He gritted his teeth at how easy she had shaken his resolve to never taste her again. He’d been unable to sleep, burning with need for the princess on his lips. He wanted her with a visceral desire. He had promised Gidon that he would exercise caution. Drac could not promise to stay away from her fully, but he would keep in mind that they had a lot riding on just having one kingdom form a relationship with them.
A powerful kingdom such as Boreas would be a coup.
How he had pleasured after his earlier talk with Gidon was not proceeding with caution. She simply enthralled him. Not just her beauty, she called to him on a deep instinctive level. He had taken her blood several times, and it enticed to him like nothing had before. He had never had t
he primitive urge to take another’s blood before; as Darkans, they simply fed from the negative energy from others. Yet what he had felt from absorbing her essence was rich, powerful and decadent.
I want you as my consort
His cock jumped in remembrance of her sweetness and the silky feel of her body in his arms, the lushness of her curves, and the tightness of her pussy. Everything in him clamored that she was his mate, yet the impossibility of it had him hesitating. Something that he was not prone to—he was decisive, swift and brutal.
The madness of it did not escape him.
She would leave his real in three days’ time, hopefully ending the obsessive need he felt for her. It was imperative that he found the assassins before they made a move toward Gidon. The manner in which his father had been murdered bespoke of skill and viciousness. Drac did not doubt Gidon’s ability in the slightest, but there were webs that he needed to untangle so that his king would not be caught in any traps from the enemy. The Kingmaker. Drac needed to know beyond a doubt who was the enemy. Now was not the time for distraction, despite how beguiling the distraction was.
***
Saieke groaned, completely stuffed. Drac had done nothing but stare at her while she gorged herself on their delicious food. He lounged at the entrance of the private dining hall, waiting patiently with lust flaring from his chakra. She almost grinned in sheer pleasure. It seemed despite his resolve to stay away from her, he could not help his desires. She understood, he fascinated her, and somehow she felt safe and protected knowing that he was in the castle and would be her escort for her days in the Darkage. He restrained his chakra, but Saieke was still absurdly pleased and gave him a wink to which he returned a glare filled with his usual iciness. She shrugged. He wanted her and that was all that mattered at this time.
She had to remind herself as she dressed with exquisite care for him, that the desire she felt for him had to be temporary. The excitement filling her at the thought of learning him had evolved to dread. It was her loins alone that should be shivering for him…not her. She would have to guard her heart stringently.
Her realization had not prevented her from selecting a sheer silver caftan threaded with rubies. A beautiful creation which molded to her skin exquisitely, even with the extra layer added for protection from the cold. She had also armed herself with the blades gifted from the king, and used silver combs to pin her hair into a topknot.
Saieke agreed to stay a few days in the Darkage, and she wanted the time to be used wisely and pleasurably. Guilt already shredded her, imagining the fear her parents must be enduring. Whenever she felt her resolve weakened, she reflected on all that her kingdom would lose under the rule of the tyrant.
She flashed from the table to Drac’s side. “Thank you for being patient.”
He grunted.
She rolled her eyes. “Where will my tour begin?”
“I will take you to Lachlan.”
She inclined her head in acquiescence, and they exited the castle to the courtyard. Impenetrable darkness crashed her senses.
“Your fear is unwarranted.”
“Do you sense everything I feel?” She flared out her energy and used the glow of her chakra to light her path as she strolled with false serenity. She found the absolute darkness petrifying but did not want to appear weak to him.
“Not everything.”
She glanced at him. “You feel only my negative feelings?”
“Yes.”
He walked with the grace and sleekness of one of the great jungle cats of her kingdom. She admired his masculinity, the sharp cut of his trousers and shirt. She smiled to see that his top coat was a deep blue instead of black. His shirt molded his muscles to perfection, and she imagined his shoulders rippling with each step. Her hands flexed in remembrance of how he felt under her touch, and she desperately wanted to glide her fingers over the muscles of his chest.
“You are staring, Princess.”
Her lips twitched. “There is no need to sound so affronted. You are a handsome man.”
“You are making no effort to suppress your desire.”
He could feel the pleasure she derived from looking at him? “I thought you only felt negativity,” she said accusingly.
A breath hissed from beneath his teeth. “I can smell your arousal, and it is tempting me to spread your thighs right here and sink my cock into you, hard and deep. So control your needs…for I will not be the only one smelling you, and I will rip their fucking throats out if they sniff in your direction.”
Saieke stumbled at his shocking crudeness. Unfortunately it only made her blood stir more, and he growled.