“Why do you ask so many questions?” he snarls right back, and we both glare at each other for a moment.
I poke his chest with my finger. Damn, his chest is not soft at all. “I do not.”
“Yes, yes, you do. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody who asks as many questions as you do, Juniper Daygan.” He pokes my shoulder back with a mocking smirk, and I nearly fall over from his strength.
“I’m going to take that as a compliment. You’re saying that I’m curious and not boring, unlike some people who never ask questions,” I huff.
His laugh haunts me in the dim light. “I don’t ask questions because I already know the answers.”
“You know, arrogance is pretty boring too.” I cross my arms. I’ve had enough of Vale already. I want to leave, but the bastard knows I won’t. I need my potion ingredients, but I also won’t leave any shifters without food when I can help.
He is laughing at me when we finally get to a series of vaults. The vaults have big doors with silver locks woven into them in perfect swirls and diamond shapes. It takes about two seconds to unlock them and get in because Vale has clearly done this before. “This is the rare ingredient vault. You look for this one.” He points to my list. “I’ll find the other two.”
“I should mention that I don’t know anybody that bosses me around as much as you do either, Vale.” I take the paper off him.
“You like it.” Vale laughs, walking away from me.
“No, I really don’t,” I bite back, seeing red. “I like Maz being kind to me, I like Kane being protective, and Black speaks to me with his whole heart on the line. You just wind me up and boss me around and act like this!”
I find the first ingredient quickly and ignore the fact Vale has gone silent on me. I put it in my pocket. Thankfully, all the ingredients are in alphabetical order, and Vale finds his quickly. Still looking around, I find one more, glowing red dust in a vial, something I didn’t list because I’m not sure I need it yet. I pocket the pulvirud just in case.
We go outside to the next vault while Vale quickly locks it behind us, making sure it looks like we’re only coming in here to steal food. I help him with the spell to unlock the second one, giving him a touch of power. He growls at me for a thank you before we go inside. Vale shoves a sack at me from a cupboard of them by the door, and I fill it as quickly as I can with as many canned foods as I can fit in. It weighs an absolute ton as I drag it to the door.
Vale’s about to give me another sack when we hear footsteps, followed by a buzzing noise, and sprinklers burst water out of the ceiling. Vale puts his finger on his mouth, grabs my hand and the bags in one go, and tugs me into the cupboard. He quietly shuts the door, and I sit down on the bags slightly as there’s barely any room in this small space, and I can’t see anything. I can feel the heat of Vale’s body so close to mine. Water drips off me as I check the silencing spell is in place. “What was that?”
Vale is staring at the door; only the dim light shining through the cracks lets me really see him. “A teacher must be nearby and set off an alarm to remove enchantments with water. Don’t worry, they won’t find us. I’m prepared for it.” Slowly, he drags his eyes to me, and he stills. “What is that on your face?”
Dammit, my foundation must have washed off with the water. This isn’t good, not with this furious expression on Vale’s face. “Lock. He was mad when I slept over the other night, so he did this.” Vale still hasn’t said a word, and I know how possessive dragons are with their bonded. I need to calm him down. “I could hardly retaliate without giving away that I do remember. He’s suspicious anyway. Paranoid. Please don’t worry; it was nothing.”
“You’ve been hiding it from us because you know what we’d do. It’s. Not. Nothing,” he growls.
I clear my throat. “I’ve been hiding it from all of you for your own good! You’re possessive assholes at times, and I don’t want to ruin our plan over a bit of pain. I barely even felt it. The way I grew up, pain is nothing. A slap is nothing.”
“Explain that one to me as well,” he demands. A low growl vibrates from his throat.
“Look, it doesn’t matter,” I mutter.
“Everything about you matters to me, and no one touches my witch,” he snarls. “I’m going to kill him for touching you. No more waiting.”
“No. Stop. The teacher will see us.” I grab his arm and stop him from opening the door. “I think maybe we’ve had enough death. They’re probably looking for the missing guards outside. They’ll go off to tell somebody, and then we can leave. We just have to wait for them to go. You can’t go and kill Lock right now. That’s why I didn’t tell you, because it doesn’t matter. He’s dead anyway. You can kill him painfully once we have the academy and there’s nowhere he can run. Until then, I’m stuck in this situation just as much as you are. And trust me, I want him dead, Vale.”
“You don’t understand. I’m going?—”
I do the only thing I can. The only thing that I think might stop him. I lift myself up and slam my lips onto his. He’s shocked for half a second before a masculine groan echoes up his throat and he wraps his hand around my throat, pulling me to him and deepening the kiss. The moment his hand is around my neck, all my dignity about Vale vanishes. I don’t care that he hates me and I hate him. He’s demanding and brutal, takes everything with that kiss, pushing me back against the sacks of food and cans, and they press into me. His hands are rough as he pulls and tugs at my leggings and underwear, pushing my cloak away next.
“What are you doing?” I whisper as he moves, continuing to kiss me.
“I remember something,” he answers, his deep voice sending shivers of pleasure through me. He kisses down my jaw. He sucks and nibbles at the skin on my neck. “I remember that you lay on top of me in a room full of death magic. I told you I’d never let you die. You said the same. I just remembered it then when your lips touched mine. I wonder how much more I’m going to know when I taste you.”
“You are tasting me.” My heart races. He is remembering us!
“Not yet.” He drops to his knees. My breath hitches seeing him like that, seeing him kneeling between my bare legs. He grabs my ass with both his hands and yanks me forward.
“Show me how much you hate me, Hex. Fucking show me. You asked me to crawl, and I’m on my knees for my witch, now show me how much you like winning.” His mouth is filthy, but I like it.
“I’ve never done this,” I admit.
His growl is possessive and demanding as he dives between my legs, pushing my thighs apart. “I’ll make sure this first is unforgettable.” That’s the only warning he gives me before he swipes his tongue straight up my pussy and back down, focusing on my clit for a second, making my breath hitch.
