My lusty water siphon could take as much as I could give.
“Tell me you want me,” I rasped.
“I do.”
“Tell me you need me.”
“Please.”
“Tell me,” I growled, unbearably hard, my balls aching.
“I need you, Marcus. Your affai needs you.”
I couldn’t stop myself from thrusting one final time and jetting deep inside her, triggering her own rapture.
There was no other explanation than that we joined on another plane, body to body, soul to soul. I felt all of her, such strength and energy and care. Nothing about her was wrong, even the small imperfections she considered her own. I saw and accepted her, and to my shock, thought that she accepted me as well.
But the pleasure made it difficult to be sure, the blaze of ecstasy making our connection last much longer than it should have.
Once our passion finally ebbed, I mentally dragged a bunch of tissues close. After withdrawing, I cleaned us both up, a little woozy when I saw how much of a mess I’d made. Good Light, but Tessa had drained me.
I mentally righted our clothing and tossed away the trash.
“Not bad after ignoring me for two days,” Tessa rasped, her hair a mass of red waves cascading down her back as she turned to face me. “What’s going on with you, Marcus?”
I could barely function, and she sounded like a raging banshee.
The hazy afterglow of bliss combined with anger made Tessa completely irresistible. Her bright eyes were direct, and her mouth curled into a snarl that made me want to kiss the mad out of her.
A warrior I had every intention of claiming, provided I kept her alive long enough. Tessa deserved to be treated like a queen.
I’d replayed Sin Garu’s visit in my mind a hundred times, and I could come to no other conclusion but that the sorcerer wanted Tessa for his own. He’d end up killing her, as he did all he touched. But there had been more than anger when he’d looked at her before. I’d seen desire as well.
She had no idea how difficult my days had been without her. “I missed you,” I admitted.
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t respond.
My life had always been in danger, since the minute I’d been born. But Tessa had grown up in this world, without the threat of wraiths and dark magic, without the threat of treason and Djinn interference.
Caring for her made me vulnerable, a condition I normally avoided at all costs.
I did my best not to squirm under her direct stare. “Look, I’ve been busy the past few days.”
“Oh?”
“Between the new accounts and watching for danger, I’m tired when I get home.”
“Bullshit. You’re running scared.”
I returned her stare with a frosty one of my own. “I wasn’t aware you had a degree in clinical psychology.”
“See? You only act all high and mighty when something bothers you. Face it, Marcus, I know you well enough to know something’s not right.” Her voice softened. “Why won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”
The urge to confess my worries was surprisingly strong, but I shrugged it away. Bad enough I knew the many problems I faced as a would-be king. My future bride didn’t need to know about my multitude of shortcomings.
“I’m focused on keeping you safe, Tessa. I can still see the wraiths attacking us in my office every time I close the door. I don’t need distractions, not when your safety’s on the line.”
She frowned. “No more than yours is. Sin Garu seemed more thrilled at the idea of destroying you than bothering with me.”
