Drak, he felt good.

Neve tried to pull away from him, but he held her tight, keeping her there against him, with his softening cock still deep inside her.

She made a frustrated sound, but he stroked her thighs, then he stroked down to where they were still joined, feeling where his thickness spread her apart. Joined. The sticky mix of their release was sliding down her skin.

“Let me up,” she said.

“No.” He wasn’t letting her withdraw from him like a skittish desert catta.

But he did stand and turned her to face him. He lifted her into his arms, keeping her pressed against him as he carried her over to the pillows in the corner. He’d broken through her defenses, and he had no desire to be on the outside again.

“I hate bossy men.”

“Tough.” He laid her down, lowered himself on top of her, and kissed her. She tried to bite his lip, but he kept the kiss slow, savoring the taste of her. Finally, she went still beneath him, and kissed him back.

When he lifted his head, confused eyes stared at him.

Had no one cared for her before? Savored her? He moved over to the supplies, grabbed a clean cloth and dunked it in the water. When he turned, he saw her gaze was on his bare ass. He didn’t bother to hide his grin. She made a huffing sound and looked away.

Corsair returned to the pillows, leaned over her, and brushed the cloth between her legs, cleaning away the evidence of their loving.

She was watching him, her gaze dipping down to his cock. She could hardly miss that he was getting hard again.

“You seem to find it easier when we’re arguing than when I’m nice to you,” he said.

She shot him a scowl. He set the cloth aside, and when he turned back to her, she moved. With a quick leap, she jumped on him, taking him down into the pillows.

“I don’t need you to take care of me, Corsair.” She straddled him, her hands pushing his arms down above his head. “Just fuck me. Right now, I just want your cock.”

He bucked his hips up, rolling them over until she was pinned beneath him. “That’s not enough. I want more.”

Her eyes widened, and for the briefest second, he saw something that he’d never seen on Neve’s face before. Fear.

Corsair lowered his voice. “I won’t hurt you.”

Her eyelids flickered. “People always hurt each other.”

So strong, and yet so skittish. “I won’t.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her collarbone. “I’m going to make love to you now.”

Those eyes widened more and her chest hitched.

Corsair kissed her again, before letting his mouth slide down her neck. He loved that it was elegant and delicate, when the rest of her was so strong. He kissed down her body, sucking one nipple into his mouth, then the other.

He took his time, liking that her hands tangled in his hair. But he wasn’t done. He wanted to know every piece of this woman, every part of her body, and every bit of her soul.

He continued downward, kissing, licking, sucking. His tongue dipped into her navel, and then he was pushing her thighs apart, cupping his hands under her ass, and lifting her to his mouth. He put his mouth on her, his tongue spearing inside her, and her cries echoed around the small room.

Yes, that was what he wanted. More of that.

He slid his tongue back up to her clit, tugging at it, and then sucking it into his mouth.

“I can’t come again,” she panted.

Oh, he was going to enjoy proving her wrong. He kept suckling, and, a second later, her body arched off the bedding like a bow.

“Corsair!” She let out a long moan and he felt her long, liquid release shudder through her.

His own desire went up in flames. He needed her. He had to be inside her.

He lifted her slim legs, pushing them up onto his shoulders. Then, he was lining his cock up with her warmth and sinking blissfully into her.

“Oh, God. Yes,” she cried out, her head thrashing against the pillows.

Corsair started thrusting into her, loving the small cries coming from her throat.

“Come for me,” he ordered.

Her head thrashed again. “I…can’t come again.”

“Yes, you can. There’s no anger here, Neve. No pain, no challenge, nothing to prove. Just you, and me, and pleasure.” He sped up his thrusts. “Give it to me.”

She came again, shock skittering across her face. It was followed by so many fascinating emotions. Emotions he knew she never showed anyone else.

That was enough to tip him over the edge. As the inner muscles of her body clamped down on his cock, he lost any sense of rhythm. With one last plunge, he went deep, his orgasm ripping through him.

“Neve!” Breathing heavily, he dropped to the cushions beside her, curling his body around hers. “I’ve got you.” He had no plans to let her go.

This time, she didn’t pull away. Instead, she snuggled into him, her eyes closing.

Corsair smiled to himself. Progress.

Then he frowned, pressing his chin to her curls. He had her now, but they still had to both survive a meeting with the desert witch.

* * *

Neve sped across the desert on a lanky, two-legged beast that reminded her of an ostrich.

She tightened her hold on the creature, and glanced over to where Corsair was riding his animal. He spied her looking and grinned, the wind ruffling his tawny hair.

In the early light of the desert dawn, she and Corsair had devoured each other one more time. The rogue had bent her over the stone bench and hammered into her from behind until they’d both flown apart.

Afterward, they’d eaten, packed up, and climbed down from their rock tower. With no tarnid, she figured they were in for a long walk. But once they were on the sand, Corsair had let out a sharp whistle. Only minutes later, two beasts with long necks, long back legs and beige scales, had sprinted across the sand toward them.

“Wild morlochs,” Corsair had told her.

It had taken a few minutes to get the hang of riding one of these strange beasts, but now that Neve was comfortable, she enjoyed it. She laughed into the wind, loving the speed.

“We’re nearly there,” Corsair called out, pointing ahead.

She peered in the same direction, thin shapes appearing out of the shimmer of heat over the sand. She frowned. They looked strangely like people, just standing idly there. But as they got closer, bile rose into her throat. They’d been people—once. Now, they were nothing more than skeletons, bleached white by the sun, propped up on spikes. Bits of ribbon and tattered cloth were tied to them, fluttering in the breeze.

