Storm Born Page 0,101

guess."

We lapsed into silence until Dorian called someone's name. A moment later, a small, harried servant appeared. "Bring us some of that chocolate cake Bertha made. Two slices." The man hurried off.

"I'm not hungry," I mumbled.

"You will be."

The cake arrived. It was one of those flourless kinds, so it was more like cake chocolate than chocolate cake. Raspberry sauce pooled around it. I found myself eating every bite.

"Better?" Dorian asked.

"Yeah."

"You see? I told you it was the food."

I set the plate on the floor and tried to give voice to an idea that had slowly been percolating in the back of my head. An idea that probably would never have dared surface had I not been so furious at Aeson and Kiyo tonight. Indeed, it was Aeson's preposterous proposal that had reminded me of it.

"Dorian?"

"Yes?"

"When we first met...you told me that if I slept with you, you'd go with me to get Jasmine. Does that offer still stand?"

The first surprised look I'd ever seen on him crossed his face. I took a certain amount of pride in realizing I'd finally caught him off-guard.

"My, my," he said softly. "This is unexpected. So. Desperation and fury achieve what all my charms could not, hmm?"

A flush spilled over my cheeks. "Well, no...it's not like - "

"No," he said abruptly. "The offer does not still stand."

"But I thought - "

"I saw you fight with Aeson and the kitsune. I won't have you come to my bed out of some misguided sense of revenge on the two of them."

He was right in a way, I realized. This was my means of getting back at both them. Aeson for flaunting Jasmine. Kiyo for breaking my heart.

"Please," I said. "I'll do it. I-I don't mind. And anyway...I have to get Jasmine back. I can't handle her being with him anymore."

Dorian was quiet for a long time. Finally he said, "All right."

I snapped my head toward him. "You mean it?"

"Certainly. We'll go back to my room and see how you do."

"See how - ? What's that supposed to mean?" Was the deal contingent on how good I was in bed?

He smiled. "I'll get Nia to take you back. I have to mingle a bit more and will join you soon."

Nia arrived as if by magic and did exactly as he'd said. Once alone in his massive chamber, I paced restlessly, reconciling myself to sex with a full gentry. It would be easy. Nothing to it. I just had to lay there. Gentry didn't carry diseases like humans. I couldn't get pregnant. One night, and I could finally get revenge on that bastard Aeson and the smug look on his face. And yes, Dorian had been right: I'd be getting revenge on Kiyo too. Who knew? Maybe sleeping with Dorian would fill the terrible, aching hole Kiyo's betrayal had left in me.

"Admiring the view?" asked Dorian when he finally entered. I stood by the huge picture window, staring at my own reflection in the dark glass.

"I'm never here in daylight. I've never seen what it looks like."

"It's lovely. You'll see it in the morning."

I supposed I would. He took off the heavy robe, poured a glass of wine, and sprawled back on the pile of pillows on his bed. The move seemed less an initiation into sex and more of an expression of fatigue. He looked very ordinary. Very human.

"You look tired." I leaned against the bedpost, watching him.

He exhaled heavily. "It's hard work amusing one's admirers - as you can no doubt attest to. How'd you like your first royal party? Tell me who you spoke to. Your night must have been more tedious than mine."

Gingerly, I sat on the bed's edge and recounted the night for him. I gave my opinions and offered up as many details as I could on my many solicitations. Names eluded me, but Dorian could identify the culprits pretty easily based on other identifying information. He laughed so hard at my accounts and opinions, I thought he'd start crying.

Swinging himself up gracefully, he slid over on the satin coverlet to sit beside me. "You poor, poor thing. No wonder you like hunting us down. Although, I confess after my own equally inane experiences tonight, I might have a few names to give you."

"You shouldn't say things like that."

He shook his head and laughed. "Stay here long enough, and you'll say them too."

Those gold and green eyes watched me, glimmering with both affection and desire. For a moment, I could almost believe Dorian