Part 8 (2/2)
”Why did you kiss me?”
”Because I can't stop myself,” he admitted in a gruff voice.
She blinked, her expression oddly wary. ”You're just saying that to try and manipulate me.”
He flinched, guilt blistering over his raw nerves. Of course she didn't trust him. He'd never given her any reason to believe he cared about her.
”I'm sorry,” he whispered, his hands smoothing over her fragile shoulders.
He felt her tense, her tongue peeking out to lick her lips.
”For kissing me?”
He scowled. Was that supposed to be a joke? He rarely understood humor.
”h.e.l.l, no,” he snapped. ”That's the one thing in my life that I'll never regret.”
”Then why are you apologizing?”
His skimmed his hands down her arms, grasping her hands in a tight grip.
”I allowed my reluctance to relinquish my life as a warrior to tarnish our betrothal,” he admitted. ”I never considered how my lack of attention was affecting you. It was selfish and unnecessarily cruel.”
Something vulnerable flared through the amber eyes. ”And now?”
He tilted his head to the side. ”Now?”
”How do you feel about our mating?”
He didn't hesitate. ”I'm fully prepared to do my duty.”
The air cooled, her expression suddenly impossible to read.
”Duty?” she demanded.
”Yes.”
”Awesome.”
She tugged her hands free, closing her eyes as she sucked in a deep breath.
”Rya.” Torque frowned, baffled by the scent of singed blossoms that filled the air. Rya was p.i.s.sed, but he didn't have a clue why. ”What's wrong?”
”The fact that you even have to ask proves you know nothing about me,” she muttered. ”Or any other female.”
Her eyes remained closed, as if she was trying to block him out. The sight made tiny flames dance over his skin.
Dammit. He'd just told her that he regretted not treating her with proper respect as his soon-to-be consort. And even told her that he was ready to complete their mating.
What more did she want?
”I have no talent for reading minds,” he groused.
Her lips twisted. ”What is your talent?”
”Killing things,” he informed her in bleak tones, belatedly wondering if she'd hoped for a mate who was artistic or poetic or philosophical. He'd never had time for anything but training to protect his master. ”It's all I've ever known.”
She bit her lip, but she still refused to look at him. Instead she squared her shoulders as the feel of her magic swirled around him. ”I'll be back.”
Fear exploded through Torque.
s.h.i.+t. s.h.i.+t. s.h.i.+t.
He grabbed her arms, roughly hauling her into his lap, but he instantly knew he was too late. She lay limp in his arms, her essence already leaving her body to travel beyond the walls of their prison.
CHAPTER FIVE.
Char felt...unsettled.
At first he a.s.sumed it was a result of his long s.e.xual drought. Despite his teasing with Torque, it'd actually been weeks since he'd visited the harem to enjoy the various females who were always eager to invite him to their beds.
Not since he'd seen his master with his beautiful mate, Tayla.
The sight had been a revelation.
Suddenly he was witnessing the relations.h.i.+p between a mated couple.
Not just l.u.s.t, although Baine could barely keep his hands off his lovely consort. But teasing and laughter and a soul-deep affection.
It made the thought of a fleeting night of pa.s.sion...
Hmm.
He wasn't sure.
He only knew that he wasn't as content with s.e.x as he had been before he'd seen what was possible.
But as the hours pa.s.sed, he accepted that his restlessness wasn't just s.e.xual frustration. Instead, it was directly connected to Torque.
His fellow guard had been gone for a few days, but it wasn't until that morning that Char had felt a jarring sense of loss as his mental connection to the younger male had been abruptly severed.
All of Baine's warriors shared a telepathic bond that allowed them to fight as a seamless unit during battle.
It should only have been broken if Torque...
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