The Weaver's Source

Chapter 62

I didn't dare strip down for too long. Even just taking off my cloak, the thickest item I had, raised an army of goose bumps all over my skin, making my magic twitter in confusion. But I continued stripping until I was down to my undergarments then hesitated before deciding to remove them all together. Grigore had already seen me naked now and besides, I was sure he wouldn't have any interest in me. While I had thickened considerably from the fat heavy food and swelling of my muscles, my hips now wider and breasts slightly larger, I still wasn't particularly impressive naked.

I warily let the tips of my fingers to touch the water's surface and instantly retreated. It was colder than it looked, which I thought was impossible, and I glanced down at my hands. Lillith had mentioned in her notes that my magic, while not as powerfully as a mage or witch, would heal me and keep me warm or cold when necessary.

"Magic, warm me up." I urged, rubbing my chest. It only murmured in recognition and remained still, uninterested in helping me.

I sighed sharply, once again wondering why my magic was so useless when it came to its host, and shuffled to the edge of the water. Trying to ignore the biting sensations, I stepped in. I gasped softly as my hair stood on end sharply, my feet burning slightly, but determination grew. I would be clean. I'd been dirty long enough. I pushed in deeper, letting the cold swallow me up so solidly I thought my blood would freeze until it eventually...just stopped. I paused, waist deep in the lake now and no longer feeling the horrible ice cold water surrounding me. At first I thought I had pushed myself so hard my body had become perfectly numb until I realised I simply felt...warm. Then I realised my magic was singing, burning through me and pushing away the cold solidly. Smiling that finally my magic was actually doing something magical, I dunked my body into the water, proud that I felt warm in such freezing water. But my giddy pride came to an abrupt stop when Grigore returned, holding his freshly caught rabbits by the ears. My skin burned as I turned my back to him swiftly. Suddenly I regretted stripping down entirely.

I knew the moment he saw me, the water swirling about my hips and my body wet. I blushed when I felt a surge of interest in him, deep and carnal, and his song swelled into me in a heavy wave, curling about me alluringly with soft whispers. I heard him approach me, stopping at the edge of the water.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his voice unusually thick.

I glanced at him, half turning as I fussed with my wet hair, my arms pressed against my breasts protectively. He had hunkered down at the bank, watching me intently, his gaze shifting over me boldly with dark curiosity on his rough features.

"Washing." I replied with a tone that hoped smothered my nervousness. "I've been covered in dirt for days. I wanted it gone."

Grigore smiled a little, a half smile that created a weird flutter in my chest. He was laughing at me, I knew. "You risk your health just to be clean?"

"It's not cold."

"You were shivering from a bit of snow earlier." He pointed out and ripped off a glove to dip his hands in the water. His gaze flicked up at me curiously, wordlessly questioning me.

"My magic; it's keeping me warm right now." I said as I turned to face him fully, my arms still covering myself tentatively.

"And here I thought you were trying to tempt me with your song." Grigore growled, his magic thickening and becoming heady in my mouth as his attention flicked over me unashamedly, lingering heatedly on my stomach.

My body shivered at his comment, pooling heat between my legs softly as something carnal stirred in me. Something I wasn't sure I liked. "Tempt you to do what?"