Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

M y heart pounds in my chest as I skid to a halt outside the front door to Draven’s quarters. I had planned to climb in through the window or the balcony, but a dragon shifter flew right towards the section of the wall that I was on before I could reach it. So I panicked and jumped in through another window instead. After that, I managed to get to Draven’s door without anyone seeing me, but none of that will matter if the door is locked.

With my heart still hammering against my ribs, I grab the handle and slowly push it down.

Relief washes through me like a flood. It’s unlocked. One of the servants who regularly come to the room for one reason or another must have forgotten to lock it.

While sending a heartfelt prayer of thanks to Mabona, I slip in through the door and close it quietly behind me.

The living room is dark around me. Only the faint silver light of the moon that shines in through the windows and the clear balcony door illuminates the space. I cast a glance at the door to Draven’s bedroom. It’s closed. Just like it was when he left. And everything inside the living room looks the same as well.

I let out a long sigh of relief. He isn’t back yet.

Tiptoeing across the dark wooden floorboards, I sneak back into my room and then hurry over to the dresser. Since I should already be sleeping, I throw off my normal clothes, with my climbing gear hidden inside, and then yank open the drawer to grab that short silk nightgown that is my only choice of sleepwear.

My heart jerks.

It’s not there. Why isn’t it there? By Mabona, please don’t tell me that the servant who forgot to lock the door took it away to wash it or something. How am I supposed to explain this to Draven? That she somehow just took it off my body while I was supposed to be sleeping?

Still completely naked, I yank open another drawer to check if I just misplaced it.

“Looking for this?”

I gasp. Whipping around, I stare at the back wall of my room. Or… not at the wall. At Draven.

He is leaning casually against the pale ice wall, one ankle crossed over the other. But his eyes are intense as he watches me. He’s only wearing a pair of black underwear, leaving the rest of his lethal body on full display. And he has one hand raised, his palm nonchalantly tipped forward, and from his fingers dangle a short garment. My black silk nightgown.

“Imagine my surprise when I got back from my little errand and found your room empty and your clothes missing. After I specifically told you to stay here. For your own safety.” Tilting his hand, he lets the nightgown slide off his fingers and flutter to the floor in a ripple of black silk. Then he straightens, his eyes searing into me. “Where were you?”

My heart slams against my ribs. Drawing in a short breath, I start backing towards the door.

Draven narrows his eyes at me. “Don’t.”

I whirl around and dart back into the living room.

The booming of massive wings echoes through the room, and before I can even make it halfway to the front door, Draven flies past me. A distinct click sounds as he locks the door before turning towards where I’m now standing frozen in the middle of the living room. And when he reaches out and turns on the closest faelight, I can see the exasperation on his handsome face.

“What were you going to do? Huh?” He shakes his head before nodding towards my body. “Run out into the corridor stark naked?”

My gaze shoots down to my own body. Heat floods my cheeks when I remember that I am in fact completely naked. Meeting Draven’s gaze again, I open my mouth, but I can’t figure out what to say.

“Azaroth’s flame,” he mutters, and shakes his head again. Then his expression sharpens, and he takes a step towards me. “I’m still waiting for an answer. Where were you?”

I back away as he keeps advancing on me. But then I remember myself before I can bump into one of the dark gray couches close to the balcony door. Forcing myself to stand my ground, I raise my chin and just hold Draven’s gaze as he closes the final distance between us. The soft light from the faelight gem makes his golden eyes glitter as he comes to a halt right in front of me. This close, I can count every ridge of his sharp abs and every muscle visible on his half-naked body.

“I won’t ask again,” he warns.

“Fine.” I shoot him an annoyed look. “I was trying to get down to the kennels to see Isera and Alistair.”

Frustration flashes across his face. “I told you?—”

“I know what you told me. But I don’t care. I wanted to see them.”

He blows out a controlled breath through his nose and flexes his hand. “How did you get out?”

“When you left and then came back to get something from your room,” I lie. “I snuck out then.”

