Page 72 of The Star's Sword
“I know,” I said, rubbing my chest, where it ached slightly. “I know I have no right to say this, but I feel jealous. It’s silly. Obviously, I’m with Sam.”
Zadis turned back to me, height increasing slightly, ears lengthening a little. Was he struggling to contain his warrior form? He looked down at himself, shocked. “Damn if you aren’t making my warrior go crazy.”
“Your warrior?”
“You must be one of my potential mates,” he said, pausing on the stairs and letting his hot gaze rove over me. “I think if it was you, you could be the only one.”
“Why?” I asked.
He pulled me up into Simon’s room and then wrapped both of his arms around my waist, walking us over to one of the windows to look out at the forest outside the dome. “Well, for one, you’re a wolf shifter, and you know how obsessed I am about that.” He nuzzled into my shoulder, and I felt sparks there. Not the sparks I felt with Sam. Something new, that sparked colder and felt somewhat dangerous and unknown. Whereas the heat between Sam and I was an instant inferno, always ready to rage. The difference between a new and experienced relationship, maybe.
“From the moment I saw you, I offered to be your prince,” he murmured against my neck, trailing over it. It was hard to believe this was actually going to happen. But in my heart, it felt right, even if I was a little nervous. The wine was still flooding my senses, making everything dull and heightened at the same time.
He kissed down on my exposed shoulder, and it felt as gentle and silken as moonlight.
“Zadis,” I said in a breathy moan. His hand smoothed down over my arm and I reached up to catch his hand, turning to face him. Wanting to kiss him.
He caught my face, and moved forward so that we were forehead to forehead, and just held me there, breathing heavily, both of us drunk on the moment and the dragon wine in our blood.
Then he pulled back, making me feel oddly empty for a second, before he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward a side room that must be the bathroom.
“Shower first,” he said. “I won’t have my first time with you while we’re both soaked in blood.”
I pouted. “Aw. You don’t like blood play?” I joked.
He reached in his pocket and pulled a knife out, which he opened with a complex spinning move. “Not unless I make it myself.”
I gaped, as he put the knife away again, nearly dropping it when he tried another fancy spinning move.
“Oops,” he said. “Probably shouldn’t do edge play while drunk.” He shrugged, but my cheeks were flaming.
“Edge play?”
His grin widened wickedly and he backed me up against the wall of the bathroom, which was made of elaborate white and blue porcelain tiles. My heart rate sped up, noticing he was taller still, as if slowly turning into his warrior form without even noticing it.
He looked down and gave me a drunk, cocky look as he placed a hand above my head and leaned in over me, dangerously close. “You don’t know any of my kinks, Morningstar. But I’m a fae prince, and I know how to fuck, so if you think I won’t give that incubus a run for his money in the bedroom?” He ran his tongue over his lower lip, his green eyes watching me predatorily. “You’re about to be more wrong than you’ve ever been in your life.”
I shivered back against the tile, using my hands against the smooth surface to keep myself up.
A kind, friendly Zadis already stirred things in me. This Zadis, dominant, hungry, twirling a lock of my hair in his spare hand, bringing us in closer, closer…
“I have always wanted you, Cleo,” he said huskily, one hand trapping my curls, one over my head trapping my body. “Let us mate.” His lips came in toward mine, but I jerked back.
“Mate?” I squeaked.
He nodded. “I wouldn’t be taking warrior form now if you weren’t.” He leaned forward, grazing sharp teeth against my neck. “I even have demon fangs from Sam’s blood, so if you want me to mark you, I could.”
I craned my neck, feeling his hot breath so close. His scent was like icy winter, fresh and spicy.
“It’s not like demon mates,” he said. “Fae have multiple mates. But if you wanted, I could be loyal to you. Since I met you, you’re all I’ve wanted. Be mine, and let me help him protect you, Morningstar. Let me stay at your side and see you rise.” He wrapped my curl one more time, bringing us even closer. “Let me be one of your mates.”
My eyes closed as he came next to me, but I couldn’t help remembering Sam saying that demons had many lovers but only one mate. Like Ara.
Then again, both of us were still drunk.
And I hadn’t mated Samael yet.
“I don’t know if I can have more than one,” I said honestly.
