Corrupted: An Epic Dragons and Immortals Romantic Fantasy (Fallen Emrys Chronicles Book 1) by E.E. Everly (motivational books for men txt) 📕

lips rolled against mine. Carefully at first. As his mouth smothered every surface of my pout, his hands held me prisoner. He braced my head with one hand, and the other dropped to my lower back and pressed me firmly against his body.

I whimpered with a breath. My legs weakened. If he released me, I’d crumple to the floor.

Now he fed me his emotions. Now he willed them into me.

Appetite for the pleasures of flesh. Sweetness.

Demand for gratification he could not yet have.

Itching for satiation.

Deliciousness.

Abandoning restraint.

He couldn’t have meant for me to feel all this. I clutched his shirt with both hands for support while my forearms strained against his chest as I forced space between our bodies.

He sensed my alarm. His control crept in, and Caedryn reluctantly, with great effort, released me.

I shoved him in the chest, feeling violated, as I stumbled back, covering my mouth.

“Niawen, forgive me.” He reached for me.

I held my hand up to halt him as I edged away, clutching my stomach. I was dizzy with emotion.

“I told you.” He cursed. “I’m sorry. Please, let me fix this. Give me time.”

When I could stand upright, I turned and ran out the door.

FIFTY-THREE

I wasn’t sure where to go as distressed and panicked as I was. At first I returned to my room, but as I stared at my bed and the inviting covers, I couldn’t let them put me to rest. Caedryn would howl during the night. I’d resist going to him, but I’d fail.

I rummaged for my fur boots and a heavy cloak. Soon I found my way out of the citadel. After winding through several alleys, I ended at the docks overlooking the river. The air was achingly chilled, and the night, stoic. I marched to the edge of a dock and plopped down.

Ice edged the river’s banks. A slow current near the center kept the river from completely freezing. In the dark, the far bank was obscured.

I tucked my head into my hands and debated bugging Seren. The truth was I didn’t want to tell her what had happened. I didn’t want her to read my feelings and know what kind of man Caedryn was.

My heart was still splintering. The shards were cutting into the tissue of my lungs and making breathing laborious. I curled tightly, with my knees to my chest. What had I gotten myself into? Caedryn hadn’t harmed me, but he was forceful. Did I like the kiss? I chewed on my index finger. I wasn’t sure. Caedryn had tripped sensations deep inside me I didn’t know I could experience.

Dangerous feelings.

My first kiss with Kelyn had started vastly different. A simple innocent kiss that inspired so much bliss had me drifting on a cloud. I had wanted Kelyn to enjoy the kiss with me. But as the feelings drove deeper into me, it translated to a carnal appetite.

A human pleasure of the flesh.

Exactly what Caedryn had expressed.

I hadn’t been ready for such sensuality with Kelyn. I wasn’t sure I was ready for it with Caedryn.

But what was my relationship with Caedryn?

Heat crept into my face. I wanted to say I liked the kiss, but once again, I felt dirty. Was every experience in the mortal world going to mark me in some way? I understood why the emrys were told to never leave Gorlassar. Humanity’s corruption stained every soul and the misdeeds of its people were so commonplace that many didn’t care if they were immoral.

Siana should have taught her children better.

Emrys are guardians. Emrys are beings of light. Emrys are pure. Uncorrupted. Undefiled.

Deian, I’m defiled.

But Caedryn doesn’t want to hurt me. He’s trying to control himself. Surely that revealed hints of the depths of his feelings.

He still wouldn’t show me them. His mental block was so frustrating.

Respect his privacy. He’s half-human. Half of him remains hidden. Half of him is darkness.

But half of him is light. He’s immortal. He wants to share things with me, but he’s afraid. The first morning at breakfast he told me having another emrys around was refreshing, so he could be understood more, but he has remained closed off.

Old habits were difficult to break. I resolved to force him to open up. He had to. If he felt something for me, then he’d have to learn how to express it with words and thoughts.

Not violent actions.

I could bond with him mentally. He’d have to open up then.

That was a major commitment. One that wasn’t broken easily if a relationship didn’t develop.

Did I want a relationship with Caedryn? A niggling told me I was settling for the one immortal on this side of the world. If I lined up the men, mortal or immortal, whom I had feelings for or who had expressed feelings for me in return, would I pick Caedryn?

No. Even out of all the mortals—no.

My options were limited. I could do what Siana had done and marry a mortal. When her husband died, did his death crush her? Did she move on and marry another? I wished I could speak with her.

But I couldn’t. And I couldn’t settle for the three men I considered to be my favorite humans.

I was going to settle. My heart told me I would. I wouldn’t settle for living alone either. Emrys were made to be together. Two people united as one. The feeling wasn’t something I could fight against. Yes, there was a pull. A deep part of my soul called for another, even though I told myself I didn’t come to Bryn to marry anyone. Did I honestly think I could marry a human? That was ridiculous. I came to the mortal world, hoping to escape that feeling—to turn marriage into an impossibility.

I’d always feel the need