“No, let’s go out. Reiner can paint my nails when we come back,” I say, grinning at the servant, who bows so deeply I can see the hair at the top of his head. “But…” I bite my lip, leaning in to be closer to Kyran. “Can we lose Tristan and spend some time alone?” I’m being manipulative, since I want less eyes on me when we’re in the village, but that doesn’t negate the fact that being alone with Kyran makes my blood sizzle. We fucked in the morning, right before he had to leave, and I’m already missing his touch.
I know he feels the same way about me.
Or do I?
I cannot be sure what he’s up to when we’re not together, and while he was a virgin when we first met, the novelty of sex might soon not be enough for me to keep his interest in a castle full of elves way more gorgeous and interesting than I could ever be.
Kyran glances toward Tristan, who’s talking to his sister by the main desk, but he’s already decided. I can see it in his eyes.
“Excellent idea, my darling. Reiner, prepare our ridingoutfits.”
Reiner bows again. “Horse or kelpie, Your Highness?”
Kyran smirks when our eyes meet. “Kelpie.”
Chapter 26
Kyran
My morning was filled with difficult conversations. The alchemists can’t quite tell when Heartbreak might come ashore, and if so, what is their purpose? Between the despairs attacking fishermen and frequent tremors, I don’t need an elf of science to tell me that the beast is readying itself for another attack. It’s obvious to anyone with half a brain!
So much time wasted, and none of the solutions meant to protect the inhabitants of the area proposed to me are even remotely useful. Barriers? Waste of resources, since Heartbreak can crush them with ease. Potions? None have ever been proven to work, and no amount of“encouraging”experiments on the monster’s spawn have given promising results.
The only person who could aid me in the fight against Heartbreak spent the early hours apart from me, browsing dusty tomes in the library and playing with a little beast that might gauge his eyes out. I’m not comfortable with him spending so much time with the critter, not after finding out my own mother died because she had grand ideas about befriending monsters. But he seems so happy I can’t bring myself to spoil it for him. After all, the bat’s still young, too small to hurt my promised.
It is a shame we haven’t yet married, but if Heartbreak comes ashore before that happens, I will have to come up with something. For now, the best course of action is to ignore my worries and make sure Luke understands the life I can offer him is superior to whatever existence he led in the human world.
As he emerges from the dressing chamber attached to the stable, ready for our little trip, all my noble goals disperse, replaced by raw lust.
I’m very aware how good I look in the riding outfit made of sleek black leather, but seeing it on Luke is a whole different story. It hugs his lean, angular body in ways I want to with my hands. In fact, it encases him so tightly I’m almost jealous of the leather. Several buckles jingle when he struts my way in riding boots that reach his thighs. The black octopus skin is polished to perfection, and green light bounces off every shiny crease in the outfit.
Luke rubs his gloved hand over his chest, as if unaware of what he’s doing to me with that gesture. “Wow, this is… tight,” he says with a healthy flush.
My gaze trails down his form. I always liked watching men in these outfits, but Luke is incomparable to anyone else. The leather somehow showcases his figure in even more detail than his naked skin would have.
I nod, staring at his graceful legs.
He laughs and shoves my shoulder. “Don’t look at me like that in front of the kelpies!”
And yet I notice him stealing a glance at my hips as well.
“I bet they don’t mind,” I say, stepping closer, until Luke’s cheek is against my chest, and I enfold him in my arms.
There’s a sense of peace in holding him. His hair carries the distinct scent of sea salt and rose oil, which takes turns exciting and calming me. The aroma of hay and wood hanging in the crisp air compliments it so well I slide my hand into his black-green mane, relaxing under the vault of the ceiling high above.
Skulls of kelpies who are no longer with us hang high up on the walls, each marked with a name and dates of their service to my family. My father also had the huge antlers of a Stag of Sunrise put up, a testament to his love of hunting. The interior itself is rather dark, with swamplight burning in only a couple of spots. I like to think it’s because this reminds the kelpies of their underwater home, but right now it creates an intimate atmosphere for me and my promised.
We’re alone in the stables, and as my hands start their slow descent toward the backside I’ve become so utterly obsessed with, Luke gets to his toes and gasps into my ear.
“I never got why some people like to wear latex, but…” he slides his hand up my arm and the leather squeaks, “I think I get it now.” Luke gives my earlobe a teasing lick that tells me he’s just as excited to see me after the few hours apart as I am.
At times I get so jealous of all the men he’s been with I want to choke each of them with my shadow, but then he looks at me with fondness, and I let myself dream that maybe I am special to him too.
I will do whatever it takes so he forgets any other arms that ever held him.
“I like looking at you no matter what you’re wearing,” I say, grinning.
He slips out of my grasp and stands at arms’ length. “Just looking?” he asks with a smirk. The expression makes his sharp features even more fox-like.
