Her careless disregard of their plans had made him recall too much of his other life. The Morrigan was noted for her false promises, especially when it came to him.
She’d taken him, a servant, soon after he’d passed his twelfth summer and made him her squire. Like a fool, he’d been so excited that the Great Queen of Unius—the subterranean realm of the Celtic pantheon—had favored him. But it had all been a lie. She’d wanted him close, but not close enough to tell the entire nation the truth—a truth he’d accidentally found out on his twentieth year of birth of who he really was.
His emotions churned like an aerated geyser. Too late, he saw the red light and slammed on the Range Rover’s brakes. The vehicle skidded to a halt.
Darci grabbed the dash, her gaze rushing to him. She blew out a rough breath. “Blaéz, look, I’m sorry about the way my brother acted, and for canceling on you last minute. I didn’t want to go, but it’s Declan and Grace’s anniversary. They’ve been through so much in the past few years, I could hardly say no.”
Family. The word seeped into his chaotic mind.She hadn’t stood him up…her family was important to her. His thoughts drifted to the copper-haired human who’d stood so protectively behind her. Blaéz’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “Who is he, the other male?”
“Alex? He’s a friend—well, more Declan’s friend, really.”
Her brother, it appeared, favored the man for her.
Over his decaying corpse would Blaéz let that happen, and since he couldn’t die...yeah, never. But the sense of unease rolling through his gut just wouldn’t quit. Declan disliked him, it didn’t take a genius to figure that out. And Darci loved her brother. What if she did as he wanted and refused to see him any longer? That thought shot Blaéz’s already filthy mood into the gutter.
Moments later, he pulled up outside the brownstone. She opened the door and turned to him. “Are you coming in?”
“No,” he said, tone flat. “You’re home, safe. I’ve work to do.”
Her gaze widened before narrowing. “Really? You brought me all this way just so I wouldn’t leave with Alex?” She shoved her hair off her face with an impatient hand, eyes citron in ire. “I don’t believe this. Blaéz, Alex is my brother’sgayfriend. And, what? You plan to make me a prisoner in my own home? Let’s get one thing straight. I agreed to see you, not have you run my life.”
With that, she jumped out, banged the door behind her and ran up the stairs to her home as if she couldn’t get away from him fast enough. Blaéz didn’t think, just reacted. He slammed out of the SUV, sprinted up the steps after her, and grabbed her just as she opened the front door.
“Oomph!What the—” She scowled up at him. “What now? You want to physically lock me up, too?”
“Shut up, Darci.” He pushed them inside. With his foot, he shut the door and trapped her against the wooden panel, slapping his palms beside her head. “You do this to me,” he growled. “When I’m away from you I get by, then I see you, and my mind’s in chaos—I cannot think straight—”
“And that is my fault?”
At her anger, his faded. With his body pinning hers to the door, he lowered his head to hers and groaned, “You torment me.”
“Don’t you dare kiss me,” she smacked a hand on his chest, “I’m too mad with you.”
As if that would stop him from taking what he craved. “I’m sure I can change your mind…I only know what I need right now...” Slow and deliberate, he ran his tongue across her compressed mouth. She refused to let him in. Stubborn woman. “And what I want is your tongue in my mouth, and you wrapped around me.” He bit her lower lip.
A choppy breath escaped her. He struck and captured her mouth. With languorous strokes, he deepened the kiss, sucking on her tongue.
A moment passed and she shuddered. Her body relaxed. She melted against him and kissed him back. Blaéz explored her mouth, tasting, licking, and claiming it as his own.Thiswas what he needed, to touch her, to feel her again. His hands lowered to her hips, he pulled her closer. The V of her thighs hit his painfully hard groin. Ah fuck, he grunted, pure need garroting him.
She freed her mouth from his, panted, “This is hardly an apology.”
“Then I guess I’m not doing a very good job.” He nipped her jaw. “However, I learn…fast.”
“I’m sure.” A smile tipped her mouth. “And I’m really, really glad I torment you.”
“Sadist,” he murmured, trailing his lips down her neck.
She laughed then whimpered when he grasped her silk-covered nipple with his lips and sucked on it. Still, he wanted more, needed skin-to-skin contact. With his teeth, he lowered the narrow straps of her loose, slinky top down her arms. The green fabric pooled around her waist, revealing more than a handful of perfect tanned breasts with dusky-rose tips.
He stopped breathing. “My imagination fails me,a leannan…you are beautiful.”
A blush colored her cheek.
Compelled, he kissed the curves of her warm flesh in reverence and dragged his tongue over a stiff nipple. She tasted of warm lilacs, satin-smooth skin, and all female. She breathed a throaty sigh. Grabbing his head, she pulled him up again and latched her mouth to his.
A low growl escaped him. He slipped his hand between her thighs and kneaded her through her pants with the heel of his palm. Craving more, he undid the zipper of her black slacks, slid his fingers beneath her panties and stroked her slick, wet, feminine flesh—his breath caught in sheer wonder. She was perfect.
Who knew his expansive reading to satisfy his curiosity of carnal pleasure, would aid him now?
