Page 58 of Storm of Desire
He could practically hear herthinking.
And that wasdangerous.
"And you?" He studied the landscape, seeing none of it. Just because this Sirius hadn’t kissed her since she met him, didn’t mean there hadn’t beenothers.
"No," shewhispered.
"You werebetrothed."
"Not by choice. Ten or so years ago, Sirius made it quite clear he intended to pursue me as a mate. He's ambitious, and knew mating with me strengthened any claim he might make to becoming my mother's heir. I hated him. He’s the threat hanging over the court, keeping us in line. TheBlackfrost.
"But... It's all a little confusing now. The night I escaped, he caught me in the cellars as I was leaving. He wanted me to leave, to forestall the mating ceremony my mother insisted upon. It seems he's found his twin flame, and no longer desires to ownme."
"Twinflame?"
"The other half of hisdrekisoul," she said, and he heard the quiet yearning in her voice. "Our true mates. It's adrekimyth that when the goddess, Tiamat, created us, she gave us a piece of her soul. It both strengthens us and weakens us, for we all feel the yearning within us, a hollow ache, as if we’re not whole. Not complete. Humans are. They have their full soul. But we do not. And the only thing that can complete us is the one mate who can fulfillus."
"And there's a twin flame out there for all of you?" he asked carefully. So carefully. "Foryou?"
Árdís rested against his back, as if she'd leaned her cheek there. "I don't know. That's half the problem, you see. The males always know first. It's an instinct I lack. I suspect I shall neverknow."
And she longed forit.
He heard it in hervoice.
"So...." He stared straight ahead. "Seven years without a man in your bed. I suppose last night starts to makesense."
"When you left me wet and aching in my bedrollalone?"
Despite everything, his mind locked on the words “wet” and “aching” and stayed there. Because she hadn't been the only one whose bed was empty for those sevenyears.
"It's your fault," she said, leaning against him, and her hands sliding down his hips, pausing to rest innocently at the tops of his thighs. "You've ruined me for all othermen."
"Árdís." Damnher.
"What?" She shifted, her breasts brushing against his back. "You started this last night. Does itache,Haakon?"
A growl echoed in his throat. He wanted to tumble her down to the ground and drive himself intoher.
Those fingers stroked up and down his thigh, so lightly he barely felt it. Heat flushed through him, his cock hardening. Which was a damned dangerous thing for a man on a horse. Haakon caught her hand and squeezed inwarning.
Árdís laughed and withdrew her devilish hands. "Two can play that game, I’ll have youknow."
"Not onhorseback."
"Oh?" She brushed her lips against his ear. "Are you setting somerules?"
"Would you listen if I did?" He half turned his head, wanting to meet those damnedlips.
"Maybe," she teased mercilessly, then held her hands up. "Not on horseback. Everywhere else is fairgame."
He groaned. The second they dismounted for the night, she was going to renew her assault. And the only person he had to blame for that washimself.
He’d practically thrown the gauntlet down betweenthem.
"Haakon!" A sudden tug came on hissleeve.
"What?" He reined Sleipnir intightly.