There is no way in hell that I would have had the time to actually sneak out during those brief moments when he was getting whatever it was that he had forgotten, but there is no way for him to know that.

“Azaroth’s fucking flame,” he growls. “Did anyone see you?”

“No.”

He gives me a sharp look.

I throw my arms out as if in frustration. “I couldn’t even make it down the stairs! There are guards in every stairwell.”

I don’t want him to know that I have already talked to Isera and Alistair. Or at least Alistair. And I most certainly don’t want him to know that I’ve talked to Lavendera. Because I have a feeling that she and her tree magic is going to become our hidden weapon. The one thing that will tip the scales in our favor and get us all out of here.

Raking his fingers through his hair, he blows out a long breath of relief. “Thank God for that at least.” After dropping his hands again, he locks serious eyes with me. “I’ve told you. Everyone here works for them. And if they find you sneaking around the castle, without your collar, they are going to do unspeakable things to you. Which is why I couldn’t risk drawing attention to you by tearing this whole fucking castle apart with my bare hands to find you the moment I discovered that you were gone, even though every nerve inside my body was screaming at me to do exactly that.”

The sheer worry and protectiveness in his voice, and the fear in his eyes, stun me so much that all I manage is to stare back at him. He truly is worried about my safety.

That realization makes my heart do strange things in my chest.

No one has ever cared about me before. And certainly not this intensely. But for some reason, and in his own twisted way, he does. The thought makes an unexpected burst of warmth fill my chest.

And suddenly, this all feels too intimate. Too real. And I can’t handle that. Because this isn’t real. Nothing between us is real. We’re on opposite sides in this war, and all we have ever done is to deceive each other. So I reach for the one thing that feels safe. Feels natural without being too intimate.

Taunting challenges.

“So now what?” I bait. Raising my chin, I give him a look dripping with challenge. “You’re going to punish me?” A sly smile spreads across my lips as I add in a mocking voice, “Master.”

Dark desire flares up in his eyes. Closing the final distance between us, he slides his hand around my neck. With a commanding grip on my throat, he stares me down while his chest rises and falls with slow and controlled breaths.

“Do you want me to punish you, little rebel?”

A spike of forbidden pleasure shoots straight down my spine.

He slides his gaze down my utterly naked body, and when his eyes meet mine again, the fire in my veins is mirrored in his expression as well.

I once more try to remind myself that Draven and I are enemies. That I shouldn’t enjoy his commanding hands on my body. That I should just block out all the confusing emotions about him that have been twisting inside me ever since the Atonement Trials. But when he’s looking at me like this, like I’m the only person in this whole world who matters, it’s impossible.

“How about this,” he begins, his voice low and dark. “If you can manage to stay quiet, I might consider letting your insubordination slide. Just this once.”

“Stay quiet for what?”

My heart skips a beat when Draven spins us around and pulls me down with him as he sits down on the dark gray sofa that was waiting behind me. He sits down farther back on the cushion and spreads his legs wide before positioning me between them. My back is pressed against his muscular chest as I try to balance my weight on the edge of the cushion right in front of him.

He lifts his legs and drapes them over mine, spreading my legs wide open and keeping them like that.

I suck in a breath as my heart jerks in my chest and heat pools at my core.

Releasing my throat, he moves his hand down to rest on the edge of the couch right between my legs. The near touch of his fingers makes every nerve inside my body go on high alert.

“For this,” he whispers in my ear.

He brushes his fingers over my clit.

Lightning shoots up my spine.

“Do you accept the challenge?” he murmurs, making his breath dance over the shell of my ear, right at the same time as he brushes his middle finger over my clit again.

Pleasure pulses through me, and a moan rips from deep within my chest.

He smiles against the side of my neck. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

His finger circles around my clit with expert precision. A ripple rolls through my body, and I have to bite my tongue to keep another moan from spilling out. He shifts his hand so that his thumb rubs my clit instead while he slides his fingers down to my entrance.

I throw my head back against his shoulder and drag in a shuddering breath as he gently traces his fingers around my entrance while he continues his sweet torture on my clit. Desire courses through my veins like liquid fire.

