I snorted and moved closer to him. “Just watch your right hand. It’s dangerously close to my… Bel! Hand. Off. My. Ass.”
Belshazzar snickered softly against my ear, pulling his hand up to rest it against the small of my back. He whispered huskily, “But it’s such a nice ass.”
“One you can’t currently touch,” I griped, wiggling my feet under his legs again. I pressed my palms to his bare, muscled chest, and struggled to keep my groan at bay. “How in the hell are you so warm?”
“I was made for you.” He tipped his head and kissed my temple. “Whatever you need, I can give.”
I grunted. “You still aren’t making any sense.”
“Do you need me to back away?” He pulled his head back to capture my gaze, utterly serious. His tone was quiet and even, none of his emotions on his features—just cool and calm, collected. “You can walk away from me anytime. I’ll wait for you.”
I sighed heavily and thumped my head against his chest, curling my fingers into his skin. “You keep saying that.”
“I’ve waited this long. I can wait longer if that is what you need,” he stated patiently—but gruffly. He didn’t like the words coming out of his mouth. “Like I said, whatever you need. You are still young.”
“I’m almost a thousand years old,” I mumbled. “That is not young, no matter what you say.”
“It is to me.” He kissed my temple again, his supple lips brushing against my skin softly. “Is that what you want? Do you want to walk away?”
I scrunched my nose in annoyance—and pinched his pectoralhard. “Shut up. You know I don’t want that.”
“But you don’t want to bite me, either.” King Belshazzar grunted. “Then you should quit asking me questions until you’re ready for the truth.”
“That’s a little harsh.” I blinked.
“That is how I feel.” He squeezed me, hugging my body tight. “There are two people in this relationship. You cannot think only of yourself, Gwen. I do have feelings, too, despite what I let on.”
My brows puckered. “I know that.”
“Good.” He snuggled his head down into the pillow and closed his eyes. “Go to sleep. You need the rest.”
I shut my own blue eyes and yawned wide against his skin. “I like you, Bel.”
“Hush. We are far past that.”
Truer words had never been spoken.
Chapter Six
KIMBER
The city was a bitbetter than whenwe had left.
Drez and Jallina looked haggard.
Staviz didn’t look much better.
In fact, everyone looked like hell. The city was trying to survive and shelter the residents; the fires were contained but still smoldering, and there were lines for bread.
“What the hell happened here?” King Belshazzar questioned.
“Your vampires,” Dorian answered.
“These aren’tmyvampires.” The King’s words were clipped and angry. “The vampires on Earth keep their intrigues to themselves.”
“Well, bully for your vampires,” Dorian snapped. “We’ve been stuck here, apart from them, since you disappeared.”
“I disappeared to find your brat—as you asked—and your demented son didn’t make it easy to get back here.”
