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It’s the Dream Stalker’s haunting presence, dangerous as a blade at the throat, seductive as silk caressing the skin.
How strange that I’ve been hearing his innermost thoughts for years, like a dark lullaby in my thoughts, and he still has no idea who I am.
“Well, Raphael, I always knew you would break my heart. It’s not the first time.”
Talan arches a black eyebrow at me. “Well, maybe I like dangerous women.”
“Mind control? Impossible. Primal powers are long gone from this world, and even if they existed, they would belong to someone powerful. Important. Not to someone like me.” Lightning flashes outside, and it glints off his dark eyes. “Except I can see that you are more than you pretend to be.” Fuck. “I tire of this game,” he says with an indifferent sigh. “Fortunately, no one lies to me in the dream realm.”
“Let the real Nia out. You are more powerful than a typical telepath. You have mind control powers. A primal power. You don’t look like a threat, but someone would be stupid to underestimate you. Tell me, am I right about that?”
“As a prince, I would be more than happy to pay the rent of my chief mistress. My mâitresse-en-titre, my official courtesan. You.”
“Will they be shocked?” He walks with a casual grace. “Some will, but no one expects me to make good decisions.” My lips quirk. “Because you rarely do?” “Precisely.” I whisper, “And is our fake relationship one of those bad decisions?” He flashes me a disarming smile. “Oh, I’m sure it will be a complete disaster, but I don’t know how yet, and that’s always interesting.”
“Is this really necessary?” I hiss.
“If I’m not mistaken, you could use actual, genuine pleasure in your life, but for now, faking it will have to do,” he whispers.
Talan closes the door behind him, and he peers down at me, eyes twinkling with curiosity. “What’s wrong with you?” “Using my powers is painful now, ever since you brutally severed my connection to Cadoc. Now, when I use them, I feel like someone is trying to hack their way out of my head.” “Ever since we first met?” He hooks his finger under my chin, lifting my face to his. He’s examining my face. “Yes.” “Why didn’t you mention it?” He lowers his hand. “Does it matter? You need me to do this, and none of the healers can know about it.”
I do whatever the fuck I want, love, and when I die someday, I will have no regrets. It’s the privilege of being me.” Despite the harshness
“There she is, the heir to the House of Morgan. Can you feel the heft of your ancient crown yet, weighing down your skull?”
He’s studying me closely, and my breath catches. “Tell me, Nia, why can’t I see into your dreams? I can’t get in your head at all.”
I feel like you’re hiding something from me. I’m not getting the real Nia. Tell me something that is actually true about yourself.”
himself. “Anyway, not to worry. You might loathe me, but you are mine now, and if anyone tried to burn you at the stake, I’d make them wish they were never born.”
“I can heal it.” “How?” He holds out his hand. “Give it to me.” My breath is still shaky as I rest my wrist in his hand. He traces his fingertips over it, a line etched between his eyebrows. Then he glances up at me. “I heal with my mouth.” “Sure. Whatever it takes.”
“How strange. I like the way it sounds when you say my name.”
“Nia?” a deep, velvety voice says from the other room. “Where are you?” I let out a long exhalation and quickly return the knife to its hiding spot. “Talan? To what do I owe this visit?” “To the fact that we are lovers and can’t stay away from each other for even a moment. I know you miss gazing adoringly at my face, and I couldn’t deprive you of the pleasure.” “Right.” I clutch the towel tightly around myself and peer out into my room. Talan has already draped himself in one of my chairs and pulled a book into his lap. His gaze flicks up at me. “I didn’t expect to find you naked, which is an
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“Do you ever wonder what you might be like if you weren’t born grotesquely wealthy, beautiful, and surrounded by people catering to your every whim?”
“Do you ever enjoy things, Nia? Ever at all?” “I’m not all misery. I was in love once.” “And what happened to him?”
