23. Chapter 23

I wasn't really in the mood to attend another feast. This time to honor the three vissigroths who had already left for some kind of surprise attack. Myles hadn't fully included me into his plans, but it didn't matter. A battle was imminent and the Leandars were looking forward to it.

"Don't look so gloom, it's in their nature," Thalia said, placing her hand on my shoulder.

Since I wasn't worried about Myles like she obviously was about Darryck—I wasn't, dammit—I didn't reply.

"Most of the fighting will take place in space for a change," Kyra added, looking more frazzled than I had ever seen her.

"Duncayn didn't allow you to go?" Thalia observed.

"I'm pregnant," Kyra said, touching her stomach.

"Ahh," Saskia and Thalia nodded in unison as if that explained everything, which I supposed it did. Vissigroths held absolute power, had only to answer their susserayn and us women… we were beholden to them. Well, Kyra, Saskia and Thalia were, as their vissies.

"I didn't think you would return," Saskia changed the subject.

"I didn't either," I tried to laugh, but it was weak.

"They're stubborn, it takes them forever to realize, acknowledge and accept when they meet their querillies," Thalia's fingers pressed into my shoulder for reassurance I assumed, even though I didn't need any. I didn't care what Myles… wait! What?

"What do you mean?"

The three women looked at each other and giggled. "The way he watches you, the way he doesn't want to be parted from you. It's obvious," Saskia explained.

"You think he thinks I'm his querilly?" I snorted, but my heart did make a quick leap in my chest.

"He's probably only sensing it at this point," Saskia theorized.

"Has he been moody, switching from hostile to sweet?" Thalia wanted to know.

"Has he been showering you with gifts?" Saskia added to the questions.

"Have you to had sex yet?" Kyra was blunter than the others.

"Kyra!" Thalia and Saskia cried out, giggling while trying to look horrified.

I coughed, completely taken off balance by her question.

"What? Duncayn and I started pretty much right away, still it took him a little before he declared himself." Kyra shrugged. "How was it for you guys?" She looked from Thalia to Saskia.

"Well, we married because Darryck wanted to protect me, so we had to… we…" Thalia's face turned red and she drifted off, unconsciously caressing her well rounded stomach with her hands.

"Same," Saskia agreed. "Our marriage was more of a business deal though."

"Hmm, so they don't figure it out merely because of the act," Kyra concluded, tapping her teeth thoughtfully while Kyra, Saskia and I stared at each other.

"What are you trying to figure out?" Thalia asked.

"When and how they realize that we are their querillies," Kyra said in a duh tone.

"Let me make this easy," I said, shaking my head, not in the mood to discuss their sexlife or the lack of mine with the three vissies. They might have been friends for a while now, but I barely knew them.

I never had a girlie-girlfriend, someone to pour my heart out to. I never had a crush either that needed to be analyzed and debated, I admitted. Conrad and I… our relationship had just developed over time.

My only confidante in my life was Nathan and I would have never in a million rotations debated my feelings for someone else with him.

My life had been focused on keeping Horn floating for as long as I could remember. A satisfying, simple life, with a simple routine, which had been destroyed by Myles.

Never had my emotions been in such a turmoil or uproar like they had been during this past week. And I was sick of it. My eyes searched for the object of our discussion and I found him standing with two other vissigroths deep in discussion. Determined I moved toward him, before I lost my nerve, pulling on his cape I hissed, "A word?"

"If you will excuse me," Myles apologized to the others and allowed himself to be pulled by me into an alcove where we were out of earshot and sight from the others.

"I'm not your querilly," I stated, to make that perfectly clear. "Nor do I want to be."

"I never said you were," Myles's eyes narrowed.

"Good, then we are in agreement," I nodded, smiling.

"Ah, we are," he said but his tone suggested his words to be more of a question than a statement.

I ignored that. "If this is why you're keeping me here, then I want you to know, that I'm not going to grace your bed like all the others, so you can send me back to Horn."

My heart hammered inside my chest. I dreaded his answer either way. Part of me didn't want to leave, but another part wanted this living in limbo over with. One way or another.

"As I told you before, I want you here. You are my hostage and—"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want me here?"

