by G. K. DeRosa
Her tongue suddenly glided across one of my fangs and both quickly extended.
I yanked away and sat up before my nocturne instincts got the better of me. “I’m sorry.” My voice was rough, riddled with thirst and longing.
“No, wait.” She followed me. Her fingers pushed up my lip, examining my fangs.
“Solaris, don’t.” My body trembled with the effort it took not to open one of her veins. I’d always lusted after her blood, but now that I’d tasted it, the craving was a hundred times worse. The bond between us wanted it as much as I did.
Her thumb slid across a fang, sucking air when she cut herself. Her eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
I cursed as a droplet of blood pooled on her skin. The buttery scent hit me right in the gut. My thirst flooded the bond, overpowering every other emotion swirling in me.
Solaris licked her lips as it hit her, but she didn’t move away. Instead she leaned even closer, her body brushing against mine. Her thumb lifted toward me. “Take it, Kaige.”
I clamped my jaw shut and shook my head. She was out of her mind.
“Do it. It’s fine. I trust you.” Her thumb was at my lip.
I could do nothing to stop my mouth from closing around it and sucking. Her flavor exploded over my tongue. A groan rumbled through my chest, and my arm slipped around her waist, pulling her against me.
Oh gods, even this tiny taste was heaven. It was paradise in the middle of a dry, dulled wasteland my senses usually inhabited. Electricity flowed between us, and I knew the moment my pleasure sank into Solaris. Her breath quickened, and the tiny veins beneath her skin quivered erratically.
It took every ounce of control to force her thumb away before things went too far. My hands were clumsy as I cut my own thumb, smearing my blood over her cut to heal it.
“You shouldn’t have done that, Solaris.” My voice was husky and barely recognizable.
Her fingers curled in my shirt, unwilling to let me go. “We shouldn’t have done a lot of things, but we keep doing them.” A wry smile spread across her flushed face. “And I don’t see us stopping any time soon.”
A rough, humorless laugh tumbled out of me. “You’re right.” I kissed her again, loving her taste as much as her blood.
I bolted out of my bedroom door, my body humming with anticipation. I hadn’t seen Solaris all day and the bond wasn’t happy about that. I wasn’t happy about that. Having her so close and yet just out of my reach was killing me. She was all I’d thought about during today’s trial.
How I managed to win was beyond me. I’d beat Xander during the timed obstacle course by thirty seconds. He wasn’t happy. I was surprised he hadn’t showered me with those accusatory stares and comments afterward.
I darted around the corner and slammed into a body, a muffled curse slipping from my mouth.
Apparently I’d spoken too soon.
“What’s your hurry?” Xander forced me off, a knowing curl to his lips. “Got somewhere to be, Brother?”
I cursed and straightened my t-shirt. Of all the people to run into. “None of your business, Brother.”
He crossed his arms against his chest. “You seem to be disappearing a lot these past few days. The last time you did that, you were hiding a secret in the woods.”
My pulse spiked, a change Xander noticed. “I don’t need to explain myself to you.” I pivoted and walked away.
“I checked the cabin,” Xander called after me. “She wasn’t there, though.”
I halted and glanced over my shoulder. “Do you really think I’d bring her back here?”
“No, at least not at first.” Xander slowly closed the distance between us. “But then I kept thinking of how well you did on these last two physical trials. You’re good Kaige, but you’re not that good.” His navy eyes lingered over me. “Only something like human blood could make you that fast and strong. I speak from experience.”
I kept every emotion shoved far down. Xander could accuse me all he wanted, but he had no proof. “If that’s what makes you feel better about losing, then go right ahead and believe I’ve secretly been feeding on a human I have hidden in Draconis.”
Anger darkened his features. “You’re not as smart as you think, Kaige. Like last time, you’re going to slip up.” He poked my chest. “And I’ll be there when you do.”
I shoved him off. “I’ll see you at the next trial when I win.” Xander was lucky I choked back every instinct I had to smash my fist into his face—repeatedly. He’d hurt Solaris, and he was still a threat to her.
