Page 19 of Dark Prince's Captive

I’m not taking any risks now that I’ve found her.

I’ll claim her as soon as possible.

Tonight.As soon as I’ve explained the situation.

Yes, that sits just about right with me.

Taking my time, I cross the floor.She stares at me, clearly scared yet standing her ground.Still, when I stop in front of her, she flattens her body against the wall, creating as much space between us as possible.

I reach for the sheet that covers her body, but before I can pull at the ends that are folded in over her breasts, she slaps my hand away, her cheeks darkening to a deeper shade of red.

Clutching the sheet in both hands with a death grip, she asks in a choked voice, “What do you think you’re doing?”

Her enticing smell fills my nostrils.That strange, urgent, and sweetly painful tug in my chest rises to a new crescendo.It demands that I ease the ache.My edginess won’t be put to rest until I take what’s mine.

She’s so close, within my reach.

Yet I don’t raise my hand to caress the delicate lines of her face or to test the texture of her spiky hair because I sense her confusion and resistance.Instead, I inhale deeply, contenting myself for now with her scent, one that reminds me of the rare dragon shrub blossoms that flower only once a century under the full moon.Their aroma is subtle and delicate but the most powerful aphrodisiac.

She stares at me with round, unblinking eyes, a vein fluttering like the wings of a water dragon in her neck.

This scrap of a woman is mine.

She’s destined for me.

She feels it too.Her body temperature increases marginally as her pulse kicks up.With my enhanced hearing, I can hear her heart beating in her chest.It speeds up at my nearness, pumping blood through her veins with more urgency.

“I want to inspect your body to make sure that my brother healed you properly,” I say, infusing calmness into my voice to soothe her.

“I’m fine, thank you very much,” she says with a defiant tilt of her chin.“I’m totally capable of checking my own body.Just because you saw me naked once doesn’t mean you have the right to look at me on demand.”

An uncharacteristic smile plucks at my lips.Again.

Vitai is never negligent, and I’d sense it if his work was incomplete.All I pick up now is her need to be nourished.

“You’re hungry,” I say, devouring her features with my gaze even though they’re already imprinted in my mind.“I’ll order you food and something to drink.”

I’m looking forward to serving her the best Zerran dishes so I can learn her tastes and how to please her.

“Wait,” she says when I tear myself away and head for the exit.

“We’ll talk after you’ve eaten.”With concern, I take in her slim frame beneath the sheet.“You need to recover your strength.”

She shoots forward, grabbing hold of my arm.Heat dances over my skin where she touches me.I look at where her fingers are locked around my bicep, not even covering half of the muscle.The urge to take her in my arms is so powerful that I almost give up the fight.But then she pulls her hand away as if my clothes are on fire and draws back a few paces.

Facing her, I give her the full attention she deserves.“Is there anything else you need?”

She clears her throat.“Clothes, to start.”

“That will be arranged.”

“And answers,” she adds swiftly.“For instance, you still haven’t told me why you brought me here.”

I love the sound of my mother tongue on her lips.She has an accent.It’s so slight one could easily miss it, but I’m attuned to every nuance of her voice and expression.I could listen to her talk all day, but she needs to eat.

“Am I your slave?”she continues with apprehension.

“No,” I say, amused.“You’re not my slave, Laliss.”

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