Page 32 of Faeling
She merely shrugged.Shrugged.
Before she could turn and walk away from him, Vallek’s arm shot out to grab hold of her hand. A tempestuous frown met his efforts, and he swore he felt something slide between his fingers. There was nothing to see to confirm it, but still he sensed something wedging between her hand and his, as if to force him away.
Her magic?
Vallek held on tighter.
“You will explain this to me,skala. I must know everything if I’m to keep you safe.”
“No.”
He blinked at her. “No?” he repeated. “That wasn’t a request.”
“There’s nothing to tell. And besides, I’d been managing just fine before you let your hound go sniffing through my things.” Her tone oozed venom, and Vallek knew he would have to see about Ulrich and his raid.
“A human soothsayer amongst orc-kin warranted investigation,” he reasoned—perhaps more to himself than her.
“I’ve served you loyally for years. I’ve done nothing to earn this treatment.” Genuine hurt sparkled in her eyes, and Vallek hated to see it. Defiant as she was, it seemed his and Ulrich’s actions had truly wounded his little faeling.
“Perhaps. Perhaps not.” Reeling her in with the hold he still had on her hand, he said, “Did you truly see no bride in my future, sprite? No one at all?”
Color suffused her cheeks, answer enough when she only shook her head.
A seductive purr grew in his chest as his hand slid to the small of her back, easing her into the protection of his body.That’s right. Just where you belong.
“Were you jealous at the thought of another? Did you see yourself at my side?”
A tendon jumped in her cheek as she clenched her jaw. “No and no,” she ground out.
Vallek chuckled. “I don’t believe you.” Daring to run his hand up the narrow span of her back, he coaxed, “You need not deny the both of us any longer. Tell me,skala,tell me what you have seen of us.”
Chin jutting in defiance, she grumbled, “Just because you made yourself king doesn’t mean you get everything you want.”
“That’s exactly what it means,” he purred, leaning down to run his nose along the crown of her head. “You will not deny me again.”
Jerking out from under his lips, she bared her teeth in the facsimile of a smile. “Watch me,” she taunted.
Frustration and arousal, a potent mix, punched through Vallek. His nostrils flared, drawing deep of her scent, and his cock began to rise with agonized interest.
By the Ever-Father, and the All-Mother, too, he shouldn’t find her defiance so alluring. His instinct-addled mind caught on the idea of what it would be for her to score his hide with those little fangs of hers. What would it be to have her wicked claws scrape down his back? Small as she might be, he’d no doubt she’d leave an indelible mark upon him.
Dark and dangerous, like the flowers of the belladonna.
His cock throbbed at the thought, tenting his trou.
Finally, Vallek clawed back some of his sense and released her. If he set upon her now, she would fight him. And while he enjoyed an active partner in bed, he also required enthusiasm. While his pride insisted he could persuade her, he also understood that in these first few hours, their bond was fragile.
He had a spitting hellcat of a woman glaring at him right now, and he’d rather she not scratch his eyes out.
Easing away without turning his back on her, Vallek offered her a conciliatory grin. “We shall see. I’m bound for the bath if you’d care to join me.”
She didn’t dignify that with a response, just crossed her arms over her chest below her impressive tits. While not huge for a human or fae, they were large compared to an orcess, even Lady Silvia, and his gaze immediately dropped to the enticing curves she created with her forearms.
She huffed in offense and lowered her arms.
Vallek took pity on her and headed for the bath, his body already anticipating the soothing warmth of the water. He’d much rather she joined him, of course, at least so long as she didn’t try to drown him.
Still, as he jogged down the steps, at least he could content himself with stroking his cock to thoughts of her. His mate. With her little fangs and sharper tongue.
