Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 314 Ava: Grimoire's Manipulation

Before my eyes, the book's form fades. In its place, Grimoire materializes, perched on the edge of the table. Flames lick at his skin, but do nothing to the wood of the table. His expression is distinctly sour as he glowers at Lucas.

"It isn't right to wedge yourself between my bond with Ava."

I feel Lucas tense behind me, his hand tightening around mine.

"I'm not wedging myself anywhere. She's my mate."

Grimoire's eyes narrow. "And I am her magical counterpart. Our bond is just as important. Perhaps even more so."

The way my mate tenses behind me has me scrambling to defuse the situation. "Enough, Grimoire."

Know your place, Selene adds, her mental growl making my eardrums vibrate.

Lucas's thumb traces circles on the back of my hand, and when I glance back, he looks… pleased.

His lips curl up, his face relaxed. In fact, I think I'd categorize him as distinctly smug.

Grimoire, on the other hand, has shrunk from the size of a man to the size of a child. He even looks younger, the planes of his face round and soft, and his voice a higher pitch than before. "He still has to respect our bond," Grimoire insists, crossing his arms in a sulky demeanor that makes him seem about five years old.

He's…

Adorable.

Even though I know he's thousands upon thousands of years old, my heart pitters and patters, squeezing out maternal affection at his appearance.

Really? Selene's exasperation snaps me out of it. He's a book, Ava. Not your kid.

Frowning at Grimoire, I focus on the bond between us. There's an odd sort of fuzziness there that brings up all those maternal feelings again when I touch it.

you

He looks like a woebegone child, and my heart trembles—until I slam closed the magical connection between us. The childish figure of Grimoire pops out

bond tugs and yanks

good to know he was able to force emotions

The yanking stops.

me into his arms, his chest warm against my back. "See?

of a yank this time, there's a tiny little tug. So gentle I would miss it, if I wasn't

magic flowed into it last time. He hadn't asked for permission; he'd just taken it. That pisses me off,

you have something to say to

sorry, Grimoire says, sounding suitably

the book, I ask suspiciously, "And how am I

do it again. I allowed my jealousy to take

sacred. If you only bonded her to manipulate her into doing what you want,

can do

Please, let me out. I'll be on

to that

with magic is easier than I thought it would be. The book fades away again, leaving child-Grimoire in its place. This time, I don't feel a

in the way children can be cute. Nothing special. Just a

you," child-Grimoire says

tightening around me.

say something!" Grimoire holds up his tiny hands.

helpful, Selene mutters. If I was there, he'd have teeth marks all along his

"I'm sorry, okay? I already

is hardly

"What more should I—"

for my sanity. "Why were you trying

brightens. Somehow, this childish look of his suits his personality.