Page 39 of Tamhas

14

Keira

Ilet him lead me to his room—after all, I wouldn’t have known where to go, otherwise.

It was a long walk. It gave me plenty of time to think.

Was this what I wanted? To live with the clan, with him? To be with him? I couldn’t have one without the other, could I? If I wanted him—and I did—I had to stay. Even if Alan was a raging prick about it and just begged to beat up my fist with his face.

But Ainsley had come around. A little, anyway. And I didn’t want to kill her anymore. Maybe there was hope for him, too.

I would do whatever I needed to do to make sure Tamhas was happy with his choice. Me. He was choosing me, just like he would’ve chosen to run from his clan for my sake.

Like I’d ever let him do something so crazy.

With the time to actually look around and take things in, I couldn’t help but feel impressed with the underground tunnels and rooms which made up the home of the dragons. I never would’ve imagined something so… clean. Bright, but not clinical. Warm. Homey, even.

Alan and Klaus stopped off together at the first door to our right. I glanced inside as the door swung closed and saw a bank of monitors and screens. That must’ve been where Tamhas had talked to me, in that room.

Ainsley continued down the hall to another closed door which she opened and disappeared behind.

Tamhas came to a stop three doors down. I stopped with him. Why was my heart in my throat? Because shit just got real. We were about to be alone, really alone, for the first time. Not in a cell with bars and a cot, either.

He’d be a gentleman. I had no doubt.

Did I want him to be? That was another question.

“This is where you live?” My boots sank into the thick, light gray carpet. “Shoot. I could sleep soundly on this carpet, I think.”

“You don’t have to,” he replied with a soft chuckle. “The bed is much nicer. I mean if you find the carpet impressive…”

I grinned, maybe a little nervously, as I went to the king-sized bed and ran a hand over the silvery bedspread. Soft, silky. I fought the temptation to rub it over my face, it was so luxurious.

“You like it?” he asked.

“I like all of it.” There was a big TV hanging on the wall at the foot of the bed, shelves and shelves of books on either side and along the other walls, too. I could read for weeks and months on end, if I wanted to.

I would have to, or else I’d go nuts with nothing else to do.

It seemed like he sensed what I was thinking. “You can access all kinds of movies and TV shows through the TV. Music, too. There are tons more books in the common room. Video games, if that’s your thing. We have an extensive gym, too.”

“Ooh, now that sounds interesting.” I arched an eyebrow. “I could use the challenge.”

He paused, then laughed. “You think the men in the clan will spar with you?”

“Why not? I’m just a girl, right?” I fluttered my eyelashes.

“They know better by now than to think you’re simply an ordinary girl.” He crossed the room, coming to me with his arms extended.

There was nothing for me to do but sink into his embrace.

God, I’d been wanting to do it since I first laid eyes on him over the computer. That smiling image was nothing compared to the real thing—and now that we weren’t separated by miles or iron bars, there was nothing stopping me from sinking into his arms.

“That feels good,” he murmured in my ear.

Oh, yes, it did. He smelled good, he felt good, he was warm and strong, and he was willing to do just about anything to make sure I was taken care of. He’d even stand up to the leader of his clan for me.

I wished there was a way for me to explain what it meant to know that.

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