“He had a bad habit of running away from things. Including me. He broke my heart twice.” “Mmm.” A deep murmur. “Shall I have him tortured and executed?” Oh, my dear Talan. You’ve already started on that. “No,” I say. “He’s not a bad person, but he chose his work over me.” He scoffs. “He sounds fucking boring.” “Were you ever in love?” The candlelight dances over his carved muscles. “There’s only one woman for me, and she is a figment of my imagination, a voice in my thoughts.” “So many centuries and not one love? Is it all the murdering? Does it get in the way of romance?” “Not much time for
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“All the things people want from me and all the things they fear from me.”
“Why is your heart beating so fast?” he murmurs. I curl my fingers around the blankets. “Don’t you know everyone is scared of you?”
Silence falls in the darkened room. Outside, lightning cracks and thunder rolls over the horizon. “Yes,” he says quietly, “but I didn’t think you were.” My throat tightens, and I clamp my eyes shut.
“My dear Nia, you have absolutely nothing to apologize for. You should wrap yourself around me whenever you want.”
Nia?” he asks softly. “You were wrapped around me the entire night.” “I was not.” “You were moving your hips against me in your sleep.” A flush spreads across my cheeks. “Well, I was asleep, and I was dreaming you were a horse.” “I dread to think what you do to horses. And they say I’m depraved.”
“You know, I almost missed your mutinous attitude, my favorite mistress. Everyone around me is so fucking deferential.” “Might it be your habit of slitting the throats of those who annoy you?” He slips off his shoes. “And yet here you are, living and breathing before me, your heart still beating, cheeks pink with life, while you take such great pleasure in insulting me.”
“Good. I like my beautiful things to have a bit of darkness in them.” “Well, that describes you perfectly.” “That makes the second time you’ve called me beautiful.”
“Nia,” he says softly. “If you want to keep your secrets, you can.” “Why?” “Because I trust you.” I blink. Strangely, my eyes are misting. “Why would you trust me?” “I don’t know. For some reason, I feel like I know you.”
She scorches me with her stare…I will bind our bodies as a tempest of desire sweeps through us…I want to taste her. I want to hear her scream my name, our passion a comet streaking across the sky…
“But I don’t think you are done with me,” he whispers. “Are you?”
“But you want me, don’t you? Are you lying to yourself when you say you don’t?”
holds me captive. He gives me a faint, knowing smile. “So, no, then? You don’t want me to stop, I take it?” “Talan.” “Yes? Why don’t you tell me what you want? I already know, Nia. But I want to hear you say it.”
“Tell me what you want, Nia.”
I want to savor every inch of it. I want to run my fingers, my tongue over his muscled shoulders, his chest, his abs… And when I look into his eyes, I feel like I’m drowning. I can hardly think straight. I’m on fire, and I can barely remember what I’m doing.
“We are alike, you know, you and I. Left on our own to raise ourselves. We learned to play a part. We are costumed players strutting across a stage. But some day, Nia, I will learn the full truth of who is underneath that mask.”
My mind reels. All this time I was hearing his thoughts, I never imagined he was hearing mine, too. I lie awake until dawn.
I scream at the guards for help, a ragged note of hysteria in my voice. I’m shocked to find that I’m screaming at them to save the life of the man I’ve been planning to kill all this time.
I feel strangely protective toward him, which is insane. I’m specifically here to help plan his assassination.
We all assumed Auberon was the one calling the shots, deciding how and where to attack. But looking through Talan’s thoughts, I see a military mastermind. He understands the field better than anyone, and he’s in control.
My heart sinks as I behold the shockingly beautiful face of the Fey prince. His black hair catches in the wind as he roars orders at the men, urging them to move. Fear cuts me down to the marrow. He’s going to come through the portal. He’ll find me here—Brocéliande’s worst traitor. The mistress who turned on her prince.
The dragon is only fifty feet away from the portal. The monster opens his mouth to unleash a gout of fire. Talan rides on his back, his dark cloak whipping in the air behind him.
