Rebel Witch (The Crimson Moth, #2)

by Kristen Ciccarelli

It made her think of another dress. One that suited her like no other ever would. Because the giver knew what her soul required, not just her body.

“We both know what you want to do to me, Gideon. Well, here’s your chance.” His gaze slid to her mouth. “You have no idea, the things I want to do to you.”

Instead, he’d found this Rune. His Rune. A total mess. The basest part of him wanted to tilt her head back and kiss her until she told him why she was crying.

“But I know the Crimson Moth. And she is no caged thing.” Rune flinched. “Stop it.” “I pity the man who clips her wings.”

“How dare you touch her.” Gideon knew better than to open his mouth. But he couldn’t help himself. “At least she likes it when I touch her.”

“This is the truth: I would have married you in a heartbeat, had you asked me. I would have married you knowing you would hand me over to my killers—or kill me yourself—the moment you found out what I was. That’s how pathetic I am, Gideon! That’s how desperately I wanted to be yours!”

“I’m not a girl to you, am I? I’m a witch, and always will be. Something to be hated and hunted down. Not cherished or protected. Not loved.”

If this was weakness, he wanted to be weak. If this was sin, let him be damned to hell. Kissing Rune was like a realignment. There was before, when everything was off its axis. And there was after, when everything was steady and right.

“You are far worse than a thorn in my side,” he said, his dark eyes gleaming at her. “You are a knife in my heart.”

“Because I was stupid enough to fall in love with a witch hunter. Stupid enough to hope he might love me back. And if he did, I wasn’t going to let anything come between us again.”