Moon-Kissed (Within the Darkness #1) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,7

that sat before a cold, empty mantel. His lips moved as he sat in the seat opposite of me, and a fire magically started within the fireplace, crackling to life.

I watched him remove the armor from his legs and arms, and then his heavy boots. He then stood, doing away with the chest plate that had kept my blade from finding a home in his stomach. It hadn’t even looked like armor during battle, causing me to aim for his heart, yet what I’d thought were merely clothes was armor. Dick.

He didn’t stop there. He lifted his shirt off over his head before peering around the empty room. I took in the broad, muscular physique of his back. He was all smooth, powerful, and toned muscle that was just enough and wasn’t too much like some men had. The toned muscles of his back flexed as he reached for two glasses. He picked up a bottle of whiskey that sat beside the bed, turning to peek at my curious eyes. Once he’d balanced all three, he smiled darkly at me.

Returning to the chairs, he placed the glasses on the small side table, pouring them to the rim before offering me one. I studied his outstretched hand like it was poison, and he inclined his head, cocking it to the side while he waited for me to accept the drink, with a challenge dancing in his eyes.

I grabbed it, sitting back quickly before holding it to my nose, watching him like a viper. Once I was assured he hadn’t poisoned it, I took a swig and swished it around in my mouth before swallowing, enjoying the slight burn as it went down.

Looking toward the fire, I fought the need to run my eyes down the hard, chiseled body he’d bared. His muscles were well-defined and curved in sharp, contoured lines that my eyes wanted to caress leisurely. His body was sleek, powerful, and covered in midnight-colored tattoos wrapping around his hips and moved up to his shoulders, disappearing behind them.

There was a preternatural grace to his movements and body that drew my stare back to it. When I lifted my gaze to his, I found him studying me as I had done to him. His eyes glittered brightly, sparkling with amusement, most likely from the blush filling my cheeks from imagining that toned, sleek body against mine, moving in sinful ways. Swallowing uncomfortably at my train of thought and the direction my libido walked me into, I blanched. I was eye-fucking the ogre-fart who had just outwitted me.

My gaze averted to the fire, observing him out of the corner of my eye as his jaw clenched. He continued to study my moonlit profile, painted colorful by the moon’s shining light.

Without the moon, I would appear normal and plain. My rainbow-colored hair would turn platinum, while my sparkling eyes would return to a deep azure blue that looked bright because of my skin’s paleness, and had the moon been full, it would have revealed more of my true nature. Unlike his bronzed flesh, mine was much paler and lacking pigment. He should have been anything but tanned with the lack of sunshine in their kingdom.

“You were looking for someone. Who was it?” His question caused my teeth to grind together before my stare slowly slid back to his. “I asked a question, Little Bird. I expect an answer.”

“Suck a dick, asshole,” I chuckled, lowering the hand that held the drink.

Without warning, I tossed the whiskey into his face and rushed toward the door. I didn’t make it there, not even close. His body slammed into mine, taking me to the floor hard and punishingly.

He weighed more than my horse did. Using my leg, I rolled him over hard but didn’t stay on top for long. His body lifted before rolling, holding me beneath him, trapping me with his weight. He stretched my body, forcing my arms over my head with one hand, the other pushed against my throat. It was a dominant move, exerting control that I needed to fight.

My hips bucked his body, and my eyes rose to lock with his. The look burning in his gaze was savage, hungry, and carnal lust all mixed into one cup of oh hell no. Swallowing hard, I shivered beneath the hand pressing against my larynx threateningly. His mouth tightened, and his eyes turned hard as if he didn’t like the fact I had stilled. Had he wanted more fight? I wasn’t done struggling