You just did, he replied.
Har-har.
Ask.
She...forgot what she'd planned to say. So, she went with the one she'd wondered about for weeks: Why can't Adrian touch a female?
Why do you care? This time, there was a bit of bite to his tone.
Curiosity only.
Then I will assuage it. He killed his last two lovers.
Oh. Talk about a bummer.
Quite.
So...why did he kill? How?
He's too strong. An accidental mauling.
Both times?
"Elin," Bellorie said, her tone odd. "You must listen to me."
"Not yet," she muttered. Things were about to get interesting.
"Now."
Hold on, she said to Thane, finally remembering what she'd wanted to talk to him about. But don't go away because I have a very important revelation about your penis.
At first, he offered no response. Then he rasped, I'm still aching, kulta. Are you going to do something about it?
Yes! But all she said was Time will tell.
Tease.
I'm not sure how it happened, but, yes.
Another pause before he said, I like it.
Denying the urge to twirl Sound-of-Music-style, Elin blinked open her eyes and faced her friend.
Bellorie's expression registered, and she frowned. The girl looked...off. Relaxed, yes, but also emotionless as she waved to the male standing beside her. He was tall and wide, stacked with muscle, and, okay, he was quite handsome. But thousands of tiny snakes slithered from his scalp, like living strands of hair, and that was a...mild deterrent.
"You must dance with him," Bellorie finished.
Elin, Thane said, exasperated, and she jolted.
She extended her index finger to Bellorie and the male. "One sec."
Question, she said to Thane. What kind of creature has snakes for hair?
A gorgon.
Oh, that's right. Momma told me. But aren't all gorgons female?
Mostly. But every century, a new male is born. He becomes king. Why?
Well, I believe I'm looking at this year's contender for the crown.
You will walk away from him, Thane said, his voice now flat. Immediately.
Why? Her mother had told her...what? That male gorgons wielded some sort of special power? Yes! That was it. But what power? Something about...hypnosis?
"Elin," Bellorie said again. "You must dance with him."
Yup, definitely hypnosis. Her friend was in a daze, and as Elin met the gorgon's gaze, intending to tell him to take a hike, her mind shut down.
"Female. Dance. Now," he said, his voice low, quiet. Formidable in a way that left her defenseless.
Defenseless? No. Not me. Not anymore. But she couldn't look away from him, couldn't think of anything but him...and his arms wrapped around her. His eyes were golden, with striations of emerald. They were beautiful eyes. Freaky eyes. His pupils were nothing more than a thin black line that stretched from the top of his irises to the bottom.
And the snakes... They were currently focused on her, peering through her skin and muscle and into her soul.
She--
Would dance. Yes, she thought, as every muscle in her body went lax. That was an amazing idea.
The male led her out to the dance floor. Stalwart arms wrapped around her, just as she'd imagined, holding her close, guiding her into a sensual sway. The scent of sandalwood wafted to her nostrils. It was nice, but...wrong.
All of this was wrong.
"Kiss me," the gorgon commanded.
"No, I--"
"You will kiss me." He and his snakes stared at her.
No, she said again. Or tried to. She couldn't work the denial past her lips.
His mouth pressed into hers, and she stiffened. He lifted his head to peer at her again. "You will like it."
When he came down for another peck, she somehow found the strength to turn away. She wasn't attracted to this man. Was she?
The music stopped abruptly. Laughter and chatter died. Silence reigned. As the crowd quickly parted, the gorgon straightened, widening the distance between them. He and his creepy snakes at last looked away, and Elin jolted into awareness, her mind suddenly whirling with a single question.
What. The. Crap?
Thane strode through the center of the crowd, and her knees almost buckled with relief--and instant, undeniable arousal. The male was a fantasy made flesh, and every desire she'd ever experienced for him came rushing back. Kiss. Taste. Touch.
Devour.
But he zeroed in on the gorgon, a murderous rage pulsing from him. When the two males were mere inches apart, Thane didn't bother with words. He tugged Elin behind him and punched Gorgodude in the grille.
