Page 70 of The Dragon King's Curse
He jerked to a stop, a flash of hurt darting across his face. “Feryn, please, you must believe me. The mate bond took me by surprise. I never expected it to happen. I didn’t even know that it could with anyone who wasn’t a dragon.”
“Stop avoiding my question, Noxx.”
“It means that we belong to each other in every way. Our lives are bound together now. Bonded mates are stronger together. They’re also weaker when apart. The magick that binds us is immense and powerful. This doesn’t have to be a bad thing, princess.” Again he took a step toward me.
Again, I took a step back. “Don’t call me that. I’m not your princess. I don’t see how this can be a good thing. You’re telling me that I don’t have a choice in this matter. That a decision was made for me. How can that be right?”
My entire body was engulfed in heat as panic took over. Stuffed into the tight dress, I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe. I pulled at the fabric, doing all I could to rid myself of it. I needed to get this dress off. The intricate lacing up the back had been done by Cleo. I couldn’t undo it myself.
Noxx watched me frantically try to tear the dress off. Holding up both hands, he said, “Please, let me help you. You’re panicking. I understand. We’ll work this out. We’ll get through it, like we have everything we’ve faced together so far.”
Having no choice but to let him get close enough to help, I shifted from foot to foot, unable to be still. “Work this out? You talk like it’s a problem to be solved. A battle to be won. It is none of those things, Noxx. It is so much worse.”
Through the vanity mirror I saw him wince, like I had struck him with a painful blow. The warmth of his fingers against my skin as he carefully worked out the lacing of the dress tempted me to collapse into his arms. The sense of utter betrayal stopped me.
“It doesn’t have to be,” he said softly. “I worried that you would take it like this. That it would make you hate me.”
My shoulders slumped. I didn’t want to hate him. I didn’t know what I felt anymore.
“I don’t hate you, Noxx. I can’t help but feel betrayed. You did something to me without my consent. Can it even be undone?” I met his golden gaze through the mirror.
He paused in his efforts to unlace my dress. For a long moment, our eyes locked. We both looked absolutely terrified.
“No,” he said, crushing all hope I may have had. “The only sure way to be free of a mate bond is death.”
My hand went to my mouth as I stifled a cry. With a vigorous shake of my head, I struggled to breathe. Finally, the dress came loose, pooling in a purple puddle around my feet. I stepped free of it, wrapping myself in the silk robe I’d left draped over the vanity chair.
“I think I should leave. I can’t be here anymore. It’s all too much.” I rubbed my forehead, trying to ease the deep furrows in my brow.
Noxx brazenly pulled me against him. He pressed his forehead to mine, a heavy sigh making his shoulders rise and fall. “We can’t be apart, Feryn. Not for great distances or great lengths of time. It would hurt us. It may eventually kill us.”
His mouth was on mine then. A kiss that momentarily took me back to the moment that I knew I loved him. I’d never been so confused. The fire that burned between us grew with every moment his lips were on mine. It would be so easy to throw myself on the bed and demand that he take me.
However, it would do nothing to change the circumstances. The truth of what he just said penetrated through the power of his kiss. Tearing my lips from his, I slapped him hard across the face.
“How dare you? Who are you to do something like this to me? To force me to be your mate or else I will die? Is this some kind of punishment for the curse my family placed on you? Is this how you get your revenge?” I couldn’t help the angry tears that slid from my eyes, streaking down my cheeks. Being told that I would die without Noxx was too much. I couldn’t take anymore.
Noxx’s wounded expression was a result of my accusations, not my physical assault. He barely reacted to the slap at all.
“Of course not,” he shouted, emotion getting the better of him. “How can you think I would use you like that? I put myself on the line for you out there. I would have done anything to protect you. And you protected me too. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? Do you still see me as the enemy?”
Did I? Somewhere along the way that had changed. Between the fae prison and the Fire Realm. That was before I learned that my entire destiny now belonged to Noxx.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I fell in love with you, Noxx. Maybe that was little more than a foolish mistake. I trusted you.”
“You can still trust me, Feryn. Nothing has to change. We can be together.” The growl of dragon in his voice made it clear that Noxx was on the edge of losing control.
I sat heavily on the end of the bed, shoving my hands through my hair. “How can we be together? I don’t even know you.”
“You know me better than anyone ever has. You set me free.” Noxx went to his knees before me, taking my hands in his.
“And yet you cannot do the same for me. I’ve been claimed and there’s no changing that.” My tone dripped with bitterness.
“Why would you want to? We’re in love. The mate bond isn’t a cage for you. It’s a gift for both of us. We’re so good together, princess. You know it as do I.” He brought my hand to his lips, kissing the back of my knuckles. “I want to make you my queen. Please, Feryn, be my wife.”
I stared at him, shocked that he would ask me such a thing now. What hurt the most was that part of me wanted so desperately to say yes. To rule at his side. But what of my homeland? My family?
Torn between my desires and my obligations, I shook my head. “I have a duty to my own realm, Noxx. What of that?”
