Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1185(@200wpm)___ 948(@250wpm)___ 790(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1185(@200wpm)___ 948(@250wpm)___ 790(@300wpm)
“Yes,” he told me. “But you are still mortal, Sera, and that part of you is good.”
“It—”
“It is,” Nyktos cut in. “You wouldn’t feel the sourness of shame if it wasn’t. Or the bitterness of agony when you spoke of killing. You wouldn’t even care if you were deserving. You would just take. You wouldn’t be brave. You would only be strong.”
“I—” I choked on my words. Could there be truth in what he said? I blinked back sudden dampness as I focused on the empty plate in front of me. I did feel shame and agony—even confusion over the coldness of my actions. I squeezed my eyes shut and took several moments before I trusted myself to speak. “But you are good by mortal standards.”
“Only because I try to be.”
“That’s all mortals do—well, most of them anyway,” I said, opening my eyes. “They try to be good, and you try harder than most mortals do.”
“Maybe,” he murmured.
As I sat there, letting his words sink in, I thought of something. “Why didn’t the Arae make the Primals do what you did? Have the kardia removed?”
“The Arae believe in free will. And, yes, being that they are Fates, that is as ironic as it could possibly be,” he said. “But they should’ve done it.”
If they had, it would have saved a lot of lives and stopped a lot of heartache, but… “Do you really think they should have?”
“Depends on the day. Right now, no.” He leaned forward. “You’re finished with your supper?”
I nodded.
“Will you join me in my chambers, then?”
My heart immediately sped up at what awaited in the next several minutes. Something did. I knew this because it felt as if something shifted between us. That there had been a change. There had to be because I didn’t argue with him or myself. I rose and went into the bathing chamber to take care of my personal needs and brush my teeth. I was inexplicably nervous as I walked out and saw him waiting by the adjoining door, the bottle of wine from supper in his hand.
My heart started tripping all over the place for some silly reason as he closed the door behind me and followed me into his chamber. It was only then that I remembered I wore nothing but the tiny piece of undergarment under the robe.
Oh, dear.
Nyktos offered me the bottle of wine as he eased past. I shook my head, deciding that I’d had more than enough. I sat on the edge of the bed, fingers fiddling with the tiny buttons on the robe as he excused himself and disappeared into the bathing chamber. All I managed to do while he was gone was scoot back a foot or so and tuck my legs under the hem of the robe. Then Nyktos returned.
Shirtless. The buttons of his leathers undone.
Neither of those two things helped with the nervousness I felt as I watched him walk toward me, the hair against his cheek and the bronze flesh of his neck and upper chest damp.
He sat before me. “May I?”
Stomach joining the flipping and flopping of my heart, I nodded.
Like the night before, he tucked the braid between his thumb and pointer finger and slowly, almost methodically, ran his fingers down it. I bit the inside of my lip as the back of his hand grazed the swell of my breast. I could barely feel his touch through the thicker robe, but a shiver still skated through me.
Nyktos unwound the hair band, slipping it onto his wrist. Then he set about undoing the braid and didn’t speak until he’d finished. “I’ve been thinking,” he said, thick lashes lowering as he drew the length of my hair over my shoulder. “About the demands you made.”
“I wouldn’t say they were demands.” I watched him draw his fingers through my hair.
“What would you call them?”
“Gentle requests.”
Nyktos laughed roughly. “Which part was gentle, Sera? The kicking me, or the holding your dagger to my throat?”
“The part where I didn’t hurt you.”
One side of his lips curved up. “There was one demand you didn’t make.”
“Which one was that?”
He spun one of my curls around his finger. “The offer you made in my office.”
My heart immediately began its rapid beating.
“That wasn’t part of your demands.”
“But it was.” I took a breath.
“Really?” He unwound the curl, letting it lay against my chest. “I’m positive I wouldn’t have forgotten you bringing that up.”
I dragged my teeth over my lower lip as he picked up another piece of hair. “The offer was a part of my request to be of help.”
Lashes lifted, and quicksilver eyes locked onto mine.
“In whatever way I’m needed,” I reminded him, my blood warming.
His lips parted, revealing a hint of his fangs. “That’s good to know.” His voice was rougher, harder. “So, that offer you made? Pleasure for the sake of pleasure? It still stands?”