Page 107 of To Bleed A Kingdom

“Thank you.”

Tristan snorts, and my hackles rise at the sound. “What was that for?”

“What? I didn't do anything.”

Ducking around Aurora, my hair slips past my shoulders, falling into a rippled sheet. “You snorted.”

“So?” He shrugs, feigning innocence. “I snort all the time.”

Eyes narrowing to mere slits, I open my mouth to tell the irritating man exactly what I think of him when strong arms wrap around my waist, tugging me against a broad chest.

“Hello, Beautiful,” a deep male voice whispers in my ear.

Chuckling, I pat his forearm. “Hi, Kace.”

“And where has my violet-eyed goddess been today? I swear I've been searching everywhere for you!”

“I doubt the brothel counts as everywhere.”

“It's a large establishment.” He rests his chin on my shoulder. “Lots of rooms to check. Alcoves, secret passageways.”

“Lots of orifices to check, you mean.”

“Ahh, you know me so well,” he says, pride in his voice. “See? A perfect match.”

“Let her go, Kace,” a deep, rumbling voice growls.

Snapping my head toward the sound, I suck in a sharp breath when I find the furious Fire immortal standing a few paces away. Hands fisted, lip curled, and his chest expanding with each angry breath, Darius’ glacial orbs flash with white fire, fixated on the arm currently wrapped around my waist.

“Oh, no! Someone’s getting jealous,” Kace taunts, tugging me tighter to his chest.

“And angry.” Raging is more like it. Most would be trembling in fear at the lethal air wafting from Darius, but I can only assume the Stars forgot a few crucial ingredients when creating me, because instead of removing Kace’s arms, I drop my head back instead, resting it along his collarbone as I watch the fire surge within Darius’ gaze, enlivening my nerves with a dangerous thrill.

“You know you love that possessive growl,” Kace says with laughter in his voice, flaunting his lack of natural instincts.

“It does cause a tingle here and there.”

“Kace,” Darius warns. Clenching his teeth, he flexes his fingers before curling them into a fist. I can see the blood rushing through the throbbing veins of his neck.

Kace presses his lips to my ear and lowers his voice to a whisper only I can hear. “Do you want to see how much more we can rile him up?”

Nope, Kace has no sense of self-preservation. Or else he's as crazy as the rest of us. I’d have to bet on the latter when I peek out of the corner of my eyes and spot a mischievous sparkle in his that I've seen all too often in Zander’s. One I’m sure has manifested many times in my own.

Raising my thumb and forefinger, I press them together until there's only a breadth of space between. “Maybe just a smidge.”

Kayce snickers, then smothers it, raising his voice. “Last night was amazing, my little fruitcake.” He groans, nuzzling my cheek. “The things you did with your tong– I’m kidding, I'm kidding! Ahhh!” Kace’s arms are suddenly torn from me, his body thrown through the canvas opening by a furious Darius.

“I was just joking, asshole!” Kace shouts from his spot on the cobbled pathway between stalls, but Darius pays him no mind as he stalks toward me.

And then he's there. All of him. Too much of him. So massive and imposing, he blocks out all sight, scent, and sound, banishing all else besides him and me as his intense gaze lashes into me, slicing straight to the core of my soul.

The bond flares, strumming along the tether until he rushes into me. His thoughts, his emotions, all of what makes Darius Darius crashes into me in a colossal wave, battering my senses and drowning me in an onslaught

But just as I submerge within its depths, choking on the sudden invasion, the waters calm and level out, transforming from a violent torrent into a gentle stream that’s more natural and smooth as it flows alongside me, intertwining with me. I suck in a breath, shocked that his presence alone could invoke such a euphoric tranquility. But as the shock subsides and logic prevails, I realize as much as I crave this feeling, as much as I'm desperate for it,until I choose to reveal all, this bond is still unwelcome, even if I'm beginning to realize it's no longer unwanted.

Shutting my eyes, I smother the link and I feel Darius' presence return to him with a whoosh, leaving me alone with myself once again. He frowns, clearly unhappy I’ve cut off the connection, before his eyes narrow and the tether vibrates. Darius tries and fails to reopen the bond.

I should be happy about this, thrilled even. I've managed to cast him out completely, where not even a shadow of him remains. Yet, even though I can no longer feel his emotions, which is exactly what I intended, I can't escape mine. Nor the hollow feeling within me that forms with his retreat.

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