She was mine to protect.
My steps quickened, putting distance between Xander and me. I took several turns and detours through the castle in case he was following. He’d eventually get annoyed and give up. Xander wasn’t the type to put in a lot of effort. Even the trials had been something he only began to train for at the last minute.
Tiny tremors ran through my body once I finally made it to the door. I sprinted inside. Solaris was on the couch tapping away at a tablet I had Garridan give her.
Her head snapped up, and she tossed the tablet aside. “About time.”
I grinned and pulled her off the couch. “Oh sorry. I only had a trial to win.” My lips met hers, and a pulse of electricity zapped through the bond.
She pulled away, her eyes shifting to something behind me. Fear exploded through the bond, and I spun around, yanking her to my side in an iron grip.
“Oh my gods.” Xander stood in the doorway, his jaw unhinged. “You’re not just feeding from her. You’re together.”
Chapter 21
Solaris
Xander’s eyes bulged out of his head like some deranged cartoon character. His gaze moved from my face down to our interlocked hands. Kaige pressed me into his side, his fingers tightening around my mine. Just the sight of his twin had my skin crawling.
A wicked sneer crossed Xander’s face as he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. “Well, Kaige, I just don’t know what to say. I never would’ve expected this from Mr. Perfection. I could almost understand you keeping her to feed from… after all, her blood is exquisite. But this? Do you actually have feelings for her?”
“Don’t take a step closer to her, Xander,” Kaige snarled. His body was tense against mine, every single muscle straining.
I think I’m going to be sick. How did we end up in this mess again?
“Or what?” Xander scoffed, a sparkle in his dark eyes. “You’re finished, Brother. When Father finds out what you’re doing with this human, he’ll crown me king on the spot.”
“I doubt he’d be that stupid,” I muttered under my breath. I couldn’t help it. I hated Xander with every fiber of my being. Kaige rubbed his hand up and down my arm, my anxiety flooding the bond.
“She’s got a sharp tongue that one, doesn’t she?” His eyes fixed on my neck, and his nostrils flared. “Is that why you like her?”
“Enough.” Kaige moved forward, but I clutched his hand, mentally begging him to keep cool. I didn’t need him to fight Xander for my honor.
His twin peered down at me, his lip curled into a nasty smirk. “The memory of your blood is still fresh on my tongue. I’ve been powerless to erase it, even after all these days.” He inched closer, and a growl rumbled in Kaige’s throat. Xander halted and leaned against the entrance table, rubbing his chin. “And yet, I don’t find your scent nearly as appealing as I did when we first met.” He turned his gaze to his brother. “Now why is that?”
“Because she’s mine.” Kaige’s navy eyes swirled with bright silver. “You’ll never touch her again. Ever.”
I cringed at Kaige’s icy tone. As much as I didn’t like being referred to as an object, I was relieved he hadn’t explained the blood bond.
“No one will be touching her for long. Unless Father gives you adjoining cells.”
“Xander, no.” The words popped out of my mouth before I could stop them. I wouldn’t let Kaige be punished for saving my life. I knew what I
had to do to prevent that. “I’ll give you my blood if that’s what it takes.”
“No!” Kaige spun on me, his eyes two giant silver saucers.
“My gods, you’re not just fooling around,” Xander chuckled. “You’re in love with each other.”
His words sank in and fear unfurled in my chest. The bond pulsed, a swirl of both our emotions crashing over me.
“The great prince Kaige cares nothing of the prophecy. He tempts fate at every turn—not only drinking the blood of a human but apparently falling in love with one.”
Xander was grinning from ear to ear, and all I wanted to do was wipe that smug smile off his face. Kaige hadn’t said a word, and his silence freaked me out. The muscles in his jaw twitched, but no sound came out.
My mind spun with his accusations. We’d been stupid and reckless, letting our feelings distract us from this dangerous situation. As big of an idiot as Xander was, he wasn’t wrong about us ignoring the prophecy. I couldn’t help it though. Even if I wanted to leave Kaige, I don’t think I ever could.
