Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 130619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
“Hi,” he says, his voice low with a hint of gravel, the night before heavy between us, and I can’t help but notice the one-day shadow stroking his jawline that’s remarkably hot on him. He’s devastatingly male, and I’ve already seen he’s just as devastatingly deadly. He can easily handle some girl who thought she was a human and barely knows her own powers, I tell myself. Maybe the serpent would make me equal to him in battle, but good will always win. My grandpa used to say that to me. I wonder now if he had a reason for drilling that in my head.
“Sleep well?” he asks.
“Never worse.”
“Same,” he says, and offers me his hand. “Let’s go to breakfast.”
Just the idea of touching him has my heart racing, and yet something deep inside me almost purrs like the cat I am not. I am a wolf. He is a cat. Isn’t that yet another contradiction? I press my hand to his, and the wind rushes around us, almost as if this place screams with either pleasure or pain over our connection.
“It likes us together,” he says.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“Close your eyes and let it speak to you.”
I do as he says, and warmth spreads over me, and it feels as if sunshine is splaying its rays over my face, and when I open my eyes, we’re no longer on the cliff. “Welcome to my favorite place in Elysium.”
The rush of water has me turning to find a crystal blue cove with the most stunning waterfall I’ve ever seen, the glint of what looks like diamonds seeming to glisten in the water as it falls. “It’s stunning.” Barely able to take my eyes off of it, I glance over at Micah. “What is this place?”
“It’s called Diamond Bay, and yes, those are diamonds in the water.”
I blink at this unexpected news. “How is that even possible?”
Amusement lights his eyes. “You know that answer.”
I laugh. “Okay, I know you’re thinking I’m a damn slow learner, but I do get it. Magic is the answer.”
“Exactly. Hungry?”
I nod eagerly, and my stomach growls as if adding the exclamation point as I say, “Very hungry.”
He chuckles at the rumble and lifts his hand, and a table and chairs appear beneath what I believe to be a honeysuckle tree, which shouldn’t be in season, not with the chilly temps, but I don’t ask how this time. The answer will always be the same.
Magic.
It’s that moment, with that thought, that blue butterflies glimmer about, their wings glowing as they flutter all around me, and when I lift my hand one of the biggest and most vibrantly colored of them all lands on my fingers. “Oh my God,” I whisper. “They’re incredible.” For reasons I cannot explain, tears well in my eyes, and I glance over at Micah to find the butterflies on his hand as well. “Would they do this if I had the serpent in me?”
“There is no serpent that can ever come here. And the butterflies are why I brought you here. They’re drawn to you because you’re connected to Elysium the way I am.”
“They won’t do this with the others?”
“No. They’ve tried. Gabriella has come here a dozen times trying to get them to pay her attention. Silas almost as many.”
Both our butterflies flutter away, and I am smiling inside and out. “I loved that. It was so special.”
“Yes, but they clearly knew it was time to eat.”
I laugh. “You want to fatten me up before taking me out to the battleground to slaughter?”
“We’re going to start by practicing your fire, so the only one in jeopardy is me. I’m hoping your belly being full will make you less angry and less likely to burn me alive.”
My smile disappears. “Don’t joke about things like that.”
“Don’t be so serious, sweetheart. We’ll both be just fine.” He captures my hand and leads me to the table, and like a perfect gentleman you’d never imagine killing a demon, he holds my chair for me. I am admittedly charmed and intrigued by the many sides to Micah. I’ve seen him acting as Overseer, a great leader, as a friend to his people, and as a man who is both brave and tender.
He claims the seat across from me, and the platters in front of us remain covered. He lifts a silver pot and fills my cup, steam billowing off of the brew. “This is coffee made from the beans grown in the Kingdom of Nephilim. You’ll find it a bit nutty and sweet. We have cows there, so the creamer is just creamer.” He lifts another silver container and pours cream into his cup before offering it to me.
I accept and ponder what he’s just shared. “You have cows. Why does that seem so odd to me?” I tip the cream into my cup.