* * * * *
Echo sat on the edge of the bed, E’Lanna’s hand pressed between her own. Her twin didn’t stir. The rise and fall of her chest was nearly imperceptible. “How do we bring her out of this?”
Varrik stood on the other side of the bed, his hands clasped behind his back. A pose he assumed with unconscious regularity. “North must free her from the compulsion or North must die.”
“Is that the ultimatum you intend to give him?” It was all happening so fast. Echo struggled to make sense of his actions. Did he intend to release them, or had he simply moved them to a safer cage?
“If North refuses to deactivate the compulsion, only his death will free her from the spell.” He stated the fact with expressionless calm, his features revealing nothing. Was this the same man who had overwhelmed her inhibitions and made her senses sing?
Lowering E’Lanna’s hand to the bed, Echo stood and faced him. “What should we do now?”
“We?” His brow rose, reinforcing the challenge in his tone. “You vowed to resist me with your dying breath. Are we partners now?”
She had no idea what they were. No idea why he had rescued E’Lanna. Forcing her dry throat to swallow, she looked into his eyes. Velvet black, sapphire rings, smoldering passion, his eyes would haunt her forever. “Where are we? Can your people find us here?”
“My people? Another curious choice.” He moved around the bed, stalking her with measured control. “The people sworn to govern and protect the world below are about to destroy each other. If it were only the elders at risk, I would walk away without a second thought. But the elders won’t fight this war. It’s the soldiers who will sacrifice their lives for the arrogance of the elders. My people have never needed me more. How can I abandon my tribe?”
Was he hoping she could convince—
“I expect nothing from you. Your people will benefit greatly if we destroy ourselves.”
“You’ve responded to my thoughts before. Can you read my mind?”
He cupped her cheek and bushed her lips with his thumb, his gentleness a stark contrast to his savage expression. “I don’t need to read your mind. Your eyes tell me all I need to know.”
Captivated by the intensity in his gaze, she refused to blink. She reveled in the heat and cherished the tenderness he tried so hard to conceal. He couldn’t mean to leave her like this. She wasn’t ready for it to end. There had to be something she could do.
“How can I help you?”
He bent and kissed the corners of her mouth. “Why would you want to?”
She dragged the tie from the back of his hair and buried her fingers in the soft, blue-streaked strands. He felt the connection; she knew he did. Regardless of his intentions, this had been more than sex for him.
“There has to be some way I can—”
He silenced her with his mouth, pressing her against his chest until she felt the strong, steady beat of his heart. His lips moved over hers, his tongue gently teased. She arched her back and wrapped her arms around his neck. One last touch, a final taste, then she could bear to let him go.
His hands slipped up under her tunic, gliding over her skin with frantic speed. She tangled her fingers in his hair, grinding her pelvis against his erection. Their tongues thrust, mimicking the rhythm their bodies craved. He cupped her breast and pulled her up onto her toes, aligning their bodies more exactly.
She bent her leg and wrapped her calf around his thigh, wanting him inside her, desperate for the fullness of their joining. His other hand found her bottom and rocked her against him. She moaned into his open mouth, wanting him, needing him.
Heat erupted in her mind, a dazzling shower of blistering sparks. Shocked by the unexpected meld, she tried to twist away. He clutched her to him, his mouth firm and demanding. Faster, wider, the energy current expanded, inundating her senses as well as her mind. Information swelled with pleasure. Images infused with power.
She sagged in his embrace, trembling and confused. Her head throbbed, protesting the unyielding saturation. He couldn’t expect her to… Why was he…
“Remember.” His whispered appeal followed her into the darkness.
Royal Obsession (Shadow Assassins 1) Page 21
