Wanting to embody the fire that he liked, she moved her face closer to his, and he pulled back. Without hesitating, she leaned in and kissed him, his warm lips on hers once more. He was quick to close the space, his hands craftily moving around her to pull her into him.
She trailed her hands over the ridges and valleys that were his shoulders, his strength locking her into his grip. Being inside his power drove her wild, and all she cared about was milking this moment all the way until the sun rose, if he’d allow it.
Her body still ached, but she wouldn't let it ruin the moment, wrapped in the heat of it all. At least, until he touched one of her wounds, no doubt unaware it was even there. She grimaced and kicked herself for doing so.
He pulled back, taking his scent with him. "You look angry," he said, his eyes dark and hungry.
"Mad I hurt. I'm mad that I hurt," she said, correcting her Icelandic that was clouded by hormones.
"No rush," he said, letting go of her as the steam replaced his embrace. His eyes trailed her body, a small, carnal snarl visible on his face before he moved his gaze to behind her. "Pull that rope."
She looked over and saw that a few steps away was a thick white rope trailing up the wall, then along the ceiling towards the door. She had seen it earlier and forgotten about it, as none of the other Silvers knew what it was.
"Why," she asked, and looked back to him. She feared this would summon someone to come and take her away.I shouldn't have grimaced.
"Pull it," he reiterated, flippantly gesturing with his hand as he returned to leaning back on the bath wall.
"What happens?" she asked.
He sunk back down, head on the stone once again, and closed his eyes. "Find out."
She went over to the rope and stood up all the way, revealing her back while her chest and mid-stomach were greeted with the cooler air, although facing the wall rather than him. She pulled, and the sound of a little ring echoed somewhere in a nearby room.
30
STEAM
R E M
"You have a new tattoo,"Ronan stated.
She slipped back down into the water and looked him over, smiling, especially at the idea that he had been watching her.
"It's silver,” she said.
The sound of a heavy wooden door groaning came quicker than expected, and with it was a voice that said, "My liege?"
"Bring the slökun tea. Two of them," Ronan said lazily.
"Right away."
"What is that?" Rem asked and moved closer to him, leaning against the wall that Ronan was on, not sure what to do with herself.
"Medicine for your body. It will heal and numb your pain."
"An Elder was going to give me some," she said, leaning into the warm, wet stone.
"This will be better and more instant. I rarely like to take it right away," he remarked, deeply inhaling. Even watching him breathe made her want to be closer to him.
"Why? It makes pain leave. Is it not smart to take it as soon as one can?"
"I like to feel the pain. Reminds me of what I just did, of what a battle truly costs. If we always numb ourselves, we'll forget how it still hurts others."
It was in that moment that she realized why she was so captivated by this shifter.
He was not an Alpha by title, but heled. He endured the pain of battle to remember its cost, and that was something she admired...Admiration. She smiled and looked down at the water. Was that all it took? She knew very little about courting, as her options back home were scarce, and she knew everyone by the time she was seven.
She had never consideredadmirationbeing the trick to building a relationship like this. None the less, it was true, as even Halvar stuck out in her mind with how much he helped Nia, claiming he admired her ferocity.
