Touch of Flame

Hmm…

He wasn’t sure? But the way he looked at her…

She shivered. Indeed, he was in a conflict. Did he want to breed with her? Was that the look?

That part did worry her. Would he be forceful if she ever left with him? From what she read, he shouldn’t be. Mating should be consented to by both and it seemed like between breedmates consent was important and they respected those boundaries but… she was the enemy. He could simply take revenge on her that way unless… he would be pained by causing her pain.

Ugh.. she didn’t know anymore and she was suddenly feeling weak and lightheaded again. She couldn’t think clearly. She wanted to go to bed, but she was on an interesting point in this conversation.

“You changed your plans too quickly.” She told him, leading him on. Of course, he was making his own plans but that way, he was falling into hers.

“Well, I thought killing you would be too easy and it would leave me unsatisfied.” His eyes swept over her, lingering a little longer on her neck.

It was a good start if he didn’t kill her but there were things worse than death. How long would he be able to hurt her before he stopped?

“I am sure.” She nodded. “It was very interesting to read about breedmates. I had a hard time believing all of that, I’ll admit. Because what if the breedmate turned out to be human, like me? The whole honored and respected…”

His eyes bore into hers but he said nothing. She knew what silence meant.

“The protecting part was what made me laugh. You protecting me?” She chuckled. “From who?”

His face twisted and his jaw clenched. “From myself.” He admitted. “The wall between wanting to protect you and kill you is very weak. You would be risking your life if you released me.”

Was he trying to make her curious?

“I don’t have any desire to gamble with my life at this point. I am in a good place.”

He didn’t like the mention of Ares, and triggering him made him more vulnerable to speak the truth.

“You won’t be, if I free myself. Your future husband… and then you.” He said pacing forward while watching her.

Interesting. She didn’t even name him this time. She only spoke about her life but he was stuck on that part.

“You want my future husband too?”

He frowned. “Want… to kill him.”

“That is not fun. You sound… jealous.”

“It is not jealousy. It is called being territorial.”

“But I am not yours.”

“Yes, you are!” He said firmly. Well, this was progress but since he was calm it could be a tactic. Every time he became calm he threw her off balance. He was less frightening when angry.

“Not by my definition.”

He paused and looked at her a little amused. “Princess, definitions don’t matter when you are mine by nature.”

She shivered again.

He stepped closer watching her intensely. “You read your books professor, but you still have no clue what it means to be a breedmate.” He almost whispered those words.

She stepped away involuntarily. What was he doing?

“When I get my hands on you, princess you will know what being a breedmate means.” He smirked. “After I punish you of course.”

She didn’t know why that made her smile.

“You seem excited.” He said raising a brow.

“Well, what can I say. You do manage to frighten me, BUT not because you threaten to kill me or punish me.”

He kept his smile but she could feel that his mood changed when he understood what she was implying. Becoming his breedmate was a nightmare.

“You give me even more reason to make you mine then.”

Good, she thought with dread. She was voluntarily going into a long nightmare where she might never wake up.

“There is only one way a woman becomes truly and completely yours, King Malachi. You need to get to the root or shall I say to the heart.”

He frowned.

She shrugged. “I have to go now.”

He stepped back as if he was standing in the way. She turned around and left, feeling his eyes on her back.

King Malachi was cooking his own plan, but what was it exactly. Admitting the truth as a way to manipulate her? Did he think that was enough for her to release him or did he have further plans? She would have to wait and see.

In the hall near her room, she met Ester who almost jumped on her. “My Lady!” She hissed rushing to cover her neck with hair. She grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed them violently into the room.

“What is wrong with you?” Ravina asked.

Ester hurried to close the door and then came to take her to the mirror. “Look,” she said removing the hair from her neck. Ravina leaned closer to see the bruise on the side of her neck.

“What is that?”

Ester smiled deviously. “What did you do?”

“What do you mean? I never hurt myself in the neck.”

Ester chuckled. “Did you have a moment with your future husband that included some neck…”

Ravina’s eyes widened. How did she know?

“Oh… you have. My Lady, you have a passionate future husband.”

Ravina was still confused.

“That is called a love bite.”

Love bite?

“It seems like your future husband is claiming ownership over you already.”

Ravina slowly began to put the pieces together and then she remembered how Malachi kept looking at her neck. Oh, these men. Were all men like that? Wanting some kind of ownership? What was he trying to do?

No! She shut him out not wanting to think of leaving him. There was no need to make herself suffer that way. But what was he experimenting with that they needed a secret laboratory? If it was anything with dragons, why would they hide it? They had already done all kinds of tests on dragon blood, not only to learn but also perhaps utilize the benefits but it didn’t work.

There was something else but what?

Ravina got an idea. She would go to his room. The thing he got from her uncle, perhaps he had it in his room or other things she could find. But first, she would make sure he wasn’t there.

Leaving her room she went on a search for him and her uncle. Just as she expected they were not in the castle at this hour.

Now would be a perfect time. She hurried to his room, made sure no one saw her, and then she went inside. She was careful with her search, memorizing where things lay before she touched them. She looked through his chest, pockets, drawers, under pillows and mattresses, and even under the carpet. She looked under the table and chairs if something was attached there. Nothing.

What was she expecting? He was too smart to just leave things around. Feeling disappointed she decided to leave and headed toward the door. When she was close the door suddenly opened and her heart skipped a beat.

Ares paused as he walked in when he took notice of her. His eyes narrowed. “What are you doing here?” He asked.

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