Bonds of the Forsaken: A Reverse Harem Romantasy (Her Forsaken Mates Book 1)

15. Kaiya

Room 11.

I stared down at the knob, and my stomach twisted. I could do this. He was probably already asleep.

I”d have stayed out longer, but dinner had been hours ago, and even the rowdiest of passengers had wandered to their rooms.

Surely Jaiel had done the same?

Letting out a slow breath, I turned the knob.

The door opened with a soft click. Lyphos light flickered gently inside, casting a warm orange glow across the very empty room.

Fuck. If he wasn”t here, he”d either found somewhere else to stay or would be here shortly.

Based on the way the entire crew had whispered about the Roain all day, I had a feeling it was the latter.

Damnit. Had we both had the same damn idea? We really should have set an actual time instead of this random your turn, my turn mess.

Sighing, I slipped off my cloak, then clothing, and pulled on the thickest sleep shirt I had.

I checked the mirror and tugged down on the shirt. It would be enough.

Swallowing against the ever-growing lump in my belly, I used a sponge and the ice cold water from the morning to wash away the sweat and grime from the day. Next came my teeth, then my hair.

I checked my reflection, first pursing my lips, then tucking my hair behind my ear. Why were my cheeks so pale? I pinched them a few times, then rubbed some tinted ointment on my lips.

Fuck! What was I doing? This was not some sexy rendezvous! It didn”t matter what I looked like. Groaning, I messed my hair up, then used the sleeve of my nightshirt to rub off my lips.

Turning, I glared at the bed as though it were the problem here, not my damn vagina.

Had the bed shrunk? It certainly looked smaller.

I placed my little dagger on the side table, then gave the four pillows that were supposed to keep me safe a vigorous shake.

Fully fluffed, I piled them into a wall and sat back to examine my handiwork. It was a bit precarious … but the best I could hope for when fortifying with silk and feathers.

Sighing, I balled my shawl into something resembling a pillow, grabbed the dagger, and crawled under the blankets, shivering as the cool fabric touched my warm skin.

My body buzzed with suppressed energy. And I couldn”t get the image of Jaiel”s crooked grin as he mentioned sleeping naked out of my mind.

Surely he wouldn”t actually do it?

No. Stop. I needed to fall asleep before he got back.

I closed my eyes and rolled my dagger between my fingers. Back and forth, over and over. The small knife twirled, calming my restless mind with each spin.

The skill may be useless in combat, but it was oddly soothing.

Forcing my breath to slow, I stowed the dagger then rolled to my side and snuggled deeper under the covers.

A soft rattle at the doorknob made my eyes fly open and I let out a soft curse. Now I had to pretend to be asleep or risk an awkward conversation …

I quickly tugged the blanket to my chin, slowed my breathing, and closed my eyes as the door squeaked open.

A soft sigh, then heavy footsteps drew closer.

I swallowed and squeezed my eyes more tightly.

Something clinked on the tiny vanity at the base of the bed, then clothes rustled.

Was he stripping?

No. I forced my mind to go blank. I was not going to imagine what he was doing. I didn”t care!

A loud thunk sounded. Then some cursing. Then silence.

That had been more than a brush dropping on the ground.

What if he”d been hurt? The last thing I wanted was to wake up to a bloody mess in the morning.

I opened one eye slightly, just enough to look past the foot of the bed.

Jaiel stood up slowly, clasping a large red book, muttering to himself. He placed it atop his bag, then turned back to the vanity, tugging his hair up into a high bun as he went.

Pulling out the sponge, he dipped it into the cold water, cursed, then stared at it in disgust.

Must not be a fan of the cold water either …

He shook his head with a grunt, then scrubbed all over his face, neck, and shoulders, skin prickling everywhere the icy liquid touched.

My heart pounded, and I stared as a bead of water fell slowly from his chin to his chest, then disappeared beneath his partially buttoned white shirt. He caught the water with a fingertip and rubbed it into his skin, then moved to the buttons, slipping them free one by one.

Each open button exposed more firm golden skin until his white shirt hung loosely at his sides.

My mouth went dry.

Gods be fucking damned. Why did he have to look like that?

