The Weaver's Source

Part Five: Chapter 61

And then he looked up sharply with a questioning expression. "What is it?"

"Nothing." I stammered with my cheeks flaring red and I quickly looked down at the fire.

I was doing that often now. I would look at Grigore then find myself being unable to look away, just wanting to just observe him time and time again. I wanted to watch his hands move, how his muscles worked, how his stormy eyes darkened when he watched me, how his mouth twitched into a faint smile whenever he was amused. He was like a drug. I kept wanting to look at him and touch his features, to feel his hands upon my skin, to wake up warm beside him like I did back in Lillith's hut. Every time I thought of him it left a warm feeling in my chest and a strange fluttering in my stomach. It was new and utterly different to the strange carnal lust I had always felt for him before. In a way, the strange fluttering and desire to look at him was far more confusing. I could at least pin the lust down to my magic.

Flustered and embarrassed, I ate quietly and quickly. The hot meat and fat soaked bread did make a difference. My body warmed a bit and slowly stopped shivering, heating my fingers enough that they no longer felt so raw. I leaned back into the curve of the rock and pulled my cloak about myself.

"I'll get you some new clothes." Grigore said as he observed me with a gaze that made me squirm and shiver.

"You don't need to."

"I do. It's going to get far colder the further north we go. You'll get sick or die if I don't dress you properly." He stated as he ate.

I frowned. "Surely it won't get much worse than this."

He barked a laugh. "This is early winter. It's barely started. We're going to colder lands where winter is nasty and freezes you to death within moments." He replied with amusement. "It's going to get much worse than this and I'm not risking your health again. The next town we find, I'll get you some warmer clothes."

Oddly I felt my heart thud and my stomach flutter at his words. He was showing concern for me, something he had always done but, for some reason, I was reacting to it. I felt all tingly.

I snuggled down and tried my best to ignore my strange reactions, but found I couldn't when Grigore got up and nudged me with his boot.

"Move forward." He demanded and detached Ursus from his waist.

I did as I was told and shuffled over. Grigore then sat between myself and the rock and quickly gathered me up. He pulled me back into his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around my body and rested his chin against my head of curls. Suddenly all I could feel and taste was him and his heady song, turning my face hot with confused shyness. Before my magic returned he had always allowed me to sleep next to him, sometimes holding his hand if I was brave enough to ask, but he had never embraced me like this even then; nestled between his legs and trapped by his arms.

"What are you doing?" I asked nervously as my magic warmed, more curious about Grigore's presence than any real desire to feed him. "I thought you wanted to keep your distance from me."

"I'm trying to keep you warm, Lyra, which is a little more important than accidently feeding from you." He murmured, his voice rumbling about his chest. "You've been shivering a lot the last couple of nights and not sleeping properly." He looked up at the clouds and the swirling white flakes drifting in the dark. "The snow will only thicken. I'd rather not wake to find you frozen to death."

Again, his concern was warming me. I found it odd. "You make it sound like you're immune to cold." I babbled pointlessly.

"I'm immune to death currently. Cold not so much but that won't be an issue tonight." He replied deeply and tightened his grip and buried his face into my neck, nuzzling me briefly and inhaling my scent. "Would you rather not sleep like this?" He growled out against my neck.

A burst of nervous shyness and a desire to bellow a no slammed into me. I barely managed to swallow my instinctive response and my body became rigid when he laughed deeply, wordlessly telling me he'd felt it, and he shifted himself, pulling me closer and letting his hand rest on my waist possessively.

"I just don't want my magic to sing to you and force you to do something you'll regret." I stammered defensively.

"Lyra, you sing to me every day, fill my mouth with your taste, but I've been in control of myself, no matter how much you've called to me. I'm not mindlessly starved. Your magic won't make me do anything I don't want to." Grigore murmured, his voice husky against my ear in such a way that made me melt.

Red faced, I pushed my magic down when I felt it stir at the thrill surging through me as I stared at the flickering flames before me, heart pounding from embarrassment. Hearing him openly tell me he tasted my magic with that deep voice of his felt oddly...erotic.

"Go to sleep. I'll wake you at dawn." Grigore instructed firmly and buried his face against my neck, settling quickly.

I nodded stiffly, even though I was fully aware my nervousness would probably keep me awake even if the cold didn't. My mind was just full of him, drifting back to memories his eyes devouring my nakedness, my body hyper aware of his strength, my mouth full of his song. It made me sit rigidly, nervous of the thoughts filling me.

I tried my best to relax and sleep, resting my head against his and closing my eyes. I listened to the even breathing of Grigore and felt his easy strength surround me, his muscles tense and ready to leap into action, a sign he'd dropped off only lightly. At first it eluded me but, very slowly, as I gradually grew used to the feeling of Grigore's strong body behind me and his arms wrapped around me, matching my breath to his, I fell into a deep, warm and safe sleep, completely oblivious to the increasingly thick flurries of snow around me.