Page 56 of Chosen By the Fae King

He crossed the room and lingered at my bedside, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. A single finger traced the line of my cheek, a fleeting caress.

My pulse whooshed.

“Rest well, little hellion. And keep this on you at all times,” he said with a voice soft as velvet.

He laid something next to my head. My eyes popped open.

Before I could sit up, he was gone, nothing but shadows left in his wake. I looked down.

A dagger lay on my pillow tucked into a leather sheath. I picked it up, joyful to have my family's blade back.

I blinked. It wasn't my dagger.

It was his.

Twelve

Aeryn

The dagger's hilt was cool in my palm as I traced the edge of its blade with my thumb. Nox leaving it on my pillow last night was completely unexpected.

While the gesture was appreciated, it also aggravated me that he'd given me his instead of the one he'd stolen.

Though, I couldn't actually say I was upset. The king was a pain in my ass, but sometimes he was ...

My cheeks warmed at the memory of his hand stroking between my legs, coaxing pleasure from my body in waves until I cried out in release. The ache of wanting him hadn't lessened. If anything, he'd made it worse.

He'd surprised me when he hadn't so much as blinked when he'd seen the evidence of my innocence. Now I found him consuming my thoughts more and more.

I paced the small confines of my room, unable to sit still. We were to continue weapons training today in preparation for tomorrow's hunt and I needed a clear head. Nox was a riddle I wasn't about to solve and a distraction I couldn't afford.

A sharp knock rattled my door. From inside the room.

“It must be nice having the ability to travel about in the cloak of shadows,” I commented airily despite the unwanted thrill sparking in my gut.

Progress, I'd call it.

Nox leaned back against the door, a vision of masculine grace in fitted black leathers. A smirk tugged at his lips as his gaze slid down my body. “It has its perks.”

I held up the blade and he lifted an eyebrow. “Thank you for this,” I said.

“You're welcome. I trust you not to use it on me.”

I slid the dagger into my boot and crossed my arms. “Then why give it to me?”

“Why do you think?”

“You like toying with me?”

“I haven't toyed with you. Not yet.”

I didn't understand his words but I certainly understood the wolfish look in his eyes.

“You look ravishing when you're flustered.”

I hated how easily he made me blush. “I have to be outside soon. Was there something you needed?”

“A kiss to start my day.” His eyes glinted with challenge and something more, something that made my pulse leap. “Unless you'd prefer I finish what we started in the east wing?”

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