Page 45 of The Lord of the Labyrinth

Kate’s headwas foggy as she gazed up at Roan’s concerned face. His electric-blue eyes reflected the shimmer of the cave’s light, making him look more ethereal than ever. Where was she? Her head throbbed, but the pain slowly began to fade. Dizziness hit her momentarily before it too slowed down and she could focus without getting sick. She took in the cave and the cold sensation of being wet.

She was cradled in Roan’s arms, his body wonderfully warm compared to the cold water. This was a dream, wasn’t it? This wasn’t the Roan who had forced her into the labyrinth to save her brother. This Roan was keeping her safe. She wanted to wrap herself around him and enjoy being held like this. She wouldn’t drift away again, not so long as he held her in his arms. But then she came back to herself as he moved her body in a slow spin in the water with him. This wasn’t a dream. This was real. And she was really wet.Again.

“Why are we in the water?” she asked. “There aren’t any morgens here, are there?”

Roan chuckled. “No. These are healing pools.”

“Thank God... You know, this labyrinth of yours keeps trying to kill me,” Kate grumbled.

“You, little human, were never supposed to get this deep into my labyrinth. Instead, you somehow were injured saving a troll, or so I am told.”

“Oh! Magda!” She tried to get out of the pool. Was Magda okay? The last thing she remembered was being in the cave and the troll calling her name in fear.

“No, no. Not yet, little one. You still need to heal.”

“But Magda was hurt.”

“Yourinjuries were far greater. Don’t youeverworry about yourself?” Roan asked. “It is no wonder that your family thinks little of you. You don’t demand it of them.” He got out of the pool carrying her, and Kate fought her instinct to try to get free. Roan holding her felt too nice. And she did feel woozy...

“I think about myself all the time,” she argued. “And my familydoescare...”

“There should be no lies between us, little mortal. And we both knowthatis a lie.”

“You can be such a jerk,” Kate muttered. Every time he mentioned her family, it felt like a slap, but deep down she feared he might be right. Only Caden cared about her, and that was because he was a little kid who didn’t know better. Sandra hadn’t corrupted him into forgetting Kate existed. Yet.

The Fae king’s lips twitched, but his expression was still stern.

“I am not the king of niceties, Kate. I am king of all that is dark and wonderful.”

She looked up into his face. “What does that mean? All that is dark and wonderful?” She still couldn’t understand the things he said sometimes even if his words sounded beautiful enough to make her heart ache for things so far out of her reach.

“What does that mean?” Roan smiled, the expression dangerous. “It means that every forbidden desire, every sinful dream,everywillful thought you’ve ever had... I can grant.” He chuckled. “Tonight you will think of no one except yourself... and me.”

Kate strained to see where her friends were. “Where did Patch and Magda go?”

“Their presence is inconvenient. You will not see or hear them, nor will they you. Not tonight. I wish to have no interruptions.” Roan stopped and set her down on her feet while keeping one arm wrapped around her waist.

“But, Roan, I?—”

“You aremine, Kate. Mine tonight, mineforever, and I will not share your attention right now. They know that you are safe, and that is enough.” There was an edge to his voice that scared her a little, not because she feared him, but because she didn’t. Not the way she used to. But she sensed that something terrible had happened to him before he’d come here.

“Roan, what happened? Something happened to you... I can feel it.”

His eyes darkened. “I nearly lost a dear friend today... and she lost all of her dryad sisters,” he breathed, fury lighting his eyes. “It has reminded me all too clearly that I have precious things to lose, and that includes you, little one.” His tone warned her not to ask any more questions, but Kate’s heart clenched at the thought of who he might have lost... and what that meant in a world of beautiful beings and dangerous magic.

She pushed at his chest, but he captured her chin and lifted her face up to his. His eyes still glowed, and the hard lines of his beautiful face frightened her for a brief instant. Then, without warning, he kissed her so hard that it made her dizzy and she swayed in his hold.

The world seemed to tilt, and then she was on her back on the softest surface she’d ever felt. Roan’s mouth moved over hers roughly, hungrily, but his hands were more gentle as they explored her body.

“Roan... what are we doing,” she moaned as he nibbled her earlobe. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Don’t fight me, Kate. Love me, adore me, worship me. Be my treasured pet,” he growled against her skin. “Let me hang a necklace of stars around your throat, and give you the universe…all you must do is surrender to me…to your own desires.”

Kate’s desire was so strong right then that Roan’s words set a fire inside her rather than angered her. She could picture herself...Sitting at his feet in a beautiful gown of midnight-blue silk, letting him feed her fruit that was sweet beyond words. A necklace of pure silver hung around her neck, and on it glittering diamonds forged in the heart of newborn stars. His hand would stroke her hair as she gazed up at him adoringly, worshipfully...

Then she saw herself naked in a bed beneath him, his body moving above hers, and the erotic fantasies spun on endlessly until an ache that hurt between her thighs made her beg Roan for more, for anything to ease the ache.

She wanted that fantasy, she wanted to be his, to know his pleasure, to know that he wanted only her... forever.

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