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“And next time, I’m going to make sure you stay down.” My skin was hot, slick against hers and she raised her head, a moan leaving her lips.

“Is that so?” Her hips rolled underneath me, pressing her ass against my throbbing cock.

“Mmmm, and you’d enjoy it, princess.” My tongue traced the length of her delicate ear and she shivered.

I jolted awake, the feeling of sweat and naked skin so overwhelming that I reached around me in the bed to make sure I was, in fact, still alone. My chest pounded with the exertion of breathing.Fuck, Fuck. Why the fuck am I dreaming about this bitch?

I was painfully hard and with a frustrated grunt I threw back the covers. I stalked across the moonlit chamber to the basin, plunging my hands into it, and splashing cool water over my face. I wouldn’t have been surprised if steam had risen from my skin. I felt like my entire body was on fire. My chest ached in a strange way and I rubbed a hand across it. There was a warmth there, low and humming. I shook my shoulders, willing it to stop.

Fucking bitch.

When Theron had told me he’d retrieved the Peyrusian Princess from the battlefield, I’d hoped he’d just have her killed. What good was she to any of us? A stupid, weak, useless Fae. Her father had been a coward, and his daughter was just like him.

But no, Theron had kept her alive. And not only was I being forced to train with her, now I was having fuckingdreamsabout her.

The feeling of her skin and the smell of her sweat remained on me like a curse. The dawn was only just breaking over the mountains, the barest hint of purple coloring the night sky. I was still hard and for a moment I considered fucking my fist to relieve the tension that held my whole body in its web. But not to her, not to the thought of her body underneath me, that perfect ass -

FUCK.I raked my hands through my hair. She’d cast a spell on me. That had to be it. She was invading my dreams.

I pulled on a pair of black pants and tied my hair back. I needed to move. I needed to run. I needed to wear my body out so I wouldn’t dream of her. I slammed my fist against the door to my chamber twice and after a moment a guard opened it.

“I need to train,” I told him.

He rolled his eyes. “It’s barely morning, Norahi. Go back to sleep.”

“I said I need to train.” I leaned on the door frame, towering over him. “Now, get out of my way.”

The guard considered protesting for a moment, his lips pulled into a taut, white line. With a jerk of his head he gestured for me to leave the chamber. I walked out onto the cold stones, my feet bare. I moved down the passageway towards the heavy oak door and tore it open before the guard could even move in its direction.

The sky had lightened a little more, and I took a deep breath of the fresh morning air. The day would be hot, but now it was temperate. I stepped onto the dewy grass, flexing my toes before I broke into a run. I dashed the length of the palace wall before turning the corner and crossing the open green. The gardens passed me in a blur, the air rushing past my ears mingling with the sounds of the birds’ early morning calls.

The palace grounds were too small. I ran the length of the grey stone walls four times over, desperate for an open space. For sand under my feet. For salt water…

I came to a stop when my lungs began to scream at me, the muscles in my legs burning. I threw my head back, my shoulders heaving. The lust and desire that had chased me from sleep had abated somewhat. But that warmth in my chest remained, clawing at my collarbone and winding around my ribcage. Not unpleasant, but foreign enough to bother me.

What the fuck was wrong with me?

I wondered if she’d be brave enough to face me again. The day before she'd surprised me with her grit, the punch she’d thrown at me catching me off guard. She wasn’t strong, but shewasdetermined, and indeed filled with rage. But rage was volatile, and made her an easy target. She would need to learn to harness it before she -

I broke that train of thought instantly. I didn’twanther to become a better fighter, and I sure as fuck didn’t want to spend my time babysitting a fucking Fae princess. Fucking Theron. Pushing her on to me like some kind of sick joke.

No, if she returned to face me, I’d make sure she didn’t get up again.

* * *

To my combined relief and irritation, Elara didn’t show up in the training arena that day. Irritation because I’d wanted the chance to kick her ass permanently and relief because… well, I didn’t know that dreaming about her moaning underneath me wouldn’t make seeing her rather uncomfortable.

Gods, I fucking hated this.

I’d trained with my ax until my shoulders ached and my body was drenched in sweat. I was determined to push my body to the point of exhaustion, hoping that with enough exertion my sleep would be dreamless.

I dragged myself back to my chambers as the sun went down and pushed the door closed behind me. In the semi-darkness, I drew myself a bath to wash off the sweat, dust and filth. I lay my head back against the edge of the tub and closed my eyes. That odd thrumming sensation in my chest shifted a little, spreading across my body. I was too tired to fight it. I drifted away on it, letting my mind wander as the steam rose around me.

“Is that good?” Her blue eyes gazed up at me as her hand pumped up and down my length.

I gasped. “Fuck. Yes.”

She moaned as I pushed my cock down her throat, and my hands threaded through her hair.