Chapter 135: Bound by Firelight
Josie
I pushed the thoughts of Varen out of my mind, forcing them into the shadows where they belonged. Tonight wasn’t about him. Tonight was about Kiel. My fingers twitched nervously at my side as I let him lead me into the softly glowing space he had prepared.
Candlelight flickered across the walls, painting everything with a golden warmth that made the air feel thick, intimate, and dangerously charged.
The table was simple, yet beautiful. White linen draped to the floor, a centerpiece of roses glimmering under the flames, the faint scent of lavender filling the air. Kiel pulled out a chair for me with a quiet grace, as though he’d done this a thousand times in his mind before ever doing it for real.
"Sit, my lady," he murmured with that teasing tilt to his lips, his eyes shining brighter than any of the candles.
I sank into the chair, my chest tightening as his gaze swept over me. For a fleeting moment, I was convinced I might combust under the sheer weight of how he looked at me—like I was the only thing in the world that mattered.
"You look so stunning tonight," Kiel said softly, but then his grin widened into something wicked. "Stunning enough that I might just eat you for dinner instead."
My eyes widened, my jaw dropping. "Kiel!" I swatted at his arm, heat crawling up my neck. "That’s not possible."
He leaned closer, elbows braced on the table, his voice dipping low and rough, a purr sliding beneath his words. "Oh, trust me, Josie... licking you is very possible."
The words hit me like a bolt of lightning. My cheeks flamed crimson, my body suddenly far too aware of his nearness, the husky depth of his tone. And worse—the vivid flash of the dream I had been trying so hard to bury seared across my mind. The dream where his mouth had been exactly where he was hinting.
I bit my lip, scrambling to mask my reaction. "I—I don’t even understand what you’re talking about. You should just serve me the food before I starve."
Kiel’s eyes danced with amusement, and his smirk stretched wider. "Oh, you understand me perfectly."
I playfully glared at him, though my heart was racing too fast for it to be convincing. He chuckled, that low, boyish sound wrapping around me like warmth. As the night went on, I found myself lowering my guard more and more. He wasn’t just the sharp-edged protector I had known. He was light, playful, teasing—his laughter filling the air between us until it felt impossible to think of anything else.
And I realized then—Kiel was the cutest brother anyone could ask for. His heart was pure gold. I knew I had loved him before, somewhere deep inside me, but sitting here in the glow of candlelight, I realized something heavier. Something I couldn’t deny anymore. I had fallen harder, deeper, recklessly in love with him.
When his arm slipped around me, I didn’t pull away. I let him hold me. I let myself melt into him, let the warmth of his hand at my waist, the quiet strength in his grip, remind me that he had always been my anchor. And when his touch lingered, when the heat built between us until it pooled low in my stomach, I didn’t stop him. I didn’t want to.
My pulse was already unsteady when he suddenly tilted his head, studying me with mischief. "You’ve got something right there," he said, pointing toward my mouth.
My brows knitted. "Where?" I sat up straighter, my hand flying to my lips, brushing frantically at the corner.
Kiel leaned back in his chair, smirking like a cat with cream. "Right there," he teased, eyes glittering.
"Where?!" I grabbed my glass of water in panic, trying to catch my reflection, and in my haste, the glass slipped. Water sloshed across the table, dripping onto the linen.
"Kiel!" I jumped up, prancing awkwardly as if that would fix the spill, my face hot with embarrassment.
"Josie, stop," he said, rising smoothly. Before I could protest, he caught my wrist, pulling me still. His other hand lifted, firm but gentle, holding my chin in place. "Let me."
My breath caught in my throat.
And then his mouth was on me.
His tongue brushed deliberately across the corner of my lips, slow, sinful, savoring. My body went rigid, but not from fear. No—it was something else. Something hotter. Something I couldn’t even begin to put into words.
By the time he pulled back, the room spun, my pulse thundering in my ears.
"There," he whispered, his voice rough. "All clean."
I was flustered beyond belief, my lips tingling, my skin aflame. "K-Kiel..."
He only smiled, satisfied, like he had proven something without saying a word. What followed was inevitable. The tension snapped into a game neither of us truly wanted to win. His teasing became sharper, mine bolder. My words tangled, his laughter grew husky, and soon, the candlelight felt like fire licking at our skin. An intense, dangerous flirting session unfolded, each exchange pulling me deeper until there was no turning back.
Still, a question pressed heavy against my chest. Between the heat, I found my voice.
"You’re not mad at me?" I asked softly, searching his face. "That I blurted out our marriage in front of everyone like that?"
Kiel’s expression softened instantly. He reached for my hand, weaving his fingers through mine. "Mad? Josie... how could I ever be mad about that?" His thumb brushed over my knuckles, steady and tender. "If you hadn’t said it, I would have. I’ve been waiting for the chance."
The knot in my stomach loosened, but then his gaze sharpened just slightly. "Though, I am curious... why did you change what I was about to say? That’s not like you."
My breath hitched. I knew this moment would come. I looked down at our joined hands, my voice trembling when I spoke.
"Because I don’t want anyone to know about my power," I confessed, the truth spilling raw from my chest. "I’m not proud of it, Kiel. I’m not happy with it. Every time I’ve used it, it’s caused us nothing but problems. I just..." My throat tightened. "I want to see if there’s a way to remove it from my life altogether."
The air between us shifted instantly.
Kiel’s eyes darkened, his jaw clenching as though I’d just punched the air from his lungs. "You can’t be serious."
"I am," I whispered, tears threatening. "Don’t you see? It’s not a blessing. It’s a curse. A curse I never asked for, that keeps ruining everything."
The tears I had been holding back finally spilled. I wanted to believe my power wasn’t the reason we had suffered so much. But deep down, fear still gnawed at me.
And yet, sitting there under the glow of candlelight, Kiel’s hand wrapped firmly around mine, his eyes blazing with conviction, I couldn’t help but feel that maybe—just maybe—I wasn’t as cursed as I thought.