Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 130955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 437(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 437(@300wpm)
What Radek wanted was to forget his own reality and never have to deal with it again, but at least it was becoming abundantly clear that Yev wasn’t about to snap his neck, so he turned and nuzzled the warm hand.
He whined a ‘no’ as he crawled toward the gap between the washing machine and cabinet, where the arm had snuck through, and peeked out at Yev.
The firm shoulders hunched as Yev took away his hand and sat cross-legged, wordlessly inviting him closer. Radek moved through the narrow tunnel with his head hung low, but with Yev not shooing him away, he crawled into the safety of his lap. Even Yev’s scent was calming, firewood and a bit of smoke always sticking to his hair.
Yev’s fingers pushed into Radek’s fur, massaging his stiffened flesh, as if nothing had changed. “It doesn’t matter now, okay? You’ll turn back eventually. I will help you.”
Help him how? Nothing would ever be the same. Radek yowled, because he couldn’t say you don’t understand!
He had a vague feeling that he might change again soon, or that he was beginning to understand how the shifting might work, but he didn’t want to go there. He didn’t want to see the stump. Didn’t want to think about not being able to write anymore.
Yev sighed and picked Radek up, pulling him close to his chest as he moved upstairs, back to the bedroom where this pathetic scene had started. His heartbeat was strong, so its rhythm was affecting Radek, calming him as his own pulse craved to sync with Yev's.
He lay down and placed Radek next to him, scooping him close with one arm and covering him with the other. There was some relief to at least knowing Yev wasn’t angry, but even now, cuddling up to him, Radek couldn’t have felt more alone. No one would ever understand what he was going through. He was lucky that Yev knew of witchcraft, but other than that? He’d always have to keep this secret. He could never again be honest with anyone.
He whimpered softly as Yev pulled the comforter over them and continued the soothing stroking of Radek’s back.
Chapter 11 – Yev
Yev couldn’t fall asleep. Some of it might have been due to the upcoming full moon, but as he lay in bed with the soft furball stretched against his chest and small, black paws curled against his abs, his thoughts kept wandering. The attachment he’d developed to Ember wouldn’t go away just because he turned out to be the snotty—and painfully attractive—brat Yev had met twice. So he was angry over being lied to, but the fact that Ember had deceived him out of fear what Yev might do bothered him even more.
What was it that Ember had expected him to do? Have the vet put him to sleep as punishment for owning a fur farm? Locked him up in a cage? Thrown him to the neighborhood wolf pack? After all this time, did he really have a reason to believe Yev to be that kind of monster?
But as Ember’s breathing evened out and his cute, slender body relaxed, Yev too was slowly lulled to sleep by the familiar scent of fur and musk that he didn’t mind at all.
He woke to cool light in his face, but he’d been up until later than usual, and sleep wouldn’t let go of him so easily. Reality was intent on breaking into his safe cocoon however, reminding him that Ember hadn’t smelled like washed hair, and his legs weren’t long enough to entwine with Yev’s.
Heat shot to his head, and he refused to open his eyes, eager to live in the bubble where he stayed in the lodge with his pet fox, and where nobody could accuse him of breaking the rules. But then, Radek let out a very human sigh, and his fingers rubbed Yev’s pec, and there was no lying to himself anymore.
He was in bed with a man he knew and whose company he enjoyed.
Yev opened his eyes wide, breathless at the sight of milky skin and freckles scattered across the angular cheeks, long neck, and well-formed shoulders like pieces of candied fruit floating on top of cream. Radek’s long hair shone like polished copper reflecting fire where it lay in shiny waves, smelling of lusty promises.
And of him.
Radek carried his scent, as if they were lovers, and this would continue if they kept touching like this and sleeping in the same bed. But not longer than that. They wouldn’t carry each other’s scent as if they were true mates.
Mom and Dad were recognizable as a couple, just like Burian and his wife. Their scents had become complementary when they got together for good, but Yev would never have that.
He could physically never have that with another man, because the Moon-Eyed God only connected women and men this way.