Page 78 of Wicked Curses
Not for the first time, she wished her father had told her what happened. She truly believed he hadn’t hurt her mother, but…
“He hated talking about her,” she admitted. “I think it was painful for him, even if he never admitted it. I think he cared about her.”
Orin didn’t say anything.
“She left me a book of shadows before she abandoned me. Other than life, it’s all she ever gave me, but I was lucky enough to have my father and Del. They kept me safe and loved me. I had a wonderful childhood; I didn’t know I was an oddity until I was older. They never treated me as such.”
She felt Orin’s gaze but didn’t look at him again. She didn’t have anything else to say on the subject.
“I met your mother. She’s a bitch. You were better off without her.”
Sahira didn’t know how to reply, and they didn’t speak again. When they finished washing their clothes, their baskets were full of damp clothes they’d hang on the line behind the pub.
Sahira settled her last pair of pants on the pile as Orin rose and extended his hand to her. Unsure of what to do, she stared at it.
She’d prefer not to touch the dark fae; he unnerved her but also made her feel more alive than anyone she’d ever met. His touch did things to her that were best avoided.
However, he’d helped destroy Radagast and come here to protect her; she couldn’t be rude. Reluctantly, she slid her hand into his and almost yanked it away again when an electrical thrill ran through her.
She’d never admit it, but she loved the feel of his hand encircling hers. The strength of his fingers and the way they fit into hers made her knees weak.
Something flickered in his eyes; he’d felt it, too, or at least he’d feltsomethingas his eyes held hers and his thumb caressed the back of her hand.
CHAPTERFIFTY-FIVE
A shiver randown Sahira’s spine. It had been too many years since she’d had sex with anyone. She’d willingly locked herself away to keep Lexi safe and didn’t regret it.
She wouldn’t have anyone tromping through the manor with the last arach child underfoot. And while she could have traveled to a different realm and found someone to scratch her itch, she worried she wouldn’t return in time to make Lexi’s potion.
She was also concerned that something might happen toher. She was powerful, but they might attack her if she stumbled across the wrong immortals in another realm. Sex wasn’t worth having her niece grow up without her.
They weren’t related by blood, but the second Sahira saw the tiny bundle cradled in Del’s arms, she loved Lexi. And Lexi had loved her deeply too. Because of that, she avoided anything that might be a risk to herself or that beautiful baby.
Besides, there were human men to keep her occupied. They were far less dangerous than any immortal. Sure, they weren’t as satisfying as immortal men and struggled to keep up with her, but they were good in a pinch.
And Sahira had used human men a time or two, but it wasn’t that satisfying when she didn’t enjoy it as much. So, it had been almost two decades since she last shared her bed with a man.
Now that things were calmer in Dragonia, she’d planned to change that but hadn’t found the time. That’s why Orin’s touch was far more pleasing than it should have been and why she kept reacting to him this way… or at least that’s what she told herself.
Deep down, she knew it was a lie. It was the man himself. She hated him… but she didn’t, not anymore.
She still didn’t trust him—she couldn’t when he’d declared her a game—but he wasn’t as repulsive to her as he once was. Maybe that was all part of his game too; she didn’t have it in her to care anymore.
She was too tired and too famished to continue fightingeverything.He’d become almost a friend in a realm where she didn’t have many, and game or not, he’d helped her with Radagast and was here to help keep her safe.
With a gentle tug, he pulled her a little closer, and she didn’t try to resist. His thumb stroking the back of her hand caused the hair on her arms to rise. Excitement pulsed through her veins, and her mouth went dry.
She was still sore and exhausted both emotionally and physically from Radagast’s attack, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his.
This is Orin. Get away from him!
The warning blared like a siren through her head, but she couldn’t resist how amazing his touch felt. She’d never been with a dark fae in all her four hundred and fifty-three years, but she’d touched a few of them. She didn’t recall anything like this happening with them; it would have been impossible to forget.
While her brain pummeled her with every reason why she shouldn’t get any closer, her heartyearnedfor this connection with him. She could no more stop this than she could a runaway freight train.
A muscle twitched at the corner of Orin’s clenched jaw. His arm slipped around her waist as he pulled her closer.
She opened her mouth to protest or moan as his chest pressed against hers, but no sound issued before his mouth descended with the ruthlessness of a conqueror who wouldn’t be denied. And it was quite clear she was the conquest he sought.
