Page 90 of Gemini Hunted
But I’ve been painfully disappointed so many times I don’t even wanna hope.
“Then it wasn’t your choice to go after your cousin’s throne,” Zara murmurs, watching me close. “Do you still want it, Mordred? Tell me the truth.”
The lure of her closeness pulls me toward her. Under the chalk of rock dust still floating in the air, her lush scent of cream and roses, spiked with tangerine, makes my kraken purr.
Dayum.
The way she smells, that dragon of hers is ripe for breeding. There’s a reason all her shifters are in full rut. If I ain’t careful, she’ll trigger my own kraken into a mating rut.
Under my pants, right on cue, my junk swells up like a blowfish. Both barrels locked and loaded. I shift my weight subtly to ease the pressure.
“Do you want to rule,” Zara says softly, “or serve?”
“I’m on my knees. I look like the ruling type to you?” I glance at Cousin Z for affirmation. “Back me up here, cuz.”
He frowns at my plea, but mooches up next to Zara to slip an arm around her waist. “Regarding my unfortunate aunt, I’ll allow the demon may speak truly. Still, I remind you, he isn’t a proper cousin. We’resecondcousins, once removed. Lest you fear I’ll suddenly sprout tentacles in our bed, my bride.”
His queen slides me a sidelong look that perks my sulky kraken (who never likes being landlocked like he is now) right up.
Oh, fuck me.
In those dreams I sent her back on Avalon, she liked my tentacles fiiiine.
Meeting my heated look, her soft mouth curls. Then she gives me a headshake of reproach.
“It isn’t his tentacles that are the problem,” she murmurs. “It’s his intentions. Vasili can’t hold his leash forever. And I can’t read his mind. Fae brains are a black box for a telepath. But I need to know if we can trust him.”
“Worked out okay so far, ain’t it?” I lean my weight into the butt of my trident, since I’m still kneeling on this hard-ass floor. “I’ll swear any oath you like that I’m yours, long as I ain’t summoned into someone else’s circle and told to fuck you up. I don’t have control over that shit. But no one on this particular plane—the mortal plane—except He Who Shall Not Be Named Babydoll—no one else holds my leash. And I ain’t free from him till I’ve completed his task and returned your Horn to the Vault.”
“Which means we can trust you… for now.” Zara sighs. “Okay. I’ll take it. Even though I’ll probably regret it.”
Elation fizzes through me like champagne bubbles.
Dude. This young mortal queen’s definitely got under my skin.
“We gotta seal the deal.” I shoot her a hopeful look and give my dimples free rein. “With a kiss?”
She rolls her pretty eyes at me, but her own grin slips out. “A kiss might be on the table, just to say thank you for helping today. But only if you don’t sex me up, demon. I mean it.”
“I promise not to sex you up… much.” I stay on my knees and grin up at her.
Cousin Z looks as though he’d like to protest, but he hasn’t been back in his bride’s good graces long enough to get cocky. Instead it’s the prof, Lucius Aries, who looms suddenly at Zara’sshoulder. Looking sexy as fuck-all, bare-chested and rangy, all sinewy thighs and ass, poured into Ronin Pendragon’s leather pants. Chest hair like a wolf pelt covering his powerful pecs. Plus the prof’s got knotted abs I’d like to lick.
“My dear, we haven’t much time,” Lucius murmurs in her ear. Which I can hear, no problem, with my shifty senses. “Those hyenaswillreturn—”
“Hey now, not cool to cock-block the kraken.” I give Lucius a wink that brings color to his pale cheeks. “Gotta wait your turn, professor.”
With a muttered oath, Cousin Z pivots sharply on his heel and strides for the tunnel. Like he can’t stand to watch me flirting with his mates.
“This won’t take long.” The Gemini queen, bless her royal bad girl heart, seems to have made up her mind. She crouches before me (which is a treat to watch in that little schoolgirl skirt, believe me) and cups my chin gently in her small hand.
This ain’t my first rodeo, I’ve kissed plenty, but right now you’d never know it.
My heart kicks against my chest like it wants out. My mouth is dry, and my tongue sneaks out to swipe across my lower lip, so I ain’t all chapped when she kisses me.
Her thumb strokes the fork of my short beard. None of her guys are bearded, except for that cute goatee on Lucius, so I guess I’m a novelty for her.
“Soft,” she breathes.
