Page 136 of War Queen
Phillip groaned—he did.
The backs of Soren’s legs brushed against the bed, and he shifted to move behind the king. But Phillip caught him.
“No.”
Soren paused.
“I want to see you,” Phillip said. He moved onto the bed, and slowly lay back on the pillows. Soren edged over him, leading but following, prowling but caught. He wasn’t sure whether he was predator or prey.
He didn’t care. He seized Phillip’s mouth again with his. Soren had never liked kissing. Kissing was too intimate, too much. But with this man, he couldn’t get enough.
He needed more.
Soren stopped and glanced around the room. His eyes found a small bowl of oil on the table by the bed, and he stopped. Convenient.
Phillip gave a wry smile. “I knew you’d come back.”
“You say that like you know me.” Soren had meant his words to be playful, but they didn’t come out that way.
Phillip’s face grew serious, and Soren searched his mind for how to bring them back.
“I want to know you,” Phillip said softly. He reached his hand around the nape of Soren’s neck. “Will you let me know you?”
Soren studied his face. He’d let this man do almost anything. “Do I make it difficult?”
Phillip chuckled. “Where’s that dagger?” He pulled Soren down, and their mouths found each other again. He tasted of sweet and citrus, like something to be devoured, and Soren wanted to devour him.
Soren broke away to coat himself with oil, then moved between Phillip’s thighs, positioning them both. Skin against skin, hard muscle brushing either side of his hips, male power underneath him—he had to work to keep control. Phillip blinked slowly, his breaths long and heavy. Soren gripped Phillip’s thigh and watched him as he pushed inside. Phillip surrendered to him, panting a breath that made Soren almost lose himself. Soren pushed deeper and stilled. He needed to be inside him—to claim him, to be close. To be part of him.
He forced himself to be slow, trying to deny the fever of urgency. But Phillip’s body rocked against him and drove him faster. It drove him harder. He clasped Phillip’s hands and pushed them above his head and dipped his head to drink from his mouth again. The want was so intense it hurt. The storm grew between them—building, roiling—threatening to consume them both.
Then Phillip’s body pulsed underneath him, tightening, and warmth spurted up between their stomachs. He groaned into Soren’s mouth, and Soren unraveled. He drove himself deeper, erupting within and seeding his claim.
This man was his.
They both stilled, panting. Soren let himself collapse. Phillip was a large enough man that he could hold his weight. It was bliss to simply lay.
Soft fingers trailed through Soren’s hair, raising prickles across his skin. “Stay,” Phillip whispered.
Soren lifted his head to the piercing blue eyes staring back at him. He’d given himself permission to love this man, and permission to kill him.
He had no intention of going anywhere.
The soft silk of Norah’s shoes fell silently through the hall as she made her way to the dining room for dinner. She was late, having lost track of time. She didn’t even have a reason—she’d been sitting in the side chair of her chamber, wrapped in her thoughts: of Soren and whatever was happening between him and Phillip, of the impending war, and of Catherine, who drifted further and further from her with each day.
Mikael would wait for her, but she didn’t want him to, and she picked up her pace even more. As she swept past the drawing room, she paused. Soren stood by the window, looking across the isle. Why wasn’t he in the dining room?
“Are you coming to eat?” she asked him, and he turned with a start. “I didn’t mean to startle you,” she added.
“You didn’t startle me,” he replied quickly.
The corners of her mouth turned up. “Okay.” But Soren wasn’t in a light mood, and her smile fell. “What’s wrong?”
He was silent for a moment, then he said, “A message arrived this morning. The full Aleon army has amassed in Eilor. They’re prepared for when Japheth and Rael march.”
She nodded slowly. Thatwasthe plan… “Sounds like a good thing.”
“The Aleon king has decided to join his army.”
