When Nelle Wychthorn was forced to sign herself away in marriage, she should have read the contract's fine print. Because she signs not with ink, but with blood. And that changes everything.
Season 1 'Of Crows and Thorns'
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Fiery Nelle, the isolat...
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Not even my father knew I strapped a blade to my thigh. It was a form of insurance should the dark power that lurked beneath my skin fail me and Crowther ever tried anything.
I smiled, tapping his chest. "That's to plunge into your cold black heart the first chance I get."
Graysen laughed in delight, the sound rippling around us. He tipped his head to the side with a half-smile. "I have no heart. There's only ash in the space where it should be."
This time it was my turn to laugh. "And you call me a liar, Graysen Crowther." I splayed my fingers across his chest, right over his heart where I could feel the raised flesh of the branded wyrm beneath the dress shirt. The pulse of his heartbeat, thudding in my ears, picked up along with mine. I wiggled my brows and shot back a smug smile. "Whenever we're together your heartbeat syncs with mine."
He froze, and I watched dark emotion war all over his features as his lips slightly parted in surprise.
Oh...he didn't know that, did he?
A noise behind us. Footsteps. Male laughter.
"Leave," he growled, not tearing his gaze from mine.
Whoever it was hastily retreated back inside.
"That wasn't very nice," I frowned.
"I'm not nice."
I made a pfff-tingnoise, rolling my eyes. "Don't I fucking know it?"
The change in him came in slow increments. The harsh look he'd pinned me with melted away under the heat of his smoldering lust.
My heart stuttered.
My blood thrummed.
The thing inside of me stirred.
A hot wind, at odds with the storm sweeping in, ruffled my hair.
I couldn't hold his intense stare so I dipped my gaze to his mouth but that was even worse. His tongue darted out to wet his bottom lip before straight, white teeth raked at the soft flesh. I couldn't tear my eyes from his stupidly beautiful mouth as his sensual lips parted. "I think right this moment, you want me to kiss you again." His hand suddenly snapped out and ensnared the vulnerable spot around my throat.
"Holy shit, Crowther," I gasped, every nerve-ending sparking at his wicked hold.
Even if he hadn't fixed me in place there was no way I could have moved away. I didn't want to move away.
A rough fingerpad tapped the blade of my collarbone. "I think I'm under your skin and I've been there since we met and you can't get me out of your head. I've taken up residence there. And you want me, little bird. Badly."
For a long moment, I could only gape at him as his finger stroked my skin.
