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 manipulating

child, and my heart trembles—until I slam closed the magical connection between us. The childish figure of Grimoire pops out of existence, leaving behind

tugs and

it." It doesn't feel good to know he was able to force emotions

The yanking stops.

"See? I don't like him. He

of a yank this time, there's a tiny little tug. So gentle I would miss it, if I

the book again, thinking of how my magic flowed into it last time. He hadn't asked for permission; he'd just taken it. That pisses me off,

have something to say

sounding suitably chastised. I won't

my eyes at the book, I ask suspiciously, "And how am I supposed

take over. You've

enough to know better. Bonds are sacred. If you only bonded her to manipulate her into doing what you want, I'll tell her exactly how to break

You can do that?

won't do it again. I promise. Please,

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

magic is easier than I thought it would be. The book fades away again, leaving child-Grimoire in its

but in the way children can be cute. Nothing special.

child-Grimoire says

grunts, his arms tightening around me.

Grimoire holds up his tiny hands. "I want to

mutters. If I was there,

"I'm sorry, okay? I

is hardly

"What more should I—"

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

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