Magic by Moonlight

SELENE POVThe full moon was bursting with light as it sat like a glowing pendant in the sky. I had no time to appreciate its beauty as I dashed through the forest. Cursing the moonlight that illuminated the trees, as well as myself, I leaped fluidly over a stone. I could feel my pursuers gaining ground on me and the thought of being captured sent a thrill of fear through my bones. I pushed myself to run even faster. I went to jump over a fallen log covered in mushrooms when my boot slipped on some moss. With a curse, I rolled with agility and leaped to my feet before darting around a tree. I could hear the rolling thunder of the horses growing louder as the riders shouted at one another. I gritted my teeth, my breath coming in quick short gasps. I considered using magic to place a shrouding spell around me. I searched for the energy within my body but no magic called back to me. So, with all my strength I kept running. It was then that I felt it. A sudden blow of electricit

SELENE POVI had all but given up trying to free myself from Tor's iron grip by the time he strode back into the settlement with me slung over his shoulder like some type of trophy. It was times like these that I wished my magical abilities went beyond healing and defensive spells as I fantasized about the h*ll I would unleash on this arrogant b*stard with his superiority complex. I was brought out of my fantasies when I noticed people in the village streets were stopping to stare at the spectacle of me being hauled like a bag of grain. Unable to stand one more moment of this embarrassment, I conceded. "All right, all right!" I muttered. "I give up. I'll stay here for the time being, but only if you put me down!" It seemed that was all the shifter needed to hear as he stopped and gently lifted me off of his shoulder and placed me in front of him as if I weighed nothing at all. I let out a breath as I smoothed my hair and tried to compose myself. We stood there for a few moments

SELENE POVI could still feel Tor's mouth on mine as I sat once again in my chambers in the Alder manor. The moment Tor kissed me played over and over again in my mind. And I kissed him back! A rush of heat rose to my cheeks while my finger brushed over my lips at the memory.I had kissed a complete stranger whom I had only known for a day and to my surprise, I did not regret it in the slightest. The sensation of his tongue tangling with mine as he backed me slowly into a nearby tree. The heat of his breath against my skin as we explored one another's mouths. The way he pulled gently at my hair so I could open myself up even further as he deepened the kiss. We had gotten lost in one another for God only knows how long, until he pulled away from me abruptly, leaving me panting and trembling from pleasure in his arms. And that was it. He then turned away and barked an order for me to follow and not dare try to sneak off again. I was left utterly confused, furious, and wanting. I

SELENE POVThe dream from the night before kept flashing in my mind and every time it made my stomach flutter. I don't know if the erotic dream was due to all the time I spent isolated in my cabin or if Tor was really unearthing these hidden primal emotions within me. I took a cleansing breath as I approached the hunting party. The sun was barely beginning to illuminate the tops of the trees, so the mountain air was still crisp. I wrapped my cloak tighter around myself as I walked toward the seven male shifters. Two of them were sparring with one another and I had to jump out of the way as they rolled through the dirt in a tussle before springing to their feet. I watched as they wrestled one another with wide eyes. "You'll get used to it." I turned towards the voice to see Cassius had approached. He smiled at me before continuing. "Especially those two, they are constantly going at it."Cassius let out a laugh when the taller one got the upper hand on the other and pinned him

TOR POVAfter leaving Selene in the shadows of a nearby cave with Arlo as a guard, the six of us snuck stealthily through the trees. I could smell the scent of smoke and blood as we moved in closer to the burner's encampment. Mentally, I sent a command to the other five. 'Kian, Nasir, and Sage, I want you to flank them from behind. Cassius and Grayson, stick with me. No one makes a move until I say.' The three of them darted off to get into position while I led Cassius and Grayson through the thicket. We approached the group of men, keeping ourselves hidden behind the trees. I watched the group, trying to pinpoint their commander, but no one seemed to stand out as the leader. We waited and watched silently from our positions in the trees listening to them as they laughed and joked with one another. Some sharpened weapons while others sat around the fire sawing off bits of meat from some type of game that roasted on a spit. Like Arlo had said, there were roughly twenty soldiers