I huffed out a breath.
“You can talk to me,” he encouraged.
I wanted to. My feelings begged to be released, but I kept them tucked just beneath my tongue.
What would admitting to him how fucking terrified I was accomplish? And what could Dommik possibly do to help alleviate this crushing fear? I shoved a few distasteful ideas back into the dark corners of my mind before they had a chance to surface.
“Or not.” He shoved his hands back into his pockets.
“I would appreciate it if you kept this between us,” I said.
Rhazien understood the weight of his ask was overwhelming, but I didn’t want him to know I was having a full meltdown, or that his commander—not him—had been the one to comfort me.
“You’re going to be Queen of the Southern Hive.” Dommik swallowed thickly and continued, “You don’t have to ask me or anyone for favors.” He took the smallest step forward and all of the air left my lungs. “You, my lady, command me.” There, in the Moon Garden, atop the centuries old vampire Hive carved into the ancient Irriset mountains, Dommik Thorne knelt for me.
His stormy blue eyes looked up with a fierce sincerity and seeing him there, submitting to me, even if it was purely performative, ignited a spark in my soul.
With a single act, I suddenly felt like I had all my power back. He couldn’t have known how such a simple declaration would affect me. Just like he couldn’t have known how to calm me down.
“I’m ready to go back,” I said and waited for Dommik to stand and escort me.
The commander clicked his tongue. “Try again.”
I placed my hands on my hips, tipped my chin up, and without hesitation said, “Take me back.”
Dommik stood to his full height over me. “Yes, my lady.”
“And,” I added as I turned to leave, “quit lying to me.”
I veered right around a hedge, leaving Dommik and the babbling fountain behind.
“Lying to you?” He jogged to my side, effortlessly matching my stride.
“Yes,” I said, keeping my gaze fixed straight ahead on the stone pathway. I might not have been born a royal, but I was high-born and had watched the pageantry that was royal life for years. If Dommik wanted me to behave like the future Queen of the Southern Hive, then that’s exactly what I would do. “And don’t ask what you lied about. We both know.”
A noise between a cough and a laugh preceded his next words, “My lady, I?—”
“Right. Now it’s ‘my lady’.” My pace quickened as I rounded another corner.
Dommik chuckled, “That’s the wrong way.”
I huffed, turning on my heel.
“You’re upset with me,” he said, folding his hands at his center.
I pursed my lips and mimicked his posture. In this particular stretch of pathway, the hedges were high and the shadows were long. Even in the looming darkness, I could make out Dommik’s shape and the cut of his dress shirt perfectly complementing his muscled form. And his pants…
I re-focused myself on his gaze and found a darkened stare.
“I am,” I admitted, approaching him. “You sought me out, threatened me, convinced me to come to the palace, flirted with me—no, don’t deny it.” I was close enough now to press my fingers into Dommik’s chest. He angled his back to the hedge and let me corner him. “You flirted with me, then upon delivering me like a parcel to your regent, you’ve become a completely different person. Then, when I ask you about your feelings, have the nerve to tell me I made it all up.Youdid all that. You.” My flat palm met his chest to accentuate my point.
I expected hesitation or frustration, even defensiveness. But Dommik looked down his pointed nose at my hand still lingering on his chest and through a barely hidden smirk asked, “Feel better?”
A little, but not entirely.
Maybe it was the position of power he’d given me, or the lulling floral smell mixed with the pine of his natural musk, or maybe it was feeling the hard muscle of his chest beneath my palm, but something possessed me to press him further. “I’ll feel even better if you just admit there was something between us.”
His chuckle rumbled through his chest, wrapped itself around my fingers, and vibrated all the way up my arm.
