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.

narrow. "Are you manipulating my emotions,

go wide. Wider than should be possible. He looks like a woebegone child, and my heart trembles—until I slam closed the magical connection between

bond tugs and

Grimoire. I mean it." It doesn't feel good to know he was able to force emotions into me I didn't want

The yanking stops.

pulls me into his arms, his chest warm against my back. "See? I don't like him. He turned into a child

a tiny little tug. So gentle I would miss it, if I

He hadn't asked for permission; he'd just taken it. That pisses me off, now that I think about

have something to say to

says, sounding suitably chastised. I won't

I ask suspiciously, "And how am I

I allowed my jealousy to take

Bonds are sacred. If you only bonded her to manipulate her into doing what you want, I'll tell

can

it again. I promise. Please, let me out. I'll be

of the condescending elitist; it's all back to that puppy-dog bond, the one that's

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 rush

children can be cute. Nothing special. Just

child-Grimoire

arms tightening around me. "Why

Grimoire holds up his

any of that was helpful, Selene mutters. If I was

sorry, okay? I already

is hardly

"What more should I—"

Interrupting the two is necessary for my sanity. "Why were you trying to get my attention,

Grimoire brightens. Somehow, this childish look of his suits