Page 33 of Daughter of the Ninth Line: Part Two

It was impossible not to lean into the kiss, not to kiss him back with the burning desire in my gut. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he gripped my hips with firm hands, holding me close enough that I could feel the hardening of his cock behind the laces of his pants.

I tore myself away before I lost all good sense and moved us toward one of the rocky crevices and demanded he fuck me. “You make me crazy,” I whispered against his lips, and he chuckled low.

“Not as crazy as you make me. Giving you up is going to be the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do.” The pain in his voice reflected the ache in my chest. But that was a problem for another day. A heartache for a future Avalon.

The drink was making me brave, and I leaned back so I could look at him properly. “Do you dance?”

He snorted, dropping his hands and leading me toward the dance floor. “Do I dance? Ninth, I was waltzing around a grandballroom with vapid nobility before I could even piss standing up.”

I laughed, even though that was a little sad. “I don’t really know…” I trailed off, because I didn’t want to admit that I was so uncultured, I couldn’t even do the casual swaying dance they were doing on the sand, let alone a waltz.

Vox grinned at me over his shoulder, and my heart stuttered in my chest. I memorized that expression, that moment, like I would one day try to recreate it in a painting. The light of torches stuck in the sand behind him bouncing off his dark locks like a golden halo, those blue eyes darkened by the shadows, the glint of his white teeth, and his full lips stretched wide.

He was so perfect, so mesmerizing, that it took me a moment to realize he was saying something. “Don’t worry, I’ll teach you. It’s as natural as fucking, and I can promise you, you’re perfect at that.”

I slapped his shoulder, but followed him onto the dance floor and let him pull me closer. His knee slipped between my thighs, and I was so close to his body, it would be impossible to see the firelight between us.

He bent his head down toward mine. “You let me lead, sweetheart, and just enjoy yourself. Feel the music. Feel my body. Feel how connected we are.” Then he began to sway, and my body moved with his. It really did kind of feel like sex. The same connection, the same primal understanding of the rhythm and movement. He pulled me even closer, and the way his hard thigh rubbed my core made me wet.

Goddess, I wasn’t going to last an entire song at this rate.

“Why the change of heart?” I mumbled against his chest, and he dipped his face low.

“Hmm?” He rubbed his cheek on mine, making me sigh at the soft scrape.

“Why are you suddenly dancing with me in public? Kissing me in public?”

“I was standing at the end of the path as you walked toward the beach, and I saw the way everyone watched you. I knew they were seeing you as I do, rather than how they think you should be.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “What does that even mean?”

“It means you walked down here looking like a wet dream, andeveryonenoticed you. Desired you. Wanted to be you, or just worship at your feet. I’m a petty, jealous man. I don’t want to share you with these fuckers. I want everyone to know that you’re mine.” He leaned down and kissed me again, never stopping the gentle sway of our dance. “I want them to know that you’re only mine to kiss. To touch. To tease. To claim.” He bit my lip, dragging it through his teeth with an erotically painful scrape. “To fuck.”

“You’re a very bad influence, Vox Vylan,” I grumbled, lifting my face for more kisses. If he was claiming me, then I was going to claim him right back.

The night went on like that, with more songs, more drinks, more of… what could only be described as foreplay.

Sometime late in the night, Vox was dragged away by Shay, and I walked over to the bar again. I needed water; my body was overly warm from the dancing and the liquor. I watched all the Lines dancing and laughing, partying together like the divide between us and them didn’t exist. At least for tonight, anyway.

I was surprised to see Hayle beside the bar, Alucius at his feet. I reached down and scratched her ears, and she allowed it. She wasn’t so easily affectionate as her mate, but she sure was beautiful. And regal.

“Alucius. You’re looking radiant tonight,” I told her softly, and she turned her face to lick my hand softly. I tried not to melt on the spot, but I’d swear my heart grew three sizes in my chest.

“She thinks you look lovely too,” Hayle told me. His smile was soft, but something else tinged the edges. Something I couldn’t name. “I have to say, I agree. That dress is beautiful.” Pausing, his eyes meet mine. “Youlook beautiful.”

I blew out a quick breath, my heart thudding hard. It always felt like this, like something inside me was too big and was trying to break through the bones of my chest. I swallowed the lump that lodged in my throat. “Thank you. This is a great party. You should invite all the Lines more often. It’s good for Boellium.”

It would be good for Ebrus too, but I kept that to myself. My thoughts on the Upper Six and Lower Six divide bordered on treasonous.

“I think you’re right. Definitely better than some of the other Line parties, that’s for sure. Do you want another drink?”

For some reason, as he spoke, I was drifting closer. I couldn’t stop myself. “Just water, please. I think I’ve had enough of your expensive alcohol, though I’ve built up quite the tolerance after drinking the Twelfth Line’s moon water for a month. That stuff will melt your insides.”

Hayle laughed, grabbing me a jug of water from behind the bar. “I’ve heard of it. I should ask your friends for a sample. It’s very hard for the Third Line to get drunk, which is why we funnel-chug most of our drinks.”

I laughed. “Well, see Eliot over there?” I pointed across at a Twelfth Line conscript sipping from a secret flask he kept on his hip. “The still in the bowels is his baby. If you ask about it, he’ll talk to you for hours about batches and vintages and all sorts of stuff I don’t understand. Just don’t talk about his eyebrows… or lack thereof.”

Hayle chuckled. “What happened to his eyebrows?”

---