Broken by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar #4) - Zoey Draven Page 0,7

whispered, scared that he would say it did.

But he didn’t.

He made a sound in his throat. He turned to me, facing me fully. His golden eyes glowed. “Why did you do it, Maeva?”

“Don’t you know why?” I asked softly.

His nostrils flared. The knowledge was there, right in his molten gaze. He knew. He’d always known, hadn’t he?

Then I took my chance. Tentatively, like he was a feral beast, I stepped closer. Slowly. Carefully. Kiran held himself still and his eyes flickered back and forth between mine. He was glaring at me, his mouth turned down into a slight scowl.

But I would always try. Even if I failed. My determination was both a virtue and a fault.

When my hands pressed into his chest, I could feel the steadiness of his heartbeat under my palm. He was so much larger than I was. I didn’t think I had ever felt smaller than right then.

Desire started low in my belly, flickering like little flames, licking and consuming.

Something shifted in his gaze. I saw his eyes drop to my lips, briefly. I felt a wave boom against the cliff below, sending sea mist flurrying up around us.

I didn’t want to wait anymore.

I went to the tips of my toes and kissed him. Finally.

His lips tasted of Drukkar’s Sea and sweet wine.

I sighed against him, though it felt more like a desperate gasp. Kiran was frozen at first. I knew it was awkward. I’d never kissed anyone before and he’d kissed many females, both in the saruk and, no doubt, in Dothik. I wasn’t a fool to believe otherwise.

I moved my lips, brushing them against his. My heart was beating so loudly that I wondered if he could feel it through my lips.

A sound tore from his throat, guttural and raw.

Then I felt his hands come to my waist, clasping at the thin material of my dress. He began to respond and my mind did a strange twirl, one that made me feel like I was falling. My spine tingled and pleasure exploded across my flesh.

His lips brushed my own. His heat radiated into me. His hands gripped me tighter.

I knew that he was used to more forward females. Dakkari females had always been bold and I wanted to be bold. For him. I wanted this.

So when my hands moved to the straps of my dress and tugged at the clasps, the material floated down around me, baring my breasts, though his hands at my waist kept my dress cinched there.

The mist from the sea stung my skin, cold and icy. I felt his brow furrow against me and then he was pulling back.

His gaze dropped to my exposed breasts and he stepped away. His released hold made the rest of my dress pool at my feet, leaving me naked and shivering and utterly vulnerable to his gaze.

Kiran’s chest was heaving, his nostrils flared, his lips slightly reddened from my kiss.

“What are you doing?” he rasped roughly. “What the vok are you doing, Maeva?”

I stumbled back, my shoulders hunching, hearing something in his voice I hadn’t expected. Something like…disgust. Something that made hurt explode inside me until I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

“Vok,” Kiran cursed, turning from me, raking a hand through his hair. “Vok!”

I flinched. “Kiran, what—”

“Put your dress back on,” he ordered me. “Now.”

Frozen, I didn’t move.

He let out another growl and stooped low to pick up my dress. He tossed it into my arms, before turning his back to me so he faced the sea. As if he couldn’t stand to look at me. I stared at the broad outline of his dark shoulders, encased in black hide with golden etchings. His black hair whipped in the sudden violence of the wind.

Suddenly, I felt like he was a stranger. Suddenly, I didn’t know him at all.

Nausea rose in my belly and my face was burning as I finally forced my limbs to move. I tugged on my dress with shaking hands, covering my nakedness, only belatedly realizing when I clasped the shoulder straps that I’d put it on backwards.

Kiran’s voice was firm but quiet. It was nearly carried away with the wind when he said, “I shouldn’t have done that.”

I knew he meant the kiss. Not getting angry with me afterwards. Somehow, that knowledge deflated me even more.

“T-then why did you?” I bleated, wrapping my arms around my midsection, feeling my throat burn and my vision blur.

He turned to face me, though I couldn’t meet his eyes. All I felt was shame