Her scent thickened around me, turning even sweeter, which was really, really intriguing.
My head dipped as I lifted my other arm. “You know what I think—?” The warm press of a blade against my throat stopped me.
The Maiden had a knife at my throat.
That damn wolven-bone dagger.
I’d forgotten she had that.
Anger sparked because this was taking things a bit too far, in my honest opinion. It was all fun and games until a blade was at—
A prick of pain stunned me. Not so much because it hurt. It barely did. And not because it silenced my mind. The pain did nothing this time. It was the shock.
She’d drawn blood.
My blood.
Anger faded with the shock as I stared, amusement rising in their places, along with something else. Something far stronger. Lust. Pure, hard, and hot lust. And good gods, I knew that said some fucked-up shit about me. But it wasn’t the pain that got me rock-hard in an instant. Pain never did that for me.
It was her boldness.
Her bravery.
Her skill.
Her utter recklessness and the fire that burned so bright in her.
And I never wanted someone more than I wanted her. Right here.
Dear gods, if she were anyone else, I would act on the arousal I’d picked up from her. I’d have her against the wall and my cock in her so fast, so hard, both our heads would spin. But she wasn’t anyone else.
“Correction,” I said, another laugh leaving me as the blood trickled down my neck. “You’re an absolutely stunning murderous little creature.” I glanced down at the dagger, no longer humoring her by allowing her to think I didn’t recognize her. “Nice weapon. Bloodstone and wolven bone. Very interesting…” I paused. “Princess.”
Shock went through her like a wave. She jerked the blade back.
I caught her wrist. “You and I have so much to talk about.”
“We have nothing to talk about,” she snapped.
A surge of savage satisfaction went through me. “She speaks! I thought you liked to talk, Princess. Or is that only when you’re at the Red Pearl?”
She went quiet once more.
“You’re not going to pretend that you have no idea what I’m talking about, are you? That you’re not her?”
She pulled at my arm. “Let me go.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” I turned sharply, pinning her against the wall before she decided to use her free arm against me. I leaned in, all up in her space. “After all we shared? You throw a dagger at my face?”
“All we shared? It was a handful of minutes and a few kisses,” she said, jerking slightly.
“It was more than a few kisses,” I reminded her, glancing at where her breasts rose and fell with her deep breaths. “If you’ve forgotten, I’m more than willing to remind you,” I offered.
The scent of her arousal increased, and my dick answered with an almost painful throb.
Her head lifted. “There was nothing worth remembering.”
Such a little liar. “Now you insult me after throwing a dagger at my face? You’ve wounded my tender feelings.”
“Tender feelings?” She snorted. “Don’t be overdramatic.”
“Hard not to be when you threw a dagger at my head and then cut my neck,” I shot back.
“I knew you’d move out of the way.”
“Did you? Is that why you tried to slice open my throat?”
“I nicked your skin,” she countered. “Because you had a hold of me and wouldn’t let go. Obviously, you haven’t learned anything from it.”
“I’ve actually learned a lot, Princess. That’s why your hands and your dagger aren’t getting anywhere near my neck.” I slid my thumb across the inside of her wrist. “But if you let go of the dagger, there’s a whole lot of me I’ll let your hands get close to.”
And I would, too.
In that moment, I’d let her do just about anything.
Except go silent on me.
“How generous of you,” she retorted.
Liquid heat hit my blood, and fuck, there was nothing teasing about how that felt. “Once you get to know me, you’ll find that I can be quite benevolent.”
Her breath caught. “I have no intention of getting to know you.”
“So, you just make a habit of sneaking into the rooms of young men and seducing them before running off?”
“What?” she gasped. “Seducing men?”
“Isn’t that what you did to me, Princess?” I moved my thumb back and forth over her wrist.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“What I am is intrigued.” And I truly was.
She groaned, pulling at my hold. “Why do you insist on holding me like this?”
“Well, besides what we went over already, which is the whole being partial to my face and my neck thing, you’re also somewhere you’re not supposed to be. I’m doing my job by detaining and questioning you.”
“Do you typically question those on the Rise who you don’t recognize like this?” she asked. “What an odd method of interrogation.”
“Only pretty ladies with shapely, bare legs.” I leaned into her, amused that she thought I didn’t connect her and the Red Pearl with her being the Maiden. “What are you doing up here during a Craven attack?”
“Enjoying a relaxing evening stroll.”
I grinned. “What were you doing up here, Princess?”
“What did it look like I was doing?”
“It looked like you were being incredibly foolish and reckless,” I said.
“Excuse me?” Disbelief filled her voice. “How reckless was I being when I killed Craven and—”
“Am I unaware of a new recruitment policy where half-dressed ladies in cloaks are now needed on the Rise?” I asked. “Are we that desperately in need of protection?”
“Desperate?” The disbelief was gone in that one word. Now, there was anger. “Why would my presence on the Rise signal desperation when, as you’ve seen, I know how to use a bow? Oh, wait. Is it because I happen to have breasts?”
My brows shot up. “I’ve known women with far less beautiful breasts that could cut a man down without so much as blinking an eye, but none of those women are here in Masadonia. And you are incredibly skilled. Not just with an arrow. Who taught you how to fight and use a dagger?”
Silence.
“I’m willing to bet it was the same person who gave you that blade,” I wagered. “Too bad whoever they are didn’t teach you how to evade capture. Well, too bad for you, that is.”
That got a reaction from her.
She brought up her knee, aiming for a rather cherished part of my body.
I blocked the blow before she had me talking several octaves higher. “You’re so incredibly violent.” I paused. “I think I like it.”
“Let me go!” she demanded.
“And be kicked or stabbed?” Sensing she was about to do the former again, I thrust my leg between hers, preventing just that. “We’ve already covered that, Princess. More than once.”
She lifted her hips off the wall, and I thought she was attempting to throw me back. No, I knew what she was trying to do. It was a smart move, actually.