Page 132 of The Horde King of Shadow

I thought about it, trying not to get distracted by his touch. The truth that came to me was humbling. “Enough that if I was forced to choose, I would choose you over ever touching another book again.”

For someone like me, that reality was tortuous.

But that was how much I loved him.

Sarkin made a sound in the back of his throat, those eyes flickering between mine. He frowned, briefly, a slight pulling of his lips, and then he said quietly, “Then it’s a good thing that you never have to. Because I wouldn’t ever want that for you, my love.”

I grinned, my gaze going to his lips. I reached up, pressing my index finger to their full softness. Such soft lips for such an intense, intimidating male, I couldn’t help but ponder.

I went to my tiptoes, desperate for a taste of him. The kiss was hungry and raw. His fingers dug into me, and I pressed as close as I possibly could, like I was trying to climb inside him.

It was the same ache that had possessed us at Lishara’s temple, all those moons ago. Only now it wasn’t heartstone induced.

Lishara’s blessing had been apromise, I realized, a glimpse of our future come early.

I gasped when Sarkin pressed me up against the wall, caging me in. Against my belly, I felt his cock thicken with a surge.

I had just popped open a clasp of his riding armor—which I was getting quite good at—when he groaned, “Wait,aralye. Thekana.”

I moaned. “You didn’t get it?”

“No,” he rasped, lowering his forehead to mine, even though his fingers began to dip into the waistband of my riding pants. He stroked my skin. Maddeningly. “Sina is still drying out the leaves. She said the next batch won’t be ready for two more days.”

Kanawas a plant, I’d discovered, that grew in both DakkarandKarak. A shared plant with a shared purpose. The deep green leaves of it were stripped and dried to be used in tea to prevent pregnancies. I’d used the last of it yesterday morning.

We both shared a desperate look.

“I can’t wait,” I pleaded. It was unlikely I would get pregnant at this part of my cycle. Not impossible, but not likely.

Sarkin’s gaze burned, his fingers flexing on my hips. There was a primal part of him thatlovedrisking it. That part of him that ached to see me heavy with his child. He’d spoken of his fantasies, his deeply buried wants, and it was a fantasy we often played out in our lovemaking.

My words set him on fire, just as I’d known they would, and before I knew it, he had my pants pushed down, his fingers finding me wet and aching. He huffed out a sharp breath and flipped me around, pressing me down until my arms were braced on the wall and my back was flat, ass exposed to him.

There was one breathless moment of delay as he ripped through the laces of his pants…but then I cried out when he slammed into me with a swift thrust.

Then he didn’t stop. My teeth chattered together with every powerful pump of his hips. I rocked back into him, biting my forearm to keep from screaming.

His hand landed on my ass hard. “Let me hear you. Don’t ever hide that from me, Klara.”

I moaned but removed my teeth from my flesh. On his next sublime thrust, I let him hear just what he did to me, and I didn’t care who heard, even though we were expecting guests any moment.

Our lovemaking was quick and desperate and exquisite. He knew the angle that made little pinpricks of light burst in my vision, and all too soon, I was tightening around him, crying out my pleasure as the orgasm ripped through me. My legs shookwith it, but he kept me steady, always my anchor, keeping me rooted.

“So fucking perfect, my love,” I heard him groan. “Oh, I can feel you.Gods, you’re going to make me?—”

His words cut off with a hitch of his breath. Then his thrusts became erratic, chasing his pleasure down, and I nearly whimpered in my triumph when I felt the hot lashes of his come spill inside me.

In the aftermath, once we’d cleaned up, my legs continued to shake. I heard Sarkin’s low, deep chuckle. I felt it reverberate up my spine, and he tugged me to the plush chair by the unlit hearth, close to my books, pulling me into his lap, my legs dangling off the side.

My body was still tingling and I was still catching my breath. He pressed a sweet kiss to my cheekbone, stroking his fingers through my hair. I smiled, snuggling closer.

“How long do we have?” I asked, trying not to grow too sleepy in the aftermath of our lovemaking.

Sarkin grunted. “They can wait for us. Let me keep you here a while. We’ve both been so busy.”

“I know,” I said, placing my hand on his chest. I looked up at him, my eyes tracing the sharp lines and hard curves of his chest-twistingly handsome face. “While I’m looking forward to tonight’s festivities, I’m looking forward even more to having you all to myself for a little while.”

“I’ll be all yours,” Sarkin promised. “No more trips to Elysom or to Grym. I’m staying right here until we leave for the Arsadia.”

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