Page 110 of Red Dragon
“We’re woundedoften,” Vorik said. “We need you.”
“That I believe. Is that why your general said I could join you?” Syla sounded skeptical that the invitation had been in earnest.
“I know that’s part of it, even if he didn’t explicitly say so, but I also think… He knows I’ve developed feelings for you and am conflicted about these missions.”
“You think he cares that much about yourfeelingstoward a woman?”
“Syla, I’m amazing.Manypeople care for me that much.”
“Many? Really?”
“My brother, my dragon, and you. At least three. That’smany.”
“I see.”
His mood lightened by their banter, Vorik couldn’t keep from turning onto his side and snuggling close to her again. Even beyond the wonderful sex they’d had in that cave, he enjoyed her company.
“I agree to your proposition,” he said.
It wasn’t wise—had he been there, Jhiton would have been the first to say she had tricks ready to deploy—but Vorik needed her to get into the laboratory anyway. Better to have her come of her own free will than to piss her off by kidnapping her or her cousin.
“Working together until we get the final component?” Syla asked. “And then battling it out with honor to determine who gets to take the pieces home?”
“The seduction scenario holds more appeal for me than you springing upon me with a dragon.”
“You’ve suggested you wouldn’t be lulled into letting my bodyguard sneak off with the components just because my mouth was on yours.”
“I’ve said that.” Vorik found her hand in the dark and drew it back to his chest, then kissed her, stroking her with his tongue, attempting to instill in her a longing for him that would keep her at his side without need for kidnapping. “Whether it proves true or not is questionable. As you saw once before, mymindisn’t always the thing ruling my actions.”
He guided her hand lower, wanting her to know what kind of effect she had on him. And, he admitted, simply wanting her to touch him. And she did, fingers lightly tracing him through his trousers, as she returned his kiss.
Maybe she was calculating the odds of successfully distracting him once they had all the components. He should have cared more about the possibility than he did. He caught himself shifting over to lie atop her, pressing his chest to hers and his groin into her hand as their kiss deepened.
They needed to slip out of here, not make noises that would alert the faction people camped all around to the fact that he was awake—veryawake—but her touch electrified him. It filled him with passion—with lust—and she tasted so good, her lips erotic and eager against his. He’d been joking less than he wished about his body ruling over his mind at times, and he was so drawn to her. To the woman who kept proving her loyalty to him, trying to save his life, even though she had every reason not to. Why she cared, he didn’t know, but everything about her made him want her.
Syla took her hand from him and pressed it against his shoulder. He growled, not wanting to stop kissing her, his lust threatening to knock wisdom completely on its ass, but she turned her lips away.
“Not here, Vorik,” she whispered. No, shepanted. She was as much into their touches and kisses as he, and that only made him want her more. “The faction doesn’t know… I’m making deals with you… They want…”
“I know what they want,” he said, his voice raspy with desire.
“It’s dangerous for you to stay here, to be caught awake. I don’t want to be the reason.”
Gods, she was looking out for him again. He couldn’t help himself and slid his hand around her head, fingers pushing through her lush hair, and kissed her again. Her grip tightened on his shoulder, not pushing him away but keeping him close, and she rocked up into him, as conflicted as he. Wanting to be with him as much as he wanted her.
If only?—
“Did you hear that?” someone asked groggily from a nearby room.
Vorik pulled back, his heart pounding.
Syla released him, pushing him away, and she rolled to her hands and knees. Taking a deep breath, he attempted to pull himself together, though the thought of springing upon her and grabbing her from behind swept into him. He shook his head. He wasn’t a savage animal, damn it.
With that thought, he managed to grab his sword and stand up. He offered a hand to help her to her feet, but she reached for the amphora instead of him. If he hadn’t heard voices murmuring nearby, he would have laughed at her determination. Maybe it was unwise, and he would be made a fool in the end, but he looked forward to completing this adventure with her.
24
Do you have the ore,Wreylith?Syla asked in her mind, hoping the dragon was paying attention to her thoughts.
