Chapter 14 #2
I could hear the others snickering around us. Every part of my body screamed at me to leave, but I couldn’t control the rage that made me clench my fist at my side.
I felt my palm slide from Eiran’s as I spun back around, my face hot. When Dacre noticed my expression, his lips stretched into a cocky smirk, a dimple making its appearance on his right cheek. He climbed to his feet and the glass neck of his wine bottle dangled between two fingers.
I stormed toward him, leaving Eiran and Wren behind, blocking out everyone else.
“Have a drink.” He held the bottle out in my direction. “It helped you relax last night.”
The sound of his voice was teasing, but the way he looked over my shoulder at Eiran with dark, narrowed eyes was anything but.
“I’ll be right back,” Eiran said from behind me, but I didn’t turn.
I crossed my arms, drawing Dacre’s gaze to the swell of my breasts. My throat felt tight as I asked him, “Why are you so mean?”
He reached out and delicately brushed a strand of hair off my chest, his hand grazing my skin as he leaned in close.
His breath was warm on my cheek as he whispered, “You haven’t seen me be mean.
If I were mean, I’d slide my cock between your lips to keep you from talking when I tire of hearing you speak. ”
His words hit me like a physical blow, causing my breath to catch in my throat and my muscles to contract involuntarily. He remained close, evaporating the tiny space between us, as his gentle breath tickled my neck. His warmth was palpable despite the fact that we weren’t touching.
“You can’t say things like that to me.” My voice shook, and I wasn’t sure if it was anger or lust that coated my words.
“Why not?” His voice was like liquid pouring over me. “Because it pisses you off or because you’re getting wet between those perfect thighs you’re clamping together as you imagine it yourself?”
I sucked in a breath and stumbled back from him, my heart racing as his dark eyes lingered on my lips. The way he licked his own made me suspect he was far more intoxicated off the wine than I realized.
“That’s not true.”
His gaze fell to my thighs, and he showed no restraint in the way he was looking at me. “Are you going to show me what he taught you?”
I shifted my weight to the balls of my feet, ready to move.
“I think you need some water,” I said and started to reach for his bottle of wine.
But before I could touch it, his other hand shot forward with lightning speed, and he grabbed my wrist. His grip was strong, but not too tight; even drunk, he was still faster than me.
“Come on.” He nodded behind him. “I want to show you something.”
I looked over his shoulder, and all I could see was darkness. The fire didn’t touch the walls there, but the look in Dacre’s eyes dared me to say yes.
My stomach lurched as the word yes formed on my tongue, even though the rational part of my brain was screaming for me to say no. I hesitated, my mouth slightly agape.
“Here.” Eiran appeared back by my side, causing me to jump, a small cup of dark red liquid cradled in his hands. “I got you a drink.” He offered it to me with a tight smile, but his eyes flicked back and forth between me and Dacre.
“We’ve got it covered, thanks.” Dacre saluted him with the wine bottle, and Eiran’s lip curled in disgust as he glared at Dacre.
But I lifted the cup Eiran gave me to my lips and took a large swallow to help calm my nerves. My fingers were trembling around the edge of the cup, and I realized with a start that it wasn’t in fear. There was nothing but desire coursing through me.
And that want had nothing to do with Eiran.
“Thank you, Eiran.” I pressed my fingers against my lips, wiping at the wine that had clung to them. Dacre watched me intently, his gaze unblinking. “Dacre, I’ll show you what I’ve learned tomorrow on the training grounds.”
I whirled around, desperately hoping to escape Dacre’s presence, but his smug laughter echoed behind me. Eiran had the same idea as me, though, and he pulled me away from Dacre as quickly as he could.
I took a seat around the fire next to Wren, and Eiran moved to the other side of me.
Wren’s brow furrowed as her gaze drifted toward her brother, who was still watching me intently. “What was that about?” she asked, her voice soft yet demanding.
“I don’t know.” I placed my hands in front of the crackling fire and held them steady until I felt the warmth start to thaw my cool fingertips, even though the rest of me felt as if I were burning from the inside. “He’s clearly had too much to drink.”
Wren scrunched her nose, but she didn’t comment as she watched him.
People were talking around us, about life, about the rebellion, and I tried to listen to them and ignore Dacre. I tried not to be hyperaware of the way he watched me or shift when I noticed him move closer and sit on the ground directly across the fire from me.
“Are you sore?” Eiran’s hand touched my outer thigh, and I tensed, jerking away from his touch.
