Chapter 179
“I’ll protect you come what may,” Dane’s quiet vow still hung in the air, his words echoing through the dense silence of the cell. The heat of his body beside me was the only thing that kept me grounded in this dark place of powerful magic. His hand stayed on my arm, rough and hard but still gentle.
I should have pulled away, I should have stayed on guard, but the look in his eyes held me there. “Dane,” I whispered, my voice shaking as I tried to hold on to the anger and frustration that had made me strong. “This won’t fix anything. We’re still stuck.”
He nodded, but his thumb touched my skin gently, making me shiver. “I know,” he said in a quiet voice that was deep and full of feelings that made my heart hurt. “But for just a moment… can we stop arguing?”
My chest felt tight, and his words got through the walls I had made to protect my heart. I wanted to say no. I wanted to push him away. Instead, I lifted my hand and set it on his chest, feeling his heartbeat steady under my palm.
His other hand came up to hold my face, his touch warm even with the cold magic around us. “Aurora,” he said softly, his warm breath basking my lips. “I’ve missed you every second of every day.”
The dam that kept my feelings in broke. I pushed ahead and bumped into him as our lips met. The kiss was intense and filled with emotion, releasing years of hurt and desire from both of us.
His arms went around me, pulling me nearer until there was no space left between us. I held on to him, my fingers getting caught in his hair as his lips met mine with a hunger that matched my own.
His hands moved over my back, going down to hold my waist, keeping me steady even as the magic around us seemed to beat with our fast heartbeats.
“Dane,” I breathed against his lips, my voice a request.
He responded by tilting my head back, his mouth moving down my jawline to the soft skin of my neck.
His lips were warm, and his breath felt nice as he gently bit and kissed his way down, each touch starting a fire that spread through my body.
His hands moved up, gently touching my sides before resting on my chest. He paused, looking at me as if he wanted to make sure it was okay.
“Please,” I said softly, my voice shaking.
His thumbs lightly touched the shape of my breasts, and his touch made me feel a rush of excitement.
My head tilted back, and I made a soft sound as he held me completely, his hands strong yet gentle.
“Aurora,” he whispered, his voice full of feeling. “You mean everything to me. You always have.”
His words broke something inside me, and I pulled him closer, my lips to his in a kiss that was both a surrender and a demand in one.
His tongue brushed against mine; the taste of him was intoxicating as we lost ourselves in each other.
The magic around us shifted, the oppressive darkness giving way to a pulsing light that seemed to emanate from the very air around us.
The heat between us grew, the energy crackling in the space where our bodies met.
I didn’t notice it at first, because I was focused on how he felt: the warmth of his skin, the strength of his arms, and how his breath caught when I touched his chest.
“Dane,” I whispered, pulling back a little to see his eyes. They were shining, the gold in them brighter than ever.
“I feel it,” he said, his voice deep and rough. “Aurora… something is happening.”
The light around us grew brighter, and the magic in the cell responded to our bond. It felt like our feelings and our urgency were feeding it, breaking the Nameless’s control.
Dane stumbled, gripping my arms as he tried to stay standing. “I can feel him… losing his hold,” he said with clenched teeth.
I reached out to him, my hands holding him steady. “Stay with me,” I said, my voice strong even though I felt scared.
Then, the light faded, and the heavy darkness returned.
The Nameless stepped out of the darkness, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement.
“How touching,” he said, his voice a cold caress that sent a shiver down my spine. “Your love for each other is truly remarkable. It’s almost a shame to break it.”
Dane pushed me behind him, standing protectively as he stared at the Nameless.
“You won’t touch her,” he growled, his voice low and threatening.
The Nameless tilted his head, looking back and forth between us. “Oh, Dane,” he said, sounding mocking. “You still don’t get it, do you? This isn’t about touching her. It’s about hurting her. And you’ve just made it much easier.”
I felt his words hit me hard, almost like a punch. My knees shook under me.
“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice shaking even though I tried to stay strong.
The Nameless smiled, looking mean and cold. “You’ll see soon enough,” he said, disappearing into the darkness. “This is only the beginning.”
His laughter echoed off the cell walls, the sound feeling empty and cold as the darkness closed in around us once more.
I clung to Dane as the cold silence pressed down around us, the weight of the Nameless’s parting words sinking into my bones.
My heart raced, not from the continuous heat of Dane’s touch but from the icy feeling of fear curling in my chest. Dane’s arms tightened around me, his breaths weird.
“Aurora,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “Whatever he’s planning, we won’t let him win.”
I nodded, but my throat was too tight to speak. The faint glow of the cell dimmed further, shadows creeping closer, almost sentient in their movement.
Then, a sound—a faint, rhythmic thrum—began to rise, vibrating through the floor beneath us.
It was low at first, but it grew louder, more insistent until it felt like the heartbeat of the darkness itself.
Dane stiffened, his body coiled like a spring. “Do you hear that?”
Before I could respond, the floor beneath us shuddered violently, and cracks splintered outward from the center of the cell.
The air turned cold, and a voice—low, scary, and inhuman—whispered from the darkness: “It’s time.”