Page 25 of Dragon Revealed (Dragon Kings 1)
Chapter Thirteen
Jeyra was mesmerized by Varek’s deep voice, lulled by his soft words.
And utterly captivated by the yearning in his eyes.
Her breath caught when he slipped from the stool onto his knees before her. It was difficult to breathe when his hands clasped the bars below hers. She knew she should back up and put space between them, but her body wouldn’t obey her mind.
Varek’s gaze swept over her face. “To have a mate means that we lean on each other, we support each other, we love each other unequivocally. It means that each night when I climb into bed, I can pull her into my arms. It means when I wake up every morning, she’s beside me. Having a mate is finding the one person in all the universes who makes your heart pound with excitement, your body heat with need, and your soul sing with peace. Aye, lass. I want a mate.”
Words lodged in her throat, caught against the onslaught of desire. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had spoken with such fervor, such craving. And it had done something to her. She wished she could make the bars disappear because she wanted to touch him.
“Lass,” he murmured.
She loved when he called her that. His sexy voice rumbled. When his gaze dropped to her mouth, her lips parted of their own volition.
“You keep looking at me like that, and I’ll no’ be responsible for my actions,” he whispered.
She released the bars and put her hand through them to grab his shirt. With a fistful of cloth, she pulled him to her. The lines that had been drawn in the sand—lines she had drawn by capturing him—were disappearing. It no longer mattered who or what he was. All she knew was the driving hunger, the relentless need for him.
Before she could put her mouth on his, his hands cupped her face. He searched her eyes, looking for what, she had no idea. He must have found whatever he searched for because he released a moan right before he pressed his lips against her and his tongue met hers.
The feel of him was…she had no words. He was everything. More than everything. His lips were gentle but insistent, soft yet demanding. He robbed her of breath, then gave her a wealth of energy that poured through her body.
He destroyed everything she was, only to rebuild her into something stronger.
As the kiss deepened, and the passion heightened, she lost all concept of time and space. All that mattered, all that she cared about, was the Dragon King who kissed her as if there were no tomorrow. As if he wanted her to feel everything within him.
As if he had waited an eternity to kiss her.
Varek gradually ended the kiss before he pressed his forehead against hers, their harsh breaths filling the quiet of the dungeon. “I’d do anything right now for these bars to be gone so I could feel you against me.”
Jeyra smiled, silently agreeing with him. But that smile died when she remembered that she was the one who’d put him here.
When she started to pull away, Varek tightened his hold on her. “No’ yet, lass. Please. This feels too good.”
It did feel good. Really, really good. And it shouldn’t. He was the enemy. Wasn’t he? Somehow, she had gotten everything confused, and the kiss only amplified that to muddy the waters.
A week ago, she had been on top of the world. She had done the unthinkable—captured a Dragon King. While she wasn’t proud of how she had done it, she’d known without a doubt that it had been the right thing to do for her and her people. Because they needed justice.
How had Varek gone from being someone she couldn’t stand to be around, to someone that she confided in, someone she looked forward to seeing? Someone who stirred feelings within her? No matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment things had changed. The timing wasn’t important. The result was.
She lifted her head and found her eyes locked with warm, brown ones. They had promised each other truth, and she had been honest with Varek—right up until he asked who had captured him. He had been open with her, but all that would change the moment he found out that she was the one responsible for his imprisonment.
“What is it?” he asked, concern filling his expression.
She looked away and pulled out of his arms. It was wrong for him to be worried about her. “I’m fine.”
“You are no’,” he said simply. “I doona regret that kiss. It was amazing. You can no’ deny that because I felt it in your response.”
Her gaze swung back to him. “I’m not denying it. The kiss was incredible.”
“Then why are you sad?”
“Take a look at where you are, Varek. Look at who is in the cell and who isn’t. I was sent to get secrets from you to use against you when you go to trial.”
He sat back on his haunches. “I willna be in here forever.”
“You’re going to take their offer of marriage?” she asked, hating the note of anger she heard in her voice.
“I didna say that.”
She got up. She needed to move. Jeyra paced, her mind firing in all different directions, but each time coming back to the same person—Varek. How much longer would the council allow her to speak to him? If she didn’t bring back the answer they wanted, would they send someone else? An actual interrogator? Would that mean she wouldn’t be able to see him? After the fuss she’d put up about having to talk to Varek, once she was replaced, the last place she should be was in the dungeon talking to him.
Strong fingers wrapped loosely around her arm, halting her. Her head jerked to the side to find Varek’s arm reaching out from the cell. She looked at him, surprised to discover a deep frown on his face.
“What is it?” she asked.
He didn’t answer, only pulled her closer to him. She complied because that’s where she wanted to be. Only after she sat sideways against the bars did he release her, replicating her position so they faced each other. She couldn’t help but smile when he turned his hand up, offering it to her. She set her palm in his, warmth going through her when his fingers curled around hers.
