gaze moves over me possessively. “When I thought the Spidae had sent you home, I realized how much I need you with me if we are going to win.”
My heart gives a painful little squeeze, because I know there’s no winning this. Not the way he thinks. “I want you to be the last Aspect standing.”
“With you at my side.” Aron grins at me.
I try to smile back, though it feels forced. “Can we eat now? I’m starving.”
He pulls me against his side, holding me close against him as he walks. Hell, he’s half carrying me, but I don’t mind. I like leaning against him as we head back up the winding ramp. “There is food back in the bedchamber. We’ll send the others packing and then I will feed you so you’re not weak the next time I take you.”
His hot look promises a very toe-curling taking indeed, and my stomach flutters. Even though I ache in all the right ways, I totally want to do that again. I’m still wet with his seed from a few minutes ago, and I can feel it slicking my pussy and inner thighs when I walk.
I think of the bed upstairs, where I’d slept next to Yulenna. Yeah, they’ll definitely have to find somewhere else to sleep. “Maybe there’s another room the others can set up in.”
He grunts. “No need. We’ll be leaving once I get answers from the Spidae. Tomorrow, hopefully.”
“Tomorrow?” I echo, and I’m suddenly exhausted. I don’t want to leave tomorrow. Suddenly, I don’t want to leave, ever. I want to stay right here, in this creepy, spider-infested tower, because it means I’m here with Aron and the outside world is a billion years away…or at least over the other side of the mountains. Here, we can be left alone.
No wonder the Spidae said I’d request time to relax. Right now, that’s what I want more than anything. I stop walking and turn to Aron. “The Spidae told me where we need to go.” I don’t want to withhold the information from him, because that seems wrong. “I know where we need to go, but Aron, can’t we stay here for a while? Rest? Relax? Enjoy ourselves for a few weeks?”
“Here?” He arches an eyebrow, surprised, and those mismatched eyes study me. “Are you that tired?”
“Yes. No. I mean, if I have to, I can keep up. I’m just so tired of racing from one place to another.” I sigh and lean forward, and he pulls me against him so I can cuddle against his chest. “It seems like ever since I met you, we’ve been running from someone or to someone. Can’t we just relax and take a break for a few weeks? Do you have a deadline? Is there a time you have to be back by?”
I can feel the laughter rumble up in his chest. “A deadline? No. There are some gods who never returned from the last Anticipation. Kassam, the lord of the wild, is still missing. And Tadekha remained here in the mortal realm in her Citadel. You met her.”
Oh, I can’t forget good ol’ Tadekha. “I remember. So this doesn’t have to be done soon?” I look up at him. “I don’t care that this tower is weird. I just want to relax and wake up knowing I don’t have to do anything that day except spend time with you. That sounds like paradise.”
“You have an odd idea of paradise,” he murmurs, and strokes my hair. “Very well. If you want to stay for a while, we will stay.”
“Thank you.”
My stomach growls again, interrupting whatever he was going to say next. Aron chuckles, and presses a hand to my stomach. “We had better feed my anchor before she fades away.”
“God, yes, I’m starving.”
“You have eaten nothing since you awoke?” His tone becomes angry.
“Actually, I cleaned out Solat’s lunch. And dinner,” I admit. “And then I went looking for more. The Spidae gave me a pod but…” I glance around, because I must have dropped it at some point. Probably when Aron crashed into me from the other room.
He shakes his head. “You probably don’t want to see what was inside it.”
No, I probably don’t.
“Come,” Aron says. “We will speak to the others and I will have you fed.”
“You make me sound like one of the mounts,” I mutter. Have me fed, indeed.
“If you mean to imply that you will get ridden, then yes,” Aron says slyly, and I blush for what feels like