The Dark Prince (The Dark Light Series)(10)

“What else could I have done? She knew. And it’s not like I could lie to her.” There’s a crystal glass of amber liquid in his hand. He brings it up to his lips and takes a swig.

“But to link her to you? Do you know what that means? You are already giving her too much of yourself. She will drain you completely. What if she’s playing you for a fool? She could very well already be consorting with the Light and is taking advantage of your weakness.”

Dorian’s head snaps back to look at her sharply. His eyes are alight with a vengeful warning. Aurora physically recoils at the sight of Dorian’s deep-seated darkness. He returns his attention back to the bleak night sky. Aurora swallows loudly, taking a moment to formulate her words more carefully. She takes a step forward, leaving less than a foot between her and Dorian’s broad back. Her perfectly manicured hand reaches out to rest on his shoulder. When he doesn’t react, she takes the opportunity to place her other hand on his back, and begins to lightly knead. I feel my fists ball at my sides, my jaw tight with rising anger.

“You know, you don’t have to go through with this. You don’t owe her anything. We could just end her. Now. You could regain your place at your father’s side; go home. And I would be right there with you, every step of the way. We could do this. Together. We could go right back in that room and kill-”

“Enough! You will not speak those words! Do you hear me?” Dorian growls viciously. Faster than I can see, he spins around, and meets Aurora’s terrified expression with his own icy glare. The air around him sizzles and shimmies, indicating that his wrath is near. His mouth is mere inches from hers when he seethes, “I am your prince. You will obey me. And you will not harm her. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Dorian. I…I…apologize. Please forgive me,” Aurora stammers.

Dorian’s eyes are still burning into hers, his lips tight with contempt. “You can come out, little girl,” he says gently, though his voice does not match his cold, menacing stare. He backs away from Aurora as if he is disgusted with her proximity.

I push the door open tentatively, unsure of how he knew I was standing there, though something tells me he knew the moment I began to stir. I walk across the room, painfully aware of Aurora’s embarrassed, yet hateful glare. I meet her eyes momentarily then snap back to Dorian’s now contented expression. Just being in each other’s presence is mollifying. I can’t even dwell on Aurora’s blatant disrespect for me or her pass at Dorian. All I see is him.

I brush past my lover’s bitter ex-girlfriend, and fold myself into his waiting embrace. He looks down at me and smiles before gently pressing my cheek to his chest. He makes me feel so precious, so cherished.

“Go, Aurora. I will summon you when I need you,” Dorian says dismissively. I can’t see her, but I can almost feel the heated tension rolling off of her.

I don’t look back up at Dorian until I hear the click of the front door behind the clatter of Aurora’s designer high heels.

“Why was she here?” I try to dispel the nagging desperation in my voice but I need to know.

“I summoned her. I had to inform her of your newfound knowledge.”

He leads us to the plush couch, continuing to embrace me lovingly. This time is different from when he first put his arm around me on this couch. Then, he was trying to be conscious of his movements, careful not to rouse any suspicion. Now he folds himself around my frame with graceful ease.

“Summoned her?” So what, he waited until I was asleep to call her? My jaw tenses with irritation.

Dorian nods. “Aurora and I can communicate without words. Telepathically. It’s common for our kind. Easier for us because we are…bonded,” he explains.

Bonded? What the… Oh. “Because you two have had sex.” Though I already knew they had an intimate past, just saying the words causes my chest to tighten and ache. Imagining Dorian with anyone else, especially Aurora, is like a kick to the gut.

“Yes,” he breathes, stroking my cheek. “I am not sure how it will hold once you ascend, but you and I are bonded as well. And more than just physically.”

Aurora did say something about a link between Dorian and me. Though I’m pretty sure I can’t hear his thoughts. “How so?”

“The vial I had you drink. It connects me to every part of you. I live inside you now.”

Dorian searches my eyes for reaction. Part of me wants to be angry with him for doing something so intrusive without my knowledge. But hearing him say that he lives in me is just damn erotic. And that’s exactly what I want- for him to be at home inside of me in every way.