With a husky laugh, I rolled her over until my chest hovered over hers. Gripping her wrists with my hands, my knees pressed into the sheets either side of her thighs as I kissed her protests away.
“That’s not fair.” She grinned against my lips.
“Too strong for you, sweetheart?” I murmured. “You’ve never complained before.”
She sighed as I deepened the kiss, my tongue stroking hers and stealing any more protests from her throat. One of my hands slipped from her wrists, sinking lower, lower until she gasped into my mouth.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
I froze, my eyes snapping open.
Clack. Clack.
Beneath me, Naria pushed herself up to peer over my shoulder, just as a growl tore through my chest. There was about to be a new person at the top of my murder list. Whichever idiot dared to disturb our—
“It’s a crow,” she muttered, tilting her head.
“What?” I rolled over to follow her gaze. Sure enough, tapping away at the window with his big, stupid beak, was our dark-feathered intruder. He let out a rough squawk before tapping again.
Naria giggled. “Do you think he wants to watch?”
I grunted. “Over my dead body.” Shoving myself up from the bed, I marched over to the window. “Shoo, you nosy bastard.” I smacked my palm against the glass.
The crow flinched but otherwise remained exactly where he was, his black, beady eyes glinting as if challenging me.
“Get out of here.” I smacked the glass again. When he let out another scratchy squawk, I clenched my fists. “That’s it,” I muttered, and swung the window open.
Black feathers charged at my face.
“What in the—” Talons swiped my eyes, my nose, my neck. I tried to swat him away, but the foul beast was relentless.
“Hold on! I’ll get him!” Naria sprinted to my side. But then, without warning, the crow dove towards her and yanked her back by her hair.
I saw red. Seething, I leapt forward to snap the creature’s neck. But then the crow released her and flapped his wings a few times before settling on the floor.
His dark feathers rippled, shimmering as Naria let out a gasp.
Slowly, the animal grew bigger. My throat constricted as dark wings became pale arms. Talons became black boots. Feathers ruffled into an ornate tunic and breeches set, each detail finished with silver threads and now clinging to a tall, lean frame.
Prince Arenn crouched on the floor where the ‘crow’ had once been. His sharp lips pulled into a smirk as he rose to his full height. “Am I interrupting something?” His sparkling gaze danced between Naria and me.
“How dare you come back here,” I snarled.
“Quiet, you.” He shot me a glare before stretching his arms up and rolling out his shoulders. “I’ve been flying since this morning and had hoped to be back home by now, but someone,” his eyes flicked to Naria, “my dear, was not in their usual bedchamber.”
“I’m married now, Arenn.” Naria found her voice as she stood taller. “Enough of this chasing.”
His smirk fell.
“Leave now and I might, for the sake of my wife, not kill you where you stand. You have no bond to protect you anymore.” My tone was deadly, but Arenn just chuckled.
“You’re wrong,” he purred. “But don’t fret. I’ll leave – though not without what I came for.” He tipped his chin towards Naria as my chest turned to ice.
“Touch her and you’re a dead man.” Roaring, I threw myself at him, but without my sword I was defenceless. Vines whipped around my limbs and forced me back against the wall.
My fingers crackled with power. Something inside me screamed to let it out, just let it kill him, smother him, tear his limbs from his chest. But on instinct I swallowed it down, just as I always had to.
I couldn’t use it. I’m not like them. I’dneverlet myself be.
