Page 56 of Maleen

She laughs. “I guess we need a bigger table then.”

A smirk pulls at my mouth, but I could never replace this table. “What are you reading?”

She shows me the cover and I laugh. “You and your princes.”

“Now I have my own princes,” she states. “Yet I can’t help but get lost in these stories. Everything seems so much easier when all the problems are between pages and scrawled in ink.”

It takes everything in me not to pull her into me. “We will figure this out, Rav. I promise.” Aemon told us how her mother’s original plan was to keep her hidden until the war was over, so she could come back to us safe, but it’s obvious the Fates had different plans.

Her small hand slips into mine and the touch makes my skin shiver in a way that has my blood roaring. “Come, let’s find you something to read,” she says, squeezing my hand three times before crawling out from under the table. “What are you in the mood for?”

You. I’m in the mood for you, is what I want to say, trying to clear my head of inappropriate thoughts. We are taking things slow, but fuck. Ever since I learned that I’m physically not capable of hurting her, I’ve thought of nothing else but her body against mine. Right where it belongs. I know she’s bound to Talyn now too, and even though I’m happy for them, I’ve never felt more of an outcast in our group than I do now. But that isn’t the reason I want her.

It’s because she’s her. Beautiful and strong. Stubborn as an ancient dragon. Intelligent and kind. She’s the kind of female that won’t ever put herself first, something I know a little too much about. But that’s my job, to make sure she can put herself first, so she can relax and not worry about trivial things.

“Killian?” she asks. “Is everything okay?”

I nod, unable to speak, and grab a random book off the shelf, briefly glancing at the cover. It’s some sort of romance involving creatures of the ocean that can shift into land beings.

“Are you sure that’s what you want to read?” She rolls her lips into her mouth like she’s trying to suppress her laughter.

I grunt. “I’m bored with battle books,” I lie. Fucking Fates, what is wrong with me.

She shrugs in amusement, gesturing to the two-seater couch that overlooks the city. “Might be more comfortable than under the table.”

Words don’t seem to be my strong suit right now as my tongue keeps getting tied up in knots. What do I say when all I can think about is making her officially my mate… Mine. I make my way to the small leather couch and sit, and somehow take up most of the space without meaning to. “I’m sorry—we can find somewhere else to read, if you want?” My tongue is so dry, I might as well be roasting it over a fire.

She holds her book close to her chest, making her breasts seem even more pronounced, and I can’t look away. “I mean, if you’re fine with me leaning up against you, I’m fine with staying here?”

I swallow and nod. She smiles brightly and curls up against my side, getting comfortable. I open to the first page but I can’t think of anything but the warmth of her body at my side, the curve of her hips and every breath she takes.

Fucking Fates help me.

I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting here. It could be minutes or hours, but time doesn’t exist with her next to me. Her fingers trail aimlessly along the leather of my pants and it takes everything in me not to gasp, her small touch causing my pants to tighten uncomfortably.

She must have felt me tense because she stops, pulling away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause you any pain,” she states worriedly.

I don’t know what comes over me at that moment. Maybe I’m a male possessed. “More like the opposite of pain,” I mutter.

Her gaze widens as she takes in my meaning, her gaze darting to the cause of my straining leathers, and her cheeks pinken. “I–I um…” words elude her, and within seconds she’s as red as a sunset.

Maybe it’s seeing how nervous she is that makes me gain a shred of confidence that I’m not used to having, but my feelings spill out. “I know I said I wanted to take things slow Rav, but I’ve wanted nothing more than to feel you against me. This book?” I raise it and then toss it on the table beside me. “I haven’t read a Fates-damn page since you put your body against mine. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve never done anything with another female, but I want you, Ravina. I want to be your mate.”

Her lips part and her gaze is glazed over. “But the mating frenzy… we should talk about that.”

“Mating frenzy?” I ask as I pull her onto my lap, the heat of her center pressing against me.

Her hips rock and her lips are so close to mine that I can practically taste them. “Three days of insatiable sex… all instinct… no thoughts. At least according to the book. We should wait until we are safe and can take the time without worrying.”

Her words register, but I don’t feel any panic about that. “Your safety here is taken care of, we can deal with that after. Unless you don’t want to do this right now? Then that’s okay too, and I will keep my thoughts to myself until you want this.”

Dragons roar somewhere in the distance and I feel Voissor’s bond crack open. I’m hit with such a primal lust that nearly all thought leaves my head as I slam my lips against Ravina and she groans against my mouth, pressing herself against me.

“Damn you Vasari, I don’t need the encouragement. I was going to say yes,” she mutters out loud against my mouth. And I realize our dragons were going to try to manipulate us into this. I’m not sure if I’m pissed about it yet or not, because all I can feel… is her.

“Say no, if you want to stop,” I mumble, my hands running down her body.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” she growls.