Chapter 7
Water dripped in an incessant beat. Quiet replaced their torrid sounds from earlier. Power hummed under Varyk’s skin as he rolled away. Sweat cooled on his body and minute trembles continued to shake him.
“Did it work?” Despite her whisper, he heard the question clearly.
Only one way to find out. Varyk blew out a breath and reached for her hand. In a blink, they were above, sufficient feet from the edge of the sinkhole which had trapped him. “Yes.”
The mantle ebbed and flowed, never completely leashed. Long used to the cascade of energy which acted as the source of all the Green, Varyk shielded himself enough to think. He envisioned the pit and teleported back there. He gathered their clothes and the brown bag Inez had brought with her, then returned to her side.
“I guess it did.” Seated, she folded her knees under her and looped her arms over them.
Head tilted to the side, she studied Varyk. He avoided her gaze and dressed. There wasn’t anything more to say. Did she expect something else from him?
Inside, Varyk cringed. He was being an ass without reason. Inez didn’t move, but her piercing glare burned a hole in his chest. “You should get dressed.”
“Hmmm.”
Not quite a response he could decipher, but she stood and with little fuss began to put her clothes on. Black shirt and black pants hid the curves he’d stroked. She stomped her feet after tugging her boots up then slung the bag over her shoulder along with two knives and a sword.
As Inez walked toward the edge of his former prison, Varyk bit off the warning he wanted to snarl and waited. She knelt on one knee then pulled up her rope, twining it about her elbow and forearm then tying it off and slipping it in her bag. She headed back in his direction and Varyk tried not to stare at her hips. It was futile. Dracol females were beautiful and unabashed in their open sexuality.
Long, lean legs moved with purpose. Something as simple as a female walking shouldn’t set his heart to racing or his nerves to quaking.
But it did.
Varyk remembered the flex and twitch of toned thighs, the slap on slap as their skin met. Inez shoved the hair away from her face and the force of her stare almost knocked Varyk back. Amber gold eyes glittered with wickedness and familiarity. Full lips, stained and puffy from their kisses, high cheekbones and a rounded jaw framed the oval of her face.
Was there a male she belonged to? His heart thudded in trepidation. No. If she had a lira she would have snapped Varyk’s head off when he made his offer. He was now indebted to her.
“What about this Green we’re tracking?”
Varyk shook his head and folded his arms over his chest and tuned in. He knew better. Distraction was deadly out here. “What?”
“Larz, correct? He’s one of yours?”
“Yes.” A mere thought and Varyk linked to Larz’ mind and pushed the thought. ‘Return the shell.’
A stirring. Unchecked rage and a firm denial.
Larz ended the connection abruptly. What did he hope to gain from this? Varyk could have forced it, but he didn’t want to scare Larz into destroying the egg.
“How do you suggest we reach him?”
We? Inez’s question was reasonable, but Varyk had no intention of working with her to catch Larz. It was his duty and responsibility alone. “I’m taking you back to Rylin.”
She stiffened. Did he really expect otherwise?
“I’m going with you, Varyk.”
“It’s King Varyk!” he roared, frustration shredding the last thread of his patience.
Inez stormed toward him, not away. “Not after we just fucked. Varyk.”
Only a saint could have resisted the blatant taunt or the derision in her gaze. Varyk was far from saintly. He sauntered forward to meet her, closing the distance between them and grabbed the front of her shirt. His strength fully returned, he lifted her to her toes and leaned forward until their noses brushed. “Do. You. Dare?”
She remained limp in his hold, but didn’t lower her gaze. “You owe me.”
Varyk’s pulsed jumped. Excitement hummed in his veins no longer hindered by poison. Keeping his voice level was a challenge. “Is this your favor then?”
If she said yes, he’d let her accompany him part of the way, but when it came time to end Larz, Varyk would do it on his own.
“No.” At last she struggled, but couldn’t hope to match Varyk or break away. Realizing this she upped her glare.
Anticipation thrummed. Varyk waited to see what she’d do next. His cock flexed, hardening as if he’d not shattered in her arms moments earlier.
The corner of her mouth tipped up in a knowing smirk. She reached out and palmed him, creating a bigger ache as her hand swept up and down his length, squeezing the base on each pass. “Is this what you want?”
“What I want,” he gritted out, “is for you to go back where you belong and wait til I deal with this.”
“Hmm.”
Another indecipherable hum, but her hand kept sliding up and down. Varyk loosened his hold on her shirt and fisted the layers of hair, black as sin, falling down her back. She didn’t flinch. His arousal ratcheted higher. He needed to end this impasse.
“You know I can port you back and return here with a mere thought. There’d be nothing you could do to stop me.”
“I’d come back,” she snapped, eyes flashing.
Varyk gave her hair a nice hard tug, enjoying the way her breath hitched. It was all he could do not to thrust in her constantly moving hand. “And I’d hold you in violation of trespassing and breaking border laws between our sects. Are you willing to do that?”
He threatened war and Varyk didn’t care. Inez hissed and flung her hand away. Varyk released her hair in time as she spun out of his proximity. “Bastard.”
“While my father had his issues, he and my mother were lira to one another.” For all the good it did his mother. His father hadn’t hesitated in slaying Teela in her tracks as she tried to protect her children.
“Is this a joke? Rylin’s child is at stake.” Passion of a different sort reddened her cheeks. She wore anger well but Varyk had the distinct impression any emotion would only serve to heighten her appearance.
“I’m well aware of that.” More than she could guess, because he sensed Larz’ growing excitement along the mantle and it didn’t bode well.
***
If Inez thought she’d escape unscathed, she’d withdraw her blade for one good stab at the stubborn male. She swallowed, throat tight. She’d felt something unexpected during the frenzied sex act. The timing was all wrong. Inez longed for the day she met a male strong enough to match her. The thought of someone who was equal and accepting of her abilities when she became a lira was a far off dream.
It never crossed her mind her male wouldn’t be a member of the Black. She didn’t want to leave her family and friends. The few times she ran into those of other sects a spark of attraction remained absent and yet here she was sparking all over this arrogant male, the fucking King of the Green Dracol.
Hoping to hide her exasperation, Inez spoke to his ridiculous need to send her off like a recalcitrant youth incapable of working with him. “Think. No one’s expecting you to have help. You probably track down traitors all the time.”
He rocked back on his heels, no sign of the Varyk who’d groaned and come in her arms while kneeling in a dirty pit. Green hair disheveled, he still carried himself like a leader. Faint waves of power leaked and feathered over her. Thanks to her connection to Rylin under the Black mantle, she wasn’t disturbed by Varyk’s subconscious pull. Only her cousin held sway over her, but Varyk’s call tempted in a delicious manner.
Inez licked her lips, ignoring how he’d felt in her hand, hard and ready to go again. “I’m going to find him with or without you. I’m going to make sure…Finley gets home safe. You can work with me or declare war. Because I guarantee I won’t stop. Dara and Rylin aren’t just my King and Queen. They’re family. This is personal.”
Seconds ticked by after her impassioned plea. Varyk inclined his head. “I understand family.”
Inez believed him. She released the breath she didn’t realize she held. “Together then?”
He extended a muscular arm. “Together, female.”
“Good.” Inez shuddered. He’d agreed when she least expected it.