Scars and Burns (No Light Without the Dark #1)

25. Aeron

25

Aeron

I am taking Aemond’s advice and trying to start up a conversation with her. I’m looking at her in a completely different light now.

Everything I thought I knew about her I am suddenly questioning. But she’s never known me. Never once have I tried to have a conversation with her. To allow her to get to know me. Granted, I’ve always thought I was going to kill her in the end. What would have been the point of getting to know one another?

She’s already at the cliffs edge in the forest when I arrive in the shadows behind her. Not really surprised by that. Somehow she is always here when I arrive.

She’s standing on the edge of the clearing. A slight misstep and she’d fall to her death. The stream is deep but not safe enough from a fall at this height.

She’s just standing there looking out. I see her fingers fidgeting on her shoulder under her tunic. I scan her body. She’s strong. Fit even. I can tell she works-out. Clearly dedicated to her training. Her pants are tight around her legs. Complimenting her perfect ass. My eyes linger there far too long before I force myself to keep going. She’s wearing long sleeved leathers. The weather is turning but not cold enough for the thickness of her top. It’s around her torso and arms. Cinching in around her waist. Flaring out a few inches from the structure of the material. Giving her waist an even smaller appearance. Her blades are sheathed behind her back. Creating a shallow ‘X’. Smart, easy accessibility.

She shifts forward just a little and my heart falters. If she jumps I don’t know what I’ll do. We haven’t even begun to explore what is between us.

I have so many questions. I don’t know if she will hold any of the answers but I do know I can’t let her fall.

Admiring her long enough I decided to speak. Not willing to wait and see if she’ll jump or not. I ask, “Thinking about jumping, Princess?”

She freezes. Not fully turning to me. Speaking over her shoulder, “ Only to see if I can fly. ”

What an odd answer.

I don’t say anything. Not really sure how to respond to that. Fae did once have the ability to fly but no longer is that the case. After the three-hundred year war it is said the Goddess wanted to punish us for defiling her land. Taking away are wings as punishment. No child born since the end of the three-hundred year war as developed wings and every Fae that had wings prior to the war vanished, never to be seen again.

She turns to me. A blank expression on her face but curiosity in her eyes.

“And I’m not a princess. What are you doing here? Lost again?”

I’m lost in thought. Taking her in, face to face now. Before I noticed a small smile appeared on her face and she’s asked me a question. A reference to our last conversation. The tone and atmosphere are far lighter than before though.

I glance her over, again. Her body language is relaxed but still somehow tense. Ready to defend herself if needed. She’s wearing a high neck top. Clearly trying to keep her complete Goddess mark a secret.

Shoving my hands in my pocket. Surprisingly nervous. Goddess I’m sure I look like a fool. I’ve never been nervous speaking with a woman in my life. What is it that she does to me that makes me lose all my bearings.

I give her a half smile back, “No, not lost. Just liked what I saw last time I was here.”

She restrains a smile. Pursing her lips together. “The trees? Or the waterfall perhaps?” Raising her hand and gesturing to the abundant forest around us.

Giving her a small huff. So she wants to play. “Well, those are beautiful. However, I was referring to something far more extraordinary.”

“Something?” She tilts her head.

I shrug my shoulders, “More of a someone.”

“Oh? And what makes this someone so extraordinary?”

My face turns serious. My eyes meet hers, “Everything.”

Shock fills her features. I’m sure she’s never been spoken to this way before. But she deserves to be. She is extraordinary. She is a mystery I have yet to solve. Her white flame with colors and sparks of starlight. Her need for killing. The darkness that rages on inside of her. Her complete goddess. This unnerving pull I feel towards her. She is slowly becoming my everything.

She looks away from me. “I hope you find the person you seek.”

“I already have.”

Her eyes snap back to mine. She’s skeptical of me. I can tell. She doesn’t trust me. Why should she?

I start to walk towards her. She matches my steps.

It’s like we’re in a duel. Circling around the other. Every action has a reaction. Moving in sync. Watching each other intently.

By the time we stop. My back is now to the stream and hers to the tree line. A full 180.

She’s going to keep her distance from me. How am I going to get her to trust me?

I roll my sleeves up to my elbows. She watches my movement. Eyes lingering on my forearms.

She could be admiring my muscles but it’s most likely my fresh tattoos. After defeating my Father, knowing I would never receive another burn on my skin from him I decided to take my body back.

My skin is marred from my neck all the way to my feet. His flames wrapped around almost every inch of my skin other than my face. I’ve covered them up with markings of my own. Black as night ink tattoos. Flames swirling and enveloping my skin. Erasing any proof of my Father’s abuse.

“Those are new.” She nods her head towards my arms.

“My arms?” I rotated them. Looking down and inspecting them.

She laughs a little, “No, you fool. Your tattoos. You didn’t have them last time we met.”

My brows furrow. “I don’t remember my arms showing last time we met.”

“No, but your neck was. And I see the beginning, or end, of a tattoo and it flows into your tunic. From what I see it reaches on to your arms and torso. How far do they go?”

