The Goblin Bride (Beneath Sands Book 1) by Emma Hamm (good short books TXT) 📕

not understand. “You are lucky to have a sister.” He said quietly, moving forward until he knelt between her knees.

“I am, I really am.” She didn’t seem to see him as he spoke though, those glistening tears still dripping from her eyes.

Goblins did not cry. He did not have experience in comforting any creature that was older than a child. But he knew enough to follow his instincts, which was why his large arms reached upwards to smooth away the tears with his thumbs. His black claws arched up over her eyes, never touching though threatening all the same.

“I do not like seeing water in your eyes.” He said quietly, wiping away a few more that tumbled down her cheeks.

She seemed to blink a few times before answering. “Well I don’t think you get a say in whether or not I cry.”

“I would have your eyes dry for every day of your life if I could.” His fingers curled along the soft line of her jaw, marveling that he hadn’t cut her yet.

Ruric tried to be very careful with her. She was so fragile compared to him. He was well aware that Jane didn’t want him to think of her like that. If it was up to her, she likely would have wanted everyone to believe she was made of stone. But he knew how delicate she could be. He liked to think she had shown him a side of herself not many were able to see.

This moment proved that. The safety of her family brought her to tears and that moved him in ways he hadn’t known possible. His own chest clenched in happiness for her family and in sorrow that she was not there for them.

A few weeks ago, he might have been able to let her go. He would have done the right thing and allowed her to return to the place she wanted to be. But now? He couldn’t have let her go if it was death itself asked him to.

He held her a little tighter at the thought, shifting closer as he did so. He could smell the water upon her skin. He could see in detail every small line of tension on her face and body. It was intoxicating.

“Jane?” He murmured, lips tingling as they slid over sharp teeth.

She seemed to notice the change between them as though there was suddenly electricity arcing between them. “Yes?”

“I want to kiss you.”

He felt more than saw her swallow at his words. Her eyes widened, nostrils flared, and for a moment he was certain she would turn him away. As always, he held himself in check. He had to be careful with her. She was delicate, breakable. And he was a creature designed to break things.

“So why don’t you?” She whispered, her voice seeming to echo in the cave.

His jaw clamped down, grinding his teeth hard as he tried to find the words in her language. “A goblin does not kiss.” He leaned forward then until his breath fanned against her lips with every exhale. “A goblin devours.”

This might be a foolish choice on her part to give in to him, or to even entertain the idea that this could happen. She could not remain here, he would not let her go. There was a certain amount of distance that had to be kept between captor and captive. She had to remember that she was a prisoner here.

And yet, he had been nothing but gentle with her. He was always so careful and aware that he could hurt her very easily. Never before had anyone treated her like this. Never before had she thought of herself as something more than caregiver and protector.

To feel fragile for once in her life was a strong drug that it seemed only he was capable of feeding her.

Thoughts were holding both of them back from making a decision. It seemed as though the future hung in the balance between the warm gathering of their breath between them.

“Perhaps that is what I desire.” She whispered, her eyes drifting closed as he watched them.

“You should not.” His reply was pained, trying desperately to grasp hold of whatever control he had left. He was falling into an abyss that smelled of sunshine and burned just as hot.

“But I do.”

They would never know who moved first. One moment there was utter stillness around them and the next they were a tangle of teeth and tongues.

It was true when he said goblins did not kiss, for they were not equipped to be soft or kind. But the danger of his teeth mixed with the warm taste of him had her reeling. She would have fallen if he had not been holding her.

Even as heat exploded between them, even as his fangs nipped at her lips, his hands held her gently. Wide palms cupped the back of her head, clawed fingers stroked softly against her scalp. She had never in all her years of kissing felt like this. It took her a while to think of the word, to understand what it was she feeling until his words ricocheted through her mind.

Devoured. That was precisely what he was doing to her.

They were both breathing heavy when they parted, though he did not let her go far. His forehead pressed against hers, more to hide the sight of his teeth than anything else. Soon he would gain his breath back, would be able to hide them so they did not cause her fear. But now he could not control himself, not with her.

“We should not have done that,” She whispered.

“No.”

“This changes things.”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t want things to change.”

“I know.”

She let out a short puff of breath, frustration he could nearly taste upon his tongue. “Ruric-”

His lips silenced her, pressing against hers gently for a moment before withdrawing.

“It changes nothing if you do not want it to.”

“It doesn’t work like that.”

“I choose it to.” He let go of her then, stepping back until there was a wall of air between