Page 49 of Kingdom of Flames & Flowers
I’d meant it as a joke: a little light-hearted jape to ease the rising tension between us. Instead, it exploded in front of my eyes like a blast of dragon fire. Zariah’s face shifted, incensed. His voice was a deadly whisper. “If he did anything against your will—”
“Zariah!”
“—throat, for ever daring to touch you like that against your will, and then I’ll drape his body—”
“ZARIAH!”
His skin flushed red, eyes oscillating between his silver-green and the gold of his dragon form. Nothing I was doing was getting through to him. I stood and went to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and squeezed, intent on holding him to me so at the very least, he couldn’t storm off and murder his twin on my behalf.
Though the very thought of Zariah feral for me had my blood hot and boiling.
“Zariah, it wasn’t like that. He—”
I got nothing else out as he attacked my mouth, savaging me with his lips and teeth while his hands held my face and neck. I didn’t realize my feet were moving until the back of my knees hit the couch behind me. I fell into it and Zariah tumbled into me, not missing a beat as his body pressed mine into the soft cushions.
Sharp teeth bit down on my bottom lip, pulling it until I felt a delightful sting. He continued his fiery trail down my neck and collarbone, biting at the column of my throat and sliding down the rest of my body. His hands slipped under my pants and sat on top of my hip bones, squeezing.
“You’re mine. No one is to touch you. Not without your permission and mine.”
Cool air hit my private parts as he ripped the pants down my ankles, tossing them carelessly over his shoulder.
“Zariah—”
A hand went to my throat, squeezing. Not painful, but enough to stop me in my tracks. He was a predator who had caught his willing prey. Extremely willing
His other hand gently parted my thighs, his palm softly stroking just above the apex. My hips rose on their own accord, trying to create more pressure and friction between me and his hand.
“Do you want me to stop?” he practically purred, his nose and lips kissing a path down my navel.
I couldn’t even think straight, let alone speak. One finger gently swiped at my wetness, and I whined with need.
He chuckled darkly, and the pressure on my throat eased. “More?”
I wanted more.
“But first, I need to tell my dear brother to keep his hands off what doesn’t belong to him,” Zariah growled, and it took a moment for his words to catch up to my brain as he stood and made his way toward the door.
“What? No! Zariah! Zion did nothing, I promise. It was a joke. A horrible, tasteless, stupid joke! He stopped when I said no!”
Zariah stopped short of the door, his shoulders tense.
I put my arms around him though I knew that I likely wouldn’t be able to physically stop him if he was determined.
Zariah relaxed into me, then turned in my arms. “My apologies. I am mostly one with my dragon side, but I wasn’t expecting the odd possessive rush. Usually Zion is the one who goes all dragon rage on people. He resists it, so it makes it worse in the end.”
I nodded dumbly. Sure, whatever. It was easier to focus on his arms around me, and how nice he smelled—of ashes and smoke, of singed wood and cedar.
“So, want to go to the archives?” he asked.
ChapterFifteen
What a dumb question. OfcourseI wanted to go.
He seized the new topic with enthusiasm. “I can take you there.” He looked around, locating my breeches and tossing them to me.
I blinked at the sudden change of subject and mood. Zariah was going to give me whiplash. “I want to find information about your curse.”
His nose twitched, then grabbed my hand after I’d put my pants back on. “The archives. Let’s go.”
