AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I suppose I can’t wear this in front of Tyr,” I said, standing and waltzing past him, my undergarments probably completely visible beneath the robe. “Maybe he would prefer red on me.”
“Iwould prefer red on you,” Carnon said, going preternaturally still. “Itismy favorite color. What are you doing, Red?” he added warily, hands flexing a little as the rest of him stayed perfectly still.
“Hmm,” I said, pausing near the pillars that held the roof above the balcony. “I’d say it’s probablyhisfavorite color, too. I wonder if he’d worship me the same way you did once.”
Carnon’s eyes flashed. I hadn’t realized he had been restraining himself until the moment that I saw that restraint snap.
“Listen to me, Red,” he growled, prowling toward me and caging me against the marble pillar with his body. The movement caused the robe to slip open, and he stood looming over me, chest rising and falling rapidly as his gaze trailed downward. He was careful not to touch me, but the way his hands flexed again told me that he desperately wanted to.
“Tyr is a fucking piece of shit,” he rumbled, serpentine eyes flashing a bright green as his gaze came back up to my lips. “And if I find out he put his hands anywhere near you, so help me, I will be neither kind nor fair.”
“And what if I put my hands on him?” I replied, trying not to look cowed by Carnon’s enormous presence. I stood a little taller, looking at him squarely in the eye. “What is it that makes you angry,Your Majesty?” I asked, feeling my heart pounding in my chest. His presence was strangely intoxicating, and part of me ached for him to close the distance, even while my head raged at me for whatever this was. “Is it that he wants to touch me, or that I don’t wantyouto touch me?”
Carnon growled again, the sound low and deep in his chest as he brought his face so close to mine I thought he might risk the blood bargain and kiss me. His breath skated over my neck as he lowered his head, breathing me in while keeping the smallest possible distance between us. Heat flooded me and I felt dampness gather between my thighs as my dark, shadowy magic flared unexpectedly in my frustration.
Carnon’s gaze snapped back up, grinning at me wickedly, somehow always aware of exactly what I was feeling. He reached up and tugged the blossom out of my hair, holding it flat in his palm. The petals had withered and blackened, and he gave me a knowing smirk. Mama’s necklace thrummed.
“Oh, you want me to touch you, Elara,” he rumbled in a voice that made a shiver run down my arms. “I think you’re already wet and aching for me. And when you’re finally ready to admit that,” he added, the hint of his forked tongue skating past my jaw as he leaned in close to whisper in my ear, “I’m going to make you beg for it.”
Chapter 11
We arrived downstairs for dinner tense and unspeaking. Carnon had left me against the pillar to get dressed, and it took me a few long moments to settle my racing pulse and the inferno of desire he had ignited in me.
It was stupid to bait him, and tease him, but some instinctive part of mewantedhim to want me. To be jealous. What in the name of the Goddess was wrong with me?
I had chosen a blood-red dress, partly because I wanted to make Carnon angry and jealous when Tyr saw it, but also because I loved it. Red usually clashed fiercely with my hair, but this color seemed to make my coppery locks shine brighter and more golden. It was far more modest than the black dress I had worn earlier, with long flowing skirts and a deep vee in the front and the back that showed off plenty of skin, but not nearly as much as the bands of slinky black had. There were slits up the sides of this dress too—such a ridiculous demon fashion—but the skirts were full enough that they covered my legs when standing.
Once again, Mama’s necklace was on full display between my breasts, but I didn’t care so long as it made Carnon uncomfortable. The best part about the dress was that it had discrete pockets sewn cleverly above the side slits. I had slipped my crystal and a piece of chalk into them, remembering, with a pang for Vera, that a good witch is always prepared.
“You have to let me touch you, Elara,” Carnon said as we came to the doors outside yet another new room that I assumed was a dining room.
“What?” I asked, startled by this. He gave me a heated look, then raised his hand and nodded toward the scar of the blood bargain.
“To play our parts,” he clarified. “I need permission to make it look like I want you.”
I felt a sting of rejection at his words, which was ridiculous since I had said something similar to him less than an hour ago.
His eyes widened a tiny bit, as if he sensed the feeling, and he stepped closer. I stepped back, finding myself once again backed up against a damn wall. There were too many walls in this cursed place.
“Let me make one thing perfectly clear to you, Red,” he murmured, leaning in close to speak in my ear. “Idowant you. If you gave me permission, I would take you against this fucking wall right now and make you scream my name.”
A clearly insane part of my mind immediately began to imagine what he was suggesting. Grabbing onto his horns and holding tightly as he feasted on me against the wall. My heart rate kicked up again, and I heard myself breathing heavily as I tried to douse the flames erupting through my body. A strange tug pulled in my gut, making me want to lean closer and breathe in Carnon’s evergreen scent.
He smirked. “But sinceyoudon’t want that,” he continued, backing away and giving me a steely look. “I’ll have to satisfy myself with pretending.”
“No kissing,” I breathed, making him raise a brow at me. “But I give you permission to touch. Until we return to your room only.”
He offered me his hand and I took it, steeling myself for even more tense awkwardness once I entered the dining room. Carnon ran his thumb over the half moon on the back of mine before pushing through the dining room doors.
Bless Herne, even though he hated me. I had forgotten he was bringing Cerridwen, who was wearing a pretty maroon dress and was prodding an accusing finger at her mate.
“Elara,” she said, smiling brightly as she saw us enter the room hand in hand, rushing over to give me a hug. I was a little surprised, but pleased by this show of affection, and I hugged her back, relieved there would be at least one friendly face. She pulled back, glancing between me and Carnon. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Carnon said, breezing past us to join Herne at a bar that had been spread with drinks.
Cerridwen frowned, looking at me.
“I may have…” I hesitated, biting my lip to try to explain, “suggestedthat I was interested in other males touching me.” I finished.