He slips one finger inside me.

Throwing my hands out, I grip his knees hard.

My clit throbs with need as he shifts the position of his thumb slightly. I gasp as it rubs against it at the perfect angle.

Draven lets out a dark chuckle. His warm breath caresses the sensitive skin right below my ear, sending another shiver of pleasure down my spine.

He slides his finger out of me and then adds a second finger.

I arch my back as another bolt of pleasure crackles through my body. Tension builds inside me as Draven begins pumping his fingers while his thumb rubs my clit. Clenching my jaw, I desperately try to stop the moan building in my throat.

Another gasp rips from my lungs as Draven slides his free hand along the curve of my breast and then rolls my nipple between his fingers. Lights flicker before my eyes as the feeling of his thumb on my clit, his fingers inside me, and his other hand toying with my nipple sends me careening towards an orgasm.

Gripping his knees, I press my mouth shut as the wave of pleasure builds inside me.

Draven thrusts his fingers deep inside me and then spreads them one way before switching their positions several times.

My body jerks as a bolt of pleasure shoots through me. Squirming desperately, I try to close my legs again to relieve the intense pleasure surging through my every vein. But Draven’s legs remain draped over mine, keeping my legs spread wide open before his merciless hands.

Pleasure pulses through my body as he rolls my nipple between his fingers while he tortures my pussy with his other hand. I drag in unsteady breaths through my nose as the tension inside me builds to a crackling storm. A whimper spills from my lips.

Draven angles his head so that his mouth is once more right next to my ear, and when he speaks, I can hear the wicked smile in his voice. “If you want me to gag you, just say the word.”

His breath dances over my ear, making a violent shudder of pleasure course through me. The tension inside me is thrumming so furiously that my body is practically vibrating with it. He pumps his fingers inside me with commanding strokes while his thumb moves harder against my clit. I gasp air into my lungs as the edge of the orgasm draws closer.

He pinches my nipple.

Release crashes through me.

Throwing my head back, I press it against Draven’s shoulder as pleasure streaks through me, setting my every nerve on fire. My legs tremble underneath his. And it’s only by sheer force of will that I manage to stop myself from crying out in pleasure.

Draven keeps fucking me with his fingers through the entire orgasm, drawing it out and trying to force the moans out of my mouth. But I keep my lips pressed tightly together, even as lights flicker before my eyes and my body writhes against his.

When the final pulses of pleasure have faded and Draven removes his fingers, I gasp air into my lungs as if I haven’t breathed at all in the last few minutes. My muscles feel too loose and my skin too hot. I slump back against Draven’s body.

I can feel every ridge of his muscles as I lean my back against him. My chest heaves.

For a few seconds, neither of us moves or speaks. I just sit there, slumped against him while my heart hammers against my ribs and my mind tries to piece itself together. Soft white light from the faelight gem across the room makes the white ice walls glitter. I drag in another deep breath as Draven lifts his legs off mine.

Then he thrusts his hips.

Hard.

My stomach lurches as it sends me sliding right over the edge of the couch. And because my body still hasn’t recovered completely from the intense orgasm, I can’t make my reflexes work in time, so I just collapse to the floor.

The couch creaks behind me as Draven stands up. While I try to reorient myself and push myself up to my knees, he strides around my naked body until he’s standing right in front of me.

“I have to say,” he begins, his voice smug. “It was a good effort.”

“Effort?” I retort as I raise my head to glare up at him. “I won.”

He draws his hand along my jaw, tilting my head back further, while a devilish smirk spreads across his stupidly handsome face. “Did you forget that cute and very desperate moan that came out of your mouth the moment that my fingers brushed against your wet little cunt?” His golden eyes gleam. “I hate to break it to you, little rebel, but you lost before we even began.”

Slapping his hand away, I shoot to my feet and give his chest a shove while heat sears my cheeks. “Asshole.”

His hands shoot up and wrap around my wrists before I can pull them back. I yank against his grip, but he’s far stronger than I am. He flashes me a self-satisfied smile as he watches me struggle against him for another few seconds before I’m forced to give up.

