You will give him more,the Eye promised.You will give him everything. Just as soon as you have me.
If I lose him, I will find you just so that I may crush you into dust,I vowed.
Then you had best listen to me, Lyrandir. Listen and follow my instructions. Now, Aras needs you to ride him while you squeeze his throat.
I draw the line at taking your advice about sex. Be gone!
The Eye went silent, but as she did, I straddled my mate and took him into my body. Watching him writhe and turn his head side-to-side, I sensed the truth in her words. Sighing, I leaned down and took his throat in my hands.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cold. I was so cold. I huddled under the spray of hot water, my head bent so that it pounded on my back. But the heat didn't seep past my frozen flesh. I shivered and hugged my knees to my chest. Yes, I was sitting on the tiles. Because I was dying. No Dragon could survive hurting his mate, as I had hurt mine. Please, just let me die.
Stop it!the Eye shouted.
She'd been badgering me all night, ever since I left Aras asleep in bed and started pacing the bedroom like a caged animal. The constant haranguing was making my head spin. I couldn't focus. Not that I had much to focus on beyond the horrible things I'd done.
Stop it right now!she started again.You are not this person. You are not weak. Get up! Aras is even now rising. He will see you.
Let him. I don't care.
Get up! If you die, they all die! Your parents. Your friends. Your people. This will have been for nothing.
I cried out, the sound a roar of frustration, grief, and despair. It echoed through the room and probably through thecity. So great was my grief, the Gods probably heard it. I prayed for their help. Their guidance.
“Ly!” Aras came bursting into the room.
Fuck! Get up or all you did last night will be worthless,the Eye hissed.
“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” I pounded the sides of my head.
Great fuck, you look like a maniac! You sound insane! Get up! Do you really want him to see you like this?
“What the fuck?” Aras whispered.
Somehow, I found the strength to gain my feet, but only to lean against the tile wall and close my eyes. I couldn't look at him. Oh, fuck. The things I had said. I tried to wash them away in his blood. My mate's blood. And he let me.
“Ly!” Aras shook me and spun me to face him. “What the fuck? What is going on with you?”
Shuddering, I opened my eyes. I couldn't stop myself from saying, “You are so very beautiful.”
Aras frowned. “Lyrandir, I want to shoulder this with you, whatever this is. Stop pushing me away. I know that's what you're doing. Just stop. I can help. I can—”
I pushed him away, just as he bade me not to. Literally this time. “I'm fine. I'll be out in a few minutes.”
“Fuck!” Aras screamed. He screamed like a wounded cat. Screamed without words. Just pain.
And it cut me to the quick. I stared at him, the whole of me screaming along with him.
“Why won't you let me help you?” Aras wailed. “What ails you? What's happening to you, Ly? This isn't normal.” He waved at me. “I think the strain of war is getting to you.”
I sighed, then straightened my shoulders. I would tell him as much as I could. “I need the Eye to win this war, Aras. I need you to focus on finding it for me.”
Aras blinked. “The Eye. It's always the Eye. Is that what's standing between us? You can't be mine until it's yours. Is that it?”
I grabbed him by the throat and shoved him against the shower wall. Aras yipped, then gaped at me. He was naked, having come straight from bed, and that worked well for me. I smashed my mouth over his and shoved my tongue past his yielding lips. He went limp in submission, a moan vibrating through his throat and into my fingers.
Shoving my wet, naked body against his, I ground our cocks together. My body undulated without my direction, desperate to feel something other than pain. Lust came to my aid, shooting through me to harden my shaft just as his lengthened. Water dripped between us, creating a nice glide. I sighed and softened the kiss. My hand fell away from his throat.
