Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Daemon
Daemon watched through cracked lids as Auraelia attempted to sneak back into her chambers undetected.
The truth was, he’d woken as soon as she stirred.
But knowing he had to tread carefully, he’d remained still with his eyes closed.
Their night together had been beyond anything he could have imagined, and he wanted more of that.
He was relatively sure that she did, too, but he also knew that this was a dangerous game they were playing.
Knew that she wouldn’t budge on being together without a damn good reason to throw her current logic out the window. So instead, he’d be what she needed at the moment.
A distraction.
“If you’re sneaking off in the early light of the morning, I guess I didn’t do as good of a job as I thought I had.
” He kept his tone light, teasing her the way he knew brought out her feisty side.
When her face whipped toward him, he let his lips lift into the smirk that drove her crazy.
“Maybe I should try again. Clearly, I need the practice.”
Auraelia’s eyes widened, and she wrapped the ends of her robe tighter around her frame. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind.” Daemon slipped from the bed and slowly made his way toward her, relishing the way her gaze morphed from annoyance to lust-filled hunger as it swept down his frame. The way it stopped and lingered on his semi-hard cock.
Her tongue swept across her bottom lip before she dragged the plump flesh between her teeth. He wasn’t even sure if she knew she was doing it, but it made his cock twitch in anticipation all the same.
When her eyes finally found his again, a flush colored her cheeks, and she quickly turned away.
That just won’t do.
Summoning the shadows, Daemon moved within them until he was directly behind her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he nuzzled into her neck, breathing in the ever-present aroma of lavender and the lingering scent of sex. “Come back to bed, Princess. It’s barely dawn.”
He trailed kisses up the column of her neck, and her head lolled to the side. Her body melted into his for the briefest of moments before she straightened and peeled his arms from around her. “Daemon—” the reproach in her tone was a dagger to his heart. “We can’t.”
“So you said last night. And yet, we very much did.” He reached for her again, but she stepped out of his grasp.
Auraelia turned toward him, the stormy grays of her eyes swirling with so many emotions it made his heart ache. But the one that shone the brightest was pain.
Goddess, he would do anything to take that pain away. To take away the hurt that followed her like a heavy cloud blocking the sun’s rays. But he couldn’t unless she let him, and right now, she didn’t seem to see that as an option.
Dropping her gaze to the floor, she released a heavy breath. “We did. And it was wonderful, but it was—”
“Don’t you dare say it was a mistake, Auraelia.”
She brought her gaze to his, her mouth opening and closing a few times before she nodded and took another step away. Silence filled the room as they stared at each other. It seemed that if they weren’t fighting or fucking, there wasn’t much to say anymore.
Daemon donned the mask that she wanted to see. Let the nonchalance he didn’t feel shine through the smirk that tilted up one corner of his lips. “It was just sex, remember? No mistakes were made.”
Auraelia seemed to mull over his words, then a shy smile tugged at her lips. “Thank you.”
“You have nothing to thank me for, Princess.”
Daemon turned away from her and strolled across the room to where his clothes were strewn across the floor. “So,” he said, pausing as he pulled on his trousers. “What’s the plan for today?”
Auraelia had walked into her closet while he dressed but poked her head out at his question, her brows raised in confusion. “Excuse me?”
“What’s the plan for today?”
Stepping back into the main area of her room, she leaned against the entrance to her closet, arms crossed over her chest. “Surely you’re not planning on staying?”
Daemon shrugged and pulled his tunic over his head.
“Would that be so bad?” He winked, and her eyes widened.
He could see the wheels turning in her mind as she processed what he said and all of the reasons she was bound to come up with as to why he shouldn’t.
Before she could give those asinine reasons a voice, he continued.
“We brought things to trade and sell in your market, so we will be here for a few days. Ours—” he paused, strangling the anger that threatened to surface, “let’s just say it’s not doing well at the moment. ”
Understanding flashed in her eyes, and he knew he didn’t need to say more. The unspoken name of whom was responsible, filling in the spaces of words left unsaid.
Auraelia nodded, then returned to her closet to dress. When she emerged once more, Daemon’s breath caught in his throat. Rich chocolate leather hugged the luscious curves of her legs, and the tunic she wore was the color of her eyes, making them shine brightly beneath the dark fringe of her lashes.
He didn’t bother masking the way his gaze traveled over her body. The way it lingered on the swell of her breasts as they rose and fell with every breath over the matching leather corset that cinched her waist.
Auraelia cleared her throat, promptly pulling him out of his lustful stupor. “My eyes are up here, Daemon.”
Slowly, he met her gaze. Her lips were set into a thin line. One hip jutted out to the side as she crossed her arms—which only brought more attention to her breasts. But there was also a hunger in her eyes—one that matched his own. “I’m quite aware, Princess.”
He let the static build between them. He wanted her to make the first move, to act on the thoughts so clearly written all over her face.
Auraelia dropped her arms, her walls seeming to fall with them. But just as she made to move toward him, a knock sounded at the main door to the suite. And just like that, he watched the walls build back up again.
Son of a bitch.
Auraelia ran her hands down her sides, smoothing wrinkles that weren’t there, then fixed him with a hard stare. “Stay here.”
Daemon smirked at the authority in her tone. So bossy. “I have nowhere else I’d rather be, Your Majesty.” There was a teasing lilt to the latter part of his statement, but he meant every word.
Her eyes narrowed a fraction, but with a curt nod, she skirted around him as she made her way into the sitting area of her suite, closing the door to her bedchamber behind her.