She gasped at the sheer display of violence, but she wasn't horrified. She was, well, kind of turned on.
The creature fell to the floor, and Thane jumped on him, straddling his shoulders and pinning him down.
Then Thane went jackhammer, whaling, throwing one savage punch after another.
The gorgon never managed to engage a counterattack. Or a defense. Thane beat at him until he passed out.
"Thane," Elin said, surprised at the huskiness of her voice. A voice that somehow penetrated his rage. "Forget him. Concentrate on me. I need you."
He stopped abruptly, stood, and rounded on her.
Sweet mercy. His expression was pure aggression. He crossed his arms over his chest, an aggressive move. He braced his legs apart, an aggressive stance. But at least the blood on his skin and robe disappeared.
"You need me?" His tone was more than aggressive. It was hedonistic. Practically an invitation. One she accepted.
Elin launched into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist.
"You're a barbarian. Let's make out," she said. And maybe her new nickname should be Octopussy, because her hands were everywhere, all over his wings, stroking the feathers, sifting through the ultrasoft down. "You just stand there and look pretty, and I'll do the bulk of the work."
"Uh, Elin," Bellorie said, coming up beside her. "You might want to zip your lips. Your mouth is making promises your body won't want you to keep."
"What did she drink?" Thane asked, his lips quirked at the corners.
"Legspreader," she and Bellorie answered in unison.
His gaze had never left her and now gobbled her up. "You're never drinking that again, unless you're with me."
"Because it makes me handsy?" she asked, leaning closer to nibble on his earlobe.
"And bossy. But I like this side of you. I like all sides of you."
My man is sweet. "Even the Phoenix side?"
He tensed.
Answer: no. Won't let myself be hurt over that. Baby steps.
He kissed the shell of her ear and whispered, "I believe there's something you wanted to tell me about my penis."
Lost in a world where only Thane existed, she admitted, "Well, I've thought about it a lot today." She toyed with the ends of his hair. "I saw it while we were at camp together, and I felt it while we were in the tub, and it's so big, and it's pierced, and I want to flick my tongue over the piercing, and you practically promised me I could and you never lie and, oh, I'm boning this up again, aren't I?"
"You're certainly boning me up," he muttered. "Let's go home."
He darted into the air, and the bottom dropped out of her stomach. He soared through the building--through it!--then the sky, with her clutched tightly to his chest. Stars glowed brightly, winking from the sea of black velvet. And the moon... The perfect strobe light for a worldwide party.
"Gorgeous," she said.
"Yes. But I want you to look at me," he commanded, and she was helpless to obey. "A human could die after sixteen Legspreaders. Do not drink so much ever again."
As strands of her hair slapped at her, she rubbed her nose against his. "Guess my other half came in handy today, huh?"
He glared at her.
"Fine, wha
tever. I won't drink so much ever again."
He nuzzled her neck, drawing a groan from deep in her throat. "Good girl."
Her eyes closed as she savored the sensations. "Mmm, that feels amazing."
"My lips, or will anyone's do tonight?"
"Yours. Only yours. How many times do I have to tell you?"
"As many as it takes." He sucked on the wild thump of her pulse, and a lance of nearly unbearable pleasure shot through her. "Gorgons can hypnotize with a glance. Never again look one in the eye."
Took her a moment to look past her desire and concentrate on his words. "But you did. You looked him in the eye."
"My mind isn't...right."
"What do you mean?"
He sighed. "You said it yourself. It's full of weeds. Not as many as before, but some are still there. After Kendra..."
"Oh...oh, Thane."
"I'm more guarded than ever, which means it will be difficult for anyone to hypnotize me. But somehow," he added softly, "you have managed it."
She cupped his jaw and forced him to meet her gaze. "Another romantic proclamation. What am I going to do with you, baby cakes?"
"I know what I would like you to do," he muttered.
"Does it involve rolling around naked?"
"Several times. But, Elin? In the spirit of honesty, I have to warn you. I'm not romantic."
"Are you kidding? Multiple times you've sent me books and flowers and chocolates. And your note! Do you remember your note? I almost died from romantic-overload when I read it."
