THE CLAIMING (The Chosen Series #1)

INTIMATE TOUCH

"Ava, love."

"Don't 'Ava, love' me, Liam," lacing my fingers together, placing my hands on the table in front of me and slowing my speech, I pronounce each word with distinct emphasis, "I. Want. To. Know. Why. You. Lied. To. Me!"

A look of complete devastation fills his face before he stands up, moving his chair in his wake and coming over to where I'm sitting. Raising my head to see his eyes, he lowers his arms and pulls me out of my chair and into his embrace, the soothing smell of grass and wood filling me. When I don't immediately pull away, he moves his hands and presses his warm palms over my face, tilting it, his thumb gently stroking the skin in an intimate gesture. His dark brown eyes filling with familiar tenderness, he draws my face closer and plants his warm lips to mine. Opening my mouth slightly to him, I'm waiting for the little tingles to flutter in my belly, but before I can feel the familiar warmth pool, I'm hit with a sudden throbbing in my head and an overwhelming sense of GUILT...

I tilt my neck, attempting to relieve some of the tension, and hopefully, the ache as his lips continue to part mine, his tongue entering.

I feel the pain increase at his action, my heart screaming for me to stop. I don't want this.

I raise my hands and hold them on Liam's solid chest, pushing him away. Gasping, I move my body back to the table, distancing myself to work out what's causing the pain; however, the throbbing immediately ceases once we're away from each other.

"Fuck. Sorry love, I shouldn't have kissed you. I forgot..." Liam apologizes, his voice laced with regret, stepping away from me and moving back to his chair on the opposite side of the table. Positioning himself back in his chair and placing his hands in his lap, his dark eyes flash with a look of anger as I rub my temples. The excruciating pain was gone.

"You forgot what, Liam?" I press, why shouldn't he kiss me? Well, other than the fact he isn't... Ava, stop! He's a killer. He's dangerous. I berate myself, but even with those words, my heart aches.

"Ava," he sighs, looking down at his hands securely tucked under the table, "I can't do that with you anymore, be intimate with you, without..." His voice trails off.

"Without what, Liam? What aren't you telling me, apart from the obvious? Anyway, I don't think it's right for us to..." I trail off, my thoughts spinning. Why can't he touch me anymore? Not that I want him to, but what's going on?

Averting his eyes, he mumbles something about being claimed and something about me accepting it. The words jumbled as if he was trying to fight to speak, now and then a growl escaping.

Frustrated, I get off my seat, move to Liam's side of the table, and stand directly at his side, searching and failing to make eye contact as he diverts his face, breathing heavily.

Tired of whatever bullshit game he's playing and determined to figure out what's going on, even if I have to do something I don't want to do. I move closer and grab his face in my hands, and crush my lips on his, making sure he is looking at me and am simultaneously shocked at both his eyes, now a dull yellow, and the pain that returns to my head, causing me to let go and stumble back.

"What, whaaat, was..."

Standing up to clasp my shoulders, in an attempt to balance me, he speaks, his voice guttural, almost feral, "You can't touch us like that, I, not yours, you, his now, pain if you kiss us."

Noticing that I'm not feeling the pain while he holds me, I frown. "But you're touching me. Why doesn't it hurt?"

"Not an intimate touch. You're his. His mate, not mine, can't be intimate." His eyes glow a brighter yellow, and I gasp when I see his mouth, his teeth changing, sharp canines appearing as he breathes heavy. Letting me go, he takes several steps backward before turning on his heel and running for the door.