Soul Bound

Chapter 45

Grayson tipped his head back against the inside of Eran's claw and shut his eyes. If he tried hard enough, he could forget the woman in his arms hated him and wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. When his eyes were closed, he could pretend she wanted to be pressed up against him, in the dry desert heat.

Eva wiggled in his grasp, trying to put some space between them, but Eran's claws bound them too close together.

"Lighten up on the grip, Eran."

"Hmm." The dragon considered his request. "No."

Grayson clenched his jaw. He would have hit the damned dragon if his arms weren't trapped at Eva's sides. "Eran, I don't know what you're trying to pull-"

"Pull? I'm not trying to pull anything, Gray."

Grayson opened his eyes to glare at the belly of his dragon. He was lucky Eva was here or he'd be feeling his sword between the soft scales of his underside.

"Stop, Eran. Just... stop."

"And let you give up on Eva? What kind of dragon bound would I be if I let you give up on the best thing to have ever graced your miserable life?"

"Did you see the way she looked at me? She hates me, Eran. Just like the rest of the fucking world." He flexed his aching jaw. She hadn't pulled her punches either.

"Since when is that reason enough to give up? You will fight, just as you have fought for everything else in your life."

Fight? Fight for what?

He peered down at the starlight crown atop Eva's head; her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, face buried in his chest because she had no other option. She fit perfectly into him, her head resting just below his chin. Hips lined up flush. Arms wrapped just right around her.

He could try to fight for her, but at what cost? He would only taint her, dim the light she shined so brightly. It would be selfish of him to take what didn't belong to him.

"It is not selfish to want to be worthy of someone's love."

Grayson flinched. "Love is for the weak. I don't want to be loved. Especially not by her."

"We both know you don't believe that."

"I'm not discussing this any further." He shut Eran out of his mind, building layers of walls between them that would take at least a few hours for him to tear down. Even when their magic wasn't at their strongest in the desert, Eran would always possess more magic than him.

"We're almost there," Eva murmured, peering up at him.

Gods. Those eyes. A remedy for his soul. Despite the warmth in them having disappeared since she found out who he used to be, they still managed to soothe his soul in ways no magic ever could.

"Almost where?" he asked thickly. He cleared his throat. He hated that he had no control over his body when she was around.

"Storm Cove. It's where we've been staying for these past few months."

Eran angled downward for a landing. Grayson braced himself to be deposited roughly after their terse conversation, but then he landed on his hindlegs and opened his claws slowly, allowing them a moment to find their footing.

Eva stepped away from him as soon as her boots touched solid ground. She folded her arms across her chest, eyes aloof. "Um. Thanks for. . . saving me from the worm."

She had no idea what she did to him. She could kick his ribs in a thousand times, but if she was in danger, whether it be a monster, his brother, or a god, he'd be there to defend her. "You don't have to thank me. I've got your back, Eva. Always."