Part 13 (1/2)
”Two words-h.e.l.l, yes.”
Far from angering him, though, her words seemed to amuse him. ”I like your wit, Shaye. I also like your courage. You please me, for you are a worthy mate. A worthy queen to my warriors.”
Queen? Hardly. Look at the mess that her own life had become. Like she really needed to be in charge of other people.
And as for the other, well, she didn't want Valerian to like her. Okay, she did. She just didn't want to want him to like her. The more he liked her, the more determined he'd be to keep her, the harder he'd pursue her and the tougher it would be to resist him, to remember who and what he was-and the less she would want to escape.
”Come. I have tarried enough, yet I was unable to resist stealing a moment alone with you.” He pushed to his feet and held out his hand, palm up, a silent command for her to take it. ”They are awaiting us in the arena.”
She studied his palm, powerless to turn away. She knew that if she intertwined her fingers with his, warmth would tingle up her arm. Such drugging warmth. Unwanted warmth. Dangerous warmth.
Her throat constricted. She stood, keeping her hands at her sides. ”Lead the way.”
He remained where he was, beckoning with a single wave of his fingers.
She crossed her arms over her chest.
His lips dipped into a disbelieving frown as he realized she was refusing him yet again. ”I allowed you to refuse once. I will not allow you to do so now. I need your touch, Shaye. I need your strength. My victory depends upon it.”
Ah, h.e.l.l. Way to stick a knife in her. Their gazes locked in challenge. The lush length of his black lashes cast decadent shadows over his cheeks. How did a man with blond hair have such dark eyelashes? They should have been pale, like hers.
”Sorry,” she said. And she was. ”You are stubborn,” he said. ”And you want to be cold.”
She raised her chin. ”I a.s.sure you, I am cold. I'm a b.i.t.c.h.”
”Given time,” he added smoothly, ”I will heat you. I will make you burn.”
The words were laced with promise, dripping with determination, and drifting beneath them was a challenge: every resistance will be met and conquered until you've soared over the sweet edge of surrender.
She gulped, but still didn't allow herself to reach for him.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. ”You have a choice. Take my hand or be carried in my arms.”
”You didn't mention my third choice. Leaving.” She skidded around the chair and backed away, a single step.
”You? Leave?” He shook his head. ”No, you are too brave. I will give you till the count of three to decide, then I will make the decision for you. One.”
Another step backward.
”Two.”
Yet another.
”Thr-”
She rushed forward and clamped onto his hand. At first contact, the warmth she 'd feared speared her, spreading up, spreading out, overtaking her entire body. But if he had chased her and thrown her over his shoulder-and he would have-the sensations would have been so much worse. More potent.
She scowled up at him. Light banked his features, giving him a breathtaking radiance no one person should possess.
He grinned. ”That was not so hard, was it?”
”Shut up. Just shut up.”
He chuckled, but his laughter didn't last long. His expression grew serious. ”I have your scent in my nostrils, moon, and can find you wherever you are. Wherever you go. Do not think to try and escape from me during the battle.” With that, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the dining hall, dragging her with him.
Hissing a breath between her teeth, she fought to keep up with him, flying forward at neck -breaking speed. ”Slow down.
And what do you mean, you've got my smell in your nose?” She recalled yesterday, how obsessed he'd been with making her smell him.
”Just that your essence is branded into my every cell,” he said, not bothering to face her. ”As mine will soon be in yours.”
”There will be no branding!”
”Actually, there will be no stopping the branding.” Utter confidence cascaded from his voice.
Another promise.
Don't engage him. Don't encourage him. Her gaze snagged on the wall. White marble inlaid with silver stone, crumbled in bits and pieces. Scratch marks, as if someone had taken a tool to every inch. Changing the subject she said, ”What happened here?” ”Humans invaded, is my understanding.”
Her gaze whipped to his back. Hard muscle and sinew strained under bronzed velvet. ”Humans know about Atlantis?”
”Some do.”
Wow. People actually knew about this place, yet they'd managed to keep it a secret. ”Have you always lived in this castle?”
”No. My army claimed the palace only a short time ago.”
Claimed. Aka ”stole,” she was sure. ”Who did it belong to before you?”
”The dragons.”
She skidded to a stop, forcing him to stop, as well, or drag her p.r.o.ne body. ”Dragons? Did you say dragons used to own this property? And you stole it from them?” That explained the dragon murals, the dragon etchings, the dragon medallion he'd told her about.
Slowly he faced her, his expression confused. ”This upsets you. Why?”
”Dragons spew fire and eat humans as tasty snacks. They'll want their palace back.”
”Yes.”
Her eyes widened at his nonchalance. ”And that doesn't bother you? The thought of battling such fierce creatures?”
”No. Why should it?” His chest seemed to expand before her eyes. ”I am fiercer. I am stronger.”
G.o.d save her from male arrogance. ”Sorry I don't share your confidence,” she said dryly.
He frowned. ”If the thought of dragons scares you-”
”Terrifies me,” she interjected.
”How will you react when I introduce you to the vampires?”