Warrior Lover (Draconia Tales)
Page 26
He took a deep breath. To apologize. To say words he rarely, if ever, used. Since when had he apologized for anything? Oh, sorry about lopping your head off, my mistake. As if that would ever happen. But he needed to say the words, no matter how strange they felt in his mouth.
“I’m sorry, Lily. You were right. I should have told you what to expect.”
“So why didn’t you?” Her fists slapped against her waist.
He shoved a hand through his hair and stared at the smooth stone wall. “I didn’t want you to hate me.”
“And you thought I wouldn’t get mad when you hid things from me?”
Well, yes. He had. But judging by the look on her face, admitting his lapse into idiocy wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do. He shrugged.
“You should have told me the truth. Instead of leaving me at the Claims’ House. Instead of not telling me about your mother or the treatment of the claims.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you?”
He swallowed and checked out the smudge of dirt on his boot. The hardest part of telling the truth was admitting once the words escaped his lips, the knowledge they contained became reality. But she deserved to know. And he needed to set the thoughts free.
“Because of my father. He didn’t like me. My whole life, he hinted around I wasn’t his son, which is a lie. I look like his twin. And a Watcher will not lie with another Watcher’s claim while the owner of the claim still lives. That’s why I took you to sign you in instead of going by myself.”
“So someone would kill you and take me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. They can’t kill me. No, I took you there...” Enar took a deep breath and stared at the wall. So calm and motionless. Unlike what he felt now. Telling the truth was harder than he expected. “I took you there to show you off. To prove to the others that I was my father’s son. And to maybe gain approval from my father. But it didn’t work. I scared you. And my father disowned me anyway tonight. I’m not allowed to live in the Watcher village.”
One hand touched her lips as her eyes widened. “Oh, Enar. That’s horrible. A man shouldn’t do that to his son.”
“I’m surprised he didn’t do it earlier.”
“What did he have against you?”
“I don’t know, but I think it had something to do with my mother. I definitely know now how he feels, which is better than thinking he might feel differently at a later time. And you know what the worst part is?” She shook her head. “I messed up a good thing for something that would never happen. It’s not him I want, Lily, it’s you. I can’t live without you.”
She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “I thought I loved you.”
His heart did a quick hop at her words and he opened his mouth to tell her how he felt, but she held up a hand to silence him.
“I thought...but then you withheld from me things I needed to hear, needed to know. You turned distant. You left me!” Her fists balled at her sides, her eyes sparking lights that would make a Draconi proud.
“I’m sorry. I should have told you...no, I shouldn’t have even taken you. I should have kept you here.”
“You should have told me what to expect.”
“I know.”
“Do you plan on pulling something like that with me again?”
“Woman, if you take me back, I will not hide things from you again. I promise.” He took a step closer to her, releasing a breath he didn’t realize he held when she didn’t move. The skin of her cheek felt warm as he cupped her face. Her eyes glistened as she tilted her head to meet his gaze.
He lowered his lips to hers, watching to make sure she didn’t pull away, didn’t reject him. Instead, her arms grasped his nape, pulling him closer, her lips pressing against his. He deepened the kiss, diving into the depths of her sweet mouth, branding her his.
His to love. His to cherish. His to keep from harm.
Right as he tightened his arms around her, melding her body to his, she pushed against his shoulders. With a groan, he released her.
“I’m still mad at you.”
“I like the way you kiss when you’re mad.”
Lily glared at him and appeared to fight a grin. “I’m not wearing the necklace.”
“I can think of other things to do with it.” He waggled his brows.
“Oh, can you now?”
“I can. I’m good at coming up with alternative ways to use things.”
“Hmm. We’ll have to see about that.”
“Now?” Maybe he shouldn’t sound so excited about the prospect.
With a wink, she walked past him, her steps carrying her to the foyer. Like a dragon on the scent of gold, he followed. Leading him to a cluster of chairs around the fireplace, she sat down, motioning for him to sit next to her.
All right. Not exactly what he had in mind, but it beat her foot in his arse kicking him out the door. Point for him.
“If I’m no longer your claim, what do you want from me?”
“Woman, what kind of question is that? I want you. All of you. Forever.”
“Are you saying you love me?”
“I better be.” He took a deep breath, willing to get in touch with his softer side, his sapped-out Draconi side. Words he never thought he’d say tumbled out of his mouth. “Lily, I love you.” Not nearly as scary as he feared to speak those words.
“Oh, Enar. You don’t know how much I’ve wanted you to say that.”
“I love you.” He tried out the words again. Much easier the second time around.
“I love you too. But what will we do? If you aren’t allowed in your village. Not that I’d ever return there.”
“I took a position on the Council.”
One fine, white brow tried meeting her hairline. “I thought you hated the Council.”
“My father is no longer on it and it allows me to try to change things. Plus, I can make sure Thoren stays out of trouble. And you can let the priestesses turn you into a Seer. Provided that’s what you want to do.”
“I might as well learn to control my visions. I don’t know if I’ll be what the priestesses hope for, but I can’t go on seeing things happen and not being able to help the person in trouble.”
He touched her hand, one finger stroking her silky skin. “If you will have me, we can stay here.” More of the breath holding followed by the incessant reminders to inhale.
She looked at their hands and flipped hers over, grasping his palm. Such a small hand in his large one, such trust that he would do right by her. Trust he would not break this time.
“Of course I’ll have you. I love you. You’ve saved my life at least three times. Without you, I never would have been in the position to learn how to become a Seer. I never would have come to Draconia. I never would have learned love. But you must promise never to hold things back from me. To treat me as your partner and not lie to me. I’m not going to let that happen again, understand?”
“Woman, I swear on my sword I will never withhold the truth from you again.” He frowned. “You don’t plan on asking me if that dress makes your arse look over-large, do you? Because it never will, you know.”
She laughed, her face transforming into lines of happiness.
“May I kiss you?”
“Since when do you need to ask?”
Gentle at first, he gave in to his body’s demands, ravishing her lips, running his hands over her body, pulling her into his lap. Inhaling her scent, hearing her soft sighs, drove him over the edge. She belonged to him, she was his, now and forever and this time he would not let his pride get in the way of love.
A word about the author...
By day, Karilyn works in the research department of an oncology clinic. By night, she tells the stories of her imaginary friends. Karilyn and her most wonderful, ever patient husband share their home in the great state of Texas with two partially psycho dogs and a handful of colorful fish.
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