Moonfall | Book Two

CHAPTER 17

Michael pressed his lips to the fairy's, and nearly smiled upon learning her lips were as soft as they looked.

Not that he remembered ever wondering about such things...or thought about kissing her before.

All he wanted was a moment so brief it would have been as if it never happened. One he might occasionallylook back upon and deem as nothing until it became an inconsequential memory no longer worth remembering. But when a second turned into two, he found himself wanting more.

More time.

More her.

So instead of pulling away, his hand cupped her cheek to hold her in place. And when he felt the cold sting of her hand on his face, cupping his cheek in return, he knew she wanted that moment, too.

But it seemed that singular moment was all he was meant to have, and it was greedy of him to believe he could have more.

Because before the seconds turned to three, he felt what could only be described as a fire raging within him. It burned so hot, so fierce, so violently.

Where the fairy's touch had always been warm but never scorching, that burning sensation inside of him—a heat proving too much even for him, a wolf—brought only pain and an obvious hunger that made Michael realize it wanted to eat him alive.

He tried to pull away, but was paralyzed by fear and a blinding pain he had never felt before.

Just as he thought he might pass out—prayed to the moon Goddess he would just so he would no longer have to endure such agony any longer—the pain ceased. Images slowly began to fill his head, piecing together through the ashes of his scorched and obliterated mind. Each piece, he quickly learned, a memory.

Stumbling upon Aria's plan to use Gabriel to start a war against the Wolves and the Fae in the Woodlands.

Fleeing, but getting caught and stabbed by Aria.

Meeting the fairy and her sisters as he lay dying in the Woodlands.

The moment he first learned the fairy in the red cloak's name.

Playing a game with the fairy, where they both tried to slap each other's hands.

The moment she finally told him she was a fairy.

Their first kiss.

Making love to the fairy in one moment, and saying goodbye in the next.

Meeting her again in the Woodlands on the night of the almost war.

Gabriel biting her.

Holding her in his arms as she was dying.

Zanna telling him how to save her.

Michael fighting Gabriel to protect the fairy—his mate.

He pulled away, opened his eyes and looked down at the fairy. Her name in his head, on his tongue. The name she had not told him, but he knew with absolute certainty belonged to her. One of the four names carved into the trunk on the large oak tree—a name he had forgotten but his mind never had and tried to get him to do so night after night by showing him that very tree in his dreams.

Now, he remembered. Remembered her. Remembered them. Remembered everything.

Ellette.

He continued to stare at her—his little fairy. Her eyes were still closed, her cheeks tinted a faint pink, and lips slightly parted.