The Falcon Lord's tone was so surprising that I lifted my head and met his stare. His eyes were hypnotizing; I could have blissfully stared into them while a band of Farungals tore me apart and counted it as a happy death.
“Wash your hands, Shane,” he shocked me by using my given name—byknowingit. “You're coming with me.”
“I, uh, I'm making bread for your lunch, my lord.”
“Someone else will do it.”
“But why, my lord?”
His eyes widened at my brazenness. “Because I gave you an order.”
“Yes, Falcon Lord!” I saluted and splattered flour and bits of dough over us both. “Shit! I'm so sorry.” I moved to brush off his tunic, then realized that I'd only make things worse. I yanked back my hands as my cheeks heated.
The Falcon Lord burst out laughing, making him even more divine. I could only gape at him.
“It's all right.” He brushed the mess away, then reached out and flicked the flour off my hair. “You have beautiful eyes.” His hand lingered at my temple, then stroked the line of my hair back into its tight ponytail.
“You don't owe me anything!” I blurted.
The Falcon Lord blinked in shock, backing up a step with it. “What?”
“I, uh, if you, um, if you're being nice to me because you feel as if you owe me something, you don't. I was just doing my job.”
“Are you suggesting that I wouldwhoremyself to you out of some kind of obligation?” the Falcon Lord snarled, his expression shifting immediately into fury.
“Oh, fuck,” I whispered. “No, Falcon Lord! No, Sir! I was just so shocked that you'd flirt with me that I . . .fuck, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way.”
The Falcon Lord took a calming breath and nodded. “Forgiven. You shouldn't sell yourself short, Captain. I was flirting with you because I find you attractive, no other reason.”
“I'm not attractive enough for you.”
The Falcon Lord lifted a brow and smirked. “So, you think I'm attractive. More so than you?”
“Well, yeah,” I huffed as if that were a simple fact.
He chuckled softly, sensually, and my stomach clenched in response.
“Well, maybe I can even things up a bit, so you won't feel so nervous about me flirting with you,” the Falcon Lord suggested.
“I'm sorry, my lord, but what are you talking about?”
“I want to give you a piece of my soul, Shane,” he said. “I believe you're meant to be my valorian.”
Chapter Three
I stared at the Falcon Lord, trying to come up with a polite way of refusing him. Yes, I know a lot of soldiers would have done nearly anything to be given a piece of a warlord's soul, but not me. I didn't want immortality. Living forever sounded like a really bad idea to me, especially if I'd have to pay for it by becoming a valorian. What good is immortality if it's likely to get you killed? No, thank you. I just wanted to bake my bread and maybe fall in love, then get out of the army and move to Lek where I could be openly gay without people trying to murder me. You know, just an average man's dreams.
I finally went with the old standby, “No, thank you.”
The Falcon Lord's slightly wicked smirk faltered. “What?”
“If it's all the same to you, my lord, I'd rather not. I'm happy as I am.”
The warlord blinked. Gaped. Looked me over. “Are you straight? If that's the case, I'm sure we can work something out. Being my valorian doesn't automatically put you in my bed. I admit it was my intention, and most valorians do wind up with their warlords, but—”
“Please, stop.” I held up a flour-coated hand, flakes of dough still falling from it.
He had intended to get me in bed? Seriously?It was nearly enough to make me want to accept. But then I thought about how that would work out, or not, as would be more likely. This guy wasn't gay, he was bi. That's fine and all, but in my experience, bisexual men don't settle on one person for long. We'd have a good time for a few weeks, and then he'd move on. Probably with a woman. Or he'd want me to share him—something I don't do—which meant a quick death for our relationship. And one look at this man told me that I'd never recover from being dumped by him. If I landed in the Falcon Lord's bed, I'd never want to leave it.
