Page 29 of Firebird
My entire body locked into place remembering that scene in the forum. Actually, we were in a very secluded alcove off of the forum. I’d wondered about the man he met there and what they’d talked about. But all of that had fled my mind when Julian nearly burst into half-skin after the soldier passing by harassed me.
The sight of Julian was terrifying. He was beyond menacing, his eyes glowing fiery gold, his muscles bunching, expanding, as he fought to control his beast and nearly murdered the soldier. I hadn’t known any Romans personally. Julian was the only one I’d ever spoken to. My other interactions had only ever been violent and brief—from a far distance when I helped the Celts and that one other time when I lost my entire family.
So I wasn’t sure if his reaction was normal. Did all dragons nearly lose their minds when someone touched their property? Everyone knew they were innately possessive beings, but Julian had looked… maniacal, monstrous, horrifying.
“About today,” he repeated after setting his goblet down on the low table. “We must ensure that doesn’t happen again.”
I blinked at him, saying nothing. I certainly didn’t want to witness a scene like that again.
“You won’t leave the house except in my company or with Ivo.” When I said nothing still, he added, “Do you understand?”
“Yes.” A burning stirred at the center of my chest. He didn’t trust me, and that was understandable, but now I was to be essentially imprisoned at his house. “Does Kara require an escort around the city?”
He clenched his jaw before answering. “No. But Kara isn’t you.”
“Surely, there are other young slaves who go about the city doing business for their masters. Why am I—”
“Because you don’t behave in a subservient way,” he snapped. The sinking sun cast half his face in shadow. “I told you this before we left.”
“My direct gaze?” I huffed in anger. “So you’re saying I invite the attention of other men?”
“Yes.”
I flinched at the insult.
He sat up from the lounge and faced me. “You may not mean to, Malina, but that fire burning in your eyes is a challenge to any man. But to a Roman and especially to a dragon, it’s like a summoning, a siren’s call. Not to mention the rest of you.”
I straightened my spine, my ire stoked, and unfortunately, my ego as well. My bravado took over beneath his intense stare.
“What about the rest of me?” I immediately wished I hadn’t asked that question.
His gaze flickered over my face and trailed down my throat, so tangible I could feel its caress, a tingling, delicious burn. I shouldn’t have done it, but I reached out with my empathic gift, finding his aura was already waiting for me, the tether faint but still there.
I gasped. A wave of heady lust, hot desire, and powerful need hit me so hard, I braced a hand on the table. It prickled through me, filling my veins with heat and igniting my own arousal. Or was that simply his feeding through the tether?
The strangest part of all was that altogether, his myriad of emotions weren’t repulsive. They staggered me in their intensity, and yet, I wasn’t running from the room as I should’ve. Rather, the witch inside me basked in his emotions, bathing in their brilliance and power. She liked the strength she held over the dragon.
Stupid witch.
My pulse beat fiercely in my throat, my body beginning to tremble.
Finally, he leaned forward, his eyes glowing with supernatural luster. “Your defiant spirit,” he whispered, almost like he was sharing a secret, his timbre rough, “coupled with your beauty.” He shook his head. “It is dangerous. So very dangerous.”
“For me?” I asked, wondering why I could never keep my mouth shut, because then I kept going and asked, “Or is it dangerous for you?”
His wide mouth ticked up into a smile so devilish it stole my breath. Rather than frighten me, I wanted to capture that smile in my palms and hide it away for only me to ever see.
“Both, sweet firebird.” His voice was a velvety, dark caress. “We might both burn for what’s to come.”
VII
MALINA
My pulse thrummed in my throat as I walked through the corridors toward his domain of the house, carrying his morning meal on a tray. It wasn’t fear that beat wildly in my chest—as it should be—but a twisted sort of excitement combined with anger.
Enid was awake this morning when I entered her room before dawn. I assured her she was safe and that I would take care of her. But she barely seemed to hear me, her face contorted in pain.
She simply closed her eyes and turned her head away when I reassuredher again. I wanted to stay longer, but I could couldn’t as Kara called me to the kitchen moments later with the master’s meal.
