Rhydian strides right up next to the bed. “Why do you have a headache? Are you sick? Do you need a healer?”
I blink at the barrage of questions. “No, No. I’m fine. Humans just get headaches sometimes. It will be gone by morning.”
He reaches out and places his hand against my forehead. “You feel clammy.”
I open my mouth, but before I can think of an excuse, he is pushing me over onto my back. Presumably so he can get a better look at me. Pain flares and I wince. Hiseyes narrow.
“Just my headache!” I squeak.
Rhydian frowns. But then he bends down and brushes his lips gently over mine. “I hope you feel better soon.”
I nod. My lips are tingling, and my toes are curling. His gaze drops down to my mouth, and then he gives me another soft kiss. All tender and caring and sensual. A gentle moan escapes me. He kisses me again. My lips move against his. Encouraging. Seeking. Pleading.
The kiss deepens. Intensifies. His tongue teases my own. My arms rise up and wrap around his neck to hold him close. This is a terrible idea, but I am powerless before the force of my desire. I cannot stop myself. Cannot pull away. I cannot even remember why I should.
He slips onto the bed beside me and rolls me onto my side to face him. I press myself as close to him as I can get. His hand runs down my back, over my nightshirt. Pleasure and warmth are flowing through me, pushing away any pain. But his hand stops. It traces the long line of a raised welt.
The kiss breaks. He pulls away. Mere inches, but it feels like miles. His expression and body are frozen, but his amber eyes are glowing. Truly glowing. Like a demon’s. Little lanterns in the dark.
I stare at him helplessly. My heart is racing. I’ve forgotten every single word of the English language. I’ve forgotten how to breathe. Move. Blink. I cannot remember how to do a single thing.
Suddenly, my face is full of pillow. He has rolled me onto my front. Now he is yanking up my nightshirt. He draws in a shuddery breath the moment he sees my naked back.
“Who. Did. This. To. You?” he growls.
Low and heavy. Each word falling like a stone into the heavy silence of the room. The words fall through my flesh and sink into my soul. Every small hair on my body rises. The cadence of his growl seeps into the darkest, deepest parts of my mind and awakens my primal instincts.
“Iestyn,” I squeak without meaning to.
My treacherous primal self was helpless before the command in his terrifying voice. I had to obey. There was no choice in it at all. My instincts knew to submit to the dominance it heard.
The bedroom door slams. Shit! My modern mind snaps back online. Intelligent thoughts come rushing back in. I can think again, and not only respond. And Rhydian storming off is a disaster that must be stopped.
I jump out of bed and race after Rhydian. He is already striding down the hallway outside of our rooms. I hurry after him.
“Rhydian!”
He ignores me.
For fuck’s sake! I dive after his leg and hold on for dear life. It barely slows him. He continues to stride down the hallway at great speed. The only change is that I’m now curled around his leg and he is dragging me with him.
“Rhydian! Stop! This is exactly what he wants!”
He doesn’t react at all. He doesn’t even slow. I can feel the fury pouring out of him. Hallways whiz past as I cling desperately to his leg. I try pulling my weight backwards, in the opposite direction, but it does nothing at all.
“Rhydian! You are cleverer than this!” I yell, as if sheer volume is going to be enough to get through to him.
But it is not working either. He is fully lost to his rage and his fury. The leg muscles I am wrapped aroundare tense, solid, and unyielding. Is this where stories of berserkers came from?
It is terrifying to witness such an unleashed force of nature. But I am not at all scared for myself. I’m fearful for Rhydian and whatever stupid mess he is going to get himself into because he has lost the ability to think clearly.
Suddenly, he kicks a door open with his free leg. The world spins as Rhydian strides into this new room and the leg I’m clinging to moves swiftly. I catch a glimpse of Iestyn sitting calmly on a settee, surrounded by several other fey.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Iestyn has this so well played. He has even made sure he has a room full of witnesses.
I let go of Rhydian’s leg, and jump to my feet. Iestyn’s cold green eyes are regarding Rhydian’s rage with smug delight. Motherfucker. Damn him for figuring out how to push Rhydian’s buttons and make him lose his calm control. And damn me for being Rhydian’s Achilles heel.
