
He cupped his hands together and scooped up more water before dumping it on my head. My skin prickled.
“Because, the goal of this ritual isn’t unnecessary bloodshed. It’s to find a wife who can takeallof us at our worst and lead us back to thelight.” He combed his fingers through my hair, and I shivered at his touch.
“Mmm, sounds like a lot of responsibility to take on for four men who kidnapped me.” I folded my arms, resting them on a grassy part of the bank before resting my head.
The crying man moved down my back, softly kneading my shoulders, and I almost moaned. Then, a thought dawned.
“Hey–That’s not like, some weird stipulation for me to get my money, right?” Realistically, I probably should have checked, or at least asked to see the ten million to verify this wasn’t for nothing.
“Not at all. Past victors have taken the money and went on to enjoy the rest of their lives. But, I’d prefer it if you were different.”
He said the last part so softly I nearly missed it. Once again, my eyes snapped open. This time, I tilted my head back, looking at the fractured sky poking through the tree branches. It seemed darker than it’d been all night, and in my mind, that meant it wasat leastmidnight.
I knew from my fair share of staying up too late that the sun started to rise around six. So, at worst I had to make it six more hours, and best maybe a few less.
“What do you mean?” I murmured, keeping my gaze anchored on the stars, silently counting them as a way to ignore my nerves.
The crying man didn’t answer right away. He scooped more water over my head before slipping his hands down my arms. He was shaking now, but I had no ideawhy.
“I would like to be loved as if I were a man and not a monster. Seth is the same… The other two will come around,” he finally said.
