Chapter 153

• Dane
• The fire in my chambers thundered with a golden flicker across shadows and fur rugs, throwing large shadows that seemed to pulse with the rhythm of my heartbeat. Luisa's body pressed into mine, her fragile form trembling in my embrace, lavender mixed with her faintly scared and salt-scented tears from moments before. Roughed from years of battle, my hands clasped tightly around her waist as I battled against the slight quavering that would give off to her what was doing to myself.
• My heart beat out like a relentless drum as I leaned in, my lips grazing hers in a kiss that burned with need and something deeper: something electric, a spark that had jolted through me moments before, unmoored to me.