“Would you like to see?” I smirk.

Her confidence wavers. Understanding what I am suggesting. “No… no that’s okay. I was only asking.”

“You need not be so shy with me.”

She gives me a mocking look, “And how should I be with you?”

“Yourself” I quirk a brow at her.

It’s an honest answer. I know she’s had to hide her entire life. She escapes to the forest because she doesn’t belong cooped up in the castle.

I don’t want to see this shy composed stature she’s concocted over the years. I want to see the woman I saw the night of the raid. The aggression she holds back. The turmoil she keeps at bay.

“I… I don’t know you. I don’t know who you are. I don’t even know your name.”

As much as I want to get to know her. I am not sure of how much of myself I should reveal.

“Would you like to?”

“Like to what? Get to know you?”

“Yes.” I hum.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

Well that’s not a good start. She isn’t sure she wants to get to know me. How am I supposed to take that?

Sensing her words she tries to back track. “That’s not to say I wouldn’t be willing. Or that you’re not worth getting to know. It’s just… I’ve never gotten to know anyone. I’ve never asked. Never been asked.”

I look at her. She must lead a very lonely life. Perhaps, even lonelier than mine. Too shy to give anything away. Too shunned to even think someone could truly want to have a conversation with her.

“You’re not asking. I’m offering. And I would sit with you for hours to learn everything there is to know about you. To understand you. To be there for you.”

She gawks at me. Fuck maybe I’ve over stepped. Maybe that’s not what she wanted to hear.

“You’re offering to get to know one another?” She questions.

“Yes” She looks me up and down. A small smile creeps onto her face. Curling her lips up slightly.

What could be going through that mind of hers. What is unraveling behind those mesmerizing eyes.

She lifts her chin a bit, “In what way?”

I smile. In what way is she offering? She is more than just a pretty face. She is hauntingly beautiful.

Within a flash I’m moving toward her. She doesn’t have time to react. No time to unsheathe her blades before I have her in my grasp.

I grip the small of her back. Holding her blades in place. My other hand finding its way behind her head. Holding her face inches from mine. My fingers tangling in her braid. Our bodies flush together.

Her breath escapes in her lungs. Her hands fly to my shoulders. Gripping them. Digging her nails into my tunic.

I glide my lips up her neck and to her ear. The exact same soft caress I did before. Whispering, “In every way imaginable. You have infected my mind. My every thought leads back to you. Seeing you every time I close my eyes. Longing for your touch. To feel your eyes pierce my soul. I want to know what lies behind those black dahlia eyes of yours. To know what drives you. What moves you. I want to understand every essence of your soul. I see the darkness that you try to keep at bay. I know it’s there. Let me coax it out of you. Let me match your desires ”

She grips my shoulders even tighter as I speak. I can feel her trying to keep her breath steady but her heart is racing. She leans into me ever so slightly.

I pull my lips along her cheek. Allowing mine to brush against hers before I look her in the eyes. Her eyes are bouncing between mine. Darting down to my lips occasionally.

We stay silent. Neither of us know where to go from here.

I begin to pull my hands away. Taking a step back. But before our bodies part she’s pulling me back to her.

I grab her hips. Her hands resting on my upper arms. Bringing my forehead down to hers, closing my eyes. I walk forward. Guiding her back until she is up against a tree. The very same tree we were up against before.

I can’t kiss her. Not yet. Not until I know what this is. For both our sakes.

Pinning my hands to the tree on either side of her head. Holding on to the last bit of restraint that I have.

Feeling her hands graze my torso. They lay flat on my chest before trailing down my abs. She places them on either side of my hip bones. Slightly pulling me towards her.

Does she want this?

Does she actually want me or is she just trying to get lost in something, or someone, to drown out her sorrows.

She peers down at my groan. My dick hard and ready. Straining against my trousers, painfully erect. She can see that I want her. I can’t deny it.

Sensing my reservations she brings her hand up to my cheek. Trailing her fingers down to my neck. She brushes over my new tattoos.

My burns.

I flinch. No one touches my bare skin but me. Even the previous women in the past I’ve indulged in didn’t touch me. Either held down by my dominance or my clothes remained on for the most part. Never fully surrendering to any of them.

I pull away from her fully. She seems surprised but doesn’t object.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Or overstep.” She says.

She thinks she did something wrong. Of course she does. She’s been told her whole life she is wrong.

But it’s me. I’m not good for her. I am too damaged to give her what she deserves.

Sighing, I place my hand on her shoulder. I can feel the gash that is there under her leathers. I rub my thumb over it gently .

She doesn’t even flinch.

“You did nothing wrong. I just wanted to see you.” I say before turning away to leave.

She stops me, “Wait! I don’t even know your name.”

Glance over my shoulder. I will not be coming back here. I can’t. This was a mistake. “Aemond”

A lie but I can’t tell her the truth.

I begin to walk away. Distancing myself from her.

Glancing back at her one last time. She’s watching me leave. But I can’t tell if she is glad I am going or if she wants to ask me to stay.

“It was nice seeing you, Princess.” And then I’m gone.