Something inside me calms immediately, knowing she’s safe in my arms. Leaning in, I breathe deeply of her delicate scent and press a tender kiss to her temple.
She twists to look back at me. “Auren?”
“Yes, my queen?”
“Is there an inn between here and Valethryn, or will we be camping beneath the stars like barbarians?”
I bark out a laugh before I can help myself, and she playfully slaps at my chest.
“Well?” she asks.
I hate the thought of disappointing her, but there are no inns between Thornreach and Valethryn. To make things worse, thunder cracks across the sky as dark clouds gather in the distance. I don’t want to give her the bad news, but I know I must. “Vivienne, I—”
“Because if we have to make camp, the tent fabric is rather thin…” Her voice trails off.
I glance at the sky again. Is she worried about the storm? “Our tent will keep out the rain,” I reassure her.
Her cheeks flush bright pink, and she averts her gaze. “I um… I know that.”
I frown. She seems almost nervous or shy, but Vivienne is bold. This isn’t like her. “What’s wrong?” I cup her chin. “Tell me.”
Her eyes lift to mine and my nostrils flare as a hint of arousal threads through her jasmine and vanilla scent. “I was worried about… sound possibly carrying through the tent fabric.”
Need flares through me as I realize exactly what she’s concerned about. Leaning in, I murmur, “If you want me to worship you, my queen, all you have to do is ask.” I press a tender kiss to the sensitive spot on her neck, just below her ear, and whisper against her skin, “I’ll instruct the others to camp far enough away that they cannot hear your cries of pleasure.”
She cups the back of my neck and guides my mouth to hers in a kiss full of promise. I growl low in my throat as she drags her teeth lightly across my bottom lip before turning to face the front again.
She rests back against my chest as if she hasn’t just left me with a fierce hunger I can hardly contain. Desire floods my veins as I think of all the ways I will worship her this evening.
She is mine, and I am completely and utterly hers.
CHAPTER 53
VIVIENNE
We’ve been traveling for hours, and the storm has only gotten steadily worse since we left Thornreach castle. Rain pours down in thick, relentless sheets, soaking through our clothes until the fabric clings to our skin.
Lightning splits the sky, followed by a thunderous boom that echoes through the forest.
Dain and his wolf break through the rain ahead of us. “One of the scouts found a cave system ahead,” he says, “not far from here.”
“Lead the way,” Auren replies, his arm tightening around my waist.
The forest thins as we push forward, the ground turning to slick mud beneath Vaelen’s paws. Despite the storm, the sound of rushing water grows louder as we continue, until it fills the air completely.
In the distance, a waterfall crashes down the side of a towering cliff, mist rising thick into the rain. Along the rock facebeside it, caves stretch out in a honeycomb pattern, with dozens of openings carved into the stone.
Auren dismounts in one smooth motion when we reach the nearest opening. “Wait here with Vaelen while I check that it’s safe,” he calls over his shoulder as he disappears inside.
His warriors do the same with the caverns on either side.
Auren reappears moments later, striding back toward me through the rain. “It’s clear.”
He reaches up, his hands closing around my waist as he lifts me from Vaelen and carries me into the cave.
Glowing gemstones line the walls and ceiling, providing just enough illumination to see clearly as we move deeper into the cavern. The sounds of the storm become distant, muffled by stone.
The air inside is warm and humid. Up ahead is a smaller waterfall. It pours from the mountain, collecting into a small pool below. Steam rises from the surface. The steady rush of the water replaces the chaos of the rain and thunder outside.
