Page 60 of Daughter of the Dark Sun
“There is only one bed. I-I’ll sleep in the alcove,” Therat muttered without conviction. He could never wish to leave Mireithren’s side, even if staying brought him death.
Mireithren turned; Therat lost himself in those deep brown eyes.
“I don’t mind sharing.” Her voice faded, eyes saying what her words did not.
“Where will I find a dagger to even the odds at this hour?” he whispered in reply.
Therat tensed, every muscle seizing with a building anticipation, but to what climax it did not know. He hated the confused feelings of arousal Mireithren pulled to the surface. He did not know the tender touch of bliss, couldn’t reciprocate it in turn. He wanted to be alone, face the inevitable end when it came with no one around to hurt or kill.
But he also wanted her.
No, I need her.
Mireithren leaned up, hot breath grazing his neck. “What if we set aside the daggers tonight?”
Therat’s mind emptied. It would be impossible to form a thought even if his life depended on it. Blood surged through his body, a fire building in the pit of his stomach.
Mireithren reached a hand down to Therat’s hips. His body thrummed with excitement as her fingers trailed along his flesh hot with desire. A strangled noise escaped from the tormented man. He tried to push her away, but his muscles felt weak, unable to resist.
“Wh-what… what are d-doing?” he whimpered, the words near impossible to utter.
“Do you want me to stop?” Mireithren teased, pulling her hand back. Therat’s body cried out. A rush of hot blood burst through his veins.
“Gods I fucking hate you,” he growled back, jaw clenching tighter with each passing breath. “You said one day to prove you meant no harm. Yet, you torture me with an impossibility!”
Therat didn’t know what it meant to love someone. He would ruin it, bringing only more pain and suffering to the world like everything else he did. But he craved it, yearned for love.
Mireithren only laughed. A wicked sound. She was toying with him, fighting with herself.
Therat wrapped his arms around Mireithren and pulled her close. He leaned down and buried his face in her neck, inhaling deep. Her scent was like nothing he had smelled before; a soft sweetness of vanilla and water lilies underscored by a sharp spice. The dizzying aroma called out to him.
“I don’t kno—”
Therat’s lips crushed into Mireithren’s, cutting off her words. The taste of dates lingered on her mouth. His heart took off, a racehorse with nowhere to go. The sound pounded in his ears. He could feel Mireithren’s heart racing too, her chest pressedagainst his. She leaned into him, weight pushing him back into the room. Therat didn’t try to resist.
“Mine… now…” Mireithren pleaded between breaths, pushing him further into the room.
She bit down on his lower lip. A shard of fire coursed through his body and into his brain, exploding across the surface, hot pleasure searing his neurons. She bit down again, harder this time. He moaned as the pressure built, only released when Mireithren’s head pulled back. Her deep brown eyes gleamed with lust.
“Why do you want me?” he asked.
“Does it matter? I saw the way you looked at me on my nameday. How you ran away, pretending the very sight of me did not make your blood run hot.”
“And what happens if I say no?”
The air evaporated from Therat’s lungs before he could finish his words. A thread of Shadow-weave tore through his heart until it stopped beating; his blood ran cold, and for a moment, he thought he had taken his last breath. Then, before his vision faded, the warmth returned to his body like a candle flickering to life. He stared at Mireithren, trying to summon the hatred he felt for her that morning, but nothing came.
“Gods,” he whispered at last. “I… I shouldn’t be here.”
“I once heard you think, ‘Death by her hand would taste so sweet’. But even if I did wish to kill you, the sun is not up.” She leaned in close, her words dripping like a sweet poison into his ear.
“I only want to claim you for one night.”
The siren in black bit down on Therat’s neck, pulling his flesh up until the soft skin broke. Her tongue twisted around the broken flesh before pulling away.
“Be careful playing games, Little Siren,” Therat growled. “Lest you be bitten in return.”
“Who says I don’t want that?”