Once I have stopped moving, he locks eyes with me again while a serious expression descends on his features.

“Here’s the deal,” he begins.

“Oh I am done making deals with you for one night.”

He lets out a low chuckle that vibrates in the air between us, and his eyes glint dangerously as he holds my gaze. “That’s okay. It’s not actually a deal. It’s a command.”

I narrow my eyes at him. Raising his eyebrows, he waits for me to protest. But he and I both know that he has the power to make me obey him if he really wants to, so I just click my tongue in annoyance and concede the battle. A wicked smile blows across his lips before his expression turns serious again.

“Since I clearly can’t trust you to follow the simplest of rules,” he gives me a pointed look, “even though they’re for your own safety , you will now be accompanying me everywhere.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“Yes, but?—”

“But what?” He arches a dark brow. “Do you have something else you need to do?”

Frustration pulses through me. How am I supposed to sneak away and search for the treasury if he takes me with him to hunt the Red Hand? Goddess damn it.

But I can’t exactly tell him any of that, so I just mutter, “No.”

“Good.” He flashes me another satisfied smile. “Then it’s settled.”

I yank my hands back the moment he releases my wrists. After shooting him one more glare, I turn and begin stalking back to my bedroom. But before I can take more than two steps, Draven speaks up again.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

Confusion swirls through me, and I turn back to frown at him. “Back to my bed?”

His gaze sears into me. “I said everywhere .”

A jolt shoots through me, and fire burns through my core again. I flick a glance towards the closed door to his bedroom before I meet his intense eyes again. “I thought you didn’t want me in your bed.”

“I thought you climbed into it anyway.”

My heart pounds against my ribs at the memory of what happened between us when he locked me in his bedroom during the Atonement Trials.

Draven nods towards the open door to my bedroom. “You have thirty seconds to go and put on your nightgown. Then I expect you in my bed.”

Heat rushes through my whole body.

Licking my lips, I swallow. “Or what?”

“Or I’m going to throw you over my shoulder, carry you back there, and handcuff you to it.”

Forbidden desire shoots through me.

A slow smile spreads across Draven’s lips. “One.”

I dart into my bedroom. Grabbing the short silk nightgown, I yank it over my head and then snatch up a pair of panties that I didn’t have a chance to put on earlier. And before Draven reaches the count of thirty, I am indeed lying on the soft sheets of his luxurious bed.

The mattress shifts underneath my body as Draven lies down after shifting into his fully human form again.

“At least you’re not blocking half of the bed with your wings this time,” I mutter into the darkness.

Warm air hits my bare shoulder as Draven lets out a soft chuckle.

Silence falls over us. The moment I climbed onto the bed, I rolled over so that my back was to him. And for a while, I just lie there on my side and stare out at the darkened room. The mattress shifts underneath me again as Draven gets comfortable. I listen to his steady breathing while my heart does dumb things in my chest.

And before I can stop myself, I find myself saying, “Back then, you purposely shifted into your human form in the middle of the night and lifted me into your bed, didn’t you?”

He doesn’t reply. But his breath hitches for a second, so I know that he heard me.

“Why?” I ask, because I know that I’m right about this. There is no other explanation for it. I didn’t climb into the bed back then, so the only way for me to end up there is for him to have put me there himself.

Still, he says nothing. But he doesn’t deny it either.

Blowing out a sigh, I pull the covers up higher around me while indecision pulses through me. I wonder if he would help me. He obviously cares about me in some capacity, and he did try to save me from this fate. And I know that he dislikes what the Icehearts are doing to us. So if I told him about the human resistance and the heist, he might actually help me.

While Draven’s breathing evens out again, I run that idea through my head several times. But I always come back to the same conclusion.

No, he wouldn’t help me.

I don’t know what happened to him that made him sell out his own clan in exchange for power, but he’s obviously too afraid of the Icehearts to ever dare defy them.

No. Regardless of his secret moments of kindness, I can’t trust him. Not with this. Against the Iceheart Dynasty, we are on our own.

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