Bonds that Burn and Bind

Chapter 3 Part 3

AN: Thank you so much for the 88 reads and 28 votes! So I think I might start posting just on Friday, unless you guys like the Wednesday and Friday upload schedule. Anyways, enjoy!

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Can you stand?" I asked under my breath to, Winnie, tearing my gaze from the strange forest.

The tight squeeze Winnie gave me in response clued me into the light footsteps approaching us.

Before I could get to my feet, broad hands yanked me up by my collar and onto my heels, forcing Winnie and I's fingers apart. Crumbs of dirt tumbled off my tunic while I stared up into the two moss-green eyes of the auburn-haired Fae Prince, brimming with primal fury. Unbalanced, I stumbled forward, and our bodies crashed together. Warmth radiated through the thin fabric of his clothes like a hearth. He pushed me away from him but kept a tight grip on my collar while I inhaled the scent of a forest cleansed by rain wafting off him.

"How did you do it? Trick me into bringing you here?" he demanded, then released my collar only to grip my hands, bringing my palms coated in the female fairy's drying blood, to his nose, inhaling deeply without taking his eyes from mine. Pulling back, his eyes sparked. "So that's how you did it! You must've compelled Rhodwin and covered yourself in her blood!" He turned towards Winnie, who had stumbled to her feet. The prince sniffed in her direction, and Winnie flinched. "Your minion smells like her too." Turning his attention back to me, he gave me a hard shake, and my head spun. "Why have you come here? Tell me!" he snarled.

"What the hell are you talking about!?" I snapped, my temper flaring from being manhandled and the headache now crackling against my temple.  His eyebrows arched together at the sound of my voice.  I tried to pull away, but his iron-like grip did not falter. "I didn't come here willingly. I was dragged here against my will!" My words hissed out through my gritted teeth. "Nobody compelled anyone, whatever that is! Your friend came stumbling out of the trees, bleeding to death! I healed her so that she wouldn't die!"

He frowned and let go of my hands, only to grab my chin and jerk my head forward. My heart roared in my ears—louder than waves clawing against stone. He leaned in close, eyes searching my face, while our breaths mixed. "What game are you playing with me now?" he asked. He brushed his thumb over my lower lip, and all restraint evaporated from my body.

He just touched my lips.

What was it my mom used to say? A woman had two types of weapons to choose from—poison and seduction which were arguably the same, and men also had two—his sword and his hands. Thanks to my father I had all four, but since I had no sword, no poison, and that left me with only two options

Learning closer, I melted my body with purpose against his. I placed my hands on his shoulder and used them for support as I rocked onto my toes, so my mouth hovered next to his ears. "Only the fun kinds," I purred into it.

The Fae Prince's hand slid from my chin, his breath hitched in his throat, and his heart began to thunder even louder than mine. Something hard that wasn't his sword hilt pressed against my belly. I pulled back, falling back onto the flats of my feet, finding his intense gaze somewhat unfocused.

I smile sweetly at him before nailing him in his groin with the sharp corner of my knee. My unrestrained temper was momentarily satisfied as pain consumed his expression.

How dare he touch my lips like that!

He cursed, doubling over, and I grabbed his sword from its hilt at his side. Two large sapphires glinted in the wolf's eyes as I unsheathed it, pointing its tip at its former owner.