Free 04 Shadow Blood - Witch Fairy by Bonnie Lamer

careful.”
     
    With a sexy grin, I trace my fingers down his torso, stopping just under his navel.  “I will be very careful.”  I lean down and kiss him again.  As I do, my clothes disappear as well, as I set the magic holding them free.
     
    Kallen growls deep in his throat and his hand goes to my hair, deepening the kiss.  Bodies pressed together, I can feel that I’m not the only one with goose bumps over being this close.  I need more.  I want more.  Slipping my hand lower, I shiver at the thought of how intimately we’re going to touch.
     
    As soon as my hand starts to move, he breaks the kiss and grabs it.  “Xandra, what is going on?  You know that if we go farther, we will have to immediately be hand-fasted.”
     
    I smile as I bite my lower lip.  “Mm, a lifetime of being in your bed.”  Rolling onto my back, I stretch my body out and I feel his eyes feast on my bare skin.  And then I’m dressed.  And so is he.
     
    “Hey,” I practically shout.  “I didn’t ask you to do that.”  I dissolve the clothes he just made for me.  “Are you telling me you do not want this body?” I ask as I run my hands down my sides in emphasis.
     
    His growl is louder now.  “Xandra, you know I want you, your body, every single piece of you.  But this is not like you.  I think you may be unwell from your trip to the Shadow world.  Perhaps we can finish this conversation when you have had more rest.”  And again, I’m fully clothed.
     
    Good lord, he’s no fun at all.  With a huff, I roll onto my side so I’m not facing him.  He puts his hand on my arm, but I shrug it off.  I close my eyes once again.  Sleep is better than rejection.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 8
     
    I don’t know how long I slept, but I wake up feeling refreshed.  I smile when I roll over and see Kallen asleep on the other pillow.  I snuggle up next to him and give him a soft, light kiss.  I don’t expect his reaction to be pulling away and scooting closer to the edge of the bed.
     
    I bring my eyebrows together.  “What’s wrong?”
     
    He sighs.  “Xandra, you know I want you.  Please do not make this harder.”
     
    “Um, okay.  What, exactly, am I not supposed to make harder?”
     
    He cocks his head and looks at me evenly.  He has his poker face on, so something is definitely wrong.  “Are you ready to be left hand-fasted?”
     
    Now it’s my turn to scoot farther away from him.  “No.  You know that.”  Where is this coming from?
     
    His poker face slips a little as he says, “Then I would appreciate you not tempting me beyond reason.” 
     
    Wow, he looks like he’s angry with me.  Why is he trying to pick a fight?  “Kallen, what did I do to make you upset with me.” 
     
    He looks at me incredulously for a moment.  I look at him expectantly.  After a few minutes of silence, his expression changes to confusion.  “Do you truly not know what I am talking about?”
     
    “I have no idea what you’re talking about.  You weren’t mad at me before our nap, were you?”  Maybe he didn’t want to bring whatever is bothering him up until after I rested.
     
    He stares at me a minute more and then he starts laughing.  Now, that’s just annoying.  “I’m glad you find whatever this is amusing.”
     
    After getting his laughter under control, he says, “I guess I should have known from your use of magic that something was not right.”
     
    I close my eyes and breathe deeply as he starts laughing again.  “I’m waiting.”
     
    He has tears in his eyes, he’s laughing so hard now.  Finally, he says, “Do you remember waking up an hour ago?”
     
    “What are you talking about?  Did I say something in my sleep that you didn’t like?”  This is getting more frustrating by the minute and I’m starting to draw magic without even trying.
     
    Kallen must sense that because he sobers up pretty quickly.  “I believe you were