“A few bumps and bruises don’t count. I’m fine.” She went up on her toes and kissed his nose.
The scent of her filled him, and he pulled her closer. She hugged him back.
“I hate not being able to go out there right now,” she said.
“I know.”
“All I can think about is poor Poppy.” Mal stepped back. She rubbed the center of her chest with her knuckles. “It’s like a pull, a hollow ache. A compulsion.”
And it hurt her not to follow it.
“Tonight, my fighters need time to heal,” he said. “We’ll rest so we can be ready to face the Barrens, and find Poppy.”
“And Krastin.”
“And Krastin,” he agreed.
Rhain knew they needed to put the tension aside, or they’d never get any sleep.
“Come with me.” He took her hand and led her inside.
“Where are you taking me?”
“I want to show you something.”
He led her through the maze of corridors of the outpost. It was starker and more industrial than the palace. It was clear that this was a working outpost, not a vacation spot.
They passed some mine workers, who bowed their heads at Rhain. He led her up some stairs.
“Man, you Zhaltons love stairs.”
He smiled at her and reached a doorway. He pressed a palm to it and it shimmered open.
Her jaw dropped. “Oh, wow.”
It was the Lindera. The garden was filled with plants that grew thick and green. One side was food plants for the outpost, but the rest was flowers for various uses.
They passed under a vine laden with white rillis. As they passed another bush, flowers unfurled, sensing their presence. They were pretty, yellow bells.
“These are nerine, also called welcome bells.” He reached over to another plant and plucked a blue, trumpet-shaped bloom off a vine. He brushed it over her cheek and lips.
“I feel the energy off it,” she said.
“Yes. Allium flowers are full of energy.” He tucked it behind her ear. They followed the path through the garden. The sky overhead was just starting to ignite with auroras.
A pool appeared—it was oval-shaped and lined with flat rocks.
Mal gasped.
“What?” he asked.
“I saw this place. In the vision with the energy witch.”
“And?”
She turned to him. “We were both naked.”
His lips quirked, his body instantly responding to her words. “Really?”
Chapter Thirteen
Mal kicked off her boots. The grass was cool and lush under her feet.
The garden had an almost magical feel. She sensed pops of energy from the flowers.
She turned to Rhain. He stood there—big, larger than life. He was so rugged and masculine, with power throbbing off him. His eyes were more gray than silver right now, and his face looked fierce.
“Mine,” he said, his voice low and gritty.
“No, I belong to me,” she countered.
He stepped closer to her. “You can also belong to me.”
She shivered. “Am I just a novelty to you? You have a palace full of soft, beautiful women.”
“I don’t want them. I want you. I want to protect you, have you by my side.”
So many emotions curled inside her. She wasn’t sure how she felt exactly, or where this was headed, but she knew she wanted him.
She shimmied out of her pants and unwound her top.
His gaze narrowed on her, like a raptor. She stood naked, then walked toward him.
His hands curled into fists at his sides. She pressed her palms to his chest. One of his hands snaked up and slid into her hair. Hard enough that she felt the tug.
“You make me want things, Mal. Make me want to do all kinds of things to you.”
Her pulse sped up, and she was damp between her thighs. “So do them. For one night, I want to forget. I just want it to be me and you.”
He kissed her. Then he lifted her off her feet and carried her toward the edge of the pool.
She kissed him back, desperately, hungrily. Then he laid her on the grass, and it was soft like a blanket beneath her.
He stood above her and shed his clothes.
Her chest hitched. He was so damn magnificent. She wanted to bite him all over.
He unbuckled his harness and dropped it onto the grass nearby. Now, she licked her lips and pressed her thighs together. His large, erect cock rose up, and she couldn’t take her gaze off it.
Rhain knelt and pushed her legs apart. He was breathing harshly.
“Come inside me, Rhain. I need you inside me.”
He lunged forward, covering her with his body. She felt his energy splay out around him, and her own rose to meet his. It electrified her skin.
Rhain slid an arm under her hips, yanking her up.
“Yes,” she breathed.
He grabbed his cock, then guided it to her.
Mal bit her lip. Her gaze met his.
He thrust inside her.
She’d taken him before, but it felt like the first time all over again. Her body stretched to accommodate his thick invasion.
But Rhain’s patience was gone.
He began thrusting into her heavily, every plunge deep. She raked her nails down his biceps, crying out.
“Mallory,” he groaned.
“Rhain!”
The angle of his thrusts brushed her clit. She cried out.
He threw his head back, the muscles in his neck straining. Mal absorbed every sound he made, the heavy thrust of his hips, the deep stretch of his cock inside her.
Her release hit, splintering her apart.
She clung to him, her anchor, her rock in the storm. Waves of pleasure crashed over her.
He made a tortured sound, and with one last thrust, poured himself inside her.
Finally, he shifted, collapsing partly to the side but still inside her. He kept her pinned to him, his breathing harsh.
“That was…” She couldn’t find a word adequate enough.
“It was.” His voice was low and hoarse.
They held onto each other as their skin cooled. It was really scary how right this felt. She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. How for the first time in her life, she understood what it felt like to know you were in the right place.
She just wasn’t sure Rhain felt the same way. And if he did, how long it would last.
Stop thinking, Mal.
She ran a hand up his sweat slicked back. “I guess we could have a swim in the pool.”
“We could.” He moved his hips.
Mal gasped. God. He was still thick and hard inside her.
“Or, I have a better idea,” he said.
He rolled onto his back, keeping her in place. She rose above him, straddling him, his cock deep inside her.
Mal rocked her hips. “I do like your idea.”
The next morning, Rhain strode into the front courtyard of the outpost.
The pleasures of the night before seemed very far away. He was dressed in his armor, swords on his back.
It was time to head out and find Krastin.
“Overlord.” Aran hurried over. “I hope you slept well.”
He’d slept with his face buried in Mal’s silky hair. “I did.”
“My team had an excellent idea for how you can get out.”
Rhain looked up and saw Thadd and the other fighters gathered. Everyone looked prepared.