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Raziel tightened his grip, then pulled me toward the Keep. I dug in my heels. “We can’t go back there, Raz, someone will see.” I hissed.
“No one will see.” He changed direction, heading toward a tiny lean-to propped against the Keep’s outer wall. Raz led me into the small, cramped room, closed the door, then lit the candle in the window, the wick nearly gone. “There. The others will keep their distance.”
“That’s…good.” I ran my finger over the end of the battered table, the only piece of furniture in here.
Now that we were here, I had the worst kind of second thoughts, even though an arranged marriage or something equally doomed waited for me if I left my fate in the king’s hands.
Choosing Raz to be my first lover was my choice.Mine.
Besides…just look at him.
Raziel was sinfully gorgeous, powerful, slightly terrifying. And his face…
Even with the still-healing scars, he was impossibly handsome. Strong, square jaw, full lips, penetrating liquid brown eyes, his body sculpted like the marble statues in the Ravenshade gardens, except Raziel was real.
And right in front of me.
Once I came into my power, I could cut that collar off his neck. Just like I enjoyed the idea of having power, I very much enjoyed the idea of Raziel being free.
“Keep staring at me like that and this won’t last long.”
“I’ve seen the act before. Trust me, it never lasts long.”
For a second, he looked shocked, then laughter burst out of him, like he’d forgotten how to make that sound. “By the gods, you’re something. How often did you get beat for that mouth?”
“All the time.” My lips curved up into a smile. “The Mistress always caught my innuendoes, no matter how subtle I was.”
“The others think you were a Descendant. Raised in the lap of luxury, educated, the whole bit. But the moment I saw you, I knew better.” His gaze hardened. “I recognized what you were, Anaria. We slaves know each other, don’t we?” He asked softly.
“We do.”
The sad, bitter smile we shared said more than words, and right then and there, I made myself a promise. Iwouldget that slave collar off of him. I would set Raziel free, no matter the cost.
He reached out and ran his finger slowly down the front of my uniform. “The king named you as kin in front of his entire court today, claimed you as his daughter. You took a chance coming here tonight.”
I shrugged, my eyes never leaving his as I unbuttoned the first button of my dress. “No one takes a second look at a slave girl in a servant’s uniform.”
Raz nodded, but raw emotion shone in his eyes and his voice was rough when he answered.
“No, they don’t.”
34
ANARIA
Raziel’s eyes never left me as I hopped up on the battered table and unbuttoned the top of the uniform, pulled my skirt up over my thighs before I totally lost my nerve.
Anticipation became a low, constant hum in my belly when Raziel’s eyes darkened to midnight black. “You’re beautiful.” The words were simple. The effect they had on me—devastating.
My skin tightened, wetness bloomed between my legs, a sudden rush of weakness stole my breath away. I succumbed to this heady, euphoric sensation, as if something momentous loomed on the horizon, and I couldn’t get there fast enough.
I couldn’t stop staring at Raz’s body, the divots and bulges, shining beneath a layer of dripping sweat, his shirt still crushed in his fist, as if he needed something to hang onto right now.
Like I was hanging onto the edge of the table.
“I want this to last.” Raz murmured, his gaze sharpening as I flicked another button open. “And I sure as fuck don’t want it to be out here.”
“Yet here we are.” I undid the final button, and the dress fell apart, barely covering my nipples. Then he was right in front of me, his scent invading my senses, his ridiculously muscled abdomen flexing when he tossed the shirt away.
