His hand reached for Aiko’s erection. “Will you allow me to help?”
Chapter Five
GWYNNORE
I stared out a tinywindow and heldmy arms close around my chest, evaluating the wrecked terrain. “What city are we in? It looks like a bomb went off here.”
“S’Kir,” King Belshazzar stated, rolling on the single bed to face me. His ice-blue eyes captured mine, guarded. “So, you’re really talking to me now? Even though I am aman?”
“Well, I just took a piss in an outhouse inside a magical realm. You’re the closest thing to normal around here, even if you have dangling bits between your legs. I figured it wouldn’t hurt.” I lifted a snarky eyebrow. “I thought the realm was called S’Kir?”
“When the realm was initially created, this city was the first. It was called S’Kir. The name stuck for the realm, as well, as it continued to grow.” He tapped his long fingers on the bed and turned his attention to study the view outside the window. “Perhaps it wasn’t completely thought out. It does sound odd. S’Kir, S’Kir.”
I snorted and tilted back to the window, resting my right shoulder against the small window frame. “What were you and your twin talking about earlier in the lounge?”
“You didn’t listen in?”
“No, I was too busy watching for weird animals. Kimber told me about a few that didn’t sound pleasant.”
“We were simply enjoying each other’s company again.” King Belshazzar flopped onto his back and chuckled deeply. “And don’t tell me you’re scared of bugs.”
“Regular bugs? No.” I shook my head and smirked over my shoulder at him. “But bugs the size of my head? Maybe.”
“I’ll stomp on them for you. Never fear.” Bel quirked a crooked, devastating smile. “Come to bed, Gwen. I know you’re tired.”
I unfolded my arms and waggled a finger at him. “I told you, I’m only sleeping in bed with you.”
“I know.” Innocent eyes stared.
“Bel…”
“For fuck’s sake, fine.” He patted the bed and pulled the covers down on my side. “Get your ass over here. You look like you’re going to faint dead.”
“I slept a long time earlier. I shouldn’t be this tired.” I yawned and crawled into the bed, the room intimate—and ancient. I pulled the cover over my shoulder and rolled to face him. “Bel?”
His head tipped in my direction. “Yes?”
I hesitated, and then asked, “Youreally killed them all?”
The king’s sigh was long and drawn out. “I did. They hurt you, so I hurt them.”
“Why?” I probed. “That’s more than bizarre. You didn’t even know me then.”
My lover lifted a cocky eyebrow, challenging me with one look. “Bite me, and find out.”
That still made no sense, no matter how many times I ran it through my mind. He had not fainted when he’d bitten me the first time. But he did have that damned leather band on his wrist still…
My eyes drifted down to his neck, where his pulse beat a steady rhythm.Thump. Thump. Thump.It was powerful…and all male. I cleared my throat and lifted my eyes to his again. I grumbled, “You are a mysterious asshole that I wouldn’t mind stabbing right now.”
“Ah, but if you did that, you wouldn’t have anyone to put your freezing feet on.”
I blinked and scooted my bare feet back to my side of the bed. “Hey, you said you’d let me on your half of the bed tonight—and this damned bed is tiny. I’ll fall off if—”
He placed a gentle hand over my mouth, stopping my tirade. “I was teasing. Put your icy feet back over here. I’m positive I can take it.”
I shot my feet out instantly, burying them under his legs. “It’s bloody cold in here right now.”
King Belshazzar rolled and wrapped his arms around me, piling the cover over our faces. In the dimmed lighting, he looked into my eyes, his sparkling with naughty thoughts. “That better?”
