Page 57 of The King is Dead
“I know,” he muttered, taking my hand from his chin and pulling it down, but not letting it go. “But clearly the Fallen wants to do something with you. And what other explanation is there?”
“I don’t know, but it’s not that.”
“They need women. To my knowledge they haven’t bred in thirty years or more. Gault was the last Fallen descendent that I know of.”
“But… they’d just take any woman they wanted, surely?”
Melek raised one brow again. “Wouldyoulet them?”
“No!”
“Then what makes you think—”
“I assume that some women want that, or… or are too weak to fight, or… I don’t know. But stop looking at me like I’d do that!”
“I’m not,” he growled. “I’m just… this is fucked up.”
“You’re telling me!”
Then he went still and his eyes cut to mine.
“What?” I breathed. “Melek, what—”
“He’s not having you, Yilan.”
“That’s what I just said!”
“No, hear me,” he graveled, then he turned and raised his head, shouting to the room. “He’s not having you!”
His tension and distrust made me nervous, but my heart leaped because after listening carefully, obviously waiting to see if the Fallen would return, he looked down at me, and I could see the heat in his gaze—and feel it in the bond.
His hunger was back, his eyes blazing not just with rage, but with need. And even though I sensed that he struggled with it, I also could tell hewantedto lose.
I swallowed hard. “You’remine, Melek.Onlymine.”
He nodded, but still didn’t speak, looking around the room suspiciously again, his fingers tightening at my back.
“How do we fight him?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Resist,” he said immediately—then his eyes cut back to mine.
“How do we resist?”
“We… unite,” he said flatly.
The darkness in his tone made my heart sink. “That’s all I’ve wanted,” I said quickly. “That was my goal for this night—this day, Melek. I’ve put my whole Kingdom and crown aside to be here.Orderedthem not to interrupt us, because… because I can’t stand being so far from you anymore.”
He inhaled sharply, but he didn’t relax, even when I put my hands on his chest.
“Melek. I don’t want him—or anyone else. At all. I wantyou.What can I do? How do I make you want me too?”
“I told you, the wanting has never been the problem. But the trust… God, Yilan. Half of me wants to bury myself inside you so deep you can’t walk, and the other wants to snap your neck.” His tone was so tortured, and that fire in his eyes blazed higher… I felt the bond respond, and I bit my lip and let my fingers trail into the hair at his nape. Goosebumps rose on the back of his neck.
“If resistance is what you need…” I whispered, putting a hint of suggestion in my tone.
Melek growled, but reached for me again and I felt him leaning in.Wanting.
“I want resistance in your body, not your mind,” he growled. “This is… I am torn, Yilan. At war with myself over what I wantwithyou.”
