The Beast And The Blessed

Twenty-One: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V.

It amazed me that his walking away from me made me feel giddy.

After what we experienced together the night before, I had expected him to want to either pick up where we left off or to be done with me. I never, in my wildest dreams, expected his declaration that he wanted me for me and wanted us to be mentally prepared to start something deeper before moving forward.

No man I had been with before had ever thought about me on that level.

I felt like I should be annoyed that he left me high and very wet, but I couldn't. He chose me tonight. Not my body and not my power.

Me.

That meant more to me than anything.

I would have let him have his way with me if he had tried to. I would have loved every second of it too, but it wasn't the right step for us tonight. He knew it and respected me enough to stop.

My hand moved up to my lips, pulling the bottom one down slightly as I giggled. The sound was startling as I hadn't made a noise like that in a long time, if ever.

I felt ridiculous chasing after him, but I couldn't help it. The door to my tower flew open, and I rushed down the hallway toward his retreating figure. Tobias froze, turning to face me just as I collided with his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck.

He looked stunned as I smiled widely at him before kissing him with everything I had. His arms wrapped around the small of my waist, and he picked me up off the ground as he kissed me back.

I wanted him to feel it, to show him how much I loved him and appreciated his choice.

This was different than any kiss we had ever shared before. It wasn't a kiss of lust and desire. It was love. I pulled back, still smiling widely as his eyes trailed over my face, reflecting the same happiness. His smile made my heart skip a beat as he set me back down on the ground.

"Soon," I whispered in agreement before stepping back. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked back to my tower, looking over my shoulder to catch one last look. He was standing with his suit jacket unbuttoned and his fingers in the front pockets of his pants, the smile never leaving his face as I closed the door between us.

The following day did not come soon enough. I was eager to see Tobias again, but I still had a job to do.

a knock echoed through my tower, and I rushed to hide away the sample

on the council, and I let out a breath of relief that

me as she looked over my shoulder.

would never know how she knew I was dabbling in a bit of blood magic before the sun

in a loose braid. I jogged forward to catch up with her, closing the door behind

this morning that bothered me, Joselin." The double doors leading us

have said. After Tobias threatened to kill Holden for touching me, I immediately had my guard up, ready to defend my man

don't imagine much bothers you." My response was met with a look of amusement before she cleared her throat and reached out to let her hand run along the tops

Holden informed me that is how

about having such a powerful witch examining my abilities. Still, I had already planned on talking to her about how she travels through a

easy, while mine was

was taught." The memories of my teacher were conflicting. In some, she treated me like she would a daughter or a niece. In others, I was a pathetic excuse for a

spitting of her name from Aurora wasn't surprising. Talia had previously held my job as the royal advisor and was very close to the previous queen,

petty, but when she found someone

had been one of those people

didn't know what to do with me. Everything was a fight or power struggle between us. She didn't know how to

new

but I never expected she would help the prior queen

most of what

books and from other witches when we crossed paths

unfortunate. She loved to

my arm. I jerked away. There were very few people I allowed to touch me, and witches were not on

that they always had

in my safe were evidence

palm up, and I stared at it blankly for a few seconds. This was one of the reasons I had wanted

different. Traveling into this realm was softer than the way it flickered

been right. Everything had been bright, and the air felt thinner. I couldn't see anything in the empty white space surrounding