Page 41 of A Dance With Fire
“Don’t fucking touch me! Don’t!”
Clay’s expression flashed with hurt, and Ryker fought not to grunt and roll his eyes. The Fae would do whatever it took to get laid, even wade through her fucking vomit.
Slowly, the Fire Dancer pushed herself to her feet, groaning as she went. She sent Valerio a glare and stumbled away without another word. This time, they let her go.
Ryker listened to her retreating steps, lethargic, unsteady. She stopped to vomit again.
“What the fuck was that?” Clay accused Valerio angrily. He was one of the only ones to speak to their prince in such a manner. Perhaps because they were cousins and Clay was royalty in his own right. “Instead of drawing her to our side, you’re pushing her away and fucking traumatizing her!”
Valerio’s eyes were blown wide. Feral, almost.
Since he played with the sanity of others, the price he paid was with the fragile pieces of his own mind. Sometimes he became violent, though his violence was nothing compared to Julius’.
“I don’t care. She needs to get her shit together. For the good of us all.”
“Haven’t you heard of tact?”
Valerio’s nostrils flared. It was obvious he was fighting to keep hold of his sanity, of not falling into wild, crazed instincts. He was a prince above all and comported himself as such.
“I don’t give afuckwhat I have to do. If saving our race means keeping her here against her will, then so fucking be it.” He growled and his hand reached up to tug at his hair. Uric hovered behind him, ever the worried guard. Valerio took a breath and fought for his composure. “Still, it would be… beneficial… if she were to stay here willingly.”
Beyond, Ryker could hear the Fire Dancer stand and stumble through the woods.
“Follow her, Clay. Convince her. Make her want to stay. Whatever means necessary.”
There was so much implication in those words that Ryker fought back the gritting of his teeth. Was his prince really suggesting Clay fuck her into submission?
Clay looked uncomfortable at the idea, which Ryker found odd. When was he not willing and able? Where there was a beautiful woman, Clay followed, no matter her race. Because of that golden dick of his, he’d gotten themallinto a lot of trouble. More than any of the women had ever been worth.
“Fine,” Clay conceded and turned to follow after the Fire Dancer.
“Ryker.” His name was the snap of a whip off of Valerio’s tongue.
Ryker looked up at his prince in time to see his sanity slipping.
“You will watch over her.”
His answer was immediate. “No.”
Even Uric looked at him as if he’d lost his damned mind. Maybe he had, for Ryker had never disobeyed an order from his prince before. But he didn’t want to waste his time babysitting someone who didn’t even want to be here. Someone who hated her own race.
“No?” Valerio, in a clear moment of lucidity, cocked his head to the side.
“I have Fae to heal.”
“And an Elemental to watch over.”
Ryker’s temper flared. He had better things to do, like give help to those who really needed it.
“I won’t be her babysitter.”
And before his prince could say anther word, Ryker whirled and stormed off. He didn’t take the time to contemplate his disrespect. He knew it was disrespectful, that Uric should have been shoving a blade between his shoulder blades for it, but he wasn’t thinking clearly.
She was invading everything, and it infuriated him. All he knew was that he wanted nothing to do with the infamous Fire Dancer.
As he stepped through the leaves, he heard his prince’s voice follow him back to the cabin.
“Uric… let him go.”