We were bonded. Forever.
“What’s the matter—no witty comeback? No explanation from the perfect prince?”
Kaige ground his teeth together, his body vibrating with tension beside me. “What do you want, Xander?” he finally spat out.
His dark eyes twinkled. “I want many things, Brother. The first of which is your human’s sweet blood on my lips—” Kaige lunged forward cutting him off, but Xander’s raised hand stopped him. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. I’m not finished. You haven’t heard my most important request.”
My heart sank. We both knew what was coming; Xander was behind in the trials three to one.
“I have a new deal in mind. Since you obviously care about the human, I see I was a little too hasty in my previous demands, which amounted to her ultimate death. Instead, I’ll allow her to return to Imera unharmed in exchange for you losing the remaining trials. Simple.”
“You can’t!” I jerked on Kaige’s arm. If he didn’t become king, all those poor people would be imprisoned in that lab in Imera forever. Only a king could take Turstan down.
He turned to me and sighed, a defeated look in his eye. “What other choice do we have?”
“You can’t let him become king. What about the people in Imera? The things we discovered?”
Xander’s brows furrowed as he watched us. His forehead creased as if he were trying to solve a particularly difficult problem.
“We’ll figure out another way to stop him,” he whispered against my ear.
This was wrong. On so many levels. Kaige deserved to be king, not Xander. I slapped my hands on my hips and glared at his twin. “Kaige does not agree to the deal.”
“Solaris…”
“No, Kaige, you can’t do this.” I pressed my hand to his chest then jerked it back as Xander’s gaze bored into me.
“Damn it, Kaige—just throw the trials!” He crashed his fist down on the sidetable. “Let me be the good son just once. You and your human can go live happily ever after in the Shadow Lands for all I care.”
Obviously Xander had never spent much time in the dead zone.
A sneer curled Kaige’s lip as he regarded his brother. “You? The good son? You’ve never cared about the fate of this country for a second in your life. All you’ve ever wanted were the perks of being a prince—the wealth, the adoring smiles, and the willing noblewomen.” Kaige’s cheeks burned bright red. He released me and jabbed a finger at his brother’s chest. “Do you even have any idea what’s going on beyond the castle grounds? Our people are starving as we gorge on synth and wine. How about Imera? Do you have any clue as to what goes on in our neighboring country?”
Xander tried to push Kaige’s accusatory finger away, but Kaige wouldn’t let up. “I don’t care about any of those things, okay? All I’ve ever wanted was to defeat you in something. And now, Brother, I will. You may have been perfect our entire lives, but this,” he pointed at me,” was the biggest mistake you’ve ever made. And I’ll make sure Father knows all about it.”
Xander spun on his heel, but before he closed his hand over the door handle, Kaige lunged. His arms wrapped around Xander’s torso, yanking him to the ground. Xander smacked down on the cold stone floor, his arms splayed out. He pushed up and bucked Kaige off. Kaige staggered, then pulled his arm back and smashed it into his brother’s cheek.
Kaige’s breath was coming fast, his chest heaving. And it wasn’t from the exertion. Fury surged through the blood bond, red-hot and angry.
Xander’s head snapped back, and a drop of blood fell from the corner of his lip. He wiped it away, his eyes shooting daggers at his brother. “I know you’re stronger than me with her blood flowing through your veins. What are you going to do Kaige? Beat the knowledge out of me? I know what I saw. The only way to stop me from telling Father would be to kill me.”
The heat rolling through my veins turned to ice. Kaige’s shoulders sagged, and he inhaled a long breath.
He could never kill his own brother. No matter what Xander threatened to do.
Kaige raised his hands in the air, his lips pressed in a grim line. “Do what you have to do, Xander, but I’m not losing on purpose. This country deserves a better king than you.”
Xander straightened and pushed his hair back behind his ears. “Maybe I was wrong about you loving her. This is the second time you’ve failed to choose her.”
