The Dawn

X Chapter Thirteen X

Him.

Kaelith's eyes snapped open in the darkness, his body drenched in sweat, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The room was silent, save for the faint rustle of the wind outside the castle walls, but the heat coursing through his veins was anything but calm. The sensation was overwhelming, a burning need that had been simmering beneath the surface since the moment he left Elara.

He threw the covers off and sat up, the cool night air doing little to quell the fire that raged within him. His mind was a blur of images-her lips, her body pressed against his, the way she had responded to him with a fervor that had taken him by surprise. He had tried to push it all aside, tried to convince himself that it was nothing more than a moment of weakness, a lapse in his carefully maintained control. But now, in the dead of night, with no distractions to occupy his thoughts, the desire that had been building since their encounter was impossible to ignore.

Kaelith cursed under his breath, his hand sliding down his chest, the muscles taut and tense with need. This wasn't who he was. He wasn't someone who was ruled by base desires, wasn't someone who allowed his emotions to get the better of him. But Elara had awakened something in him that he hadn't felt in years, something primal and all-consuming. He had never wanted anyone like this before, never felt this kind of heat that made him feel as if he might burst from the intensity of it.

His hand moved lower, the friction against his skin sending a jolt of pleasure through him. He closed his eyes, letting the sensation take over, imagining it was her hand, her touch, that was bringing him to this fevered state. He could still taste her on his lips, still feel the way she had melted against him, her body arching into his as if she couldn't get enough.

The memory alone was enough to drive him mad, his hand moving faster as he relived every moment, every touch, every gasp that had escaped her lips. He had wanted to claim her, to make her his in a way that left no room for doubt, but he had held back, knowing that once he crossed that line, there would be no going back.

But now, with the darkness of the night wrapping around him and nothing but the memory of her to fuel his desire, he let go of the restraint he had so carefully maintained.

He imagined her beneath him, her eyes dark with need, her lips parted as she whispered his name. The thought sent a wave of pleasure crashing over him, his body tightening as he moved closer to the edge.

Kaelith's breath hitched, his mind filled with the image of her-Elara, the woman who had somehow wormed her way under his skin, into his very soul. He was lost to the sensation now, his body trembling as the pleasure built, coiling tighter and tighter until it finally snapped, sending him over the edge.

He groaned, his body shuddering as he found his release, the intensity of it leaving him breathless. For a moment, there was only the sound of his own ragged breathing, the world around him fading into nothingness as he rode out the last waves of pleasure.

But as the heat began to dissipate, replaced by a dull ache of longing, Kaelith felt a surge of frustration. This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to feel this way about her, wasn't supposed to be consumed by thoughts of her. But no matter how hard he tried to push her from his mind, she was always there, a constant presence that refused to be ignored.

He lay back against the pillows, his mind still reeling from the intensity of the emotions she had stirred within him. It was more than just physical desire, it was something deeper, something that made him feel as though he would do anything to keep her safe, to protect her from the dangers that lurked in the shadows of their past.

But even as he acknowledged that feeling, he knew it was dangerous. She was a distraction, a weakness he couldn't afford, not when there was so much at stake. He had to stay focused, had to keep his mind on the task at hand, even if it meant pushing her away.

Kaelith closed his eyes, trying to will away the lingering traces of desire that still clung to him like a second skin. But even as he drifted back into a restless sleep, he knew that the fire she had ignited within him was far from extinguished.

It was only a matter of time before it consumed him completely.