| Slate eyes somehow still managed to burn with their frigid anger and raw emotion. She knew Aurelia did not deserve the treatment and words she was receiving, the other woman had only come to check on her and help. She listened closely to what Aurelia relayed about what she knew about her, and about her life. There was very little to go on, it seemed. Despoina had managed to continue to keep most of her secrets. Only Eleanor had known the depth of their darker tales. She saw the panic and horror on the woman’s masked face and silently forgave her for mentioned her late lover, though it did not register on any of her features. Instead, she stepped forward, longing to feel the touch of Eleanor again. Her body circled Aurelia, nostrils flared to take in the scent of the woman. I wanted to know how much you knew about me, and about my mate. Her tone was strange, dangerous and low, but not threatening. She was beautiful, and fierce. We fought for each other’s secrets as viciously as we fought each other, and loved each other as viciously as we fought. Her teeth were bared, the anger at her loss starting to rise again in her chest, the wound still deep and bleeding. Our sweet nothings and soft caresses were snarls and bites to our flesh. She accepted me and loved me as few women ever would and I matched her in that love. Together they had lit a flame that could have burned the world to ashes as it had consumed them. The bites and blood were always cared for by love and comfort while the stings still lingered to remind them of their time. Despoina fell silent at the memories, her lips lowering over her white fangs and her demeanor cooling to one less imposing. She remembered the softer moments. The teasing. She told me it was okay, and she understood. She said she liked pretty soft things. Despoina looked back at Aurelia. Do you understand now? Little did Aurelia know, though it had been Eleanor who had woken and fueled the fire of desire, it had been the masked mountain wolf who had sparked it. |