Heart of Stone

Chapter 9

Jarek held out his hand, an offer in the simplest form. This was his step forward, small but perfect for where they were at the moment. Patrice took his hand, feeling the warmth exude through the calloused skin.

Not a word was said between them.

Their eyes locked as Jarek lifted Patrice's hand to his lips and her breath hitched. She'd never felt her heart hammer so hard in her chest. Patrice thought that her legs might give way. She certainly felt a rising giddiness.

The hand was soft. Jarek wanted to extend his touch to the wrist, then to her forearm, searching for more of it. He believed it would continue across her body and that there would not be a single patch that was different.

When his thoughts returned to the moment, Jarek realised that things had changed. He wondered if the stone was altering the dynamic between them, perhaps calming the rising anger inside of him. It didn't matter what the stone was doing. There was one thing on his mind now, and that was this peculiar creature in front of him.

He wanted more. His words might be the complete opposite, but deep down, Jarek knew that his desire now came in the form of the feisty human in front of him.

Jarek didn't want to pull away but knew that the awkwardness would rise if he didn't. Lowering their hands, Jarek kept hold to ensure that she remained close. His thumb brushed over the knuckles he'd just kissed. A rosiness lit up her cheeks as Patrice looked away.

"We should start again," Jarek said.

Patrice remained silent, fearing the words that would come out of her mouth. She did not want to betray Eddie but knew that she would. Already she was standing at the edge of the cliff, ready to plummet to the raging sea below. Nothing could save her.

Jarek saw movement in the corner of his eye, his annoying brother rolling his hand while giving him an insistent look. When he realised that Patrice had not responded, Jarek understood what Evander was trying to tell him.

"I'll start again. I'm sorry for my poor behaviour. I do not wish to lay blame on losing the stone, but this is not usual for me. I know that earlier this afternoon was far better than anything else and I know that we spoke about my inconsiderate words."

"You apologised earlier. That is sufficient so long as you understand where you were wrong and endeavour to learn from your mistake."

He nodded, grateful that she wasn't going to drone on about it for days.

Jarek put his free hand to his chest, feeling the coldness that had grown considerably since returning from Earth.

"It's cold in here," he whispered.

Moving her hand, Jarek showed Patrice what he meant. She stared at her hand that was pressed to his sternum. The feeling was far worse than she thought it could be. A frost nipped at her skin, and instantly, her alarmed eyes rose to his.

"It's not normal. We are a warm-blooded race."

"You're scared." she returned.

Jarek didn't want to admit it, but he nodded in response. He didn't know how much time he had left but it had begun. His life was slipping away.

Patrice knew that despite her thoughts, she had to do the right thing. They might have taken a positive step forward, but that didn't make the situation any easier. Patrice was not a mean soul. She would not wish ill health on anyone, regardless of how they treated her.

Clutching the green material, Patrice pulled Jarek down a fraction as she lifted to her toes. He was considerably taller than her. The lithe figure always stood proud and firm, but in this one instance, he caved to the subtle demand.

Jarek watched as she closed in.

The frantic beat had never caused a stir in him like this. Adella had never made him this weak.

The second her lips pressed to the corner of his mouth, Jarek knew where he needed to be. It was like a calling within him had been answered. Years of unhappy thoughts silenced. One little kiss had calmed the war in his mind.

Patrice lowered her feet, pulling her hand away. She hoped that the gesture would be well received. After all, Patrice was stepping outside of her boundary. She was going against everything that her mother taught her about how a proper lady acted.

They did not kiss strange men. They did not welcome their advances. Yet in this one move, she signalled that she was ready to progress to the next level.

Patrice thought that Jarek probably didn't have time to wait for marriage. The book said marriage and fornication, but the stone wouldn't know if they got married. At least, she didn't think it would. Patrice believed that it was the clerics or whoever wrote the book that demanded marriage before fornication but knew that only one was necessary.

It took a moment to realise the meaning of the kiss to sink into Jarek's mind. The memory of it played through his thoughts like a scandalous vision. It made him crave more of her, even if it was just a delicate kiss.

Jarek remembered the soft skin pressing against him, the warmth of her body close to his. He hoped it would be enough to ignite a little heat in his chest, but it had not. There was, of course, a sense of stillness within him and Jarek thought that maybe that one little kiss had stalled the rising cold.

That aside, the kiss was beautiful and gentle, something that he hadn't experienced in a long time. There were no cruel lips that twisted, no demands or expectations. Just an offer of help in the form of a delicate kiss.

Jarek could not resist her any longer. For a moment, he wondered if he was possessed but knew that it was not true. The stone merely guided them to the right path for their lives. He had accepted it and now it was a case of breaking through the barriers and getting to where they needed to be.

His hand brushed over the curve of her jaw, sliding in under her ear. As he gently gripped her head, Jarek leaned down and kissed Patrice. Slow to begin, Jarek ensured that she was at ease with the embrace. Drawing her closer, Patrice folded into the firm grip. Her hands smoothed over the plush tunic, rising up his chest to settle on the broad shoulders.

Not that far away, a relieved brother stepped back and found his seat at the table. He looked at the kings, giving them a smile. It was filled with anxiety because the threat was not averted yet, but there was hope.