Page 107 of Swift Wings Shadowed Heart
Dakar, who’s also there, orders a tankard for Vaylen. They drink and talk. I recline against the window frame.
He’s doing nothing wrong. He’s only having a drink with his closest mates.
I shake my head, chiding my stupidity. Vaylen owes me nothing. We’ve just… made a couple of mistakes together. That’s all.
Ten minutes pass. I grow bored and consider leaving, but something stops me. I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something going on between Vaylen and Eleonora, and whether or not Vaylen owes me anything, I need to know.
He throws his head back, drinks deeply, and slams the tankard on the table. In one fluid motion, he stands, says something to his friends, and leaves through a hall that must lead to the back of the building.
A short moment later, Eleonora leaves the table and follows.
Bile rises up my throat. I take several steps away from the window, a knot made of anger tight in my throat. I stand frozen for several minutes, my fists clenched, my mind rifling through possible scenarios and arriving at one conclusion.
Stifling the desire to scream, I whirl on my heel and head back to the barracks, hands in my pockets, eyes locked on my boots as they crunch gravel.
Stupid Rhea. You fell prey to the Prime who likely sleeps with all his recruits. You thought you were special, but of course you’re not.
I reach the open courtyard and hurry across it toward my barracks.
He hides behind his fake honor and propriety, just a shield to keep his conquests from pushing him to?—
Someone grabs me from behind, wrapping an arm around my waist and pressing a hand against my mouth. They pull me under the shadow of a recessed door.
I start to fight back when he says, “Shh, it’s me.”
Vaylen!
I detangle myself and whirl.
He’s smiling ear to ear, looking amused. “I went looking for you at the tavern, but you weren’t there.”
My mouth opens and closes, but no words come out.
He frowns. “Is something wrong?”
I shake my head.
His frown persists. He doesn’t believe me. “Why didn’t you go celebrate?”
“I wasn’t in the mood.”
He wasn’t there for her.I hate the relief that washes over me as much as I hate the jealousy.
“I’m glad because this is better.” He leans in, taking my face in his hands. “I couldn’t have done this.” His lips tenderly brush mine. He pulls back, drinking me in, his large pupils rimmed by a thin line of pure blue. “I would have been content to only see you. That’s all I was hoping for at the end of this horrible day. Instead…” He kisses me again, this time deeper, his arms pulling me against his hard body.
I melt into him, let my fingers trail up from his shoulders to the back of his neck. He groans and pushes me against the recessed wall, growing hard as he kisses my neck and fondles my breasts.
“I want you, Rhealyn,” he growls in my ear, making me instantly wet. “I want to bury my mouth between your folds and lap away until you scream. I miss your taste.”
Oh, Goddess! I’m nothing but clay in his hands. How did I go from boiling anger to this?
Panting, I push him away. “Someone will see us.”
His chest pumps up and down as warring emotions shape his expression. At last, he reins himself in and says, “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Am I the only one?” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
His brows knit together. “What… are you asking me?”
