They were starved for me.
I had been starved for them as well.
There had been dozens of orgasms, and falling asleep between them made me realize I was finally home, safe.
The beautiful, sleek black mare I sat on was calm and well behaved. She didn’t whinny or paw the ground at all. Standing stock still at a solid sixteen hands, she merely surveyed the surrounding area.
“She suits you,” Aiko said, trotting up next to me.
“She’s beautiful,” I nodded. “I am used to slightly misbehaved horses.”
Chuckling, he leaned in a little closer. “It’s an animal fit to bear a princess.”
My stomach clenched, but I knew that he meant it as a compliment. The rule was clear in all of S’Kir.
The daughter of a king was a princess.
No matter how she was begotten.
Ugh.
I wasn’t ready for that.
No one knew, except the twins and Aiko. I wasn’t going to share that knowledge either, not until we had Dorian back, and I could talk to him about what all this meant.
I gave Aiko a weak smile and shrugged.
Taking a deep breath, I asked him the question I didn’t really want the answer to. “Do you need blood, my lord?”
He pinched his nose and nodded. “I do, Mistress.”
“You should have come to me before, Aiko.”
I kicked the horse into motion, off behind the headquarter tents near the Chasm. Aiko followed a moment behind me.
He pulled his mount to a stop next to me. “I did not think that…”
I caught his hesitation. “Think what?”
“That people would be so unwilling to even speak to me, never mind share blood.” He sounded defeated—and I couldn’t blame him. The only people who spoke to him, beyond polite, trite hellos, were Drez and Staviz.
They were enthralled, and I thought that might make up for it.
Clearly, I was wrong.
Climbing down off the horse, I tied her and Aiko’s to a picket line. There were some empty chairs and tables under the tree, and I chose one to sit in.
Aiko’s demeanor was sad. He was disappointed and alone, and my sore bits made me feel guilty.
He shook his head before I could say a word. “No. Your men love you. I can see that. They are dedicated to you. I will find my way in this world. I will find another to take blood from as soon as I can.”
“I do wish this was all different, Aiko.”
“I don’t,siqinira.”
He pulled his chair close, and I offered my arm.
“Kimber? Where are you?” Rilen walked out from behind the tents. “It’s time—”
