Part 25 (1/2)
How could she make him understand? ”They simply thrive on chaos, planting their ideas into our heads. We think about it, we obsess about it, ultimately acting in a manner befitting what was said, thereby causing what was said to happen.”
”Like a self-fulfilling prophecy.” He arched a brow. ”You know all of this, and yet you've never spoken to them?”
Touch me again. Gather me in your arms. Tell me you don't desire White. ”Well, I never said they hadn't spoken to me.”
He stiffened. ”So you've actually met with them?”
”Yes.” And the meeting had enraged her.
Years ago, the three hags told her she was destined to cause her mother's death. All she'd managed was a few gasps before they'd shooed her away, but from that moment on, Josephina had begun to fear hurting her beloved mother in any way, and had overa.n.a.lyzed her every word and action.
Josephina had stopped eating, stopped sleeping. She'd stopped visiting her mother, too afraid of what damage she might cause. After a while, the fear had become infectious. Her mother had begun to worry over Josephina's health, and had mourned over Josephina's perceived defection. Glorika had lost weight, energy and vitality-and soon, the king's favor. She was cast out of his bedroom and back to the servant quarters.
There, she was treated more shamefully than ever. She was shunned by the women and secretly hara.s.sed by many of the men. The queen had taken great pleasure in humiliating her at every turn.
In the end, Glorika had killed herself. All because Josephina had stayed away from her. So, yes. Josephina had helped destroy her. Had she never worried, nothing bad would have happened to either of them. Her mother would still be alive.
”The best decision you'll ever make is to forget what the Moirai told you,” she said.
He shook his head, dark locks of hair falling over his brow. ”I carry the demon of Disaster. How could I not cause an apocalypse?”
She heard the dread in his voice, the torment. ”Think about it. You're doing everything in your power to stop yourself from causing an apocalypse, aren't you? And yet everything you've done has only exacerbated the problem.”
”So I should do nothing?”
”No. You should live. Truly live. Stop looking over your shoulder, expecting disaster. Stop planning your next step based on the demon's actions.”
He pushed out an angry breath. ”I'm not sure whether you're wise, as I first a.s.sumed, or the dumbest woman on the planet.”
Dumb? Dumb! ”Well, you're definitely not the sweetest man.”
”I never claimed to be.”
”Because no one would have believed you!” Surely that wasn't her shrieking at him?
He ma.s.saged the back of his neck, not seeming to notice her outburst. ”The Moirai told me something else. They said I'm destined to marry the keeper of Irresponsibility...or White, the girl you met in the club.”
What he didn't say, but she heard: he was to stay away from a Fae blood slave. ”Don't let the hags decide your bride, Kane. You decide. Wed for love, or don't wed at all.”
Kane leaned down, putting them nose-to-nose. He whispered, ”I used to be, you know.”
He was so close, his clean, soapy scent thick in her nose. Heat radiated from him, enveloping her, and the tremors within her increased. ”Used to be what?”
”Sweet.”
She reached up, s.h.i.+fted the strands of his hair through her gloved fingers. How badly she wanted skin-to-skin. ”You still have your moments. But what changed?”
”Me. Everything.” His gaze dropped to her lips, and lingered, his pupils expanding. ”I shouldn't want to kiss you again, but I do. I want it. Not because of the Moirai but because of you. What are you doing to me?”
Her heart skipped a treacherous beat. ”I'm not doing anything.”
”Oh, you're doing something.” Slowly he lowered his head...coming closer...closer still. ”I already stole your first kiss, and I shouldn't steal the second.”
What if I give it away? ”Are you afraid?”
”Yes,” he admitted. ”I've never wanted a woman the way I want you.”
”Not even Synda?” she managed to respond, breathless.
”I understand why you're so insecure about her. Your family has always picked her over you. But that isn't the case with me. I have wanted you since moment one. I have never actually wanted Synda. She's a means to an end, nothing more.”
A means to an end-not a bride. He wouldn't wed the girl. And he'd wanted Josephina since moment one.
Her.
Overcome, Josephina threw her arms around him, and pressed her lips against his. He moaned, his tongue thrusting into her mouth, demanding the very response she yearned to give. He was a master, sublimely skilled, every stroke propelling her need higher, and maybe she gave as good as she got, because his control seemed to be fraying at the edges, little growls rising from him, his tongue thrusting harder, faster.
Then he straightened, a funny look on his face as he traced a fingertip over lips now swollen and tingling from his possession. ”You make me burn, Tinker Bell.”
”Kane,” she said, then gulped.
”Yes.”
”That's not me. You're actually on fire.”
Frowning, he glanced down at his shoulder. The ends of his hair were tipped with flames that had jumped from the lamp on the nightstand.
Josephina patted the strands, dousing the fire.
”Stupid Disaster.”
”I'm not afraid of him.”
He toyed with the collar of her s.h.i.+rt, making her skin tingle. ”Still want me?”
”More than anything,” she admitted softly.
Tentative, he licked the seam of her lips. When nothing terrible happened, he gave her a wicked grin.
”Gonna make you so happy you said that.”
He tugged at the cover, pulling it down, down, down her body, baring her legs, his heated eyes never straying from hers...even as he reached for the hem of the s.h.i.+rt. He crawled onto the bed, graceful as a panther, and straddled her waist.
Breathing was impossible, her insides so keyed and ready for whatever he planned, she could only pant as he continued lifting her s.h.i.+rt, baring her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to his view.
He paused to look his fill, his pupils so large his irises were devoid of color.