Page 44 of Smoke and Flame

Chapter Ten

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“You’re up.”

Kai heard the voice behind her.She didn’t need to turn from the window to see who stood there.Not only did she recognize Aodh’s rough, baritone vibrato, but the tug on her body announced it.The all-consuming heat made her heart race.It was like moving too close to the sun.The closer he got, the more the blaze grew from her core outward.She would love to fight it and stand firm against his pull on her, but it was impossible to resist him.Hell, if she had any chance of resisting, it would have been before the days she spent in his bed, in his arms, with him driving hard between her thighs, satisfying all her senses and touching something deep inside her.An area she hadn’t known existed until him.

She didn’t know how to respond to the feelings and emotions he stirred.It scared the shit out of her.If she felt this way now, once Morlie felt better and they needed to leave, how would she walk away and not feel ripped apart?

These are crazy thoughts, Kai.She gave herself a mental shake.But she’d been trying to keep those ideas from spinning since she awakened after bathing.She’d dressed and ate, still no closer to ridding herself of the harassing questions.The tray Tana had brought her sat empty and waiting for the efficient attendant to come and get it.The first time Tana had brought her food, Kai had wondered how’d she ever consume so much.She’d struggled to get down half of it.Now, she was cleaning her plate easily.She found herself ravenous for food over the last three days.She knew the increase in appetite had a lot to do with the vigorous activities she’d engaged in with Aodh.

For the last twenty minutes, she’d stood at the window staring at the bright-purple sun now high in the sky.From the angle of Aodh’s suites, she could see very little on the ground, with the ledge blocking her view, but there was strange activity in the air.She’d seen more than a few massive shadows moving through the early morning clouds, and when it was light enough, she saw the fast-flying images so high up she’d gone out on the ledge, not too far, and glanced up to try and get a better view to no avail.

She knew what they were.Even as her mind tried to fathom what Aodh had told her, his kind were—dragon-shifters.So, dragons were flying up, way up in the sky.The sight made her shiver, her blood under the heat of the second sun at such large fire-breathing beasts.

Standing outside, which had taken all her body’s strength to push the humungous sliding glass door open enough for her to step through, trying to see creatures that didn’t want to be seen.She felt useless.Were they hiding from her?Not wanting to be seen by the human?

She sighed.You’re not that important, Kai.

Ifsheweren’t important, Morlie wouldn’t be important to anyone but her.It was why she’d been standing at the window feeling anxious, hoping she’d see when Aodh returned so she could see her sister.

“Yes, for a while now.”She turned.

He stood behind her.His turquoise-opal eyes traveled along her body slowly until they met hers.

She fisted her hand to keep from squirming under his hot gaze.

“You’re dressed.The clothes fit you well.”The blue heat in his gaze clued her into the words he’d left unsaid.

Those words didn’t need to be said.She understood that Aodh preferred her how he left her, naked and ready for him.Her thighs tightened with the knowledge.She had done a great job while he was away, convincing herself that since she didn’t have an adverse reaction to the powder this time, she would not have the same response to Aodh.The tingling and achy feeling of her sex and nipples would not be an issue.

However, when she heard his voice and felt the heat of his presence, she knew that was not the case.Her response to Aodh was still just as intense.

That freaked her out because she couldn’t blame anything outside herself for responding to him.

“They are nice, but I would have preferred my things.”She glanced down at the loose-fitting dress.It flowed around her body onto the floor.The soft, light material—more delicate than anything she’d felt on her body before—covered her from shoulders to feet.She was bare beneath it, and it made her feel vulnerable.She wasn’t sure why since it had been weeks since she had underclothing, but at least she’d had pants.

“Your things were not fit to be worn any longer.”

“They were still mine,” she stomped away, trying to keep space between them.If Aodh got too close or touched her, she wasn’t sure she could keep her body from giving in.Even now, she was craving his touch and had to press her thighs together to ease the ache.“I want them back.”

He pivoted, tracking her with his gaze.“Most likely, they have been incinerated.

She gasped.“No.”She rushed forward, forgetting to keep away.Clutching his vest, she demanded, “Those are my things.No one had the right to destroy them.”She banged against his chest with her fist.

“They were tattered pieces of material.I’m surprised they even held up on you.”Aodh didn’t try to pry her hands off him.His body standing firm as if she were a silly gnat attacking a giant.

“I don’t care what you think of them.The jacket was my father’s and—” Her voice broke away as she thought about the gold bands that belonged to her parents, a symbol of their love for each other—something she would never have.Perhaps there was still hope for Morlie to find love one day.

He stared at her for a moment, silent.

She hated being under his perceptive scrutiny.Letting him go, she stepped away.Now, Morlie was indeed all she had left in this world.“I want to see my sister.”

With a quick nod, he started toward the door.

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