Seventeen
Burning Need
Tirah knew it was him. Dreads. It had to be. No one else had ever affected her in such a way. Her every sense was suddenly alive and tingling. Wicked heat sizzled in her veins. It made her ache for something she could never have, in a way that never failed to shock her. Just as it had that night so long ago. She groaned inwardly, hating the feeling of being so out of control.
Terrified when she fled her home and world, she’d quickly learned how to survive on her own. Over time, her skill at survival and fending off unwanted advances overcame most of her fear.
Yet each time Tirah caught the spicy masculine scent of the very dangerous male hunting her, it sent a shot of adrenaline into her system and pissed her the hell off.
She was tired of this life of running and never having anything. It was time to end it. Yet, as she stared into the shadows of a drinking house, her anger fled. Sudden terror engulfed her, followed by an intense feeling of longing, excitement. You are bloody sadistic. Tirah wanted to kick herself. What in all the realms is wrong with me?
But she knew all too well what was wrong with her. She was insanely attracted to him, in a way she’d never been with any other male. Some of them had been incredibly handsome and charming, but it didn’t make any difference. She only wanted Dreads, and no matter how often she told herself to forget him, she never could.
She only needed to think of him to grow hot. Then an ache would start between her legs, an ache to feel him there, inside of her, filling her up and making her scream. And the intensity only grew worse at night.
Way too often she’d lie in bed, hot and bothered, wishing for something, no someone, that she couldn’t have. Then she’d get up the next morning with very little, or no sleep, and it would piss her off. Why did she have to crave the only male in all the realms who wanted to kill her?
Tirah swallowed deeply and pushed the burning desire away as she felt him close by. Way too close for her tastes. Then not wanting to attract any attention by running, she walked quickly down the street and away from the small town.
Could I be so desperate to satiate this need that just being on Tartaria, knowing he lives here, has me imagining things? Yeah, that’s got to be it.
Then Tirah realized she wasn’t paying attention to her direction. I need to be more careful. She knew better than to stay too long in any populated area here on Tartaria. Even though a number of other supernatural beings inhabited the town, Tirah knew her father’s people lurked everywhere.
Tirah quickly left the large open road and cut across a purple-and-scarlet, ground-creeping vine field, apologizing to the blossoms she trod on. She needed to get away from where anyone could see her. Finally, she entered a stand of midnight trees with large pale-purple and blue lace canopies. With the canopies as cover, Tirah made her way back to the secondary dirt road, the same one she’d entered the town from.
She inhaled the tangy aroma of the leafy forest, feeling somewhat safer. Although she knew it was just an illusion of safety, what with Dreads hunting her.
At the edge of the tree line, she looked at the stretch of road in front of her, and then stared down at the piece of paper clutched in her hand, given to her by the balding shop keeper.
Hand shaking, Tirah unfolded the note to see a blank page.
“Forever family,” she whispered, using the secret password she and Mihel had come up with years ago in case something went wrong, and one needed to leave the other a message.
She smiled when words began to appear. The shop keeper had said a male in his early twenties had delivered the note almost three weeks ago. Tirah wondered if the messenger could have been Wren. If it was, she hoped he didn’t share Casin’s hatred. Though if he did, Mihel wouldn’t have used him to deliver a message.
Sorry I missed our appointment. The day I was to leave, Father was murdered in his sleep. Casin, as heir, is now commander. He has long suspected that we’ve been in touch. Now he’s ordered a detail to spy on me. I didn’t dare try and slip away. I’m sorry to tell you, he’s also had Mother taken away. I am trying to find out where. If I can get away, I will meet you at the cabin on the first of the month.
Tirah knew she should feel bad about her father, but she felt nothing at the news, and the tears she blinked back were for her poor mother. Ashara had never asked to be a slave to the Ilyium, nor a whore to their father. A man who used her for breeding and was as cold a male as Tirah had ever come across. Why Casin had been so enamored of the guy, she had never understood.
Tirah spoke another magic word and watched the note burn up in her hand. Then she blew the ashes away and peered all around. The feeling she was being spied upon wouldn’t leave her and an insatiable heat continued to unfurl inside of her. Bloody stop it, right now.
She bit her bottom lip hard, glad when the sting helped a bit, then took a deep steadying breath. At least she’d picked up a few supplies from the grocer. Though it was only a few days before she met Mihel at the cabin, it would be best to keep a low profile until she got there.
As she started to walk, her stomach growled. Tirah opened the woven reed bag of food and debated on what to eat first. The sight of the sweet fruit tacky won. Then, chewing on the treat, she hastened her pace as the skin on her arm’s prickled. Her heart sped up. It’s him! For ten years he had dogged her heels and haunted her dreams, leaving her unfulfilled and burning. Damn, I don’t have time for this.