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She took off once more, running down the narrow, dangerously high Rise while wearing…slippers. She was mad.

Swallowing a laugh, I launched myself onto the ledge, picking up speed. I was nothing more than a shadow as I passed her from above. I jumped off the ledge, landing in a crouch before her.

She jerked, her feet sliding out from under her. She went down on her hip, and I almost felt bad.

Except she’d thrown a dagger at my face.

“Now that really wasn’t nice at all.” I rose as her head jerked to the ledge. “I’m aware that my hair is in need of a trim, but your aim is off. You should really work on that since I’m quite partial to my face.”

I walked up to her and saw she’d gone completely still, and I should’ve known better. I really should have. But a part of my mind hadn’t caught up to what I was seeing yet. What I was learning. And the other half was still enthralled by her actions—by the fire in her.

She kicked out, hitting my lower leg. I grunted at the dull flare of pain as she jumped to her feet, whirling to her right. I went to block her, but the damn vixen darted to the left, playing me like a novice.

And I felt like one just then.

I cut off that path, too.

She wasn’t happy about it. Clearly. Because she spun, kicking out from the folds of her cloak—

Catching her ankle, I held on as the sides of the cloak parted, revealing her bare leg from the knee down. I raised a brow at her. “Scandalous.”

She growled.

The Maiden actually growled at me.

A laugh burst free—one I couldn’t even hope to stop. “And such dainty little slippers. Satin and silk?” I said. “They’re as finely tailored as your leg. The kind of slipper no guard of the Rise would wear.”

She pulled at my hold.

“Unless they are being outfitted differently than I am.” I dropped her ankle, but I was a quick learner. I caught her arm, yanking her against my chest, leaving no room for her to kick. That was my plan.

Except her scent, all that sweetness, surrounded me, and I felt her body against every part of mine that wasn’t covered by leather and iron. There wasn’t an inch separating us, and the last time I had been this close to such a soft body was…

Damn, it was when I was with her.

A pulse of arousal throbbed through me as I stared at her hooded face, so sudden and intense that I dragged in a breath—

Her scent thickened around me, turning even sweeter, which was really, really intriguing.

My head dipped as I lifted my other arm. “You know what I think—?” The warm press of a blade against my throat stopped me.

The Maiden had a knife at my throat.

That damn wolven-bone dagger.

I’d forgotten she had that.

Anger sparked because this was taking things a bit too far, in my honest opinion. It was all fun and games until a blade was at—

A prick of pain stunned me. Not so much because it hurt. It barely did. And not because it silenced my mind. The pain did nothing this time. It was the shock.

She’d drawn blood.

My blood.

Anger faded with the shock as I stared, amusement rising in their places, along with something else. Something far stronger. Lust. Pure, hard, and hot lust. And good gods, I knew that said some fucked-up shit about me. But it wasn’t the pain that got me rock-hard in an instant. Pain never did that for me.

It was her boldness.

Her bravery.

Her skill.

Her utter recklessness and the fire that burned so bright in her.

And I never wanted someone more than I wanted her. Right here.

Dear gods, if she were anyone else, I would act on the arousal I’d picked up from her. I’d have her against the wall and my cock in her so fast, so hard, both our heads would spin. But she wasn’t anyone else.

“Correction,” I said, another laugh leaving me as the blood trickled down my neck. “You’re an absolutely stunning murderous little creature.” I glanced down at the dagger, no longer humoring her by allowing her to think I didn’t recognize her. “Nice weapon. Bloodstone and wolven bone. Very interesting…” I paused. “Princess.”

Shock went through her like a wave. She jerked the blade back.

I caught her wrist. “You and I have so much to talk about.”

“We have nothing to talk about,” she snapped.

A surge of savage satisfaction went through me. “She speaks! I thought you liked to talk, Princess. Or is that only when you’re at the Red Pearl?”

She went quiet once more.

“You’re not going to pretend that you have no idea what I’m talking about, are you? That you’re not her?”

She pulled at my arm. “Let me go.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” I turned sharply, pinning her against the wall before she decided to use her free arm against me. I leaned in, all up in her space. “After all we shared? You throw a dagger at my face?”