He looked boyish and shy as he asked, "So romantic-overload is a good thing?"
Her heart clenched. "Very. It's like a Valentine's Day parade in my heart."
He straightened out, keeping her snuggled against him. "We're here." A second later, he came to rest on the roof of the Downfall so gently there was barely a jolt.
"To your room!" she commanded.
He moved forward at a swift pace, bypassing the vampires and double doors. The hallway seemed to stretch for miles, but he finally entered the suite...and the barren room he'd taken her to last time.
She pouted. "Why do you keep bringing me here? Why aren't I good enough for the fancy hobag room?"
"Good enough?" He tenderly placed her on the mattress. "Elin, that room isn't good enough for you. This one is mine, and I have never shared it with another."
"Oh." He'd just given her the best. Response. Ever. "I'm special, then?"
"Beyond." He settled beside her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You arouse me, amuse me, anger me, frustrate me, challenge me, and did I mention you arouse me?"
She almost melted. Almost. "But can I satisfy you?" she asked, putting the rest of her fears out there. "What do you do to them, your lovers? Besides chain them up and, I'm guessing, spank."
A blank mask covered his features. "Be specific with your questions."
"Do you hit?"
"Did I. Yes. Sometimes."
"And that arouses you?"
"Aroused. Past tense. I think it eased something in me, and that aroused me."
"But you could have hit other men instead. Like you did with the gorgon."
"Yes. I'm a skilled fighter, and I enjoy that, too, but it comes with a different kind of satisfaction. A muted version, like tasting a cake--that someone other than you baked--instead of eating the entire thing. More than that, it can get me into trouble. My opponents tend to...die."
Oh. "Yes. That's best to avoid. So...will you get into trouble for the gorgon?"
"No. He'll survive. Barely."
Good. But back to what she really wanted to know. "Did you maim them?"
Strain pulled his body taut, making her think of a rubber band ready to snap. "Nothing permanent," he admitted quietly.
So, yes. He had. But because they were immortals, they'd healed. "Forgive my curiosity. I'm just having a hard time understanding the pleasure in pain." When Elin had been looking for a bang-and-bail candidate, and she'd considered letting Thane hurt her, she hadn't actually expected to feel pleasure. "Especially when it springs from an angry pain."
"I wasn't angry when I did it."
"I disagree. I think you did it because you were seething with anger over something."
He frowned.
"But we don't have to discuss that now," she rushed to say. "I'm more interested in whether or not your desires have changed again. Do you now want to hurt me?"
His relief was palpable, his determination so strong it vibrated from him. "No."
"Do you want to chain me?"
"No."
"But not too long ago, you wanted to do those things to the siren."
Guilt replaced the relief in his eyes. "I brought this on myself. I really did. The past is colliding with the present, trying to make a mess of my future." He breathed in, out. "She was a last-ditch effort to forget you, and I'm so sorry I took things so far. But I swear to you, I didn't want her, and nothing like that will ever happen again. You are the only woman I desire."
If he doesn't stop, I'm going to do more than fall under his enchantment. Feeling suddenly bashful, she fiddled with the collar of his robe. "Then what do you want to do with me?"
"Tomorrow, I'll show you," he said, husky promise in his voice.
She tried to pull him down for a kiss. "Show me now, too."
He resisted, gently breaking her hold. "No, kulta. Not now."
But...why not? To leave her hungry, the way she'd left him? "We only have a limited time together, and I want us to make the most of every second of it."
He went still, not even seeming to breathe. "Limited time?"
"Yeah. You're getting me an ID, remember, and I'm going to go back to the human world, where I'll have a semi-human life. I've even got new goals! I've abandoned my bakery plan, because let's be serious, that was never going to work, and now plan to help others, halflings just like me. No one will ever be unwanted again." It was going to be legend--wait for it--dary.
So, why is a sense of depression settling over my shoulders?
It wasn't. That was an alcohol-soaked imagination only.
"You won't consider staying with me?" he asked quietly.
