Forbidden Craving(89)

"What happens next?"

"Easy, you take back the palace and slaughter the rest of the nymphs. A cautionary tale for any who think to follow their lead."

Darius balked. Interesting. A warrior should enjoy taking down his enemy. 

"You have done such deeds before, Guardian. This should be no hardship for you. But, if you think to refuse me, I'll have your wife sent back to the surface. You acquired her from there, did you not?"

A blaze of fury sparked inside the dragon's eyes, revealing the merciless killer he had once been. "I won't allow Grace to be taken from me. She is mine, a daughter of Atlantis now, pregnant with my child."

"The child is the only reason I'm allowing you to keep her," Poseidon informed him. "For now."

Fury blazed in the dragon's eyes. "I'm so...grateful you have finally decided to take an interest in your people."

"Is this sarcasm something you acquired from your bride?" Poseidon wasn't a fan. "Watch your tongue, or I'll feed it to the vampires. Go now," he said. "Return to the palace. I'll be there waiting, and I'll show you the way inside."

"Wait. Before you leave," Darius said, irreverence still blazing in his eyes, "perhaps you could be a dear and gift us with clothing."

"Of course. It will be my pleasure." As a slight punishment for Darius's impertinence today, Poseidon blew his breath upon the dragon army, spraying them with a fine mist of sea...and leaving them dressed in women's scarves.

Their hisses of shock rang in his ears long after he left them.



BRENNA'S HANDS TWISTED together. She stood just outside the dining hall, observing Shivawn while waiting for him to notice her. He was speaking heatedly with a female she'd never met-a white-haired beauty with blue eyes and bloodred lips.

Brenna watched the interaction with only mild curiosity. What would happen to her if Shivawn decided to be with another woman? Would Brenna be given to someone else?

Joachim, perhaps?

Her stomach quivered.

Would she be jealous or irritated if Joachim talked so heatedly with another woman?

Her stomach quivered harder.

But...she still feared Joachim. Didn't she? He was everything she should despise: controlling, dominant and violent.

Why did she have to desire him at all? Why could she not want Shivawn, and only Shivawn?

She sighed. Like she'd told Shaye, if she had any hope of forging a better future, she had to let go of the past.

Would one of these men help her reclaim a life of contentment and joy?

The feminist part of her being screamed You can reclaim your life without a man!

And at any other time, she would have agreed. But men were the foundation of her fear. By cutting one-or two-from her life, she merely perpetuated that fear.

I'm going to do it, then. I'm going to sleep with someone. Today!

Joachim's image barreled into her mind. Probably because the man himself was forceful!

He lay in bed, his finger motioning her over, a silent request for her to join him.

She shivered. One way or another, she was going to dive headfirst into a relationship: sexual, emotional and uncomfortably intimate. But which man would she pick?

Life with Shivawn would be sweet and tender.

Life with Joachim would be turbulent...and possibly exciting.




 

 

Shivawn shook his head and snarled something to the now-scowling woman. When his gaze met Brenna's, he jolted with surprise. Why? Because he hadn't sensed her the way Valerian always seemed to sense Shaye?

He stalked toward her, clasped her hand and dragged her from the room. Thoughts of him-of being with him-failed to heat her blood.

Was he taking her to his room?

Would she trace her hands all over his body?

Her body gave no reaction, and she wanted to scream with frustration.

They weren't heading toward his room, she noticed a moment later.

"Where?" The walls surrounding his room were in a different state of repair than the ones here. These had...

The murals that led to Joachim's room. Her eyes widened. They were going to Joachim's room, where menacing weapons hung on the walls, a blatant reminder of why she couldn't want a man like him.

Now her blood heated with a mixture of apprehension and anticipation. "Is Joachim okay?"

"He's well, yes."

That meant...what?

They arrived at the door a moment later. Shivawn didn't pause or announce himself, just strode inside. He released her hand and marched to a side table, keeping his back to her as he poured a drink.

The first thing she noticed? The weapons were gone.

Why? Why had they been removed?

Her gaze flicked to Joachim. He sat on the bed, his legs over the side, his elbows resting on his knees. His gaze devoured her.

"Brenna," he said, her name a sensual caress.

Instantly her blood heated another degree. Her nipples hardened further, and need pooled between her legs.