More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
That little achromo was his, though. And now he was going to take her.
Instead, all he could think about was that she was wrapped around him. Her warmth pressed against him as he swam, and—for fuck’s sake—was that his fins fluttering against her thighs?
Apparently, she’d never seen true darkness. It had pressed down upon her out here. The weight of the dark felt worse than being blind.
Leaning to the side, he stared down the hall to see what his achromo was doing. What he saw made all the air wheeze out of his lungs. Skin. Smooth, unblemished skin. And all he could do was freeze in place as his gaze trailed down the shadow of her spine.
His claw tugged the lapel of her borrowed suit. “You turn so many colors, kalon. I can’t wait to see how many.”
But he didn’t even call her an achromo anymore, did he? Kalon was the name that he’d given her, and now he couldn’t get it out of his head. His little kalon, and it made him all too pleased to say the word.
Because I want to keep you for myself. Because if I keep you, feed you, bring you everything you ever dreamt of, maybe you’ll give me a chance. Because no one has made me want them as much as I want you.
“I want to find someone who doesn’t fear me. I want to know that when I come home, there is a soft place to rest my head, and someone who cares if I had a hard day, or if I am upset. I want someone to take care of, and who takes care of me in return. That is what I dream of, kalon.”
“It is a special word. We save it only for a rare pearl that we find only once in our life. It means a beauty that is more than skin deep. It refers to a soul that radiates inside a person, so much so that you can see it on the outside as well.”
“How could I? When your hair is the color of the sun on a cloudless day? When your smile warms the entire ocean around me? When I touch you, your soul is so familiar to me. It is like I have known you in a hundred lifetimes before this, and some part of me that I’ve forgotten wishes to bury itself inside you. It tells me to cling to the curve of your waist, to clutch at the feeling in my chest that lingers when you are near. My soul wishes to keep you and never let you go.”
“You have been holding yourself back, and I want to know why.” He swallowed. “I am made of rage and pain. I do not want to give you any of that, my kalon.” “I want you, Daios. I don’t know why or how, but I do. Every bit of you. Your anger, your rage, your pain. I want that just as much as I want your attention and your adoration.”
“Let me ease your pain, Daios. In whatever way I desire.” Who was he to deny this siren? “Whatever you desire, Anya.”
“You can smell me?” That didn’t sound good. But considering the way he inhaled and arched back, she had a feeling it was a very good thing. “Yes,” he growled. “I can smell you.”
“Whole?” he growled, wrapping his hand around her waist and tugging her against him. Water splashed up to her knees with the force of his movement as he dragged her against his chest. “My lack of arm has nothing to do with feeling whole. A metal device or not, I was never whole before you. You were the first person to look at me and see a man after my injury. Not a mistake, not a failure. You were the one to see me. My kalon, if you wished me to shed my skin, I would. If the arm makes you uncomfortable, then I will drop it into the deepest pits of the sea.”
“I am only whole because of you.” He pressed his lips to hers, the long kiss tasting of salty tears and seawater.
“From Mira?” she repeated with a laugh. He shook his head. “She has said it to Arges. Tell me what this word means.” “It’s not about the word itself. It’s about the feeling in here.” She moved one of her hands to his chest. “It means that living without you feels wrong. That to be parted from your side makes me miss you more than I miss breathing fresh air. And that I will always think of you, no matter how far I am from you.”
“Know as you dive into danger that I love you, my kalon. I will hold you in my heart until you return to my side.”
