Page 29 of Venomous Heart
Arlen turned to her and there was no surprise in his expression. He nodded, then shot a glance at his Relany officer who quickly made his way out of the command center.
Now that they were alone, Arlen’s face had lost its icy polish and he stared at her like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to strangle her or to kiss her. The intensity in his gaze awoke something inside her and a now-familiar tingling spread from her spine to that spot between her legs.
All this just from him looking at me. There has to be something wrong with me.
“You have to stay away from me.” Arlen spoke low, his voice husky as he bent almost imperceptibly toward her. “It’s not safe for you around me.”
“Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?” Her heart surged at the idea that he had stayed away not because he was repulsed by her, but because he somehow thought she was in danger. “Is that what your brother was warning me about?”
Arlen’s face twisted in displeasure at that, and he looked away from her. “Khal should mind his own business.” He shook his head. “What did my baby brother tell you, exactly?”
“That you were going to go mad. That you and I had somehow been poisoned by some sort of Venom.”
Arlen stared at her, his eyes trailing slowly over her face, down to her lips, and then lower. When he looked back up, there was a resolve in his eyes that bordered on hatred.
Ava took a step back, more hurt than she could express. She could take hatred from all those people out there she cared about, but not him. She couldn’t take this from him.
“The Venom won’t affect you when I’m gone.” Arlen straightened and looked back at the map. “In the meantime, all you have to do to stay safe is keep your distance.”
She swallowed, pain shooting through her chest like he had stabbed her. In a way, his rejection hurt more than if he had hit her.
“What about whatIwant?” Ava stepped closer and her hand went to Arlen’s arm. As her skin made contact with his, it was as if a current of erotic energy ran through her. She braced herself against the onslaught of feelings, but couldn’t prevent the longing from spreading in her body, all along her nerve endings. Her body was singing for him, for his touch. “What if I don’t want to stay away?”
Arlen turned on her, his face savage and his eyes glittering. He grabbed her wrist in his fist and hovered just above her.
“An Eok mates for life, Ava. That is the Venom my brother warned you about.” He spoke like each word hurt, like it burned his tongue and ripped through his organs. “Now tell me, is that what you want? Because if you get closer now, I won’t be able to resist, and then I’ll never let you go. You’ll be mine for the rest of your life.”
Ava blinked, her mind blank as a raging inferno of arousal shot through her body. With him so close, she could barely think. Images of naked, hard flesh pounding into hers came to her mind, and wetness spread between her legs.
Arlen’s nose twitched and his pupils dilated. He could smell her arousal, she knew. He came closer, his face hard and cruel as his words burrowed into her mind.
“Now tell me, is that what you want? Tobelongto me?”
The words shot through her like a slap. For just a few seconds, her mind was clear.
“No.” She uttered the word and Arlen’s face twisted with pain. His pale eyes filled with darkness and his hard lips curved down. “I won’t belong to anyone.”
“Then go, Ava. Go, and don’t come back looking for me, because Midnight God help me, I won’t be able to refrain from taking you as mine next time.”
And she did. As soon as Arlen let go of her wrist, she turned around and ran, tears falling down her cheeks.
9
Ava
Fury coursed through her veins as she stared at the piece of paper. A single line was scribbled in hasty, angular writing.
Stay in your room. Don’t come out.
That was all the note said. She knew who had written it even if it was the first time she’d ever laid eyes on the handwriting.
Only Arlen could write like that; like he wanted to force the paper into submission as well.
Ava pursed her lips and crumpled the paper in her fist so hard it hurt.
I’ll show you just how much you can control me.
It was a stupid, knee-jerk reaction, but she couldn’t help it. After the scene in the Command Center, she had kept out of Arlen’s way.
