Page 22 of Dark Fire Kiss

If he was suffering from the same unrelenting lust I was, he didn’t show it. On the contrary, he seemed delighted at the prospect of facing off with our newfound mate. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

The smile in his eyes spread to his lips. “You worry too much, Bram.” He reached out and pushed the hair off my forehead. “Get some sleep. Leave our little dhampir to me.”

Chapter Eight

HALINA

As far as prisons went, mine was downright luxurious. I could hardly complain about the spacious suite with its elegant furnishings and sparkling bathroom. My first night in the castle, I’d spent a half hour trying to figure out how to operate the shower, which had more spouts and spigots than all the bathrooms in Castle Krovnosta combined.

But a pretty prison was still a prison, and the absence of bars on the windows didn’t mean much when I was forbidden to leave.

“The door will stay unlocked,” Fergus had said when he showed me inside. “You’re free to roam the castle.”

I’d faced him. “What about the grounds?”

“Off limits, sorry to say.” Except he hadn’t looked sorry at all. “You might not be able to channel, but I reckon your kin can. When you don’t return, they’re bound to come looking for you.”

It had been on the tip of my tongue to tell him there was zero chance of that happening. But for some reason, I’d kept it to myself. Part of me was too embarrassed to admit my family probably didn’t care enough to send anyone to rescue me. But another part worried Bram and Fergus might feel emboldened to pursue their claim if they knew no one was coming. If the threat of vampire warriors on their doorstep was a deterrent, I was going to cling to it as long as possible. Not that I could stop them from doing whatever they wanted.

Although, so far, they’d made no move to touch me. But they certainly weren’t hiding their desire to do so.

At least Fergus wasn’t.

After my first day of fitful sleep, I’d risen to find a television and a stack of slim plastic cases on a big piece of furniture in the corner. Movies. The thralls had spoken of them. There was a note, too.

DC or Marvel? Watch everything, then let’s discuss — Fergus (the hot blond one)

“The hot blond one?” I’d muttered. More like the one who’d sneaked into my room. It had taken me a while to figure out how to operate everything, but I’d done it—and shed some of my nerves in the process. Apparently, his taste in cinema was limited to people in skintight costumes, because every movie featured some kind of superhuman character fighting an over-the-top villain.

But I’d been entertained. And by the middle of the night, I’d grown bold enough to test the door. Just as he promised, I’d found it unlocked—and a smiling Fergus on the other side of it.

“Which one was your favorite?” he’d asked, pushing away from the wall he’d been leaning against. “I’m partial to Iron Man myself. I have a thing for Pepper Potts.” A wicked grin had curved his lips. “Then again, I also have a thing for Tony Stark.”

I’d stood frozen in the doorway. “What are you doing?” Right away, an inner voice urged me to shut up in case I made him angry. But he didn’t seem bothered by my bluntness. He strolled forward, his handsome features arranged in a smile that could only be described as seductive.

“Waiting for you to wake up,” he said. “I’m still getting used to your schedule.” He yawned and scratched at his jaw, drawing my attention to the golden scruff there. His accent might be Scottish, but he looked more like a Viking.

A Viking who wore jeans and a T-shirt that molded to his chest, showcasing the muscle underneath. His feet were bare, and I’d never in my life found a man’s feet attractive but his were as well-formed as the rest of him and—

Wait. I yanked my gaze up as my face heated. “I…have to go.”

He leaned to the side, pretending to look behind me. “Oh really? Have a pressing engagement, do you? A meeting with an armoire, perhaps?”

My cheeks grew warmer, but from anger this time, and it made me bold. “I’m glad my situation amuses you, but I assure you there’s nothing funny about being held against my will.”

He sobered—and then he drifted closer, making my heart rate kick up. Now I’d done it. I’d opened my big mouth and now he was going to strike.

Instead, he stopped mere inches away, his gaze going to my mouth. “Give me a chance, love, and I think you’ll enjoy being held.” His lips curved, and for the first time I noticed he had a dimple in his right cheek. It gave him a slightly roguish look.

But he wasn’t roguish. He was a dragon—an invincible creature who would use me to replenish his dying race. I had to remember that.

I squared my shoulders. “Did you send the tears to Krovnosta?”

His smile faded. “O’ course we did. We keep our word, lass.”

“Has there…” I swallowed. “Has anyone from home asked about me?”

Something akin to sympathy shone in his eyes.

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