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

to trace the lines of his face, well known to her now in their oddities. “Where does this put us?” She asked quietly.

It was the first time in her life that Jane had asked that question. She made a rule not to wonder about those things. Men were fickle in their ways and would often run if pushed to put a label on something that might only last for a few nights. This was the first time she had truly wanted to know. The first time it meant something to her.

“The same place we were before.” He said, teeth scraping slightly against her skin.

She didn’t know whether to feel disappointed or relieved.

“Oh.” The ceiling had suddenly become much more interesting. “Alright.”

He pulled back at the sound of her voice, frowning down at her as those large eyes tried to see what she was thinking. “Why does your voice sound like that?”

The conversation was quickly turning towards something that was uncomfortable for her. She reached up to brush her fingers over his eyebrow, murmuring, “I never noticed there is color in your eyes. I always thought they were completely black.”

He nipped at her fingers, though sharp teeth making her draw back quickly. “Stop trying to distract me. Yes my eyes are colored. Why did you sound different when you said that?”

“It’s nothing Ruric, let it go.”

“Don’t make me bite you.” He leaned down to clack his teeth in front of her, chuckling when she closed his jaw with her hand.

“No biting.”

His jaws snapped once more, teasing her as he got closer and closer. She let him bite onto her earlobe before she laughed and gave in.

“Okay fine!” She pushed on his shoulder once, twice, a third time until he finally let go with those sharp teeth of his.

“I just thought that maybe this would change things. Sometimes sex makes things more serious-” her voice trailed off as she looked back at him. “Ignore me. I’m feeling sentimental.”

His hands traced the red blush that crawled up from her chest to her cheeks.

“Why would we want things to change?”

Of course. That was foolish of her to think that he would want things to be different. She didn’t really want them to change either. This was Jane latching onto something, anything. Likely because she was alone and wanted someone else to rely on.

Ruric saw these thoughts on her face, he saw the doubt and sadness wash across her features like a shadow before they disappeared.

One of his clawed hands raised to press against her jaw, the other reaching out to smooth the wrinkles between her brows.

“We have no need to change anything, Jane. We are bound. For a goblin that is more than life itself.” His fist thumped hard against his chest. “My body is yours to use as shield and tool. My heart is destined to know you and only you until I die. My soul is intertwined with yours for an eternity.”

Her expression softened, words escaping her for a moment. “That is beautiful.”

“It is the words that were said when we were bound.” He watched his hand trail up the long length of her arm. The grace of the movement was not lost on him. His fingers linked with hers.

Her head tilted to look up at their fingers, imagining the silken cloth that had been wrapped around their wrists. Bound together for an eternity.

“I did not know.” She whispered.

“You do not speak our language, nor do you abide by our customs. I do.” He leaned down to press a closed mouth kiss to her collarbone. “I am yours until the end of time.”

She licked her lips. “That is a strong statement.”

“It is the way of it.” He leaned back slightly to shrug, looking at her as though he had no doubt about what he was saying. “Goblins are not like humans. There are no half truths or hidden meanings. What we say you may take as honesty.”

“You’re right, that is very different from humans.” The braids on the side of his head were too intricate for her to not touch, the texture as intriguing as the rest of him. She found she enjoyed touching him. Where as Jane had spent much of her life avoiding touch, she wanted to touch him.

“I do not want to leave this place,” he murmured.

She worried that something would be lost if they left. Apparently he did as well. “Neither do I.”

They were both interrupted by the sound of her stomach growling. Low and loud, there was an answering grumble from his own stomach. It set them both to laughing again. Shaking their heads and suddenly embarrassed with each other, they were both quick to stand.

“Food.” He said, leaning down to pick up the pieces of her garment on the floor.

Once again, Jane stood and allowed him to dress her. Like much of their interactions today, this time was different. His fingers lingered upon her skin. His lips touching gently to the rises and falls of her body. It took a while to dress her and the entire time he remained bare.

Jane realized that he was worshiping her body with his attentions. Every movement, every ridge and valley, he lavished attention on even as he obscured them from his view. Ruric found solace in the heat of her. She in turn had never experienced anything quite like this. Men did not love like this. They did not devour souls and return them with pieces of themselves.

He knotted the last piece of fabric at her shoulder, lingering for a moment to press a soft kiss where her neck connected to her shoulder.

“I thought you said goblins could not be gentle.” She said quietly.

“I was wrong.” He answered her, the backs of his claws ghosting down her ribs. “Perhaps it is not in our nature to be gentle. But we can learn.”

And therein lie the difference between him and the men she had known. Those in the mines knew that they were sometimes wrong or hard or dangerous