Daemon perched on the edge of her bed and ran a hand through his hair before scrubbing it down his face.
By the time the door opened once more, he had just finished pulling on his second boot. “Crisis averted?” he asked as he leaned back onto his elbows.
Auraelia rolled her eyes, and his balls tightened.
Completely ignoring his question, she countered with one of her own. “So what’s your plan? Or did you intend to spend your entire trip here, in my bed?”
The sass that filled her tone turned him on more than it probably should have, and he wanted nothing more than to strip her down and turn her ass red as he drove into her.
But that would have to wait. “You make that sound like a bad plan. Sounds pretty good to me, especially if you’re in it with me. ”
Auraelia groaned in frustration, then turned on her heel, mumbling, “You’re insufferable,” under her breath.
The laugh that tumbled out of his mouth was full and loud, and it stopped her in her tracks. He paused for a moment, shocked that he’d actually laughed. He hadn’t done that in months and the realization had him starting all over again.
When he finally calmed, he smiled at her. “I think I’m quite delightful.”
Annoyance colored her features, but there was a smile in her eyes as she scoffed, “Of course you do.”
Sighing, she gestured to the table in her makeshift dining area. The memory of her spread out on that same table the night before had his blood heating, and he briefly wondered how mad she would be if he did it again.
Auraelia’s voice carried across the space, once again pulling him from his fantasies. “Piper brought breakfast if you’re hungry.”
So that’s who was at the door.
Daemon stood and followed her into the main area of her suite. The smell of fresh coffee and baked goods filled the space and made his mouth water.
Auraelia sat in one of the chairs and poured the dark, bitter liquid into two mugs.
He had just reached for his cup when she pulled the silver cloche off the tray, and a small smile formed as he took in the contents.
Chocolate croissants, enough for two, were piled onto the tray, their tops a flakey golden brown.
I knew I liked Piper.
Taking the seat opposite Auraelia, Daemon picked up one of the pastries and took a bite. The slight bitterness of the dark chocolate sang sweetly with the salty butter of the crust.
“Goddess, these are better than I remember,” he said around the moan that rumbled up his throat.
Auraelia chuckled, then took a sip of her coffee. “Is Auntie Jodie not making them for you anymore?” Her hands paused halfway back to the table, as something like shock flashed across her eyes. As if she hadn’t meant to say the words out loud.
Not wanting to let her thoughts spin, Daemon quickly answered, “She is. But nothing compares to the original.”
Her eyes met his, and her cheeks flushed under his gaze. No doubt remembering the first time they’d shared the delicacy under the trees by the training pitch, just as he had been. He’d never get tired of that. Of seeing the way her body reacted to him despite how hard she tried to fight it.
Daemon knew he had his work cut out for him when it came to Auraelia but seeing her fall back into the ease they once had with each other gave him hope—even when she would erect her walls right after she realized it.
He was determined to find the chink in her armor that would let him back in.
When he did, he would never let her go again.
They ate in semi-comfortable silence, but once Auraelia finished, she cleared her throat and stood from the table. “I uh—I have somewhere I need to be.”
“Oh?” he asked, curiosity filling his tone. When she didn’t respond, he filled the silence. “Care to share?”
“Not really.” Auraelia reached over to where her dagger was still lying on the tabletop and strapped it to her thigh.
“Well, shit, Princess. If you need that, maybe I should tag along.” Daemon wiped his hands on a napkin and stood.
“I don’t need you to come with me,” she spat, her tone colder than the air outside. Her hands shook as she attempted to buckle the leather straps around her leg, and her breathing slowly became more and more ragged.
Taking the two steps to get to her, Daemon knelt at her feet and stilled her trembling fingers. “Here, let me.”
Auraelia slowly pulled her hands from his grasp, and he immediately felt the loss. Every time they touched it was like an electric current running through him. Like her magic threaded itself into his own veins.
Daemon finished fastening the buckles and ensured her dagger was securely seated within its sheath. When he stood, her eyes were still downcast to where he had been kneeling.
Slipping a finger beneath her chin, he brought her gaze to his.
“Where are you going that’s got you so frazzled, Auraelia?
” She opened her mouth, and he could already hear the lie that was about to slip from her lips.
“Don’t lie to me, Princess. I can read you better than I can read the stars in the sky. Where are you going?”
Auraelia blew out a breath, her eyes closing as resolve settled into her features. “I’m going to the dungeons…to see Kyra.”
Kyra? She hasn’t been dealt with yet?
“Auraelia—”
She opened her eyes at the sound of her name, fierce determination coursing through them as streaks of peridot streamed across the gray. “Don’t.”
Daemon dropped his hand but held her gaze. “I’m not trying to stop you. But I don’t think this is something you should do by yourself.”
“What makes you think I’m going by myself?”
Daemon quirked a brow. “What did I just tell you?”
“Ugh, fine. Yes, I was going to go by myself.”
“Was?”
“Daemon, you may be able to read me, but I can read you, too. We both know that you’d follow me whether I wanted you to or not.”
She wasn’t wrong, and the fact that she called him out on it made him smile. “Good. Now that we have that understanding, lead the way.”
Auraelia didn’t budge. Instead, she crossed her arms and raised her brows. “And how, pray tell, are we going to explain your presence when your fiancée murdered my mother?”
Daemon barely suppressed the flinch that resulted from her words. Pasting a smile on his face, he took a step forward, closing the already small space between them. “Let me worry about that.”