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“I’m not abducting anyone, Drak.” “I know you. You bend the rules when you want something.”
It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance” It was a pleasure just to look at him.
“It would please me to assist you.”
“Hmm. I wonder, then, what’s the point of my third eye?” He turned it toward her again and smirked. “Apart from being hypnotic and intriguing, anyway.”
“But don’t mistake me for a hero; I’ve not acted selflessly tonight.” He raised his other hand and ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “You’re beautiful, Samantha, and I find myself eager to be in your company.”
Her vulnerability, though distressing, could be made to work to Arc’s advantage. As much as he hated that fact, he knew it would not stop him.
He was a champion, not a conqueror; he would win his mate, not steal her.
“I can take care of myself.” Drakkal’s expression spoke clearly—really? “Sometimes I can take care of myself, then.
Does that make you happy? Does it satisfy your craving to be needed?”
His plan had been to allow her a couple days before arranging another chance meeting.
He’d entered her information into his system when he’d first found her file, a pesky fact of which she never needed to learn.
“You don’t mind me calling you, then?” “The only thing I would rather be doing right now is seeing you, Samantha.”
Handsome? Ravishing? Enticing? Please, stop me, or I’ll go on for a long while…and I’d much rather talk about you.”
I know it’s a lot for me to ask, and I completely understand if you say no because you’re busy—” “Tomorrow.”
He leaned his chin on one of his hands and grinned. “I’m a fool, but not so much of one as to pass up a chance to spend time with you.”
“Goodnight, Alkorin.” “Goodnight, Samantha. Dream of me. I’ll be dreaming of you.”
“Have I ever told you how much I hate you?” “You have, but we both know it’s not true.”
Samantha nodded. “He’s…why I called you last night.” “Oh. Here I was hoping you called me because you couldn’t get me off your mind.”
“You’re always saving me,” she said. His smile tilted, becoming a mischievous smirk. “Anything to make me look better in your eyes.”
Her craving for his touch equaled her fear of it at that moment; she was afraid of what he made her feel.
“You will blossom soon enough, little flower,” he said softly, “and then you will realize your own beauty. I look forward to witnessing it.”
Though he teased her every now and then, he was gentle, and he never made fun of her—though he poked fun at himself more than once.
“Were the males of your planet simply not attractive enough?” “Compared to you?” she asked, grinning. It felt nice to be playful with him. “I meant in general,” he replied with a smirk. “Obviously, all males are lacking compared to me.”
“I know, little terran, I know. Just remember that this”—he took hold of her wrist and smoothed her palm over his chest—“is yours, whenever you are ready.”
“What’s the plan?” Drakkal asked. “Funny thing about that,” Arcanthus replied, “I don’t actually have one.”
“Don’t encourage him, damn it,” Drakkal grumbled. Arcanthus snickered. “Look, I’m a fighter-turned-lover, not a strategist.”
“I suppose they really want me dead,” Arcanthus said. Drakkal snorted. “Don’t they know there’s a waiting list?”
If he couldn’t get her out of here, if he failed, the best she could hope for was a quick death. Unacceptable.
I wanted you—needed you. I had to find you, had to meet you. And when you stepped out of your apartment building and I had my first glimpse of you in the flesh, I knew you were the most beautiful thing I would ever see. So, I followed you.”
“I…guess I should be glad you were, even though that is a little creepy.” Arcanthus grinned and brushed the backs of his metal fingers down the side of her face. “I’d prefer to think of it as devoted.”
“I’ll offer you a deal, Samantha. Set aside your doubt, your hesitance, this one time. Let me show you. Let me make you feel. If you don’t enjoy it…I won’t push any further.”
I’m about to make a deal with the devil…and I’ve never wanted anything more.
Arcanthus was staring up at a fantasy made flesh, at the goddess of his desire, at everything he wanted and could ever need.
That simple little kiss struck him hard; he’d never been kissed like that before. It hadn’t been an impassioned kiss, hadn’t been a lustful kiss, but an affectionate kiss. Its warmth spread across his face, flowing directly into his heart.
Arcanthus sighed and tipped his head back against the headrest. “I have a bad feeling about all of this.” Drakkal snorted. “Of course you do. They tried to kill you, Arc. That’d give anyone a bad feeling.”
it was oddly satisfying to know she’d likely snooped through his things. He’d have done the same were their places reversed.
“Of course you are, my precious flower. You are my once-in-a-lifetime.”
“I want you so much it hurts. That’s why.”
He wanted her to touch him so badly, wanted her fingers, her lips, her tongue upon his flesh, and that want made his next words difficult to speak. “You have no obligation to me. You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“Do you want me, Samantha?” “Yes. I want you.” “Then claim me. Make me yours.”
“Use me, my flower,” he said. “Take what you will. I am yours.”
“I really like your hair.” “How could you not?”
My body seems rather covetous of you.” “Oh.” “I am rather covetous of you.”
“Just figured I’d see if you wanted me to find a slave collar in your size. We can get one with a tether so Samantha can lead you around the compound like her little pet.” “I will hit you again, Drakkal.”
“That was torture?” Sekk’thi asked, tilting her head. “Did I miss something during that exchange?” “Yes, it was torture,” Drakkal said. “He had to sit and have a conversation with Arcanthus.”
But it was when we first spoke, it was during those first minutes we spent together, that I knew it was more than a need to have you. I wanted to have you.
Arcanthus had brought more laughter into her life than anyone or anything else, had given her safety, friendship, and—though she had a long way to go—her first taste of self-confidence.
“I find myself torn between my desire to know more about you and the open invitation to talk about myself. You’re feeding into an already dangerously large ego, Samantha.”
And, because the universe didn’t seem particularly intent upon giving her happiness, Arcanthus would gladly seize it to pass along to her.
His kiss demanded as much from her as it promised—everything.
