Page 19 of Seduced By Darkness

He takes my hand in his, that dangerous smile back in place. “Magic, my love.”

I eye his cloak. “I need to get one of those.”

He laughs, and the sound catches somewhere in my chest as if some part of me knows it’s not a sound the world hears very often. “It’s not the cloak, princess.”

I can’t help stilling.Princess. “I wouldn’t dare claim such a title.”

“Not yet, anyway,” he says mysteriously, and then he tugs at my fingertips. “Let us leave this clearing far behind. You owe me a dozen dances anyway….”

“And so you intend to claim them?”

“Oh, yes.” There’s a look in his eyes that brands me. “I intend to claim them all.”

“That’s somewhat presumptuous of you.”

He pauses, one arm extended as he gestures for me to follow him. “Come with me. Dance with me.Please.”

I run my tongue over my teeth. There’s something about him that intrigues me.

And Maia knows I’ve spent enough years dancing to my mother’s tune. This time, it’s mychoicewhether to take this risk or not.

And I want it.

I want to take his hand. I want to dance with him. Maybe steal a kiss. He’s wickedly handsome, after all.

Maybe steal something… more?

Heat works through me again. I’ve played by the rules all my life, and this is where it’s gotten me.

I slowly release a breath and clasp our hands together. “Then I will.”

* * *

The celebrations spillfrom one clearing to another. The music shifts and changes. My dark stranger sweeps me into a jig, and then a reel, and then something slower.

It’s thesomething slowerthat makes me feel nervous.

His body is carved of hot sin, his eyes like smoke and thunder. He whirls me under his arm, again and again and again, until I’m dancing on the tip of my toes, my skirts flying around us. I come back into his arms, breathless with the sensation of his body against mine.

“I think I have paid you your quota of dances.”

“True. I thought perhaps to earn more.”

“Earn more? And how would you do that?” I tease.

“Come,” he whispers in my ear as the music lulls. “Why don’t we go somewhere private?”

You want a choice?Andraste whispers in my memories.Then this is your chance to make that choice.

“I don’t know if I trust you or not.”

He stills. “I would never hurt you.”

Of course not. They all say that. I press a hand to his chest. “As lovely as that sounds, youareasking me to disappear into the woods with you. I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you intend….”

“I intend to get to know you.”

“I’m sure you do.”