Page 70 of The King has Fallen

I nodded. My anger beginning to pass, though my unease did not.

“Rest assured—for yourself and your men—that is not easily done. Fetch do not enter the minds of those without the gift easily. We must be close, and as I said, all it takes is your resistance.”

“But if you seduce, or intrigue, oranythingwhen their defenses are down…”

She nodded once. “It is a tool. But not flawless. And it… drains me.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Then why? Why for such a…a flippant purpose, if it wasn’t an attempt to draw me into deception?”

Her expression was strange, half-frown, half-fear. As if her thoughts turned inward in alarm. And when she answered, I was once again left stunned.

“I was curious,” she said, squirming slightly, not meeting my eyes. “And I did have a desire to give you… something for your help.”

“That is not the kind of thanking I need,” I growled.

“I know. Which is why it was easy to gift it,” she said simply.

And what was I supposed to say to that?

24. Covenant

~ MELEK ~

An hour later, I lay in the dark, my body weary but clean, and relaxed from both the heat of the bath, and my climax. But my mind raced, replaying those moments in the vision, though I would never have admitted it.

Much of it had gone in ways I would never have created for myself—my fantasies would befarmore erotic. And yet…

And yet there was something about those simple touches from those small hands that had left me shuddering harder than any tumble ever had before.

I still suspected she was toying with me.

Except, I really hadn’tfelther playing games. Not like the flirting she did with Jann. And her discomfort when I asked her why…

But if she wasn’t teasing or manipulating, then why?

Curiosity, she said. About me? Or any Nephilim?

It was true some women sought us out. Our physical size and strength—even the brutality of my brothers was an aphrodisiac for some.

The thought that perhaps Yilan wanted me left me warm… anddeeplyuneasy.

And if it was her in my mind, the fact that she’d chosen not to pleasureherselftoo was confusing and left me nervous. The memory of her words in the vision that she’d then echoed in truth came to mind.

“Thank you. For saving me. That was… thank you.”

I didn’t like how that felt.

After the first time I’d watched a woman torn apart in a Nephilim frenzy, I’d always sworn I’d never let myself lose control in that way. Restraint meant that while my sexual exploits were satisfying, they were rare. Andalwayswith a consenting adult.

Sadly, over time I had learned the hard way that some women would give themselves not out of desire, but gratitude. Seeking protection in the arms of a male they thought would keep them from others—not because they desired them.

Was that what she was doing? Drawing me closer to assure my protection?

She already had it. Did she not realize that yet?

I didn’t know. But I found, as I slipped closer and closer to sleep, that I deeply, deeply hoped it was not simple gratitude.

And if my mind had truly been open to that, I fervently prayed that it was nothing more than a moment of weakness. Because no matter what she might want, this… whatever it was that now crackled between us… it simply could not happen.

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