Chapter 1 Tobias

Anxiety had its claws deep within me as I perched on the edge of my bed, my heel tapping so furiously it seemed to make my whole body shake.

I wasn't used to having to regulate so many emotions at once—or any at all, for that matter—but Arya's entrance into my life had thrown a wrench into the normally meticulous machine of my psyche. I'd been forced to discover new sides of myself that I never thought could exist, and that I'd tried actively to quash.

My current situation shouldn't even be a super stressful one, and I tried to analyze it from an outside perspective.

Yes, I hadn't heard from the witch since I'd met her—through deceptive means—four days ago, and though there was hope attached to that encounter, the lack of communication was less than encouraging. Patience was not one of my virtues, especially with the stakes involved.

If the witch couldn't break the curse—and soon—Arya and I were doomed to fail, and at least one of us would be miserable forever. I couldn't stand the what ifs of it all. What if Shea broke the curse too late? What if one of us fell in love before that? What if I did something like I usually did, and Arya hated me forever?

There was a chance of that tonight. My parents were going to be at the New Year's Eve Ball. I had planned to make this night special for Arya, but now I'd have to mostly avoid her to appease my father, who had strictly forbidden me from being anywhere near her. How was I going to get out of this mess without angering either or both of them?

The water in my shower turned off, and my pulse began to increase with the unconscious anticipation of seeing her. Even though she was still technically close to me, and she'd only been in my bathroom for ten minutes or so, the imprint forced me into a state of irrational anxiety when she wasn't in my clear line of sight.

I was fucking pathetic.

I growled in frustration at myself, but the moment she emerged from my bathroom with a cloud of steam wafting out behind her, my heart fluttered, and all negativity fled from me—at least for a brief moment.

I rose from the bed and crossed the space toward her without conscious thought, pulled by the invisible tether that bound me to her.

"Even wrapped in a towel with your hair soaked, you're the most beautiful girl in the world." I leaned forward to trace a line of kisses down her neck and shoulder, savoring the fresh scent of her clean skin.

She giggled and lightly shoved me away. "Tobias, I just took a shower. I'd rather not have to take another one in fifteen minutes."

"Try an hour," I growled against her ear as my desire for her flared to life.

"Tobias," she protested with much less power, arching her neck and leaning in as I began to suck on her creamy flesh.

When a little whimper escaped her, I knew I'd broken her restraint, and my need for her was too strong to ignore. I reached for the top of her towel, trailing my fingertips along it until I found the tucked in spot that kept it tight around her. I gave the fluffy material a firm tug, ripping it away from her body and dropping it to the floor.

I pulled away from her just enough to admire the carnal perfection of her naked body. Her tiny pink nipples were hard and pointed with the proof of her desire for me, and I was helpless not to drop to a kneel before her to taste them.

With my hands against the center of her back, I pressed her against me, holding her in place while I spread my lips over one flawless breast. I ran the pad of my tongue over the plump flesh, kneading it with my lips as I began to circle my tongue around her pebbled nipple. And when I sucked it between my teeth, the gasp she released made my dick throb against my slacks.

Her hands went to my head, tangling into my hair as I moved to worship her other breast. Her fingers combing over my scalp felt so good, so soothing, and yet so teasing; I felt like I was going to explode if I didn't take her right now.

Unable to hold back any longer, I rose to my full height and spun her around, guiding her gruffly and clumsily against the nearest wall. I hastily freed my cock from my slacks, fisting it almost angrily as I guided it beneath her pert ass cheeks and into her warm center.

She was so wet, and the ease with which I was able to slide all the way into her made me shudder with possessive delight. Her pussy was exactly the right size for my cock, and so perfectly tight, squeezing around me as I filled her completely.

Fuck, could any sweeter bliss exist in this world! Pleasure coursed through me as I began to thrust in and out of her wet heaven. I clutched her against me as I fucked her, massaging her breasts even as I pushed her flat against the wall. Her soft panting and moans of pleasure were a symphony that enchanted me toward my demise, and I knew I needed to slow down, to pace myself.

I slid one hand down her belly, flattening my palm over her silky skin as I moved my hand between her legs. With my index and ring finger, I spread her pussy lips to either side, and when I slipped my middle finger over her clit, she let out the sweetest cry of pleasure, her body trembling against me.

I wanted to make her come. No, I needed to make her come. I rolled my fingertip over the little bud of flesh, kneading it exactly the way I knew she liked it and applying pressure when I knew she needed it. I matched the timing of my thrusts to the rhythm of my skilled fingering, feeling her pussy tighten more and more as the tension built within her.

"Come, baby," I purred against her earlobe. "Come for me."

She let out a deep moan, and like a good little girl, she did as I asked. Her pussy fluctuated around my dick, squeezing and releasing over and over again, and I increased the pressure of my thrusts to draw out as much pleasure as I could wring from her body.

But it wasn't enough. With this girl, it would never be enough. I wanted to bury myself in her paradise forever, make her come again and again, and feel her juices bathe my cock and drip down my thighs. I wanted to live inside her, floating on the pinnacle of ecstasy for the rest of time.

When I began playing her clit slower, determined to bring her to oblivion again, she panted, "Tobias…no time…"

I glanced at the clock beneath heavy eyelids. She was right. The ball was due to begin in an hour. While I'd be perfectly happy to fuck her senseless until the very last minute, girls needed time for the pointless things like hair and makeup and whatever else they did in the name of beauty.

