Page 23

Chapter 22

JUST THE TIP…

T he empire baths were a network of caverns to the south of the barracks, filled with hot springs. I’d gone for a soak once with the sisters, and Chaya had shown us a small private spring away from the busier larger ones, which were often filled with native demigods and their drohi. The small spring wasn’t well-known or often used, and Chaya told us to come whenever we liked.

There were four entrances to the baths. I took the southern one Chaya had shown us, picking my way over rocks and onto a ledge then down a flight of roughly hewn, stone steps that led me onto a passage lit with softly glowing green moss.

I took a right and sighed as I was met with gentle heat. An arch opened out onto the hot spring, and my skin tingled, eager to be submerged. The air was misty, so visibility was low, but I remembered where the steps to climb in were.

I made my way carefully around the body of water to a platform, where I undressed quickly. There was no need for towels here. Apertures in the wall blew out hot air so you could be dry in moments.

I folded and set my clothes to one side, then gingerly climbed down the steps, sighing as hot water climbed up my body.

This was good. So fucking good. The water was deep in the center, so I kept close to the edge. I wasn’t the strongest swimmer. I leaned back against the stone ledge, toes touching the bottom and relaxed, allowing the heat to knead at my aching muscles.

Yep, this was the ticket. I tipped my head back and closed my eyes. Maybe I’d make this a regular stop off after training with Ravi. It would certainly speed up healing of any damaged muscles.

A splash followed by a rippling sound had me snapping to attention. Someone was in here with me. I strained to see through the steam, but it was too thick to make anything out. There was definitely someone in the cavern with me, though. My primal instincts warned me so.

I should say something. Call out a cheery hi. It was the reasonable thing to do, so why was my voice gone?

The mist parted, and I caught a glimpse of a broad back.

A drohi .

Shit.

I pushed away from the wall, aiming for the stairs.

“Who’s there?” the drohi demanded.

No…no, no, no. I recognized that voice.

I was almost at the steps when I was snagged around the waist and hauled against a masculine chest.

“Let go!” I kicked out, and Araz released me, chuckling soft and cruelly.

I spun in the water to face him, hands going up to cover my boobs, even though they were submerged.

“Is this what you’ve been reduced to, huh?” he said, moving closer.

I stepped back then yelped as I hit the stone walls, stomach quaking. “I came to soak.”

“Oh, is that right?” He was too close now, his body a cage waiting to trap me, and fuck, he looked good. Too good all wet and dripping, brown skin and copper tattoos. Focus on his face. His cocky, arrogant, I want to smack the smirk off his lips face.

“I didn’t know you were in here. Trust me, I wouldn’t have come in otherwise.”

He glided closer, mist billowing behind him like a loving backdrop. The water level dropped, and his size compared to mine meant that he was waist deep, the water hugging his Adonis belt lovingly.

My lungs shivered. “What are you doing?”

“Giving you what you want.” He moved in to grip the ledge on either side of me .

“I don’t want anything from you.”

A soft sound drifted into the room. A sound of distress?

“What is?—"

He pressed his finger to my lips and canted his head to listen.

The sound came again, louder, and more of a moan. Definitely not distress. And then another one joined it, masculine and rumbling, a low cadence of words that I couldn’t understand. A feminine gasp was followed by a series of yesses and then another moan.

The pulse between my thighs fluttered.

Araz’s gaze dropped to mine, then to his finger on my lips. He slowly pressed down, forcing my lips to part as he dragged his digit over them, then across my cheek, bringing his thumb up to replace it as he hugged my jaw with his hand.

I swallowed hard, and his throat bobbed in response.

The sounds grew frenzied—guttural grunts, the slap of flesh, and the splash of water and oh god. I was so fucking horny right now.

He ran his thumb back and forth across my lips, the callused tip, abrasive in a way that made me ache to taste it.

I licked it.

Oh fuck, I just licked him.

He stilled, as if he wasn’t quite sure what had happened, and something wicked and wanton stirred inside me.

I licked him again, slowly and deliberately this time, and a low growl vibrated his chest.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice low and breathless.

“What are you doing?”

His eyes narrowed, boring into me before dropping to his thumb on my mouth. “Don’t do it again.”

“Then remove your thumb.”

He pressed down on my bottom lip. “I don’t take orders from you, little mortal.”

I grabbed his wrist and took his thumb in my mouth in a long dragging suck, and his ragged groan vibrated between us, flipping my stomach. His lava eyes flared, and the next moment his mouth had replaced his thumb. His hips crushed mine to the stone, his arousal a thick weight between us, branding me as he bent me back, devouring and claiming until I was drowning in his ravenous breath. He was under my skin, all over me, his scent in my lungs, his hands around my heart as he squeezed and squeezed.

He dragged his mouth free. “You want this.” He grabbed my hips and rolled his against mine, pushing his cock between my folds and thrusting to rub himself against me. “You want me to fuck you right now. To service your needs. Is that what you demand of me?”

His words freed me of the haze of desire that had gripped my mind and body .

“What? What do you—? No.” I shoved at his shoulders. “Stop.”

But he was bigger and stronger, and he had me pinned, the thick head of his cock nudging at my entrance that throbbed against the need racing through me even though my mind said no.

He fisted my hair and yanked my head back. “You don’t want this?”

He pushed against me, hissing in pleasure as he inched into me slightly. My eyes rolled back as my body clutched at him, wanting to draw him in, wanting to take this, all of him, no matter how fucking huge.

“You want more?” He inched farther.

“Ah…“ I panted. Yes, yes. “No… No! Stop.” The word was a wretched sob, and he released me immediately, backing into the water so he was hidden in mist.

“Get out,” he rasped. “Get out before I forget myself and take you regardless of your wishes.”

I hurried to the steps and climbed out on legs like jelly. I grabbed my clothes, not bothering to dress, just wanting to get away from here, from him and from the woman he was able to turn me into.

I made it to the arch leading out, and something made me look back. I caught sight of him as the mist parted, a lone figure standing waist deep in water, head in his hands—the picture of a man tormented.

But he wasn’t a man. He was a drohi. A creature I had very little understanding of. Something it was about time I remedied.