Page 8 of The Manticore's Fire

Her gaze swept over the room. It was dark except for the soft glow of the coals that cast a small amount of light and heavy shadows on her surroundings. There was no sign of Samir, but, then again, just after escorting her to the sleeping chamber with orders to stay put and sleep while he saw to things, hehadlocked himself in his study. The cavern was just beyond the sleeping chamber he forced her to share with him when they slept through the hottest part of the day but close enough that she was able to silently open the door and spy on him as he entered the room and closed an actual door behind him. The entrance to his home and bedchamber didn’t have doors, nor did most of the other rooms, but it seemed that these did, and thepassageway was intentionally carved to adequately fit each door. As far as her limited vision could ascertain, there were several more doors that were visible along the passage that branched off from there. As curious as she was as to what was contained behind those doors, she wasn’t going to waste her chance at freedom.

It seemed that he was still in his study as far as she could tell. Good.

Keeping low, she ran in a half-crouch across the room, keeping to the darkest parts of the shadows. Excitement leaped in her breast as she crossed the halfway mark. She was nearly there. Just a little further and she would be inside the main passage and one step closer to freedom. She smiled in the dark as she drew closer to it and, belatedly, she registered the soft sound of a scrape directly behind her.

She was nearly free when something dropped heavily on her, drawing a yelp from her as the weight dragged her to the ground. Her breath exploded from her as she hit the floor, but her training kicked in so that she was able to recover and draw in a short breath rapidly before her lungs began to burn from the lack of oxygen. She tried to pivot to dislodge the weight, but it merely sank further onto her so that she could feel the heat emanating from it… from him. Samir.

“Samir,” she whispered.

He did not reply other than to press his weight more tantalizing against her. Heat unfurled deep within her belly as his face leaned close to her ear so that she could feel his breath on her cheek. She whimpered as his hot tongue snaked out and dragged along the outer edge of her ear. Was he going to claim his reward for triumphing over her yet again? Her arousal thickened within her at the thought, and she bit back a cry of disappointment when his weight suddenly lifted from her and he rose to his feet, taking her with him.

“Abby, Abby,” he tsked as he carried her effortlessly through the common room and back to the sleeping chamber. “There is really no place for you to run to. Do you not hear it?” he murmured, and his head cocked, his leonine ear shifting to catch some far-off sound.

Abby frowned and listened. “I don’t hear anything.”

“Humans have such dull senses,” he observed. “You would have walked out and been caught in that sandstorm brewing not far from here. The winds have not arrived at the cave yet so you would have likely noted nothing of it heading our way until it was too late. Had I allowed you to leave, I suspect that I would have found you in the evening with your skin abraded from your body.”

Her eyes widened. Gods, if she had gone out in that… she sagged in his arms, weak with shock. Her stomach flipped queasily and not because of the way he unceremoniously dumped her on the bed. She clutched her gut with one hand and swallowed thickly as her nausea threatened to overpower her. She jerked back in surprise, sputtering, when an old, stained bowl suddenly was shoved beneath her nose.

“If you are going to be ill, then do it in this,” Samir grumbled, though not unkindly.

She took the bowl gingerly from him, grateful to have it, and peered up at him thoughtfully. “You saved me.”

His bright green eyes narrowed on her for a moment and then he chuckled. “Naturally. I own your hide now. I would not like to see it damaged.”

Whatever kernel of gratitude she felt vaporized, and she glowered up at him. “So kind of you,” she bit out.

“No,” he rumbled, his smile growing wider. “I am not kind, little Abby. But you are very much mine and I will always protect what’s mine. Even from yourself.”

Her brows lowered into a scowl, her nausea forgotten as he leisurely climbed into the bed and settled beside her. She was going to ignore the way her stomach fluttered a little at his protectiveness and possessiveness. She was too busy fuming over the fact that her value was only being measured in terms of being conceived of as property. What was more, she couldn’t believe that actually said that to her face. It was infuriating and her determination burrowed deeper into her consciousness. One way or another she was going to get out of there, and when she did, she just might reconsider her stance on hunting down his mangy hide.

Chapter

Seven

Samir observed Abby discreetly while simultaneously pointedly acting like he was not even looking at her. It was amusing to take note of her thoughts as they passed over her face. She was becoming increasingly easy to read. As far as he could tell she was busy glaring a hole through his head when not intently scrutinizing his home. Looking for another escape route as she aggressively chewed the meat he had offered. Of that much he had no doubt.

The corners of his mouth curled. She was turning out to be an entertaining companion. Thank the blessed and merciful gods that he had made the decision not to kill her. He glanced down at the candied nut in his hand, and he marveled at how like the almond she was. She desired to be hard and bitter like naturally grown almonds, capable of producing lethal cyanide, and yet it served as a remarkable and inspiring contrast to the candied honey coating them. Sweet and potentially deadly. It was addictive.

He popped the almond into his mouth as he regarded her, unnoticed, and smirked when she suddenly released a loud, annoyed sigh.

“How can you sit in here day after day?” she demanded. “I feel as if I’m about to go out of my mind with boredom.”

“Perhaps you would like a nut,” he offered, extending the candied almond to her.

She rolled her eyes in response, but her lips twitched reflexively, and he nearly purred at her unconscious response. How delightful. Her defenses were not quite as sound as she seemed to believe.

“That’s quite alright,” she replied. “I don’t think this situation calls for more nuts when I’m already feeling like I’m about to come one.” He regarded her blankly in confusion and her lips twitched again. “You know... a nutcase…crazy,” she emphasized, making him chuckle.

“What an amusing idiom,” he purred. “But if you insist then I will be happy to eat your share.” He popped it into his mouth, aware of her eyes following the motion.

He smiled inwardly, onto her game. He knew she was hungry but other than eating a small amount of smoked meat, she seemed determined to refuse anything he offered her. Did she really believe that refusing sustenance would force him to release her? It was quite silly. Why should she not enjoy what he has to offer when she was held hostage there as his “guest.”

“Are you certain you do not want one?” he inquired in a velvet tone as he held another candied almond up between them. He held it between his claws so that it was more visible and he smiled when he watched her swallow in response. No matter that she hid behind her lies, she wanted it but was determined to suffer instead. He did not understand such masochism. “Rejecting my hospitality does nothing for your situation other than make you miserable. If you decline what I offer, then you merely go hungry and unsatisfied. I will not release you.”

Irritation flashed within her eyes, and he smirked inwardly to himself when her annoyance was quickly eclipsed by longing. She licked her lips, indecision in her eyes.

“I will not think less of you. What I have is yours, so I wish for you to enjoy it.”

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