Devotion

Chapter 44

Aurora

My heart raced when I saw those pink eyes flicker into view. "Ashley?" I whispered, and he looked at me, confused. His gaze followed mine, and soon he saw the same pink eyes. Ignoring what we had just witnessed, he began to walk away, dragging me along behind him.

I kept glancing back, wondering why he wouldn't head toward the grass. The pair of pink eyes began to follow us, intricately tracking the wind, the water, the grass—**and me**. They were completely focused on me, like a stalker trying to gather every piece of information it needed.

"Uh—" I tried to talk to him until he swept me off my feet and ran. He leaped over rocks and branches as we sprinted toward the forest. "Where are we going?" I asked, taking in the scenery around us. He remained silent until we reached the border separating us from humans.

My eyes widened as I clutched his cloak while he jumped. After a moment, we caught sight of the same cottage where I had stayed months ago. He mumbled a small spell that covered our surroundings before placing me on the ground. I took in the serene forest and the beautiful cottage that I had once despised, now filled with warmth and affection.

"Why are we here?" I asked, dancing along with the wind and letting myself feel free. I loved the idea of being alone with him for the first time in a while. Ever since going to the underworld, Erix and I had barely had any privacy. I was always training, and he was wrapped up in Mafia affairs. Turning to him, I smiled and walked toward the quaint cottage. He followed behind me and opened the door.

"You first, sweetheart," he whispered into my ear, causing me to shiver with pleasure. We had been on a couple of dates here and there, but they had always included his underlings. Stepping inside, I noticed that nothing in the house had changed much. It was definitely well taken care of, showing no signs that any human had occupied the place.

"What would you like to do?" he asked, sitting on the couch and patting the seat next to him. I sat beside him, laying my head on his shoulder and inhaling his familiar scent. My only wish was to spend as much time as I wanted with him alone. It was hard enough to get some privacy, and now here we were, but I wasn't sure where to start. He kissed my temple, then grabbed my chin before kissing my lips.

After we pulled apart, my breath hitched. I wasn't sure how to lead or where to take this, but I certainly didn't want to stop. "I would rather wait until we get married," he whispered shyly. I turned to give him a quizzical look. "Didn't you have sex with someone before me?" I asked.

"I have, but you haven't. I want it to be special," he trailed off, gazing out the window. The gentle breeze rustled the curtains. His features were so beautiful that I wanted to kiss every single one of them. His consideration for me made my heart ache. I wanted to know him more before giving myself to him, but then again, I did get on top of him half-naked a few months ago.I looked around the living room while he continued to stare out the window. I reached for a blue book in front of me with the title "How to Be Gentle with Your Love." Blinking once, then twice, I began to laugh as he turned to look at the book I was holding.

"NO, NO, NO, THAT'S CAZ BOOK WHEN HE DREAMED ABOUT HIS DREAM GIRL!" he yelled, overwhelmed with embarrassment. I kept laughing and began to run away with the book, flipping through its pages. His embarrassed face charged toward me, trying to grab the book.

I bumped into a table where flour had been laid out, and suddenly everything turned white. He grabbed me immediately and pinned me against the wall. Our bodies were covered in flour, our chests heaving together. Even then, his smile made my heart want to burst as I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him closer to me.

His face turned bright red before he grinned and kissed me deeply. We were just getting started when we heard some rustling from outside the cottage. A girl with brown hair and yellow eyes stood there, then turned away from us.

"Princess Xylvie?" Erix asked in shock.I felt a chill run through my blood when I realized it was the Princess who had been trying to protect me.

Xylvie Eshler