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The words died when a body forced hers backward, trapping her against the sheen she had made. The patient humor left his face as he stared her down, his gaze hard.
“No. I refuse.”
His voice was just as hard. Instinct told her to take a deep breath and handle this with diplomacy and finesse.
“Klaus, perhaps—”
“I said I refuse.”
Logic flew out the window and she met that hardness with ice.
“You refuse?” she bit out.
“You heard me the first time. And the second time.”
She glared. So did he. Short of using her magic, she tried to push him off, but the man was an immovable rock.
“Are you always this demanding to your guests?” she hissed.
“Sometimes you don’t feel like a guest.” A pause. “You’re more like a gnat who flies around constantly and gets in everyone’s business.”
An enraged protest slid off her throat at the insult and she moved again. But she got nowhere when his hands took hers and flattened them behind her, palms facing away—just as immovable. The next second, the light winked out as his wings surged forward and encompassed them in a cocoon, cutting them off from the rest of the world.
She was used to the darkness, used to traps. But being enclosed with him had her nerves rising until she was quaking from it. When he felt it, he swore ripely and drew back his wings.
“Sapphire—”
Sapphire pushed him as hard as she could, lightening him like she did the table and taking him on a roll until he was the one flattened against the sheen. It absorbed the slamming sound but not his grunt of astonishment. Before she could celebrate, she was spun with barely any effort and he was in front of her again, locking her in place. Klaus glared once more, heaving with frustration, and lowered his head.
“Before you scream bloody murder, let me get one thing straight: this is not an attack. You’re in a temper and you’re angry at me for who knows what, and I’m tired of trying to figure it out. So, I’m restraining you until you calm yourself down.”
“I’m calm,” she snapped. “Let me go.”
“Hell, no.”
She opened her mouth.
“I can see your gears turning,” he cut in. “I suggest not attempting it and hurting yourself. You don’t want to trigger the pact when you try to hurt me.”
His voice was rough, tense. His body was sizzling with it but held with so much control that she realized he was restraining himself from being…rough with her. More realizations came to light: that while he kept her locked in place, there was not an inch of pain and he was careful with his touch. Their bodies weren’t even pressed against each other. Disbelief washed over her as she studied his face, unable to come to terms with the dragon shifter’s restraint versus his reputation.
She was so tired, unable to let out even a whiff of energy even if she tried. She couldn’t waste her potions, not when she spent hours perfecting them and needed them in other fights. Sapphire’s knees threatened to shake, but she steeled them.
“I’m not going to kill you,” she said, sticking to the truth. “But I am angry.”
“Why?”
“Because you forced my sister into this. Because you won’t just let us go when we clearly don’t belong here.”
“One, I didn’t force anyone. Two, you’re the only one who doesn’t belong here and you’re free to leave anytime you want.”
“I bet you would like that.”
“Very much.” He nodded firmly. “Obviously, it’s not happening anytime soon. But again, I’m tired of this bullshit. I’m a busy man and you need some rest. Sapphire…tell me what you want.”
The quiet demand felt personal.
“I want—”
