The Krakens Bride

Krakens Realm (Chapter 13): Yuki

Zale's facial expression was almost forcibly blank but he couldn't hide the look in his eyes from me in the slightest. That burning intensity sent shivers down my spine as the emotions shifting within those beautifully red orbs was foreign and yet completely understood.

It was hard to think straight and my breath was captured on its way to my lungs leaving me speechless and breathless at the same time as we stared at each other in the leftover silence.

Suddenly Zale shifted towards me with his opposite hand coming up to my face.

I couldn't move. 

I couldn't think.

Hell- I still couldn't really breathe. 

I could only watch as his large palm came to cup my cheek. The first thing that registered in my mind was the heat pouring from his skin to mine, while his thumb gently rubbed itself back and forth against my cheek. 

I hadn't paid it much attention before but I could feel the shifting of the muscles within Zale's palm as he touched me with the gentlest touch imaginable; despite the obvious strength within his hands alone.

There was nothing else you could call this moment but intimate.

Zale's burning red gaze held mine captive whilst his hands caressed me so softly my mind was in tatters trying to reconstruct enough sense to think.

"You are so captivating Yuki... The worst part is how you are so unaware of it," Zale's voice was deepened even further as the roughness of his emotions dragged each syllable out, making me shudder unconsciously as that harsh whisper hit my ears. 

"I- uhm," my brain was still short circuiting as his words were captured and running through my mind as if on loop.

As I finally managed to take a full breath my mind cleared momentarily, letting me notice how I had been leaning into his hand like a thoroughly petted cat would. Realizing it, I tried to pull myself away but it was essentially useless because my body was frozen.

Shakily lifting my own hand, I brought it up to cover the back of Zale's warm palm.

Trying not to think too deeply about what we were doing I rubbed his soft skin with my thumb just as he'd done me, watching as his eyes deepened in color as I did so.

It was beyond fascinating how his eyes seemed to be looking into my soul but I felt as if I could see into his somewhat as well, particularly when he looked at me like he was right now.

Openly, honestly, just genuinely conveying whatever complex feelings he wanted.

"You are... You're just as captivating Zale. I can barely think just looking at you and I'm sure you know that," the words slipped past my lips thoughtlessly in the smallest of whispers but I didn't regret them nor did I want to take them back.

Zale's brows twitched slightly as he took in what I'd said, that being my only real sign that I affected him just as much as he did me. 

His palm alone was warming my entire body as his hand just softly cupped my cheek, he did nothing more and nothing less but it was enough to hypnotize me to this extent. 

Then, he leaned in even closer to me.

Zale's breathtakingly gorgeous face had already been far too close but now it was mere inches from my own, there was no way I wasn't flushed cherry red by now.

That thought alone made the heat in my cheeks grow all the more so as Zale finally spoke, although he was so close now that it felt as if his full lips would touch mine if I leaned even a breath closer.