Blood and Water - The Darkling

Chapter 20: Battle of Wills

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𝕬𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖗 getting us ready for dinner, Genya quickly deposits us in the ballroom before rushing off quickly without a word. My guess is to hover around our safety doubles, which I'm not supposed to know about. At some point, I get separated from my other half and end up talking to a foreign dignitary.

Two guards approach me, "Miss Starkov! We are to escort you and your sister to dinner. Could you come with us, please?"

I raise an eyebrow, "I'm pretty sure you aren't. Unless the plan I was told earlier is wrong?"

They just stare at me, oddly confused about my sass. I'm just finding it suspicious since most of the guards are used to my attitude at this point when I feel Kirigan approach us.

He doesn't take his eyes off me to even glance at the guards as he says, "Thank you. I'll take her from here."

The Darkling walks with me and hands me a bundle of moonflower buds, "For you."

I've barely said "thank you" before he takes hold of my hand and starts pulling me through the halls. People try to talk to us but he casts a rippling pool of darkness that snakes through the crowd and vanishes as soon as we pass. It's almost like being invisible.

A giddy laugh escapes me as we slip inside his council room. I barely have time to wonder what he wants to discuss because as soon as the door closes, he is kissing me and I can think of nothing else.

I'd been kissed before, boys who I would bring to bed when upset or bored. This is nothing like that. It is sure and powerful and like my whole body has just come awake. I can feel my pounding heart, the press of silk against my skin, the strength of his arms around me, one hand buried deep in my hair, the other at my back, pulling me closer. The moment his lips met mine, the connection between us opened and I felt his power flood through me. Delicious vibrations wrack my body still. I can feel him too. And now there is no doubt how much he wants me-but behind that desire, I can feel something else, something that feels like anger.

I draw back, startled. "You don't want to be doing this."

"This is the only thing I want to be doing," he growls, and I can hear the bitterness and desire all tangled up in his voice.

"And you hate that. Don't deny it, I know. But what I don't know is why?" I ask with a sudden flash of comprehension and anger.

He sighs and leans against me, brushing my hair back from my neck. His lips graze my ear, my throat, my collarbone.

"Why?" he repeats, his lips still brushing over my skin, his fingers sliding over the ribbons at my neckline. "Svetlana, do you know what Ivan told me before we took to stage? Tonight, we received word that my men have spotted Morozova's herd. The key to the Shadow Fold is finally within our grasp, and right now, I should be planning our trip north. But I'm not, am I?"

My normally keen mind has shut down, given itself over to the pleasure coursing through me and the anticipation of where his next kiss will land.

"Am I?" he repeats and he nips at my neck. I gasp and manage to shake my head, unable to think. He has me pushed up against the war table now, his hips hard against mine. "The problem with wanting," he whispers, his mouth trailing along my jaw until it hovers over my lips, "is that it makes us weak." And then, at last, when I think that I can't bear it any longer, he brings his mouth down on mine.

His kiss is harder this time, laced with the anger I can feel lingering inside him. I don't care. I don't care about his hot and cold behavior. I don't care about the lies and half-truths. I don't care about Genya's vague warnings or the ones ringing in my head. I just match his voracity with my own.