Chapter Thirty Six - Losing Myself Slowly - Maya's POV

I hold his gaze as my breath becomes uneven. My heart hammers in my chest. He's so close, too close. I can feel his warmth radiating off him in waves. He's still on all fours, only about two feet away, his golden eyes glowing in the dim light as he watches me. Deep down, I know I should probably push him away and stay far from him, but I don't. The truth is, I don't know what to do. I want to deny it badly, but there's a small, dangerous part of me that likes the way he looks at me. I even enjoy the way he moves like a predator, but treats me like something precious that he has to protect. Still, I can't let him know that just yet, because he'll think he has won. 'What if I don't want you to protect me like this?" I ask as our gazes lock. His lips twitch. 'Too bad, little mate. You have it anyway. It is my job to do so." There is that word again. Mate. It sends a shiver down my spine and I hate that he notices it. He leans in as he comes closer, his face mere inches from mine. His scent curls around me, making it impossible to focus on anything other than how he makes me feel. 'Fight this all you want. I don't mind. Secretly, it sends a thrill through me to chase you," he says with a low chuckle. 'But it doesn't change anything." 'What?" 'You will always belong to me. Since your birth, you have been destined to be with me. It's not something you can escape. You were never meant to." My breath catches. Not because of his words, but because of the way he says them. He's so certain. 'I can see your wheels turning, but just like the moon belongs in the sky, you were always meant to be mine." My cheeks heat with embarrassment. 'You can't just say things like that and expect me to just go along with it." He exhales slowly, his gaze flicking to my lips before returning to my eyes. 'Then tell me you don't feel it too. Tell me to stop." My lips part to say just that, but I can't find the words to tell him that. I should say it and should also tell him to back off. Maybe he shouldn't be looking at me like this. He's making me feel things I don't want to feel. I realize I don't want him to stop. And I think he knows it too. His jaw clenches as he closes the distance between us. 'You don't have to accept it right now, but you eventually will. Fate doesn't make mistakes, Maya. You are mine." His words barely register before his lips crash against mine. The kiss is fierce and all-consuming, like a raging wildfire. I almost shove him away and I should, but the moment his hands find my waist, I lose my train of thought. A sound escapes me. His grip tightens, and I feel the tremor in his fingers. But then, just as suddenly as he kissed me, he pulls back. His golden eyes blaze as he studies me, still panting for breath. He looks like a man on the edge of losing control. Then I feel the faint impressions of his claws on my sides. I reach between us, pressing my fingers to my flips. All I can do is stare up at him. He inhales sharply, his hands flexing at my sides before he lets out a low growl. 'You feel it too, don't you? Tell me I'm wrong." My heart pounds so loud that I swear he can hear it. I should lie and I want to, but the truth is crackling between us like the embers in the fireplace that refuse to die. 'Say it, Maya," he urges me. I shake my head, but not from denial. 'I feel it too," I whisper. Damian exhales like he's been holding his breath this entire time, waiting for me to respond. His forehead lowers until it touches mine as his hands rest at my waist. 'Then stop running from me." It's such a simple command. All I have to do is stop fighting this and let whatever is between us blossom into something else. I squeeze my eyes shut, begging myself to give in to him. 'I don't know how to stop running when I'm scared." His fingertips skim my waist, sending a shiver down my spine. 'Then let me show you how to give in to me." My breath catches in my throat as everything sinks in and wraps around me like a tether that I don't want to break. Leaning into his warmth, my body betrays me. His touch is featherlight, but it burns as he traces a path along my waist and sides with his fingertips. I should pull away. This is my last chance. But I don't and I can't. 'I really don't know how," I repeat, still trapped in my thoughts. Damian's grip tightens. Not enough to hurt, but enough to pull me back to him. 'You don't have to because I will catch you." His words settle deep inside of me, breaking past the defenses I've kept up. My chest rises and falls with shaky breaths as my heart hammers frantically. There's no escape from this. I stare into his eyes. 'I don't know if I can just let go." A shiver runs through me as he leans toward me again. His thumb brushes over my hip slowly. Damian doesn't hesitate. His lips claim mine with a slow, aching pace. It's almost as if he is trying to savor every second of this moment. It's different from before and less desperate. He's not just kissing me. He's staking his claim. A shudder runs through me as his hands slide up my back. No space is left between us as he pulls until my body is flush with his. His warmth surrounds me, sinking into my skin and bones. My fingers reach up, clutching his shirt and grounding myself in him even as my mind spins out of control.