Page 3 of Diamond Queen
“Fine… but I don’t like it.” Onika sighed, giving Rory a worried look.
“Now,” Emersyn tapped her hand on the table, “What are we going to do to bring Dimitra home.”
Chapter 5
Dimitra startled awake. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep so soundly with Jason needing her to ensure he was alright. Rolling over, she was surprised to see his body in a seated position with his back resting against the wall. She raked her eyes over his bare skin, noting his breaths were more even than before. The once pale color had started to pink up, indicating he was on the mend.
“Are you going to just lay there and stare at me?” Jason cracked an eye open at her.
“Jason,” Dimitra sat up, causing the blanket to slide down her body. Embarrassed, she grabbed the material to drag it over herself.
“Don’t be shy. I’ve already seen your body. I owe you a thank you, Dimitra. I assume you're the reason I’m not dead.”
She let the blanket pool in her lap, “Yes. Helix stabbed you,” she ran her finger over the bandage covering his wound, “he was hoping I’d watch you die.”
Jason snagged her hand, gripping her around the wrist, “Why didn’t you let me die?”
Dimitra pulled her hand free, unsure of how to answer him. She’d been conflicted about her feelings for him. At first, she hated Jason for holding her here, but the more she got to know him and hear his story, she began to feel more for him. She tried to convince herself it was because he was the only person she had contact with. Still, as the days turned into months, Dimitra accepted that somehow, in their dire situation, she’d fallen for him.
“How about I get you some water?” She slipped from the bed. Taking a deep breath, she hid her embarrassment of being only in her underwear and walked to the sink. She could hear the bed rustle as the metal frame squeaked. The sound of his feet shuffling across the concrete echoed in the room. Jason crowded behind her, caging her between his body and the sink. She could feel the heat of his skin against hers and the warmth of his breath against her ear.
“You didn’t answer me. Why didn’t you let me die?”
“I…” Dimitra closed her eyes and held on to the edge. Her heart was beating like a jackhammer against her ribs.
He pressed his lips against her ear, “Tell me…”
Dimitra turned, her chest pressed into his. Reaching up, she ran her palm down his face, “I couldn’t lose you.”
Closing his eyes, he leaned into her hand, “I shouldn’t matter to you. I kept you here when I could have done more to set you free.”
“No.” Dimitra snapped, “You could have been killed had you tried something. What you did,” she dropped her hand and sighed, “for your sister and my nephew was enough. They’re safe now – because of you.”
“What about you? What if he’d killed me and left you here to die?” Jason glanced at the door, remembering the broken metal and blood he’d found earlier. “Wait…” gripping her arm in his, he slowly ran his fingers down her forearm. Dimitra winced as Jason brushed the tender skin around her wrist. “What did you do?”
“It’s fine. I had to try something. You were dying in front of me…”
Jason lifted her hand. The skin was discolored and scratched up. “You crazy woman.” He pressed a kiss to her wrist, “it’s off?” He smiled, kissing her flesh again. Jason kept his eyes on her as he pressed his lips to her skin, leaving light kisses along her arm as he trailed his way up.
Dimitra gasped when he kissed her shoulder. She held his gaze as he leaned in and kissed the spot near the hollow of her neck. Lifting his head, he held her gaze. His eyes questioning her as he waited. When she turned her head, he took it as a green light and surged forward.
His hand wrapped around her neck as their lips met in long-overdue passion. Careful not to hurt him, Dimitra pressed her palm against his back, splaying her fingers against his skin. Jason licked the seam of her mouth. Parting her lips, their tongues met in a tangle of heat, sending shockwaves through her body.
“Jason,” she murmured against his moist mouth as she broke her lips from his. “You should be lying down.”
She ducked under his arm to place some distance between them. Jason tried to grab at her, nearly losing his balance. Dimitra reached for him, his body slamming into hers.
“Shit. Are you ok?” Jason asked his expression one of pain and worry.
“Yes, let’s get you back into the bed.”
Jason grimaced as he leaned against her tiny frame. His body still hurt, even though parts of him weren’t getting the message. Dimitra had glanced at the evidence he was sporting beneath the thin boxers he wore, her face tinging pink before looking away. Jason smiled, knowing despite their situation, Dimitra was just as affected by him as he was by her.
Chapter 6
Helix paced the dirty room, his anger rising with every step. They’d bested him so far, but he wasn’t about to give up and quit. No… the thrones belonged to him.
His mother had always avoided the topic of his father – telling him it didn’t matter because she loved him enough. It wasn’t until he stumbled upon his mother’s journal he learned the truth. She’d never told his father about him. Not right away, at least. She only reached out to the king when she learned of Helix’s plan to try and take the throne. That only fueled his rage, causing him to murder the Emerald King and Queen. It had been easy to do. They were so oblivious on the way to the Sapphire Kingdom. Helix smiled as he remembered looking into the eyes of the man who’d sired him. Dax took his last breath, knowing Helix had slit his own mother's throat and that his precious daughter was going to be next.
