Page 37 of God Touched

"Of course you can dance with Imogen, Owain," he said, his voice dropping even deeper in his anger. "As soon as you explain this to me."

Arawan opened his palm where the rune-carved crystal sat. Imogen and the rest of the courtiers backed away from the two men, locked in a stare-off. Owain looked at the crystal, fury etched across his face.

Arawan didn't wait for an explanation as magic crackled in the air and the crystal glowed, the runes activating.

"The warding will need to be disabled in order to let my warriors through into the Undying Lands. You will need to find a sheltered area to create the correct summoning portal…" a stranger's voice filled the air.

Imogen's pulse raced, and adrenaline spiked, trying to warn her of the danger. Arawan's face was twisted in disgust as the stranger continued to give instructions to the horrified court.

Owain snarled and snatched the crystal back. "What the fuck did you expect? You disappeared for centuries,leaving us to govern Annwn alone. You abandoned us, and you can't expect to return and have everything be the same!" he shouted at Arawan.

"And you think Hafgan would be a better king? Is that it?" Arawan asked, voice whisper soft. "I allowed you to govern,trustedyou to serve me faithfully. And this is how you repay me? You let fucking Hafgan give you orders that would put us all at risk?"

Owain hissed and pointed at Imogen. "Not us. The only person at risk is the human whore you chose to bring here!"

Arawan moved so quickly that Imogen could barely track him. He pulled a blade from his cane and cut off Owain's hand in one swift stroke. The lord screamed, the pain and shock driving him to his knees. Not a single courtier moved to save him.

Imogen didn't even know that a shade could be hurt like a human, but whatever Arawan's blade was made from clearly could do damage the same way.

"That is for calling her a whore," Arawan snarled softly. With two quick flicks of the blade, Arawan blinded a screaming Owain. "And that was for coveting what is mine. Guards! Take his fucking traitor to the cells." Three guards in black armor appeared and dragged a sobbing Owain away.

All the courtiers were frozen, too afraid to move. Arawan's power whipped around the room.

"The party is over! All of you get the fuck out!" he shouted, his voice reverberating around them and making the castle shake. The courtiers fled, not a single one daring to linger. Imogen was heading for a door, but it slammed before she got through it. "Not you, Imogen Ironwood. You stay where you fucking are."

Imogen's whole body stilled like her monkey brain knew that running would only make the predator in the room chase her down. Every door slammed and locked one after the other until only Imogen remained with a furious god of the dead.

Imogen had never been afraid of Arawan. Standing on the other side of the dance floor, the god had removed any mask of humanity or civility. Power boiled in his black eyes, terrifying, merciless violence and fury burning right through her.

Imogen should've been afraid of him when he first noticed her in Dublin. She should've never risked getting his attention again. She should bow, prostrate herself in front of this ancient being that was so far beyond her comprehension that she shouldn't dare to look at him. She should've done everything she could to run away from the storm before her, not try and approach it.

Imogen had never been good at doing what sheshould. She always did what she wanted, and at that moment, all she wanted was him.

Imogen strode across the dance floor as if she owned it and launched herself into his arms. Arawan caught her, hauling her up and kissing her. Imogen tore the tie from his hair, and all of its glossy night spilled over into her hands.

Arawan carried her over to the high table, his power sending everything to the ground. He placed Imogen down on it in front of his black throne.

"So beautiful, my dangerous flower," he murmured, pulling back from her. He looked down at her, his eyes gleaming with ruby red power. "I'm going to enjoy taking you apart." Imogen grabbed him by his tie and pulled him between her thighs.

"I only wore this fucking dress in the hopes you would want to tear it off me," she snarled, dragging him back to her mouth. Imogen's sharp teeth closed over his bottom lip, making him hiss.

"Last chance to walk away, darling," Arawan said, his hand resting over the bare skin of her chest. Her heart pounded hard enough that he had to feel it, to know what he did to her.

"Is that what everyone else has done? Walk away when you lost your temper or became too much for them? I'm not them, Arawan," Imogen snapped. Her boot came up between them, and she kicked him back into his throne. His eyes glowed in feral hunger, hands gripping the arms of the throne like he would tear them off.

Oh, he was wild now, and she loved that she had made him that way. She couldn't stop, her own instincts to push back overriding her.

"You don't frighten me, God of the dead, so snarl and growl as much as you want. Fuck me if you're going to or fuck off and leave me alone!" she shouted.

Arawan's hands grabbed her thighs hard and dragged her ass to the table's edge. Dark ribbons of power tied around her legs and tightened around the arms of the throne. Imogen refused to give him the satisfaction of struggling.

Arawan's lips curled into a snarl as he stood between her thighs. "You have destroyed the last of my patience, woman. You aren't fucking going anywhere until I command it."

Arawan's hand gripped the front of her dress, and he shoved her back on the table. Imogen gasped as he took the edge of the skirt and tore it clean up the middle, exposing her bare pussy to him.

"So you weren't lying about wearing no underwear," he growled, staring down at her, mesmerized.

"I've never lied to you," Imogen said, her voice shaky.

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