Page 150 of The Spider Queen

“I’m transforming,” I said flatly. “Into a callous, lust-filled bitch that suffers from Tourette’s.”

Thane let out a laugh, almost like he was unable to keep it in. “An immortal one, though.”

“I’m becoming immortal? Great. Add that to the pile of crap I need to work through.”

“You don’t want to be immortal?”

“I would’ve liked the choice.”

Thane was silent for a moment. “You haven’t touched your dinner,” he reminded me, gesturing with his chin to the plate.

I picked up my fork and took a small bite. “It’s good.” As I chewed, I mulled over some other questions I had for him. If we were going to be traveling together, I had to ask them. “Are you still in an honest mood?”

“Yes.”

I swallowed. “This morning—or I think it was morning—when I woke up. I felt…a hand. Trailing down my spine, but I was alone in bed.”

He clenched his jaw. “It nearly killed me to let you sleep alone. I wanted to be in bed with you, but I didn’t think you’d appreciate it.”

My body would’ve appreciated it. My mind, however, was another story. A shame they couldn’t reconcile and get on the same page where Thane was concerned.

“Waking up next to you would’ve sent me into another… No, it’s better that we slept apart. But it was your hand, wasn’t it?” I asked.

He nodded.

I took a deep breath. “And the magic bath water? Care to explain that?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Never mind.”

“Poppy,” he said gently. “If we have any hope of building trust between us, then you have to be honest, too.”

“I—” My cheeks flamed when I thought back to my time in the pool. “The water. It…pleasuredme.” It was ridiculous, ludicrous. Yet it had happened. I chanced a look at Thane.

He wasn’t laughing at me. Or mocking me. “The pool gives what you need,” he said simply.

“So it wasn’t you?”

“No. My turn to ask a question.”

“All right.”

“Did you think of me while you were being pleasured?”

“You’re asking this why?” I demanded, feeling breathless, the knell of desire ringing like a bell inside of me.

“Answer me, Poppy,” he commanded, voice low.

“Yes.” I gritted my teeth. “Yes, I did.”

“I thought about you. Every moment I was confined in my prison, wondering if it was delusion or hope that you’d free me. And when I felt your emotions come through our connection, your passion, your humor, I’d wait until you fell asleep, wait until I knew you were dreaming of me, and then I’d take myself in my hand and come to a vision of you. Night after night. Those moments kept me sane, Poppy. But it was nothing—nothing—compared to having you under me on the stone altar as I slid into you.”

His words had me rising from my chair. My heart stuttered in my chest like I’d just run for miles. The place between my legs quivered with need and a desire to be filled.

“Now that I’ve had you…” His voice pitched low and covered me like sinful velvet. “Had you in the flesh, I can’t go back to visions.”

Thane’s dark eyes grew darker. Glittered with lust. He was more beast than man. “Do you know what it’s like to want someone more than they want you? I know you don’t want me. Not really.” He hung his head and then lifted his face ever so slightly to peer at me with gleaming ebony eyes. “Get out of here, Poppy.”