Dark Possession - Aja James Page 0,63
cried. She hadn’t felt anything strong enough to shed tears where he was concerned. Not even in pretense
He didn’t know what to do about it. He didn’t like that he cared at all.
So he distracted himself by moving the Challenge up by an hour after notifying Anya of his decision. One, the element of surprise might put a kink into whatever trap she was setting. Two, he was hankering for a good, blood-splattering, bone-cracking fight. He hadn’t found release in days, not since he came in Eveline’s hot, tight, red-lipped mouth. The tension he felt inside rivaled a volcano on the eve of eruption.
He wanted Eveline, wanted her with a vengeance. He wasn’t used to denying himself. Not unless it was business. But everything about Eveline, and with Eveline, felt personal. And Ramses wanted and wanted and wanted…
He wanted to explode.
He didn’t know what to do with her. He’d never felt this way before.
Whereas Ashlu had made him chase after the affection that she always held just out of reach, Eveline offered hers with open arms. In abundance. Mesmerizing him with her guilelessly gorgeous blue-gray eyes. In return for his pleasure, however he wished to take it, she wanted him to herself. That’s it.
Just him.
She didn’t want empires to be built. Wars to be won. Gold to fill her treasure chests. Knowledge to wield against others.
Just him.
And just her.
He’d humored her entertaining little tirade over Queen Valentina’s visit until she boldly demanded exclusivity. It had made him feel…
Trapped.
Afraid.
Because deep down, even though he’d never admit it, he wanted the same with her. Even if it was only a short while. The three months of their Blood Contract sounded perfect, actually.
What he’d do to her…with her…in her…
Gods, his cock hardened to stone and his balls drew tight just imagining the things he could teach her. He squeezed his eyes shut and bit down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood.
But, then, Ramses was abruptly shaken out of his inner thoughts when Maximus said:
“We’re here.”
*** *** *** ***
“Devlin! Grace! Clara! Eli! Anyone!”
Eveline rushed down the corridors, pounding on apartment doors with one fist while cradling several scrolls in the crook of her other arm.
She couldn’t find Ramses. She’d searched everywhere.
He wasn’t in the throne room. He wasn’t in his chambers, though she’d had a time of it convincing the Sentries to let her inside. Given her heightened emotions, she had no trouble bespelling them to do her bidding. There weren’t even any side effects. She’d controlled her intensions perfectly, which spoke volumes about how panicked she was feeling.
She knew, just knew, that he’d left for the Challenge without her. Not that she expected him to let her tag along, but she thought she had another hour still to catch him before he departed.
“What is it, Eveline? What’s wrong?” Clara stepped into the hallway from her apartment, her daughter Annie tucked into her side.
“I must find Ramses,” Eveline said breathlessly. “He’s gone to fight the Challenge. I think something terrible will happen. I don’t know exactly what, my premonitions are never certain, but I have this awful feeling… please help me, Clara!”
“Calm down,” Clara said, putting her hands on Eveline’s shoulders to steady her. “Take a few deep breaths. First, let’s go get Eli. He’s in the training halls, I think—”
“No time!” Eveline shook free of Clara’s hold and dashed down the corridor again without another word.
“Eveline!” the other woman called out, but Eveline didn’t look back.
She skidded around a corner and rammed straight into a wall.
“Easy there, woman.”
No, not a wall, a man.
Eveline looked up into strange yellow eyes, almost amber in color, glittering shrewdly down at her.
“Hello,” the tall, angular, broad-shouldered male said with a friendly, flirtatious smile, “where did you come from?”
“Back not even one minute and already charming strange women,” a female spoke from behind him in a rueful tone.
Eveline hadn’t seen her at all with the male blocking everything from view. Because aside from his extremely wide shoulders, he also wore a thick, feathery-looking cape.
That moved. The cape moved.
Eveline was startled into stillness despite her current frenzied state.
It wasn’t a cape the male was wearing but wings. He had gold and brown wings folded behind his back, the same color as his tousled wavy hair.
She shook herself out of it and focused on the task at hand.
“Never mind where I came from,” she said in a rush. “I’m the Cove’s temporary Keeper, not that that’s of any significance. I need someone to take me to the