A Light in the Flame (Flesh and Fire #2)(25)

I choked on a breath. Exactly how good were a draken’s senses?

“Yes,” Nyktos said, folding his hand over mine. My attention snapped to my spread thighs. He eased my fingers back inside. My hips nearly jerked completely off his lap. Oh, gods. A sinful bolt of pleasure whipped through me. “Don’t stop.”

“What?” came Nektas’s muffled response.

Stark hollows formed under Nyktos’s cheeks. “Wasn’t talking to you.”

“Okay.” There was a pause. “She all right?”

Nyktos was breathing heavily as he watched me, feeling my fingers moving beneath his. “Yeah, she…she will be.”

“You two need anything?”

“Nektas,” Nyktos snapped, and I turned my head against his chest, smothering a moan as my knees curled.

“All right. All right,” the draken replied. “I’ll check back in a bit.”

“You do that.” Nyktos’s fingers moved over mine, controlling the rhythm as I rubbed against his cock.

My head fell back, eyes closing and breathing coming in quick, short pants as tension curled tighter and tighter. His breath coasted over my breast. I cried out as his mouth closed over the throbbing flesh, and he sucked on my skin, on the spilled blood. My fingers moved faster, harder. Pleasure trembled deep within me. He groaned, pulling me closer, holding my ass to his cock. The sounds I made…gods, I should be ashamed, but I wasn’t. I wanted him to hear them. I wanted him to feel the wetness coating my fingers. I wanted him to know that the way my body responded to him had so very little to do with his blood and everything to do with him. I wanted nothing between us. I wanted to feel the hard length of him against my skin. I wanted him inside me. I wanted him to pierce me, take me into him. I wanted so much—

The graze of his fangs over my nipple was too much. I came hard, falling over the edge as he shuddered against me. My breast muffled his harsh groan. Pleasure continued unwinding and spinning throughout my body until I was left limp and utterly boneless in his arms.

I was still trembling as he eased my fingers from me. My eyes opened, and I watched him…watched him lift my hand to his lips. He closed his mouth over my glistening fingers and sucked deeply.

“Gods,” I moaned, my breath catching.

There couldn’t be a drop of me left on my fingers by the time he finished. Quicksilver eyes met mine, and then thick lashes lowered as he kept our joined hands near his lips. “How do you feel now?” he asked thickly.

I opened my mouth, at a loss for words as I became aware of dampness against the curve of my ass, where his semi-hard arousal rested. He…he had found release. “Better. Much better.”

“Good,” he said, and that was all he said for a time.

In the silence that followed, my heart slowed, but the heat of his touch remained, while that of his blood faded. I stared at his hand folded around my fingers, his skin several shades deeper than mine. I…I liked it when he held my hand, and a…

A want still remained.

One different than all those earlier desires. I didn’t want to leave this moment of him holding me to him, against his chest with my hand in his. This moment of his lowered lashes fanning his cheeks and the line of his relaxed jaw. I didn’t want to leave this moment of peace.

But we had to.

I had to.

Because these moments wouldn’t last. I knew that when those lashes lifted and he looked down upon the one who had planned to seduce and murder him, there would be regret in those silver eyes, no matter if he claimed that he was only annoyed by my betrayal. I didn’t want to see that.

I wanted to remember these moments because what happened tonight had revealed a painful truth that couldn’t be denied. There would be no more of this.

Because I knew what I had to do.

I slipped my hand free. His head lifted, and I quickly looked away as I gathered the bloodied halves of my robe. “Nektas will be returning soon?”

“He will.”

“Okay.” I swallowed, still tasting the lingering honey of his blood. I started to move.

“Careful,” Nyktos said, taking hold of the robe and closing the halves over me. “You may feel strong, but you could be a little dizzy.”

“I feel fine.” I sat up slowly. Nyktos’s arm tightened around my waist. “I need to clean up.”

A long moment passed, and then his arm loosened. “I’ll send water to your chambers.”

I nodded as I slid out of his lap. Holding the robe together, I hurried across the room. I grasped the door handle, feeling his stare on my back. My eyes closed briefly. “Thank you.”

There was no answer.

I opened the door and left, leaving Nyktos and those peaceful moments behind.





An hour later, I sat in the war room, the closed-off chamber located behind the thrones, tracking the numerous daggers and swords lining the walls. The last time I’d been in here, it was after I’d learned the truth about the Rot.

And Nyktos had learned the truth about me.

The chamber gave me bad vibes.

I decided it needed windows. Softer chairs. A table not so carved up by the gods only knew how many weapons. Less bloodstained armor of those in attendance.

My slippered foot began tapping off the stone floor as I twisted my hair between my fingers. Cleaning all the blood from my skin and hair without using the tub had been difficult. I’d tried to get inside. I’d even made it as far as standing in it, but as soon as I began to lower myself, I started feeling the sash digging into my throat. I’d scrambled out, nearly slipping on the tile in my haste. I’d felt foolish as I resorted to dunking my head in the water to wash my hair. I still felt silly. Weak. But I didn’t know how to get past it.