Page 65 of Leviathan's Song
“That isn’t the point. And I don’t think it would even work. Do you think these people consider me to be a mer? Theydon’t. I’m landlocked, so regardless of my parentage or my magic, I’mjusta landwalker to them.” His enchantment rose around us as he spoke, lashing about like a living thing, proving the falsehood in those accusations.
“I willneverbe ‘mer’ enough for them. I havealwaysbeen and willalwaysbe an outsider. And then…thenI’m supposed to go and let them use that part of me—that piece of me that was never good enough—to boost their reputation?”
His pain and resentment were palpable, tangible things, slicing through me and raising a fierce, blood-thirsty desire in me to protect him from the people who had cut him so deeply.
“Or to allow them to use you and your gifts, your empathy, your complete and utter perfection, for their own greed and pride? Yeah, I’m pissed. I want to help Adonci’s people, but Ihatethat we have to benefit this council to do so.”
I ignored the comment about my supposed perfection, but I agreed with him about my distaste for the council and was still mulling over that aspect of it. I watched him as he began pacing between the window and my bed. The next words out of my mouth tumbled out unprompted, vulnerable, before I could catch them, laying bare my insecurity and desire for him.
“So… this isn’t actually about not wanting to be married to me?”
He stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes narrowed as he glared at me from across the room. I might have even flinched when he stalked toward me like a prowling lion, if I hadn’t had years of training in proper composure and etiquette. Since I had, I held my head high and my shoulders back when he came to a stop just out of arm’s reach in front of me.
“Wearemarried as far as the mer are concerned. That’s what a bond is, even though it’s usually a temporary thing in their culture, it’s as married as these people get. A legal marriage between us would serve no purpose to them but to bind you to me, and in effect, to them.WhenI—,” he started, then paused to swallow before continuing. “WhenI marry you, Elara, it’s going to be because you want me to, and not because some bureaucrats forced you into it.”
Levi’s eyes were hard again, determined, and his tone had an almost vicious certainty in it, but I couldn’t suppress the spark of pleasure I knew my face showed.
That was all I needed to hear.
My mind made up, I circled a few steps past him, positioning myself so he was between me and my bed. I felt like, in that moment, our roles had reversed, and now I was the predator stalking my prey. I drifted toward him with a secretive smile threatening to curve the edge of my lips, wanting to back him into the bed. He must have seen the intent on my face because he blinked and took a step backwards, bumping into the mattress and startling momentarily, checking behind him before narrowing his eyes at me again.
“What are you doing?”
I allowed myself a small smile that felt positively wicked. “Sit down.”
His answering smile held a fair amount of confusion as he slowly lowered himself onto my mattress.
“Back up. Against the pillows.” I lifted my chin to indicate the area behind him and noted the imperious tone in my voice with hidden amusement. He wanted an empress? I’d show him one.
He slid back on the bed with his eyes narrowing further at me as he went, either in suspicion or at my tone. I set one knee up on the bed and prowled up after him, finally situating myself in his lap—my new favorite place—and settling the hem of my robes out around my thighs to keep things decent. For now, at least.
“Levi.”
“… Yes?”
“You’re already bound to me.” I watched his face, scanning for any hint of a flinch or discomfort at my quiet announcement. Instead, I watched his jaw clench tightly as his gaze focused on mine with an intense quality that surprised me. It wasn’t rebellious, as I had expected, but possessive, and I suppressed a shiver, biting into my lip as I considered my next move.
I lifted my hands slowly, hesitating slightly before settling them onto his chest. There was nothing I enjoyed more than feeling his body against mine. I gripped his shirt, wanting to pull it off before I changed my mind and went for the tie on my own robe. Sliding it open, I allowed the silken fabric to slide down my shoulders and pool at my waist. His eyes dropped to the ridiculously frothy lace confection I’d donned in my closet and widened slightly.
“Don’t you want to bind me to you, too?” It was a breathy whisper that I almost didn’t recognize as my own, and Levi made a choking noise. I smoothed my hands back up his abs to his chest, feeling the muscles underneath as he clenched his stomach before fisting my fingers in the smooth drape of his t-shirt.
I needed this off of him.
I wanted full access to everything underneath.
I should have demanded he strip first.
His hands wrapped around the backs of my arms, holding me against him, and I leaned forward to nip at his jawline. “You said I could be your queen any time I wanted. Did you mean that?” I felt more powerful in this moment than I did commanding the massive stone juggernauts or creating juiced-up long swords. I might have been a little bit out of my mind.
When his breath shuddered out of him and his hands gripped me tighter, I couldn’t help the smug grin that spread across my face. I busied myself with kisses and nips along the side of his neck to hide it. I must have looked like the cat who got the cream. Where had this man been all my life?
Focus.
“If you could marry me tomorrow, would you?” I asked.
“You know I would,” he growled, flexing up against me and making my eyelids flutter. “But not because they demand it and not because it benefits them!”
“Forget about the council. I’m talking about you and me.” My fingers were like claws in his shirt, and I tugged, causing him to lean forward and jerk his shirt off over his head. The motion of his hips beneath me distracted me, and my breath hitched at the feeling of his hardness outlined against me.