"You could just let me worship you until it starts and show up in your towel," I teased with a nibble on her earlobe. "You'd still be the most gorgeous girl in the room."

She whimpered as my teeth grazed the sensitive skin but then let out a cute little growl I was sure she thought was menacing. "Tobias."

"As you wish," I whispered, gripping her hips and fucking her harder.

She moaned in time with my thrusts, so loud I knew her cries could be heard down the hall, and I loved that neither of us gave two fucks about that. I was so lost in bliss, I wouldn't stop if any of those assholes were to burst in on us. No one would rip me from her body until I was done savoring every second.

Through the haze of sinful pleasure that fogged my vision, I caught a flurry of something white sprouting from her shoulder blades, and suddenly, a magnificent pair of angelic wings burst from her back, flaring in front of me as her deep moans continued to fill the air.

"Whoa!" I gasped, slowing my thrusts to almost a standstill.

She looked over her shoulder at me, blush coloring her cheeks as she attempted to tuck her head in. "Sorry," she murmured softly. "They come out when I'm…very happy…"

The shame in her tone didn't touch me; I was too focused on what she'd actually said. She was so happy in this moment that her wings had come out by accident. That touched me deeper than perhaps anything ever had in my entire life.

I held her there like that for a few seconds, admiring the beauty of her pearlescent feathers, the way they glimmered in every color of the rainbow in different light. She was incredible. And she was mine.

I picked up my pace once more, staring with fixated eyes at her wings as I thrust harder and more forcefully. She was my angel, and there was nothing more thrilling or more devastating than fucking her in this form. It seemed all at once sacred and sinful, and before I could will myself to calm down, I exploded inside her, sharp euphoria shooting through my cock and radiating throughout my body.

I buried myself inside her up to the hilt of my shaft, pressing against her and feeling the gentle caress of her gossamer wings against my bare chest as I spilled into her. I peppered her cheek and shoulder with soft kisses, knowing we didn't have much time left and hating that fact more with each passing second.

"You're incredible," I whispered before finally pulling away from her.

By the time I was done cleaning myself up, she came out of the bathroom after doing the same, and her wings had rescinded. Her cheeks were still rosy, her eyes skittishly darting up to meet mine.

"I'm sorry," she said with an awkward shrug. "I know that was…weird."

I instantly shook my head. "No, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I can't tell you how honored it makes me feel to be the one to make your wings pop out by accident."

Her blush darkened, but she was smiling now, biting her lips in a way I knew was a good thing. She glanced at the clock, then her eyes widened. "Oh shit, I really have to get ready!"

She rushed to my closet and yanked her dress off the hanger, quickly stepping into it and pulling the straps over her shoulders. I left her to her routine as she skipped back into the bathroom, and I shrugged into my blazer and began the tedious task of tying my tie.

We were getting down to the wire, and I couldn't put off this conversation any longer.

"Hey, um, I know it's shitty timing," I called out. "But my parents told me they're coming tonight, and my father expects me to fall in line and be at his beck and call most of the night."

She didn't respond for several seconds, and when she did, her tone was clearly disappointed. "Oh."

"I know, I'm sorry," I said, wincing at how lame I must sound. "I had really wanted to make this night special for you. I hadn't expected them to show up and ruin my plans."

She poked her head out past the bathroom door, and I hated seeing the sad crease in her forehead. "Don't your parents expect you to have a date?"

My sardonic laugh was reflexive and involuntary. "No." When I saw the question mark in her expression, I tried to cover my slip. "My father has never really cared what I actually want. I'm expected to be his obedient soldier, and any sign of objection is met with swift justice."

She pouted, her brows puckering in pity. "I'm sorry. I hate that for you."

I came toward her, putting my hands on her shoulders and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry about it. I want you to have an amazing time tonight, even if it's largely without me. But I promise I'll steal at least one dance, no matter what."

She gave me a sweet smile, which quickly turned into an impish grin. "You want me to have fun without you, huh?" She winked.

I chuckled, even as the possessive beast inside me reared its ugly head. "Okay, definitely not what I meant. But I will allow you to dance with other guys if that's what will make you happy."

She arched a catty eyebrow at me. "Oh, you'll allow it, will you?"

I smirked. "Don't you have some makeup to apply or something?"

She scoffed and disappeared back into the bathroom.

I finished tying the black tie that had been hanging cockeyed around my neck and sat back on my bed as I waited for her to finish her pruning process—apparently, it was an arduous task, and a futile one as I preferred her without makeup.

After a good forty minutes of focused silence punctuated by the occasional whir of a blow dryer and the tink of brushes and tools, she stepped out of the bathroom and proved my previous belief completely wrong.

She was a vision of beauty in her fitted white gown, her hair styled masterfully in a half-up-half-down fashion, and her face accentuated to perfection with various shades and glitter that highlighted the high points of her delicate features. I hadn't thought any product could do anything but hinder her natural beauty, but somehow, her cosmetic magic only enhanced it.

"Wow, you look…" I floundered, unable to find the right words to describe how her stunning appearance made me feel.

She snickered. "Thanks. Shall we?" She held out her arm in an invitation for me to escort her.

I nodded like a dumb fool, pushing off the bed and coming to her side. She slipped her delicate hand through my bent arm, and as I ushered her out into the hall, I prayed that Shea would find the right spell to break the curse.

The clock was ticking, much more quickly than it ever had before. My romantic resistance wasn't long for this world, and I didn't know how much longer I could keep my heart under lockdown—especially when Arya held the key.