“No.” I shook my head and tried to play it off. “I’m okay. I spent a lot of time in the springs last night.”
His gaze flickered to where Dacre sat, but I pretended not to notice. “What about you? I didn’t go too hard on you out there today, did I?”
Eiran chuckled and brushed his hair back out of his face. “I’ve had worse, but you were definitely holding your own out there.”
He was lying, and we both knew it. But Eiran was kind, and he didn’t want to shove it in my face how miserable I was like Dacre would.
“That’s sweet of you, but I’m terrible.” I patted Eiran’s hand, and he chuckled.
“Yeah. You kind of are.” He was watching me, and not in the same way Dacre did. Eiran watched me like there was something special about me. Not like I was some secret he had to crack, but like I was a story he couldn’t wait to hear. A man like Eiran would take his time with me .
He would worship me in a way that I could never dream of.
But as I tried to imagine it, all I could think of was the man across the fire from me and the way he would destroy me instead.
“Eiran, I was with your father today.” Dacre spoke over everyone else, and I closed my eyes as Eiran looked away from me and turned in his direction.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.” Dacre slowly raised his bottle, took a long, deep swallow of the dark red wine, and then ran one hand through his thick, dark hair. “It’s too bad that you couldn’t have come with us.”
“Dacre.” Wren said his name sternly, but he paid her no attention.
“We really could have used you out there.” Dacre’s face darkened as he chuckled. “I wouldn’t be so sore right now if I had a partner.”
I glanced back and forth between him and Eiran, the tension between them so thick I could almost choke on it.
“Maybe you should visit the springs if you’re so sore. Lay off the wine.” Eiran’s voice was harder than it had been only a moment before.
“I could.” Dacre nodded as he slowly rotated the bottle between his hands. “But every time I’m in the springs and I close my eyes, all I can think about is her body and the way her legs felt beneath my palms.”
“Okay. That’s it.” Wren stood before Dacre could say anything else, and I could feel my cheeks burning as I shifted my weight. “I think you’ve had enough.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Dacre moved the bottle out of Wren’s reach as she approached him.
“I’m not kidding with you, Dacre. I don’t know what’s gotten into you tonight, but you’ve had enough.” Wren crossed her arms and quirked a brow, but he avoided her gaze and kept his eyes trained on me.
“I don’t think I have.” He took another drink, completely ignoring her.
“Dacre, seriously. Give me the bottle.”
“Okay.” Dacre nodded and leaned his head back to look up at his sister. “I’ll give it to you under one condition.”
“Which is?”
“Nyra.”
I cursed under my breath, and I could feel everyone looking back and forth between us.
“Nyra’s a person. Not a condition, you ass.”
Dacre rolled his head around before meeting my eyes again. “I want to show her something.”
He had to be joking.
“That’s not fucking happening,” Eiran answered, his voice stern and protective, and while I could appreciate the sentiment, it pissed me off that he felt like he could speak for me.
“She’s not a dog, Eiran. You can let her off her leash.”
Eiran opened his mouth to answer, but I was already climbing to my feet. “Well, if the two of you are done pissing on me, let’s go.”
Dacre glanced up at me with a sloppy smile on his face like I hadn’t just insulted him. “Let’s go then.”
He stood, and when Wren went to reach for the bottle, he tsked at her. “I’ll give it up as soon as Nyra holds up her end of the bargain.”
Eiran was staring at Dacre, but he didn’t say a word as he leaned forward, hiding his face for a moment as he clasped his hands together.
I reluctantly stepped around the roaring fire, keeping my eyes fixed on the shadows as I walked closer to him. He didn’t wait for me; he was already striding to the back of the cave, assuming I’d follow without question. And I did.
My body tensed as the light from the fire grew more distant. Pebbles crunched under my boots with each step, echoing off the damp walls of the cave.
“Where are we going?” I hurried to keep pace with him, the darkness looming all around me. I could barely make out his silhouette in the shadows, and my heart pounded with fear at the thought of getting lost back here.
He tilted his head in the direction of the unseen and spoke softly. “You’ll see.” A chill ran up my spine as I realized there was nothing but a blanket of darkness ahead.
“If you were planning to kill me, you really should have done it the first day.” I looked back over my shoulder, but I could hardly make out the others now. “I’ve become really fond of Wren.”
“Just Wren?” He cocked an eyebrow at me. “You looked like you were growing awfully fond of Eiran too.”
“Jealousy isn’t a good look for such a handsome guy.”