Page 19 of The Kraken Games

The thought was alarmingly erotic.

His cock thickened inside his already tight jeans.Ouch.

Where the hell had that image come from? That wasn’t his style. He liked to woo a female, flirt before he fucked.

But yeah, if it wasn’t for the games, he’d be up for getting down and dirty fast with Luna, even in a grubby back alley somewhere, slamming her against the wall. He had no idea why he wanted it so bad.

Hell, he didn’t even like her.

What was there to like with that perpetual scowl?

Did she have a sense of humor?

Did she do fun?

Who the hell even was she, this strange little human in a world of monsters?

When he handed her the drink, he heard himself say, “Do you want to go outside, get some fresh air?”

Her eyes glinted, her lips parted, and her pink tongue licked her lips. Kai stared, mesmerized.

“I guess.”

When she hopped off the stool, he was struck again by how slight she was; her hostile energy somehow made her seem bigger. But despite everything, he felt oddly protective as they wended their way through the throng of folks all calling out to him, waving, pushing forward. At one stage he lost her in the crowd and almost panicked. Relief flooded him as he saw her standing by the exit, looking bored with her glass in her hand. Waiting.

“I thought you’d run away,” he said as he reached her.

She turned and went outside without a word.

They stood by the railings of the paved courtyard overlooking Motham, the pounding club music vibrating behind them.

“If you think I’m going to give you tips about Marrick, you’re mistaken,” she said finally.

“I’m not here for that.” He turned toward her and just like in the water that day, their eyes held, and raw sexual energy arced through him. He wanted to dive on her, rip off her modest little tee, feel the curve of her small breasts, the way she’d writhe against him. To soften the thin line of her mouth and the look of distrust in her eyes, replace it with desperate want.

Kai hauled in a breath. “It’s you I’m interested in.”

Wariness intensified in her gaze. “Why?”

“I don’t know.” He laughed shakily. “It was you, wasn’t it? In the water, near the caves.”

“Maybe.”

“You remember, right? Two weeks ago?”

“Maybe.”

Gods damn it, she was as tight as a clam. “Do you ever say more than one syllable?”

“That was two.” Her lips twitched. Was that a flicker of a smile? “Don’t take it personally. My friends complain too.”

“That you’re monosyllabic?”

“More or less.”

Kai chuckled. “So if I manage to get a whole sentence out of you, I should congratulate myself?”

“Yep.” She held up her glass and they clinked, and it felt so much more intimate than it should. Kai chugged back his drink, the vodka burning his throat.

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