Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 111898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
“Rathbone might change his mind, he might not,” Azar stated. “I’ve been told trouble is soon to brew between the king and his oracle.”
“Thanks for the information.” Lore tilted her head, frowning with the barest hint of confusion. “But why tell me, thereby aiding my cause rather than your own?”
“I want you to know I will defeat you no matter the odds stacked against me. The moment you are tangible, I will strike, ending you for good.”
She rolled her eyes. “Sorry, Astra, but I’ll just revive yet again, thanks to the Song of Life. You won’t be winning this.”
He said nothing else. Because he understood what had to be done to end her permanently. And he would be doing it.
“By the way. I’ve decided on my boon.” Simpering at him, she twirled a strand of dark hair around her finger. “After you bring me to life, but before the ceremony ends, you’re going to kiss me—and mean it. I expect tongue, teeth, and heavy groping. Don’t disappoint me, doll.” With that, she vanished.
He bit back a bellow to demand her immediate return. Good thing. Roc appeared in his bedroom, his customary scowl more pronounced than usual.
The Commander got straight to business. “We have captured the oracle, Neeka. She refuses to speak with anyone but you, and Taliyah refuses to let us rectify the situation with our customary methods. Therefore, you will question her. But I do not want the goddess’s bone anywhere near her.” He held out his hand, expectant. “I will take it for safekeeping.”
22
What have I done? The question rolled through Neeka’s mind as she sat in a dingy dungeon, waiting for Rathbone. Although, honestly, the answer seemed pretty apparent. She’d fallen into like with her Scarlet Thunder, taking a terrible situation and making it worse. A new specialty of hers.
Her reflection had nailed it. He was a bad bet, but she’d fallen anyway. She missed hearing his voice in her head. Missed him. Her feelings were engaged now, and that sucked on every level. She didn’t even care that he was going to destroy her old life as soon as they had sex.
Bring it on. Some things needed torching.
See? Worse. He couldn’t be her everything. No one could.
With a heavy sigh, she kicked out her legs and leaned against a bloodstained rock wall. The chains around her wrists and ankles rattled. Her cell’s lone source of light came from a torch hanging outside the bars. It served as the sole source of warmth, too. Meaning, no warmth at all.
She hated being chilled. Or maybe the frigid temperature wasn’t the problem. She’d been cold before with zero complaints. Neeka had a sinking suspicion her newfound disdain stemmed from being outside the heat radius of her partner.
Ugh. She was a fool, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Kissing Rathbone? Loving the feel of his fingers inside her? Intending to do more? Practically begging for it before she did what the mission demanded and convinced him to drink the elixir? Oh, yeah. A straight-up fool. Add in a growing possessiveness and a need to protect him, even from herself, and she’d dug herself a hole from which she couldn’t escape.
He’d never forgive her for her secrets, no matter how altruistic her intentions. If he couldn’t forgive Lore, a goddess of desire he’d spent centuries chasing, what hope did the Unwanted have?
Neeka tossed a pebble across the concrete and dirt. Of course, this was always meant to be her fate. The gal tossed aside for whatever reason, left aching for what could have been.
She absolutely, positively could not kiss the King of Agonies a third time. Or a fourth. Especially not a fifth. Not until she’d explained the truth.
The moment had come. He was ready.
But was she?
He’d claimed he desired something long-term with her. But what was long-term to him? Did he still hope to keep Lore, too?
If only Neeka didn’t admire him. And why, why, why did his every kiss and touch have to set her aflame? Why had she allowed Taliyah to fill her head with thoughts of accepting a consort? Here, now, Neeka could think of little else. Because the odds now skewed in Rathbone’s favor.
Perhaps she’d take the General’s advice and drink someone’s blood. Just a few swallows. If she vomited, she’d prove Rathbone was hers. If not, she could stop weaving dreams of a happily-ever-after in a secret part of her soul.
A hard truth was better than soft ignorance, yes?
Roc appeared in the center of the cell, and Neeka quickly wiped thoughts of kisses and consorts from her mind. He offered her a smug smile, his dark eyes glittering with triumph. For a moment she kind of understood what her friend saw in the guy. Sexy! Except, this wasn’t Roc but Rathbone. Big Red had shifted into the Commander, after she’d given him blood and busied the real one by turning herself in. Of course, the first thing real Roc had done was pin her wings, negating her immortal strength.