“Where are you taking me?”
As I asked the question, we arrived at the steps of the home I’d just walked away from. He opened the door and walked me inside. “Stay inside.”
“Aren’t I supposed to learn how to fight them?” I demanded.
“Yes, but right now there is nothing for you to fight and your injuries will only hinder you.”
“I’m feeling better,” I protested instantly.
Turning me toward him, he grabbed both of my arms as he held me before him. Despite my irritation with him, I swore even the cells of my body flooded toward his hands, craving more of a connection to him.
“Stay inside tonight,” he commanded.
Before I could reply, he turned and walked out the door. I stared at his back as he descended the stairs and strode into the street. He stopped at the young man I’d been talking to before, said something, and pointed at the house. The young soldier hurried toward me while more wails resonated through the night and caused the glass in the windows to rattle.
The man climbed the porch steps and grasped the knob of the still-open door. “You should probably lock this, miss,” he told me before he closed it.
I stood and stared at the door for a minute before walking forward and turning the lock into place. I tiredly climbed the stairs and entered my room. Drawn to the window, I rested my fingers against the glass as I stared out at the night. The wails continued to resound throughout the town. On the hill with the tents, a fire blazed to life, its flames leaping into the air to illuminate the night.
I spotted Kobal with the demons on the hill. They lined up together, facing over the top of the hill to look out at the nothingness beyond. I wondered what they saw out there. My gaze traveled to the wall. I wasn’t surprised to see more troops than usual patrolling the top of it.
Feeling eyes on me, I turned my attention back to the hillside. An ache spread through my belly and deep within me when I found Kobal’s hungry gaze riveted on me. The glow of the flames danced over his striking face and those intricate tattoos as he watched me. I’d never seen his emotions so clearly before, never seen him look so stark and ravenous, forme.
Wetness spread between my legs, and I was unable to stop myself from swaying toward the window, a motion that caused him to take a step toward me. The temptation to stroke my breasts, to slip my hand down my pants and ease the growing need between my thighs while he watched hit me.
What would he do if I did?My heart hammered so loudly the noise of it drowned out the wails.
Unable to resist the aching, heaviness of my breasts, I slid my hand leisurely up over my belly and brushed it against the bottom of my breast. His eyes fastened on me; I didn’t have to be near him to know he stopped breathing as he watched me. An overwhelming sense of power made me braver as I slid my hand further up and brushed my thumb over my sensitive nipple. My need for him made me forget all about the creatures stalking the night outside of this town.
I swayed toward the window again when his hands fisted and the muscles in his corded arms vibrated. His gaze remained locked on my hand as he watched my every move. I’d never experienced anything like this before, never felt so out of control. I’d explored my body before, when the yearnings of it had awoken me in the night and I’d sought some release, but never had it felt this erotic and sensual before, and it was all because ofhim.
I couldn’t move away from the window as I slid my hand across to knead my other breast.
Bale stepped before Kobal, pointing toward something beyond the hill. His eyes remained on me until she grabbed his arm. The look that crossed his face caused Bale to take a step back from him.
With his eyes drawn away from me, and the strange spell between us broken, I retreated swiftly from the window. My cheeks burned with the realization of what I’d just done, but his gaze had been an erotic spell I’d been helpless to resist.
My body ached with need when I stripped and crawled into bed. With the hungry look on his face emblazoned in my mind, I ran my hand down my stomach and slipped it between my legs to ease some of my sexual tension. I knew it wouldn’t be enough, nothing less than Kobal himself would ever be enough.
***
Kobal
As soon as Bale moved away from me, I looked back to River’s window. My lips curled back in frustration when I realized she was gone. I took one step toward the house before I froze. I could go get her right now, and she wouldn’t put up a fight, not after her little display at the window.
However, I could not throw everything away for sex, even if that sex was with the most unusual mortal I’d ever encountered who now had me harder than I’d ever been in my life. I could still picture her at the window, her hands sliding over her belly and breast. The image caused my dick to strain so forcefully against my pants that I worried for my button.
My fangs tingled, but this time it was not from rage over being interrupted. Now, I hungered to run them over her flesh while she moaned and writhed beneath me. I knew she was up there now, running her hands over herself, easing her longing for me without letting me play a part in it.
Instead of going to her, like we both wanted, I turned away and stalked toward my tent. Ignoring the startled looks I received, I flung open the flap of the tent and stalked inside. I could go to the fire, someone would be there who could ease this throbbing tension from my cock, but none of them would be good enough. None of them would beher.
I tore my pants from my body to release the pressure against my erection. The need for release was so intense that I knew I wasn’t going to make it to my bed. Wrapping my hand around my shaft, I groaned as images of River touching her breast pummeled my mind. Jerking off was not something I did often; I’d never needed to as I’d always sought my sexual release with another when I required it.
Now I had a feeling my hand and I were going to become well acquainted with each other before I was able to either free myself from thoughts of River or bury myself in her delectable body. The only problem was I didn’t want to be free of her, so that left only one other option. As I continued to stroke myself to images of her, I knew it was only a matter of time before I went against what I knew was best and brought her into my bed.
CHAPTER 19
River
