Page 14 of Heart of Fire
“Dotell.”
“I am not that kind of woman,” she replied haughtily. “Your empty compliments and blatant desires shall earn you nothing more than this mealshared.”
“That still tells me nothing of my supposeddesires.”
Freyja glared at him. “You wish for carnalrelations.”
Rurik leaned closer, careful not to let the predatory heat of his desire leech out. Best not to frighten her. Not yet. “I intend to have you in every way possible, Freyja. I intend to discover every last little secret you own, to know you… in every manner. This is a game of seduction, and I will not harm you nor make your choices for you. I speak of courtship only. But I think you would enjoy what I intend, very much so.” At her swift intake of breath, he leaned back. “And I am not ashamed to admit I intend to chase you. Fair warning, fair maid. You will bemine.”
Freyja tilted the wine glass to her mouth. “Fair warning, handsome stranger... you’re wasting yourbreath.”
How delightful she was. At least she’d relaxed at his stated intentions, as if she were so set on denial the thought he’d win her over couldn’t possibly prevail. “I like a good chase,Freyja.”
“I hope you like a long and fruitless one then. Especially if the choice of consummation is in myhands.”
“Are you not curious?” He reached out and stroked her handsuddenly.
There was that flash fire of connection between them, and her gaze jerked to his. “No,” she said as she withdrew her hand, but she’dhesitated.
“Do you know what I find so fascinating aboutyou?”
A faint hint of pride and scorn mingled on her face as she swiftly restored herself. “My lips? My hair? Myeyes?” The dancing flames of the fireplace lit her cheeks and skin with gold, until it seemed as though he stared into the face of a creature made of fireitself.
“Your fierce temper,” he whispered. “And that dare you throw at me every time you look at me. It tells me I cannot have you, that you shall not succumb… even as your body reveals it for alie.”
Heat colored her cheeks. “You won’t haveme.”
“You want me to have you,” he murmured. “Don’t lie tome.”
“Your compliments are empty, and your declarations even more so.” Standing, she glanced at the empty carafe of wine. “Do you care formore?”
Rurik glanced up from beneath his lashes. “Run, Freyja.” He smiled dangerously. “And yes, I would enjoy morewine.”
“I shall fetch itthen.”
Wending between the tables, she made her way to the bar. Eyes watched her back, lingering on her. Not all of them in suspicion or distrust. The very set of her shoulders defined her untouchability, and with it, part of her allure. He was clearly not the only one affected, and she could not see it, mired in distrust, and ingrained with suspicion. Rurik scowled, his lashes lowering as he leaned back in the chair and surveyed the room. With one lash of his temper he could destroy this room and all of the men in it. Men who hungered forher.
A dangerous hunger, marred as it was by their beliefs, for there were ways to force such a woman as she to heel, and such was anathema to hisdrekinature. Women should never be coerced. But a whisper in the right ear and she could be accused of things she had no control over.... Thunder rumbled outside in the clear sky at the vile thought. He watched eyes glance toward windows and smiled, more a hint of his teeth than any sign ofhumor.
He would protect her. Whether she thought she needed it ornot.
An odd tension filled him, and his gaze went to theentrance.
It opened, wind sending a man staggering through the light-filled doorway. The sharp scent of tar, fur, and the sea filled Rurik’s nostrils as the dragon hunter stepped through the door, tugging his wolf fur close around his shoulders as he surveyed the room. His tangled blond hair whipped into chilling blue-gray eyes, and their gazeslocked.
Rurik inclined his head slightly. A dangerous man, and one he would not underestimate, for the man spoke the truth on the docks as he spoke of killing three dragons. His lesser cousins were no match fordreki, but still monstrous creatures. It was a remarkable feat for a single man to haveengineered.
“Would you care for company?” Haakon asked, as Freyja returned with thewine.
Rurik lifted his foot and slid the other chair back with a beckoning gesture and a hint of a wolfish smile. “Please.” The last thing he would ever do was fear a punyhuman.
And perhaps it would befun.
Dragging off his gloves, the heavily muscled man took the seat and offered thanks to Freyja as she returned to the counter to fetch anotherglass.
“How go your recovery efforts?” Rurik asked, faintlyamused.
“Badly. The tide is coming in, and the dockhands seem to think it madness to attempt to retrieve my ballistanow.”