"No, but I'll consider stripping you," she replied, trying again to pull him on top of her.
Though his electric blues glowed with an odd mix of anger and yearning, he once again resisted. "You need to rest, kulta."
The sense of depression took root and grew. If he desired her even half as much as she desired him, he would be inside her right now. "Thane."
"I won't take you like this. Sleep, Elin," he commanded--and walked away, leaving her alone.
CHAPTER TWENTY
ELIN SAT UP with a jolt. Disoriented, she scanned her surroundings. Spacious bedroom, barren walls. A window with bright morning light slanting through. Very little furniture. A bed--empty, except for her.
Thane's room. One he'd never shared with another female. And apparently hadn't actually shared with her. Where was he?
Memories of her drunken behavior came back in a rush, and she groaned, burying her head in her hands. She'd asked Thane to be her lover, and he'd agreed. Hadn't he? But then, he'd left her, saying he refused to take her, anger clearly riding him.
Did he still want her?
Maybe not. Did she still want him?
She pictured his smoldering eyes and his wicked smile. Those glorious wings. Those smoking-hot abs. The jumbotron.
And she didn't have to rack her brain for his other admirable attributes. Strength. Sweetness that seemed to be reserved for her, and her alone. Intelligence. Resourcefulness. Protective instincts. A vulnerability he tried to hide but couldn't. A fierce savagery both on and off the battlefield.
So, did she really need to think about it? No.
Elin still wanted Thane. Badly.
Determined to find him, she threw her legs over the mattress and stood. Steadiness wasn't a problem. Not once, in all of her years, had she ever experienced a hangover. No matter how muc
h she'd drunk. Besides a slight twinge in her temples, she was fine today, too. She padded to the bathroom, where she planned to wash away last night's funk, and stripped. Thane must have anticipated her needs because he'd left a toothbrush, soaps, and toiletries, as well as clean clothing he must have taken from her room.
Had he personally picked the items or had he sent someone else to do it?
After a quick shower and blow-dry, she tugged on the clothes. A white T-shirt, paired with hip-hugging jeans and a matching bra-and-panty set. In red, with peekaboo lace. Well, she now had the answer to her question. Thane had picked. The bright color of the bra showed through the shirt, something a man wouldn't have considered. Or maybe he'd chosen accordingly, for that exact reason.
"Why did you dress?"
The smoky voice came from behind her. Blood heating, she whipped around. Her heart almost stopped. Thane stood in the doorway, a tower of beauty and menace-- Wait, menace? Yes, she realized. A fire blazed in his eyes, evidence of a ruffled temper.
She wasn't afraid.
His beautiful white-and-gold wings were tucked into his back, a glimmering robe draping his muscled frame. His blond curls stuck out in spikes, as if he'd plowed his hands through again and again.
"You..." she said, tremors of desire laying siege to her. "The outfit was--"
"For later. After."
Her heart sped into a too-fast beat. "But you refused me last night."
"You were drunk, and that's not the way I want you. Strip," he ordered softly.
Sweet fancy. He wasn't worked into a temper. He seethed with sexual need.
But...but...this was happening now? "I," she began, unsure what she planned to say.
Apparently that was enough. He stalked toward her, every inch the predator. For once, she was happy to be the prey. His mouth crashed against hers, his tongue thrusting inside with a savage intensity that took her from simmer to boil in a single heartbeat.
Her mind tried to play catch-up with her body. Yes, this was happening. No, they weren't going to stop this time. They were going all the way. It was going to be wild, earthy, and animalistic.
"I told you I wouldn't hurt you, and I won't." He nipped his way to her neck, his breath warm and his tongue hot. "But I can't give you gentle, Elin. Not this time. I'm too desperate. I've waited too long. For weeks I've thought about how I'll take you, how you'll feel and look and sound. And last night was the worst. Or the best. I need to be inside you." As he spoke, he walked forward, urging her backward until she hit the bathroom wall.
Brick behind her, a mountain of muscle in front.
"I don't want gentle." She wound her arms around him, her fingers tangling in his hair. "I just want you."