Chapter 33 Spark and Dagger
Varek
I catch her wrist mid-strike, and she pushes, surprising me with her strength. I actually have to try.
I guess the rumors about her aren’t empty.
“Your Majesty—”
My blood roars hot, mingling rage with something else entirely. Her pulse beats hard and fast beneath my hand. I have half a mind to snap her wrist. I tighten my grip too, but she's not done. She strikes with her other hand, aiming at my elbow and striking hard. A jolt of something passes through my arm, forcing my fingers to twitch and relax just enough that she can slip her hand free.
I snarl, reaching out to grab her again. She ducks under my arm and darts just to the side of me. I know she plans to strike me again. I rear back, aiming for her face, planning to strike her to the ground.
“Your Majesty—”
She spins in a whirl of red fabric and hair. I grab a fistful of her hair and wrench back. She lets out a cry and slams her elbow back into my chest, landing with another jolt of something that knocks the wind out of me, but I don’t let go.
Her hair is softer than I imagined it would be. She slams her elbow back again, harder.
“I’ll rip it out,” I growl, yanking harder.
The sound of a blade coming out of the sheath reaches my ear. I hear it cutting through the air and releasing her hair. The blade slices up, but cuts nothing, and she’s free of me again and armed.
She aims the blade at me but she doesn’t attack, but glares at me.
The guards nearby keep their distance, but are on edge.
“What’s the plan, princess?” I ask. “Think you can gut me?”
“A quick death would be too good for you,” she says. “Too merciful.”
I know I’m fast enough to snatch the blade from her hand, to grab her, and force her to heel. I want to grab her by her hair and drag her back to her chambers or mine and teach her what happens to insolent wolves who bear their teeth at me. But I’m caught in the fire in her eyes. I can’t trust that I’d actually do much by way of discipline unless kissing her breathless and fucking her brains out counted.
There’s no desire in her eyes this time, though. Her breath comes and goes slowly. Her body is tense, braced for a fight that will not happen.
“You can’t think I’m going to fight you, Fiona. I can’t sell something that’s broken.”
Her lips curl into a smile. “Can’t sell something that’s not yours either.”
I glare at her and catch sight of Liora a few paces behind her. She doesn’t move, or even look like it has crossed her mind to subdue my prisoner, though keeping her in line is her whole job.
“You’re starting to piss me off, Fiona.”
“You pissed me off a long time ago, Varek. Welcome to the party.”
“Fiona,” Liora starts. “You don’t— You’re not doing yourself any favors.”
“If he’s as much of a bastard as he’s proven himself to be, there are no favors,” she snarls. “At this point, I was better off in the tower.”
“You’ll be going back.”
“Can’t wait to rip through your guards some more,” she says almost sweetly. “Wonder how it’s going to look: you dragging me down in chains every time you want to prance me around.”
I set my jaw. “Sounds like an auction is the best option. Perfect. Most of the suitors should be arriving by dinner.”
She smiles viciously. “Try me, Varek. I’m going to enjoy embarrassing you.”
I snarl, darting forward, grabbing for the knife, but she’s quicker than I thought, or she anticipated the move. She rolls her arm from the elbow, her fingers flutter, the blade twirls, and glints, catching the light before she jams the pommel in my side. It's a spot that would have meant death with the dagger she has. I'm frozen with the realization that she could have killed me. My heart quickens, and a low rumble of pleasure builds in my chest at the pure challenge she presents.
Where was the woman who had stared up at me in fear in her father's halls, pleading for her people? Where was the woman who had beaten up my soldiers at every opportunity, or even the one who had tried to run on the mountain? That woman would have slid that dagger into my side without hesitation, even if it meant she would be dead. I stare down at her, searching for some sign of what she's after. Does she think this little display will change my mind, or is she just trying to prove a point? Maybe she just wants to prove that she can kill me.
She's as soft-hearted as her father for not taking the kill when she has the advantage. There's no way I'll allow myself to be in this position again. I tried to walk back through the exchange to figure out how she had gotten the advantage, but it makes no sense.
I know I'm faster than her. I'm bigger, stronger, and I have a lot more battle experience than her, yet not even my best warriors have gotten this close. No one has gotten this close before, not since her.
Before that particular memory rears up and drags me down, Fiona clenches a fist in my shirt and yanks me down, glaring up at me. Her breath fans across my face, fury sparking in her eyes. My blood is molten, my cock straining, my restraint fraying by the second. I want to close the distance. I want to drag her to the dungeons to be whipped for this. I want to throw her down and take her right here with the pommel of my cursed silver dagger, digging into my side like a threat.
I do none of those things. I just wait, staring down at her, waiting to hear what she has to say.
“You get your stupid courtesans in fucking order,” she hisses. “It’s fucking ridiculous your cousin is dressed worse than your gamma’s relative at a royal gathering. Treat her better. The way I hear it, you’re already running out of allies, let alone family.” She narrows her eyes. "Don't make me regret not taking the kill for her sake."
I almost laugh. This is about Liora? Fiona pushes back. The dagger is no longer in her hand. I hadn't even heard or felt her put it back in my belt. My wolf howls inside me, excited and wanting, reaching for her as she turns away. I can't let her get that far from me after that. I can't let this moment end, or the heat in my blood will burn me alive.
I grab her, yanking her back against me. She doesn’t resist or look at me. She’s warm against me.
"Let me go, Varek."
“You don’t give the orders here,” I growl, jerking her around to face me.
Her expression is cold. I search for the glint of attraction and the desire that had been there before, but there’s not even a flicker of it. It’s irritating and unyielding, like she's built a wall around her mind and feelings.
Her eyes lock on mine. "You going to start giving orders that matter, then?"
A low, rumbling growl rattles through my chest. I drag her closer.
"You're testing my patience, Fiona, and eventually, you'll go too far."
She stares back at me. "Is that before or after I gut you with your own dagger?"
I breathe past the confounding flutter in my chest and burning irritation at the challenge in her eyes, the threat in her words, and the way her scent invades my nose.
I lower my head, my mouth just a breath from hers. Her eyes widen just a little. It's the only reaction she gives me, and it's delicious. It's not enough, though. I need more. I need her glaring, baring her teeth, and tipsy with anger. I need the glint of desire in her eyes, tangled with her hatred of me.
She doesn’t flinch. Her lips part, and the world narrows to the scent of her hair and the ghost of her breath against my lips.
We're so close, I can taste what kind of tea she had.
“Alpha!” Liora’s voice cuts through the haze like a blade.
I freeze, teeth bared, inches from Fiona’s mouth. "Don't try this again, Fiona."
"Get your shirt together, Varek."
The hall is silent, every pair of eyes on us. I see Liora's gaze darting between us. I can feel Ronan’s sharp gaze on me. My wolf snarls at the witnesses. If they weren't here, I would know exactly what she tastes like.
I snarl and release Fiona, shoving her back, but she doesn't even stumble. I can't tell if I pulled back my strength or if she dug her heels in and braced, but it doesn't matter. My side throbs with the memory of the dagger. My chest tingles from where her body had been against mine.
I turn my glare on Liora.
“Take her,” I bark. “Back to her chamber. Now.”