Muscles stretched down his abdomen, glistening in the lamplight. And a fine sprinkling of dark hair led beneath the waistband of his pants — barely clinging to his hips and held together with just a few small buttons.

Jaiel”s hand continued its path, gently slipping the top button free.

I pressed my thighs together as he ran a hand slowly up the center of his stomach, then back down. Those long fingers tracing the ridges of his muscles as he went — teasing himself.

His hand dipped to his waistband, and another button slipped free, exposing that damn v —

Fuck!I slammed my eyes closed. I really shouldn”t be watching this.

If he caught me, I”d never hear the end of it.

Letting out a slow, quiet breath, I rolled deeper into my pillow, praying it seemed natural.

”What … didn”t see anything you liked, Princess?”

Heat flooded my cheeks at the rich heat in his voice. Forsaken hells!

Fighting the desperate urge to crawl under the blankets and die, I cleared my throat, and — praying my red cheeks weren”t visible in the dim room — sat up.

Jaiel”s lips curled into a smug grin as he took in my disheveled state, but I lifted my chin and ignored it, jabbing my finger at the other side of the bed. ”I expect no part of you to cross this line. Do you understand?”

He nodded and ran his hands through his long black hair, pulling it from the topknot so he could braid it with deft fingers.

Fuck. My shirt suddenly felt too hot as I tried not to imagine the way it would feel to have those fingers running through my hair instead of …

”I understand.” His voice was a low rumble, silky and warm. ”But … if you want to cross that line … I wouldn”t say no.” His gaze dropped to where I clutched the duvet tight against my chest. ”Even devoted agents like you have needs.”

My breath caught. No. We weren”t going there.

This was exactly what I”d been worried about when he said we”d share a room.

Well, this and the nightmares. But mostly this.

What he deserved … was a little taste of his own medicine.

”Oh, don”t you worry,” I said, dropping the blanket as I slid my hand slowly down the front of my body, over my breasts and towards the heat between my thighs.

I tried not to grin as I let my eyes flutter closed, then I dropped my head back as my fingers inched nearer to my core.

”When I need that,” I said, voice breathy. ”My hand will do just fine.”

My hand slipped into the wet heat of my pussy and I let out a soft moan.

”Fuck.” His voice was raspy and hoarse.

I opened my eyes and let them drift down his body, pretending I maybe hadn”t gotten a bit too much into the moment.

”But thank you for the helpful mental image, your highness.”

His brows rose, and his mouth fell agape as I pulled out my hand and licked my fingers, then laid back down, pulling up the covers until they were just under my chin.

The only sound in the room my own heart beat and his hoarse breathing.

But he said nothing.

I had no doubt that if I looked at him, I”d see lust in his eyes, and I reveled in it.

It was a small win. And my body felt as though it was on fire. But it felt great nonetheless.

Finally, with a long sigh, he tapped the lamps, and the lights dimmed.

The bed shifted as he climbed in, and I let out a sharp squeak as the pillow wall dipped, then toppled over … trying to swallow me whole.

Struggling was no use. There was no escape.

Swallowing my frustration, I kicked off the pillows and forced myself to relax and close my eyes.

At least I wasn”t alone in my discomfort. This had to be torture for Jaiel.

Especially after my little show.

A soft snore made me jump.

Wait — did he fall asleep already?

I inched my eyes open to look and gasped at the sight of my own face staring back at me.

The mirror!I”d completely forgotten about the damn thing.

My gaze slid to Jaiel”s reflection just a few inches from my own — separated by the flimsy pillow wall.

And sure enough, he lay sound asleep … sprawled as though he hadn”t a care in the world, with a sheet barely covering his waist, his hand cradling his erect cock.

Fuck. He hadn”t been joking about sleeping in the nude!

An image rose unbidden in my mind … that golden skin glistening in the lantern light as I watched him fuck me in the mirror.

His ass clenched with every thrust, those piercings rubbing my cunt …

Heat ignited again in my belly, and my breath caught.

No!

I slammed my eyes shut.

Nope. No way.

We could tease and flirt all we wanted, but I wasn”t actually going there.

Not with him.

Not ever.