“So nothing was resolved?” Inez asked later that night with Varyk pinning her down in the bed. He should have looked emasculated resting on her floral linen in her overly feminine bedroom. Instead he appeared every bit the dangerous predator.

“Mmm.” He nipped the base of her throat and rocked his hips against her lower half. “We are unsure if there’s a way to identify the reason it affects some and not others. Or if it will continue to spread at an increased rate.”

Inez moaned as he did something to her ear with his tongue. Giving in to temptation, she dug her nails into his back and clenched tight as she arched up. “B-but what will you do?”

Varyk braced a hand by her head and smoothed the other up her side until he cupped her breast and squeezed. Inez tried to concentrate on the conversation, yet it wasn’t easy when she had over six feet of sexiness sprawled over her. The heat from his body warmed her front. Her thighs spread of their own volition, her folds growing wet as he settled further into the intimate space.

“We wait. It is all we can do.”

Another question hovered on the tip of Inez’s tongue but Varyk rocked bit by bit and the head of his cock slowly penetrated and slipped through her opening. He stretched her channel until his entire length was seated. He eased out slowly then punched his hips forward on a hard pump.

Inez gasped and forgot about madness or talks of the mantle. The fringe on the underside of his shaft tickled her sensitive nerve endings. “Yes, Varyk. Do it harder.”

He chuckled and lowered his head until their foreheads met. His eyes darkened to a rich shade of gold, the corner of his mouth kicked up. “I’ll go as hard as you want. And because you asked, don’t expect mercy.”

It was the last words they exchanged as any resemblance to conversation was reduced to rough snarls, harsh groans and hitched breaths. Inez knew she’d be sore afterwards and didn’t care. The rippling sensation in her lower region each time Varyk pounded in and out was well worth whatever tenderness she suffered later.

“More. Yes. I’m going to come.” She babbled more broken phrases, hands wrapped around the neck of the male bearing down on her.

Slamming their hips together one last time, Varyk grimaced and Inez felt his essence rise. Blazing heat spread from his body to hers. Even as pleasure ripped through her, panic caused Inez to shove at his chest. The heat shifted into a visible golden hue suffusing his entire torso. “Varyk, no!”

At her scream, his eyes popped open. He pushed up, arms extended and glanced down. A sound she couldn’t decipher broke from his lips as he suddenly pulled away mid-release. Her body protested the abrupt withdrawal as she landed from the interrupted pleasure with a painful drop.

Varyk leaped from the bed and roared out a curse. Inez grabbed for the sheets and sat up, heart pounding at the narrow escape. His gaze widened in disbelief and she didn’t blame him. “What the—?”

“How did—?”

They spoke over top one another. Varyk stumbled back another step, his rich complexion going pale. What had happened? Could Varyk’s essence really have risen that quickly and powerfully for her?

Part of Inez was beyond satisfied. As a female to gain an intense reaction from a King, the strongest of their kind, was a compliment. For his part Varyk stood across the room looking stunned. His chest rose and fell in sharp jerky motions. An impressive erection not quite dimmed twitched at half-mast.

“I am sorry that happened. I don’t know why.”

Lie. Inez drew her knees up to her chest and stared at Varyk. A male’s essence rose for one reason and one reason only during sexual interaction. To trigger the gold sheen on the skin meant fertility was possible. A child.

“I’m not your lira,” she said instead though she wanted otherwise.

He shook his head. “No. You are not.”

Why did a sharp piercing pain tear into her chest at his agreement. She loved Varyk. His behavior and prior statements hinted he felt the same.

“I need to go.” Varyk grabbed at his pants on the floor and dressed in his vest with awkward motions. Inez had never seen him move with such incoordination. He was normally the image of smoothness and finesse.

She rose from the bed and padded on bare feet toward him, the sheet loosely wrapped about her. Inez refused to let him leave with this odd wedge between them growing by the minute. She had to say something, anything to diffuse the sudden tension vibrating through his masculine frame. Stopping directly in front of him, she stared into his eyes. “Varyk, it’s okay.”

Fully dressed, he faced her, his countenance drawn. Shadows shifted in his gaze and Inez wished she could read his mind. “For the first time, I think perhaps it is not.”

With those mysterious words, he caressed the edge of her cheek with his thumb, then leaned forward. Inez eyelids fluttered closed in anticipation. Whisper soft lips brushed hers in a gentle kiss she had no hope of deciphering.

Inez opened her eyes. He laced the fingers of his right hand with those of her left and met her gaze. Regret shimmered between them. She wouldn’t stand for it. “It’s not over between us.”

He blew out a rough breath. “Yes, it is.”

Inez gut clenched. “Varyk?”

“I need to leave.” His stiff nod tore something in her chest. “There’s nothing more here for me to do. I’m sure Rylin can handle dealing with Dara and his children.”

She refused to accept his bland recital. Her other hand pressed to his chest, directly over the solid thump of his heart and leaned into him. The gold of his eyes darkened. “Are we going to completely ignore what happened just now? And everything before?”

At least he didn’t move away. If anything, Inez thought she caught the faint tremor of nerves running through his body before he stilled.

“What I said before…I can’t, Inez. I thought I could do this.” He exhaled, jamming his free hand through his hair. She waited with breath held. “I can’t. I’m sorry, amans. I can’t.”

Can’t. It was clear Varyk was panicked by what almost happened. Amans meant love of the heart. If he still called her that, it wasn’t over. Inez tried to calm her own racing pulse. “Let’s both relax. Take time to talk through this. I’m as surprised as you, Varyk.”

His fingers closed gently around both of her wrists regret pinching his mouth tight. “I’m sorry.”

A moment later, Inez stumbled into the wall and the place where Varyk stood was empty. The crack in her heart split wider.

He’d left.

 

***

 

Varyk teleported into his bedroom and immediately slammed his fist into the nearest wall. The shooting pain was nothing compared to the tightness compressing his chest.

“What’s going on, Varyk?”

He didn’t turn. Milana’s presence hummed in his veins so he expected her to pick up on his turbulent emotions. “I don’t know.”

The admission slipped out in a whisper. He refused to lie to his sister. She would see the truth in him anyway. It was their way. But how did he tell Milana when he barely understood himself. Nothing in Varyk’s past helped explain the burning sensation in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t forget the memory of Inez’s face as he left her.

“Did you end things after sleeping with her? Inez?”

Varyk laughed, recognizing the bite of bitterness in the rough sound. He straightened and turned to face her. “We hardly slept, Milana.”

“Don’t be crass.” She touched his shoulder and softened her tone. “You’re not one to take a female to your bed lightly. I know she was special, Varyk.”

He hardly took any. “It doesn’t matter.”

He’d get over Inez. There was nothing else to do. Varyk knew exactly why he’d fled.

Fear. Nothing had scared him more than seeing his essence rise in the surest sign of love a male Dracol could exhibit for a female. He thought he was ready. Prepared. Tonight proved different. Varyk was terrified.

Somehow Milana remained oblivious of his meltdown. “As long as you’re sure you’re alright.”

Varyk wasn’t sure of anything any-more. “I’m fine.”

Or he would be.