Page 119 of The Wolf and the Chimera
Ryder growled, and his dominance made the sound rumble like a storm. My own chimera stirred at Lyall’s crude words, and the accusation laced in them. I soothed her wrinkled emotions and laid a hand on Ryder’s bare back to try to do the same for him.
Lyall’s grin had shifted into a smug smirk. He knew Ryder was edgy right now and wanted to throw him off that metaphorical cliff.
“C’mon,” Kieran insisted, “shouldn’t we wash the stink of vampires off our skin before we plan claiming ceremonies?”
Back to his politician ways, Lyall chuckled.
“You’re right, my boy,” he said. “You’re all a little worse for wear. Let’s go home.”
As we followed Lyall to the chateau, Ryder scooped up my shirt from where I had tossed it on the shore, and I put it back on. Though I should’ve been satisfied that I had successfully lied to one of the most dangerous men on earth, a niggle of fear burrowed in my chest and refused to abate.
Lyall could plan ceremonies and bashes and parties, but it didn’t change the fact that he wanted Ryder’s power for Kieran and my power for some twisted, unknown use.
He bought the lie,I reminded myself.Just be grateful for that.
Regardless of my self-assurances, part of me wished I hadn’t refused to stay in Circe’s realm so quickly.
A life of hiding suddenly didn’t seem so bad.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Ryder
As I paced the length of the suite I shared with Elle, I left dirty footprints across the white tiles and tried to think of what to do next, but my thoughts kept circling back to my mate, who was naked and wet and half-claimed only one door away.
And exhausted from using her power,I reminded myself.
When the door clicked open, and Elle emerged from the steam, her gaze immediately sought mine. Though we needed to form a plan, I neededhermore. I needed to close the final gap between us, as long as she was up for it.
Judging by her ravenous expression, she was up for it.
I studied her gleaming skin and the curves of her body, hidden by a plush, white robe. Like a moth drawn to a flame, I prowled closer.
“My clever girl,” I said in a low, rough voice. I grasped her face and planted a kiss on her forehead. “You saved us back there.”
Unable to stop touching her, I peppered kisses on the high expanse of her cheekbone, another on her jaw, then another on her neck. Elle’s breath hitched.
“I lied,” she whispered. “That’s not very virtuous.”
I tugged the thick collar of her robe back and kissed my mark on her skin. A satisfied rumble buzzed my chest.
“You have plenty of other virtues,” I countered.
She draped her arms around my neck and pulled me closer. I inhaled her lilac scent, now mingled with a trace of my own, and groaned.
“Gods,” I whispered. “If you knew how badly I want you, Ellie, you would run.”
“Why?” she asked and pulled back. Her warm gaze bored into mine. “Why would I do that when I want you just the same?”
Her robe would be nothing to remove. All it would take was one tug on its flimsy belt, and she would be standing before me, naked and wet and smelling like lust itself.
Someone knocked.
“Whoever is on the other side of that door,” I growled, “is going to get their throat ripped out if they don’t leave.”
“Even if it’s your mother?” Kalli asked.
Clearly mortified, Elle hid her face in her hands.
