He brought her through the vacant corridors of the arena to his private quarters, tossing aside his gloves and torc as soon as he entered his chamber with her. Carys sighed as his hands found her face and held her steady for his kiss.
Breathless, weightless on her feet, she melted into his touch, into his fevered claiming of her mouth. He stopped only long enough to bring her with him into his bedroom, saying nothing, even as he pulled her into his arms with another searing kiss.
He hadn’t answered her back in the cage. She knew part of his brooding silence could be blamed on need. She felt it too—the flashfire heat that ignited between them whenever they came together.
But something was troubling him. Had been, even before his abrupt exit with her from the arena. She couldn’t pretend she hadn’t noticed.
When their kiss finally broke, she rested her forehead against his and stared into his smoldering eyes. “What happened, Rune? Because if I did something, or said something that bothered you—”
He scowled and reached up to caress her cheek. “You’re doing everything right. All you have to do is look at me now to see that.”
It sounded like a line, something he’d never fed her before. But his eyes were blazing with desire. His fangs were enormous, filling his mouth as he spoke. Need had turned his deep voice to gravel.
Whatever shadows she had thought she’d seen in his eyes out in the arena were gone now, burned away by the twin glowing embers that locked on her now.
“But back there, in the cage . . .”
He drew her close, his large hands framing her face. “This is where I want you right now, Carys. In my arms. In my bed.” He bent his head and let his lips brush against her ear. “I want you on my tongue. On my cock.”
The words cleaved into her senses, conjuring mental images of the two of them naked and sweating and wild for each other. Whether he had planned to distract her like that, she didn’t know, but it was damn hard to hold on to doubts and misgivings when Rune was whispering wicked promises in her ear.
“The club is empty, just you and me now,” he murmured, his hands moving down to her shoulders, then around to grasp her backside. “So tonight, I plan to take my time.”
As if to prove his point, he dragged her into a slow, bone-melting kiss. Her pulse kicked into a faster beat. Her blood raced¸ sending rivers of fire through her veins.
He drew back, and her gaze fell to the bulge of his erection where it pushed against his leather shorts. She knew well enough that Rune’s cock was as impressive as the rest of him, but the thick outline of his shaft made her mouth water and her fangs erupt further out of her gums.
“Christ, the way you look at me,” he rasped. “Those eyes could ash a man in seconds.”
She smiled, meeting his own hot gaze. As he unfastened her slacks, she ran her fingers through his thick brown waves, gasping at the rush of cool air against her bare legs. Her skin was hypersensitive, eager for his touch.
Her panties went next. As he slid them off her hips, he ran his hands along her thighs, then slid his fingers into the slick wetness of her sex. She sucked in a sharp breath as he teased her sensitive flesh, then moaned in protest an instant later when he took his wicked touch away.
“So responsive,” he uttered, his voice thick with desire. His hooded eyes crackled with carnal intent. “Sit down on the bed and I’ll give you some more.”
Oh, God. She couldn’t obey him fast enough.
With her perched on the edge of the mattress, he came over and took off her blouse. His hands were gentle, but shaking with barely restrained desire as he pushed her bra straps down her arms. A kiss warmed the crest of each shoulder, his mouth tender, breath hot against her skin.
It was slow torture, but she loved it. Couldn’t wait for him to ease the impossible ache that was blooming in her core.
With deft fingers, he unfastened the clasp of her bra, freeing her breasts and revealing the dermaglyphs that hid beneath the lacy cups.
He growled, his broad mouth curving in a smile as he looked at her. “So pretty. I don’t know what’s more perfect, your breasts or these sexy-as-fuck glyphs that decorate them.”
His praise quickened her blood even more. But then he crouched onto his haunches to kiss her breasts and the tremors of arousal began to vibrate through her.
She wrapped her arms around him, her head dropping back in pleasure as he suckled her nipples. The suction of his mouth and tongue sent streaks of fire into her veins. The fleeting graze of his teeth and fangs put the heat inside her on a boil.
Need raked her, made her writhe and squirm for more.
And as Rune promised, she could tell that he meant to give it to her.
He drew back and placed his palms on her inner thighs. He spread her wide, baring her to his fevered gaze as he lowered his head toward her sex. A low purr rumbled deep in his throat even before his lips touched her.
“I love the scent of you, Carys. Sweet, honeyed nectar and exotic spice twined together.” He glanced up at her then, his eyes hot and his sharp fangs gleaming. “And I know you taste even better.”
His dark head dipped between her parted legs. His mouth closed over her, his tongue cleaving her folds. When he found the aching knot of nerves nestled between them, she cried out at the sudden, searing pleasure.