Page 56 of The Bond That Burns

She practically skipped over, sliding onto my lap with a breathless giggle.

The girl’s body was warm and inviting. She pressed her breasts against my chest. “Need some company, my prince?”

There. Now that was the proper deference. That was the kind of attitude I should be able to expect from my consort.

I ignore the part of me that said it was also too easy. Boring, really.

Instead, I grabbed the girl’s chin without responding and tilted her face up to kiss her, hard. She moaned softly and I felt a surge of satisfaction. I wasn’t a monster. I could still please a woman.

She tangled her hands in my hair, shifting more closely against me eagerly.

But something was wrong. It wasn’t enough.Shewasn’t enough.

The problem was, I was a hunter. I needed the thrill of the chase. I needed a challenge.

And there was no one more challenging than Pendragon.

The door opened, and I glanced up.

Pendragon stood in the doorway. She hadn’t noticed me yet. She was holding something in her hands. I sniffed the air. Kava. A big mug of it. Her long red curls tumbled over her shoulders. Her expression was relaxed. There was a soft smile on her lips.

The look on her face made my blood boil. Just seeing her so content while I sat there, pining for her blood like a fool.

Jaw tightening, I pulled the girl closer and thrust my tongue down her throat, making her moan again—more loudly this time.

There. That had gotten Pendragon’s fucking attention.

She met my gaze, her eyes unreadable. Then her eyes went to the girl sprawled on my lap with her skirt hiked up, practically bare-assed. I cupped the girl’s bottom, pulling her more firmly against me.

“Oh, Blake,” she gasped. “Yes.” She wriggled against me. “You wanna come up to my room?”

I looked back at Pendragon and saw her expression twist with distaste.

That was fine. I’d take it. Disgust was basically jealousy’s sister, after all.

I kissed the girl again, this time with deliberate intensity, closing my eyes and really taking my time about it.

She melted against me with a happy sigh. This was probably the best day of her life. I didn’t even know her name. But what did it matter?

I peeked my eyes open.

Pendragon was gone.

Instantly my mood soured.

I stood up and the girl on my lap slithered to the floor in a heap with a gasp of surprise.

She started to protest but the look on my face stopped her.

I growled. Loudly.

Around me, heads turned.

But I didn’t give a damn. None of them—not one—could give me what I really needed.

I stomped up the stairs to my room.

Pendragon wasn’t supposed to be able to walk away from me so easily. Turn her back on me like I didn’t even matter.

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