Neve released a breath. She guessed dead people were more effective than a No Trespassing sign.

Finally, a hillock of tumbled rocks appeared. The Solitude Oasis.

There were more bones strung up around the place, and as she and Corsair slowed their morlochs, she spotted an indented white area adjacent to the rocks. She realized it had to be the dried-up remains of the former oasis pool.

Wind howled through the rocks, picking up dust and sand. Several cave entrances loomed in a sinister fashion. The place was eerie as hell.

They dismounted, and Neve pulled her staff off her back. She didn’t like the feel of this place. All around them, more bones lay, dotted on the sand like some sort of macabre artwork.

Movement caught Neve’s eye. Ahead, a woman stepped out of one of the cave entrances. She stood still in the shade, waiting for them.

The desert witch.

She had a curvy body covered in golden skin. Her long, brown hair was matted in long, stringy strands, almost like dreadlocks. Her breasts were covered in what looked like a twisted metal bra, and a brown weave of fabric circled her hips. On her head, she wore an elaborate headdress of bones, and a huge, glowing, orange jewel sat in the center of her chest, just below her breasts.

“Who dares to enter my home?” The witch’s voice was almost musical.

“Corsair of the desert.” Corsair stepped forward. “And this is Neve.”

“We’re after a map,” Neve said. “To Zaabha.”

“We heard you have one,” Corsair added.

The witch’s eyes flashed a bright orange color and she tilted her head, studying them slyly. “And why would I just hand over a map to you?”

“We’ll trade.” Corsair patted the pack on his back. “Money, food—”

The witch waved a hand. “What use do I have for money or food?”

The woman’s sly voice skidded down Neve’s spine. She really hated this.

Silence fell. Corsair didn’t seem worried, he just waited patiently.

“I have the map,” the witch said suddenly. “I’ll give it to you…”

Neve’s heart leaped.

“…if you pass my trial.”

Now, Neve’s belly solidified with pure dread.

“What trial?” Corsair’s fingers curled around his bandolier. It was a casual move, but Neve noticed that it put his hand right near the hilt of his knife.

“This one.” The witch flung her arm forward, a bone flying through the air toward them.

Neve tensed, waiting for the strike, but all of a sudden, the sand around them flew straight up into the air. The wind howled, and they were instantly engulfed by a sandstorm.

She flung her arm up, covering her eyes. The wind tore at her, a loud roar in her ears. She felt the sand blasting against her, stinging her skin.

Arms wrapped around her, and she knew it was Corsair. He pulled her close and yanked her hood up over her head.

“We need to get to one of the caves,” he shouted.

Together, they pushed against the sandstorm. She wasn’t even sure they were headed in the right direction.

On the next step, Neve’s feet sank deeply into the sand. What the fuck? She took another step, and sank to her knees.

“Corsair!”

He was cursing, and she tried to pull herself out of the quicksand, but she was still sinking. The witch’s gleeful chuckle swirled in the wind.

In moments, the sand was up to Neve’s thighs.

“Don’t fight it!” he yelled.

She tried to stay calm, but any movement to free herself just made her sink more. Soon, they were both waist-deep in sand.

She reached out and grabbed Corsair’s hand. His fingers tangled with hers.

The sand reached their necks. Deep amber eyes locked on hers, and her gut cramped. He was a good man who didn’t deserve to die here like this. He’d only been trying to help her.

Neve kicked her legs, fighting the sand. She wouldn’t let Corsair or herself die, because some bitch of a witch wanted to play games with them.

Suddenly, they both dropped down. Neve tried to scream as the sand covered her head and sand filled her mouth.

Then, she was falling through the air. The next instant, she landed on a solid, rock floor, pain flaring in her knees and hip. Ouch. She spat out the sand, coughed, and gulped in some stale air.

Corsair landed heavily beside her with a loud grunt.

Groaning, Neve pushed up on her hands and knees. Around them, trickles of sand still fell from overhead. Corsair rose on one knee, clearly assessing their surroundings.

They were in a cave. The walls were made of jagged, dark rock, and random bones and entire skeletons lay everywhere. In the center of the space sat a dirty pool of water, with some sort of steam rising off it. No, not steam. It was a misty smoke, with an unnatural, faint-green tinge.

There was a body floating in the pool, and it was then Neve spotted several more bodies, pinned to the walls by bone shards.

Gruesome. Someone needed a decorator.

From somewhere, Neve heard moaning. Jesus. Some of them were still alive?

“Welcome to my humble home.” The witch appeared at the end of the cavern, sauntering toward them with a mesmerizing sway of hips. Her gaze locked on Neve. “You will do nicely as additions to my collection.”

Neve pushed to her feet and stood beside Corsair. “Sorry, I’m busy.”

“You can’t have her,” Corsair said.

The witch’s orange gaze narrowed. “I can have whatever and whoever I want.” She lifted a bone and pointed it at Neve.

Corsair stepped in front of her, blocking the witch’s view. “You can’t have her, because she’s mine.”

Damn the man. Neve spotted her staff on the ground and snatched it up. She fought back the bloom of warmth in her chest that sprouted, knowing he wanted to protect her. He clearly needed a reminder that she could look after herself.

Suddenly, the witch flicked her hand. There was a whizz of sound and Neve’s head jerked up.

A wave of bone projectiles rocketed toward them. She didn’t have time to react. Corsair shifted to protect her again, and the projectiles slammed into his body.

Horrified, she watched the force of the darts slam him back against the stone wall. The projectiles had embedded in the stone, pinning him to the wall.

“No!” Neve cried out.