Page 49 of Prince of Never

‘That’s whatIshould be asking,’ he snarled.‘I thought the idea was to keep yourself safe and out of the way as much as possible.So why were you dancing with Solas?’

‘I’m sorry, how was I supposed to say no to the fucking Seelie King?’

‘You don’t seem to have any problem saying it to me!’

‘Yes, well I’m in a unique position with you; even if you don’t want me, at least I know you can’t kill me!’I held his gaze, daring him to deny it.That muscle ticked in his jaw as he clenched his teeth.‘And if you didn’t want me dancing with anyone else, then perhapsyoushould have been dancing with me.’

Anger curled his lip.‘You want me todancewith you?’He moved closer, crowding me against the shelves in the tiny space.‘If you knew what was good for you, you wouldn’t want me anywhere near you.I’m the cursed heir to the Unseelie throne.I’m a pariah.I’m a piece on a political chessboard and dragging you in here has just told every one of those vipers out there that you are somehow connected to me.That youmeansomething to me.My aim was to get through the night without that happening, and I’ve just fucked that up.’

My heart thudded in my chest.‘Why would you do that?’I asked, my voice sounding breathy even to my own ears as anticipation tightened my throat.

His gaze dropped to my mouth, his throat bobbing as he swallowed, eyes grim.‘Because I need to kiss you again.’

My lips parted, my breath stuttering, as if my body was inviting him to do just that.He held still, staring at my mouth as a war played out across his face.I waited for him to pull away, to take back the words and vanish through that door.

‘Fuck it,’ he said, and his lips descended on mine, his arm snaking around my waist, pulling me tightly against him.My hands gripped his shirt, as if he would slip through my fingers like smoke if I didn’t hold on.His tongue caressed mine as he deepened the kiss, his hands insistent, his lips fierce, capturing my breath and stealing my thoughts.It was as if he was consuming me body and soul, slipping into my veins, bringing every part of me to life.A moan slipped off my tongue that only seemed to spur him on and I didn’t know if I would be able to let him go.I didn’t want to ever let him go.Something faint and primal whispered in the back of my mind.

Mine.

The click of the door was like a bucket of water being thrown over us and we jumped apart, breathing heavily.But whoever had seen us was gone.

‘Damn it,’ Tarian cursed, pressing a palm against his forehead.‘That shouldn’t have happened,’

My heart throbbed and I swallowed against the pain.‘Of course not.You’re engaged, after all,’ I said bitterly.

He didn’t deny it.I hadn’t realised I was hoping he would until that moment.I drew a shaky breath.‘Maybe you should just stay away from me until you figure your shit out.’

‘Do you think I haven’t tried?’he snapped.

I let out a self-depreciating laugh, tears pricking at my eyes as I turned them skyward, as if looking for some divine strength that was never going to come.‘That only makes it worse,’ I said, hating how broken my voice sounded.I turned on my heels and slipped back out of the room alone, doing my best to ignore the eager eyes of the fae court looking for their next morsel of gossip as I returned to the ball room.

I felt like the walls were closing in on me, like all the oxygen was being sucked from my lungs.I needed to get out.I made a beeline for a door that looked like it led outside but someone grabbed my arm.‘Imogen, what’s wrong?’

I looked up to find Ethan’s face etched with concern and tears sprang to my eyes.I bit my cheek to keep them back.As if I hadn’t been embarrassed enough for one night.I refused to cry in front of all these people.

Ethan excused himself from the group he’d been standing with and led me to the edge of the room.‘Imogen, what happened?What did Tarian do to you?’he demanded, anger in his voice.

‘I don’t understand any of this,’ I said, pinching the bridge of my nose in the hopes it would help keep back the tears.Ethan waited patiently, a hand on my arm.‘Is a mate bond a curse?’

Ethan exhaled a long breath.‘Tarian is a dick,’ he muttered.‘Look, the bond is clearly affecting you in some way, but I promise you it won’t be anywhere near what it’s doing to him.He’s obviously handling it with all the emotional maturity of a toddler.’

I coughed a laugh.‘Essentially.’

‘He’s an idiot for turning something that could befuninto a big old toxic mess.’He seemed to think for a few moments, staring out at the dancers, and when he looked back at me there was a gleam of mischief in his eyes.‘So, you’re attracted to him, right?In, like, a pretty intense sort of way?’

I nodded, not wanting to say the words aloud.

‘Okay, so who says attraction needs to lead to anything more than pleasure?’

‘What?’I was stunned for a moment.I had never in my life had a casual relationship with anyone.I may not have subscribed to my parents’ religion but that didn’t mean some of their teachings hadn’t rubbed off on me.‘I couldn’t—’

‘Why not?Think of it as a life experience.The sort of risk you might take when you’re on holiday in the bloody fae realm.Take a chance, do something bold and daring, take what you need from him.Gods know he’s been selfish enough with you.’He swiped a glass of wine off a passing tray and handed it to me.‘Drink this, go get some air, and think it over.There’s nothing wrong with wanting something and taking it every once in a while.’

I watched him walk back to his group, draping an arm over some fae lord as he began to flirt again, almost as if he was showing me what I should be doing.Could I really do it?Could I take what I needed from Tarian and walk away?And if I did, would it shake free some of this insane tension that seemed to be wrapping tighter and tighter around me?With a spark of wicked confidence, I thought back over that kiss.If I wanted that from him, I doubted very much that he’d deny me, no matter what he thought about mate bonds.I took a sip of my drink, feeling the liquid begin to warm my chest.When I headed outside, the cool evening air washed over me, and the scent of the sea eased the tension in my muscles.Maybe I could just spend the remainder of the ball out there.

Chapter 23

Tarian

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