His words cut like a knife to my chest. I knew he was wrong and he was just trying to goad us, but the reminder of Kaige’s last betrayal was still fresh in my mind.
Kaige’s fingers wrapped around mine. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered. His breath tickled my ear, sending a chill down my spine. I couldn’t tell if it was a good tingle or a bad one. He shoved Xander out of the way and stormed out the door, tugging me along with him.
“Where are you going?” Xander’s eyes widened as he trailed behind us.
“You said you were telling Father, right?” Kaige’s voice was like glass, sharp and cutting.
“Yes, but—”
“It’s only fair that we’re there to defend ourselves when you do.”
Xander grunted, but all the cockiness in his expression had vanished.
I really hoped Kaige knew what he was doing. My heart thumped in time with the slap of our quickening footfalls on the stone floor.
This was it—the dreaded first time meeting the parents. Only if they didn’t approve of me, I was dead.
Chapter 22
Kaige
Solaris’s heart beat with the same frantic staccato as mine. Our footsteps echoed ominously through the cold stone corridor, Xander’s dark presence looming behind us. Goose bumps puckered Solaris’s skin, but it wasn’t from the dip in temperature. Instead, it was the danger we were walking into.
“You’re a fool to give yourself up for her,” my brother spat. “The king will kill you no matter what you say.”
He was probably right. Good thing I had no intention of turning either of us in. I wouldn’t risk Solaris’s life. I gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze. I wouldn’t let her get hurt. Not again.
My eyes roamed the deserted hall. A servant’s exit was a short distance away. Xander could know about it, but it was our only shot of escaping. With Solaris’s blood running through my veins, I could outrun him even with her in my arms. All I had to do was hide her in the Shadow Lands, and she’d be safe.
Well, safe from Xander and from execution in Draconis. The blurred figures I’d seen in the Shadow Lands close to Imera flashed through my mind. What was out there?
I shook the chills from my body. Anything was better than death. I’d find a way to keep my little human safe.
A turn was coming up, and then the corridor split in two. One path led to a set of stairs and the other to the exit. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, and the tiny twitch in Solaris’s fingers told me she felt it. Those wide green orbs flickered toward me, sensing I was about to do something.
&
nbsp; She was right.
I released her and thrust my elbow back, slamming it into Xander’s face. A crunch echoed as his nose broke, and the metallic tinge of blood lit the air.
He cursed, his voice muffled. “You liar! You’re not getting away.”
“Come on.” I swept Solaris into my arms and sped around the corner, her blonde hair tickling my cheek.
“Do you have a plan?” she mumbled against my neck. “Or are we just winging it, prince of darkness?”
“I’m not impulsive like you.” Even while we were being chased, she couldn’t help but provoke me. “Of course I have a plan.” Sort of.
I was stupid to think I could hide her in Draconis even for a few days. Xander was too obsessed with taking me down to give me one minute of reprieve. He’d probably had Tessamia follow me the other day, maybe Hazon too. He would have never suspected I was hiding Solaris in the castle or that I’d been doing more than drinking her blood.
For just a moment, we’d forgotten about the prophecy and let our emotions get the better of us. I wasn’t only saving her because we were bonded and her pain was mine. I was saving her because I cared.
Despite the warning words of the prophecy, I couldn’t let her go.
I turned a corner and sprinted for the door when the outline of a hulking figure appeared, blocking the exit.
My feet skidded to a stop, and I placed Solaris on the ground, yanking her behind me. A snarl crawled up my throat, and my fangs dropped down. Whoever it was, I was ready for a fight. Right now, I could take anyone.
Anyone except him.
The figure moved closer, his features coming into view. Ice froze my veins, froze every cell in my body. “Father.”
His eyes were already glued to the small figure pressed against my back. Her ragged pulse slammed against the walls like a tribal drumbeat.
“Kaige, what is going on?” He spoke slowly, confusion clouding his irises. He’d never seen me challenge anyone like this, least of all him. I probably looked like a wild, feral beast.