Silence falls, broken only by Siralaine’s ragged breathing.
I turn to her, my expression unreadable, though my pulse is still pounding from the fight. She looks at me with wide, fearful eyes, perhaps more afraid of me than she was of them.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, my voice low, but the ice in it makes her flinch. I loop my arm around her waist in a motion that is more possessive than protective. She’s mine, and she and everyone else better remember that. Her eyes skim over my body, her breasts heaving as I look down at her, waiting for an answer, and despite the fear in her eyes, she doesn’t pull away.
She swallows, her lips trembling, and I think she might confess, but instead she closes her mouth, shaking her head as if trying to get her bearings.
“I-I…”
I let out a low, humourless laugh. “Once we’re out of here, youwilltell me what you are hiding. Just remember who is keeping you alive.”
My hand brushes the small of her back, possessive, mocking, as if reminding her she belongs to me, whether she admits it or not.
“Ok, I will…” she whispers, but I’m not sure there’s much truth in that.
“We’re both enemies of Morcant. Why not trust me?”
She doesn’t reply, and I release her, scoffing as I mask myirritation.
“Stay close, darling,” I murmur, eyes locked on hers. “Or next time, I might not be there to save you.”
And without waiting for her answer, I stride ahead, leaving her caught between fear, fury, and the dangerous truth simmering beneath it all.
Heated Moments
Siralaine
If he knew what I was, he wouldn’t be here protecting me. He’d leave me to die.
His previous words replay in my mind as he carries me through the sky, far from the reach of the fire fae.
We’re both silent, but that’s mostly because the wind whipping past me makes it hard to breathe. He has his face covered, and I settle for burying my face in his chest. In the chest of a man whom I should hate, a man who is my enemy, but here I am, far too aware of the way his broad chest feels beneath my hand, the way his heart beats, the way he holds me, and the way he smells. It’s an addictive scent.
What is happening to me?
We land after a while, his boots hitting the ground as he places me down and stands, his wings unfurled behind him as he turns his back to me to look out to the distance.
I stare up at him, admiring the way his feathers shine. They look like velvet, glistening breathtakingly. They start off black, then blend into brown, and then into a stunning gold.
It’s the first time I’m seeing a sky siren this close, but I can safely say he is the most beautiful one I have ever seen. He’s deadly, yet somehow alluring. His wings are huge, too, and the urge to touch them makes my fingers reach out.
“Stop staring.”
I blink and quickly look away, snatching my hand back. “I wasn’t.”
He now turns and glances my way, lowering his face mask. Mmm, I wouldn’t have minded if he kept it on; it makes him look even sexier and more mysterious.
Stop, Siralaine, what on Earth are you thinking?!I scold myself.
He arches his brow. “Work on your lying skills,” he remarks coldly. “And you can make a start by telling me why they were hunting you.”
He walks towards me as he shifts, his wings disappearing. I open my mouth. I have to tell him something at least, but I stop, seeing the blood dripping from the cut along his flank.
“You’re hurt! When did that happen?” I ask, jumping to my feet.
“Don’t look so worried or I might think you care…” His eyes are unreadable, but his voice makes my core knot.
“I don’t care, but you’re all I have since you brought me into this world.”
