“Yes…on a horse.” She leaned back against his muscled chest and in a brief lapse of judgement wondered what other parts of him might feel like hard and rigid against her.
His hand wrapped around Thalia’s waist, pulling firm until her ass seemed to form to the lines of his legs perfectly. “Now,gatáki, I’m going to need you to move in time with me. Do you understand?”
Nodding, her core clenched and a raging fire flowed along her skin. Gods—why did he make everything he said sound absolutely sultry, in a way she craved so desperately. Dimitris’s other hand slid just below the crease of her hip bone where he stroked her upper thigh with his thumb. Leather pants were entirely too thin for the way he was touching her. She wasn’t even sure he was doing it to tease her or if this was just how Dimitris acted. Suave. Insufferable. Intoxicating.
Were such movements involuntary for a rake whenever near a woman?
Adjusting herself once more, Thalia pushed back into him, letting his body guide her up and down in rhythm with the gait of the horse as it led them into the forest. “Like this?” she whispered.
“Exactly like that.” His hand slid closer to her center, grazing over her thighs in a delicate motion.
“You shouldn’t. Do that,” she panted, craning her neck to the side.
Dimitris leaned close to her ear, his voice like silk. “From what I can tell, you like it.”
She did, and Thalia hated herself for it, because she was not the type of woman that melted at the feet of a man—no matter how perfect he may look when the moonlight cascaded off his skin. But, somehow, these moments where she could smell his sweat and the crisp hint of pine eased the pain of the visions that had consumed her since Aidesian. It was a much needed distraction forthe all-encompassing waves of nausea and the way her veins would turn to ice as she saw how people crossed over to the afterlife. Maybe this once she would let herself lean into it—into him. Let his hands slide closer to the spot that pulsed between her legs.
She placed her palm over his, guiding it up to the band of her trousers. “I’ve heard the stories, you know, of the women that lust after you, the tricks you’ve mastered all too well.”
“Is that right?” he purred.
“Yes. I’m just not sure I believe them.” Her voice turned breathy as Dimitris began to unlace her leathers beneath her hand.
“I can assure you,gatáki, my tricks are second to none.” The horse slowed slightly and Dimitris pulled Thalia back into him again, but this time she could feel as he stiffened behind her.
“Well, I guess you’ll have to prove me wrong.” She braced her feet in the stirrups, pushing up where his cock strained under his pants, eliciting a low groan from Dimitris’s throat.
“You wicked little thing,” he purred, sliding his hand into her trousers. “Look at you, ready for me.”
Two of his fingers grazed along her center, already slick from her illicit thoughts only moments before. He made lazy strokes at first, taking his time exploring around her clit, nipping at her neck and moving his tongue over her skin in tandem with the way his fingers worked beneath her. Then he slid those two fingers inside her, curling as he pulsed them in and out.
“Remember what I said,gatáki. Move with me.” A moan swept from her lips as Dimitris guided her up and down, her body taking his fingers as far as she could go, but she wished it was more, that it was the length of his cock she stretched around. Any release—anyblackout of the world around her—would ease the tension in her heart.
“That’s my girl,” he murmured along her skin, grazing his teeth over her ear. He shifted his hand slightly so that his thumb began to circle her clit, causing Thalia to buck against his hand. She could feel the pressure building, the heat begging for release. He let her pick up the pace, riding out the wave of pleasure that was about to crash through her. And when it did—gods, when it did—it felt as if the entire world slowed and silenced. No cries, no pain, only bliss.
Chapter Ten
Dimitris
Not a single thing had distracted Dimitris from reliving that sweet moment Thalia had whimpered his name as she crashed over the edge. He wasn’t sure anything could—at least for days, or until she let him near her again. The rest of the ride to Castle Phyli they were silent, but it wasn’t the same sort of disdainful silence that the two had shared on the ship—the kind where Thalia would glare at him with those piercing violet orbs and twitch her lip up thinking her sharpened canine would cause him to cower. No, this was the pure silence that came with a run through a snowy wood, the calming silence that filled your mind as the rain poured down on your skin. A preternatural longing andbond of two people that could forever be content enveloped by one another.
Except, as soon as they reached the stables, Thalia had promptly hopped down from Ellie and scurried away toward the castle, still not speaking a word to Dimitris. So, all he had left was the memory of her singed into the deepest recesses of his memories. Which didn’t exactly help when he had absolutely no idea where he was going or who else he could speak with to direct him. Cal, Dafne, Elias, and the rest of the crew were not expected until morning.
The stables were as quiet as the forest they’d traveled through—no stablehand in sight, only a collection of around ten horses chomping away at their meals in each stall, unimpressed by the man who stood aimlessly in their presence. Ellie was the most unimpressed, nudging him with her nose as if she was asking why she didn’t have anything to munch on like the rest of the horses.
“Alright, Ellie, let’s get you set up here.” Dimitris stroked along her mane before untying the saddle and packs.
The small canvas bag Thalia had brought with her was already removed and Dimitris wondered how he hadn’t noticed her unfasten it. His own pack filled with clothes, a few extra daggers, and his ship’s logs weighed heavy as he unbuckled the leather strap and placed it down on the ground before taking Ellie’s reins and leading her into an empty stall. The mare trotted in with a swish of her tail, kicking up the newly laid straw that lined the floor. In the corner of the stall were two metal pails, one filled to the brim with crisp, clean water and the other with feed.
“Well, it looks like someone knew you were coming, girl.” He smiled at the horse who bowed her head in return before turning toward the water pail. “I’ll let you get adjusted and I promise I’llbe back in a few hours to give you a proper brushing. You did well today, Ellie.”
Looping the discarded pack over his shoulder, Dimitris headed out of the swinging gates and began walking up the winding dirt path that led to the castle's main doors. To his left, down a series of displaced stone stairs, lay a long wooden building surrounded by five large training rings, all empty. In Nexos, at this time of day, a place like that would usually be lively with shouting, people betting on sparring matches as other soldiers trained. It was odd that on such an unseasonably warm day the soldiers of Skiatha would not be utilizing the space as well.
Dried sweat clung to his skin as Dimitris made the final ascent to the castle, pushing the doors open to a wave of crackling fires and freshly cooked food. Music trickled into the entryway, the plucking of a bouzouki drowning out the muttering of voices down the hall. Dimitris followed the sound, instinctually moving his hand to the familiar beat of the song.
Hidden behind the bifurcated staircase was an open archway into a great hall. Its gray stone walls were covered with the banners of kingdoms both in Mykandria and the Continents. Crossed swords were mounted in between, each marked by gemstones matching the colors of the banners beside them. Three long tables lined the front of the hall where around twenty men and women sat, laughing about and clanging ale and wine glasses together, the liquids sloshing over onto the tables. Food piled high along the mahogany grain, each spread consisting of roasted boar, a pot of what Dimitris could only assume was stew, breads, boiled carrots and onions, and tiny pies of thin, paper-like dough filled withcheese and spinach. It looked incredible and was just what Dimitris needed after the day’s strenuous ride.
Dimitris stepped down into the great hall and the room went silent, all eyes turning to face him. Even the older man playing the bouzouki paused, leaving only an ominous hum in the air. Men and women alike stood, reaching for an assortment of weapons strapped to their bodies.
