Page 47 of Warlord's Mate
She snorted a laugh. “You’re trying to work up the courage to seduce him.”
She opened her mouth to say, no she wasn’t, but closed it with a snap. There was little point in lying about it. “Is it that obvious?”
Krista glanced at the warlord. “If he were interested in me, that’s what I’d be doing.”
“Well, thinking it and doing it, are two different things.”
“Surely it can’t be that hard.” Marcy raised an eyebrow and they both laughed. “Well, hopefullythatis hard but seducing I meant.”
“I knowhowto seduce a man. It's just the—how to go about it that’s got me second guessing myself.”
“Well, you need to get him alone so walk up to him and tell him what you want.”
“That’s not seducing. That’s flat out asking. Besides, I don’t want to look obvious. Jityria would probably slit my throat when his back was turned if she knew what I was planning.”
“True.” Krista stared into the distance, thinking if Marcy had to guess. She turned to her a few moments later. “He told you to stay in camp, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well, don’t.” She grinned. “He’s sitting right there. He’ll see you leave and follow you.” Her shoulder lifted in a shrug. “What you do after that is up to you.”
Something in his chest clenched tight when she smiled at him. He hadn’t seen her do that since the night she’d danced for him and as it had that night, the tiny gesture made him want to toss her to the nearest hard surface he could find and bury himself so far inside her he’d never find his way back out. Thoughts of doing just that filled his head. He shifted in his seat when all the blood in his head started traveling south. He looked away, over at Darqu and the sight of him chased away any hint of desire. The rage he still felt when he saw him nearly consumed him but seeing Mar-see sitting with the other females eased most of it.
He’d not let her do much of anything for a solid turn of the moons other than sleep and heal. The ta’gi leaves had closed her wounds to the point they were now just red streaks across her skin and thepelembark tea eased her pain enough she was able to sleep without stirring. Her doing so in his bed irked him, but he had no one to be mad at other than himself. He’s the one who put her there and made her stay. And that irked him even more.
She was a weakness. He knew it was true with nothing more than a passing thought of her. He’d been determined to put her with the other females but now was loath to even think about it. Even though she was completely healed, the thought of her being where he couldn’t see her made him uneasy and that alone should be reason enough to make him march her toward Allok’s camp and taunt him enough they finally had the war he’d been dreaming of. If it weren’t for the loss of life he knew would result in instigating a confrontation, he would have already done it, but most of those within his camp wanted a good reason to risk their life and he knew him being played for a fool by a female wasn’t a good enough reason for them. Allok may have sent Zasra but her being here had harmed no one other than him. Although his men were as bloodthirsty as he was, they needed a damn good reason to bleed and die and his revenge wasn’t enough.
A commotion near the trees drew his attention. Several scouts coming back and others leaving for patrol were a constant reminder that those still out looking for Aris hadn’t returned, which meant they more than likely went further into Allok and Othrid’s territories. If they had, then their safety was now in jeopardy and any harm that came to them would fall to him in the eyes of his men, not on Allok or Othrid’s. Their deaths would add to the growing list of others and most days, he couldn’t even remember why he’d fought so hard to be where he is.
He’d been a commander of a large unit of soldiers back onTridian III, leading armies with triple the number of men under his command and at one time, was content to live his life fighting but now, he wearied of it. Sentenced to live out the remainder of his life on a prison planet was harsh enough but to do so with criminals as loathsome as the ones who put him here was unbearable most days. Having to constantly look over his shoulder to make sure no one was trying to stab him in the back and having to force others to do his will for no other reason than to show them he was in charge was tiresome. Having to do it alone even more so.
You don’t have to be alone.
He turned back to the females. Mar-see tossed her hair over one shoulder and laughed at something the small black haired human said.
Hise’mahn neokwas the reason he felt so confused as of late. She made him long for things he’d never have again. He craved them endlessly now that she was here, and he wasn’t sure how to prevent it from consuming him.
Liar. Taking her to Allok would solve that problem.
He scowled at his thoughts and shifted in his seat again, glancing away from her only to look back a moment later.
He watched her for countless bells, his thoughts in a dozen different directions until she stood some time later and stretched, her face twisting into a grimace. The wounds on her back still caused her pain, even though she told him they didn’t. Her insisting she was able to work was the only reason she was with the other females despite his reluctance to let her leave. She was well enough to labor, but he didn’t want her to.
Looking around at those in camp, he knew she wasn’t safe from most of them despite him stringing Darqu up and leaving him there. Not everyone in camp was as content as they appeared. They never were. Someone, somewhere, was plotting to overthrow him and they’d do it by any means they could and using Mar-see to accomplish that was a given. It was probably why Darqu had felt confident enough to strike her to begin with. Hell, he may have been attempting a coup for all he knew.
You should have let her leave with the dragon and his mate.
The moment the thought whispered across his mind, something inside him balked, thrashing and clawing at him for even thinking such a thing. A red haze distorted his vision and the need to grab her and lock her away was so overwhelming he had to force himself to stay seated.
A sense of dread filled him a moment later. That possessiveness he felt for her was troubling. He’d felt it weeks ago, and it had been slowly growing. More so now that she’d been hurt. As much as he wanted to deny it, he knew what that feeling was, that overwhelming need to keep her safe and close to him. His people called itsoltangiand most longed for it all their lives, but very few ever managed to find it. His parents claimed to have, but he’d never expected to. Entertaining the notion that here, three galaxies away fromTridian III, he’d find a female who stirred his soul was absurd. That a female not of his own race would make his blood cry out for her even more so—but it did. It cried out for a female who was his perfect mate.
He’d tasted her the day he’d brought her to camp. Had sunk his teeth into her flesh and nearly moaned in pleasure as her blood spilled into his mouth. He wondered if that was what triggered his need for her. That brief moment after he’d bitten her and her blood had coated his tongue, the scent of it filling his head as the sweetness of it trickled down his throat. He’d grown hard the moment it hit his tongue and even now he’d kill for just one more drop.
Mar-see set the basket in her hand down and walked out of the circle the other females had formed around whatever it was they were working on. She glanced around camp before looking into the forest, then headed straight for it. She didn’t slow her steps as she neared the tree line and his heart thumped inside his chest as he watched her. Surely she wasn’t trying to leave again? After everything he’d done for her?
She stepped into the shade of the trees as if he hadn’t told her to stay in camp unless she had an escort and he was on his feet, striding across the distance with his blood pounding in his ears. How dare she try to leave again? Maybe she was the one who needed a lesson and not his men. As he marched toward her, thoughts of tying her inside his hut filled him with pleasure.
Those egg-shaped mushroom things that reminded her of an octopus when they opened were dotted along the tree line. Despite them looking gross, they tasted damn good. Krista said they were even good raw so grabbing a few more to hide away for when they got hungry was as good an excuse as any to leave camp. Four of them were clustered under a large tree nestled within the shadowy forest. She was reaching for them when a branch cracked behind her. Even though she’d only taken a few steps past the dirt circle of camp, it took the warlord no time to follow, just as she’d hoped he would.