'I have a fair idea.' Elena looked at Daron and Sian.
'I need you two to go on Sito and look for me.'
Daron nodded while Sian asked, 'Now?'
'Yes. You can rest when you get back. The others will deal with the horde.'
Sian and Daron exchanged a look, walking to Sito with Elena.
Alek nodded again to Yakov and the Lieutenants.
'Tomorrow then.'
All except Ignatius, nodded. Iggy had his eyes locked on Cat. Alek felt a twinge of annoyance and watched as Iggy stepped closer.
'Your Highness, are you hurt?'
Cat blinked and looked up in surprise, then shook her head and moved closer to Alek. He took pleasure in wrapping an arm around her while shooting Iggy a firm look, before walking away without addressing the man.
I'm going to have to have a word with Yakov, he thought as they walked. Iggy needs to know his place with Cat.
I shut the shower door and sank to the floor, leaning against the wall with my knees up, as the water pounded against me.
The deathly silence that seemed to have settled in my brain was horrible and made me feel ill. Part of me knew, and understood, that it was my mind trying to cope, to comprehend what had happened. The other part of me felt like an utter failure. I didn't realize how long I'd been sitting there, until Alek eased the door open.
'Hey.'
I stared at the wall opposite, not acknowledging him. It wasn't to be rude, but I didn't know what to say, how to explain it.
'Kitten.'
'I didn't mean to.'
The words seemed to whisper out on their own accord. The door shut as he stepped inside and sat next to me, pulling me away from the wall and against his chest instead.
'Didn't mean to what?' He kissed my shoulder and tears welled at the gesture.
I sniffed.
'Scream. I screamed. Broen ran out to help. I shouldn't have screamed.'
'Oh, love. It was a natural reaction.'
He was right, it was natural. But it had gotten someone killed.
As I sat there, still trying to make sense of it, fury and frustration began to build within me and I ached with need. The inappropriate sense of lust that rose with the absolute fury was unfathomable. Yet at the moment Alek's strong legs, on either side of me, were bizarrely mesmerizing.
Cat twisted around in his arms, eyes challenging as she stared at him, her breaths coming short and fast. About to ask what was the matter, Alek stopped when he registered the look in her eyes.
Battle lust.
The urge to fight, to win, and to have the release, the relief you so desperately needed. He'd felt it enough times before. It only tended to occur after the really nasty battles for him.
Though for Cat, he thought, this would be her first since the ball.
Fixing his eyes on hers, Alek moved a hand up her side and around to grip the back of her head. Cat's eyes opened wider when he tugged her hair firmly.
'You sure?' he asked.
Her breasts, slick with water, rose and fell with those rapid breaths. She gave a short nod.
'Please.' Her voice was harsh, desperate, 'Don't be gentle.'
Yanking her head to his, he forced his mouth on her, tongue delving deep. Her hands snaked over his shoulders, burying in his hair and pulled hard. Alek growled. Cat bit his lip and he shoved off the wall, slamming her to the shower floor. She made an angry sound when he bit one of her breasts and with a swift kick of her leg he was flicked onto his back, with Cat on top.
We grappled as the warm water rained down, our energies rising as we bit, kissed and hit. He wasn't gentle at all, and I relished it. His large rough hands forced me down and had me retaliating even harder. As soon as I straddled him, he seized my hips and lifted me off, then stood. Alek pulled me up against the cold wall, and I made to punch him. He deflected the blow and grabbed my wrists tight, pinning them above my head to the wall. With a quick fumble, he seized my leg and lifted, so the ankle was over his shoulder, then rammed into me.
She screamed. A sound of need, relief, and triumph. Alek let go of her leg, leaving it on his shoulder and reached his other hand up, so to hold each of those slender wrists, then ducked his