"Because…" he broke off, staring at me. "Dammit, I don't have time for this right now." He cursed.

"Fine, then let me go."

"Is that really what you want?" He asked exasperated, his hand moved through his hair, while his eyes nailed me down.

"This is not about me," I tried to evade an answer. How in the hell had he turned the tide against me?

"Oh I think it is. Why are you so adamant to leave?" He was realizing he had found some leverage and pressed his point.

I rolled my eyes. "Isn't that obvious? I'm needed on Horn, I need to be—"

"Your people are being well taken care of by your brother." Myles stated. "You are enjoying it here." He lifted his finger as I opened my mouth to deny his claim, "Don't lie to me just because it's easier."

I closed my mouth and glared at him.

"You like exploring the old ruins. You even asked me to take you to Attourna, which I promised I would. Those are future plans. Plans that entail you staying here. So what is it then you find suddenly so objective that you want to leave? Me?"

I backed up as he rose his hand to caress my arm. Shaking my head, I backed up even more as he kept advancing.

"I don't think you found our kisses that objectionable. I think you enjoyed them."

My back hit a pillar and I glid around it, deeper into a hallway. He didn't let me go far. His palms hit the pillar on both sides of my head, effectively caging me in.

My heart beat erratically and I could only stare at him while his words hit me to the core.

"You didn't." His head leaned forward and anticipation rushed through me. "Tell me you didn't enjoy our kisses and I will let you go."

I opened my mouth to tell him just that, but the lie wouldn't leave my tongue.

"I’ll send you on a boat, right now, back to Horn." He was so close, his warm breath caressed my cheek.

My body betrayed me first, followed by my traitorous mouth. "I enjoyed our kisses," I admitted.

"You want me to kiss you right now, don't you?" Myles's lips were so close. I could almost feel them against mine.

I closed my eyes, "Yes."

"Zyn," he rasped.

"Zyn," I capitulated, because my entire body was aflame with the desire to have him close, to have him touch me, kiss me.

He didn't chuckle, I don't think my pride could have taken that, but his lips did press against mine in a demanding kiss that made it clear who was in control.

For some unfathomable reason my body and mind rejoiced in my surrender. It felt good not having to make any decisions, to be the one being driven forward instead of being the driver. I felt myself fully relaxing as his hands finally moved from their place on either side next to my head and began roving my body.

My arms crossed behind his neck, my fingers played with his thick hair, the nape of his thick neck while my skin was turning sensitive to every brush, every breath, every waft. I was aware of the material of my dress clinging to me, aware of my nipples as they hardened against his chest. Every fiber, every cell in me screamed for his touch, wouldn't be satisfied with a mere kiss this time.

Wetness leaked from my pussy, readying me for things I had never done before and the thought of it happening now, with him, enflamed me so much, I groaned into his mouth.

His hand balled the material of my dress, pulled it up so his fingers could brush over the tender skin of my thigh. Shamelessly and automatically, I angled my leg and brought it around his hip so he could touch more skin.

His kiss deepened and his hand moved to the inside of my thigh, pushed the thin material of my panties aside and touched me in a place nobody besides me had ever touched before.

My head arched against the pillar and his lips moved from my mouth to my throat.

"Niara," he groaned.

His fingers played with the sensitive skin of my pussy, parted my labia, creating a shockwave in me that spread from my core and rushed through my entire being.

"Myles," I whimpered, unsure of what I was asking, and knowing it fully well at the same time.

His thumb found my clit and I nearly came undone. His other hand moved behind my back to keep me up, otherwise I would have glided down the pillar, with the leg I was standing on turning into trembling jelly.

Nothing had prepared me for the sensations rushing through me, not even my innocent exploring of this forbidden, mysterious place hidden between my legs.

I had cum before, but somehow I sensed that that had been nothing compared to what would happen now. With Myles .

Fingers entered me, moved up and down.

"You're so wet Niara, so hot," Myles voice was deep and hoarse.

His fingers moved back and forward, that and his lips on my chest as his teeth worked to part my dress were the only things I was aware of as I rode this wave of bliss, that was becoming bigger and bigger.

Violently he moved his head, tearing the fine fabric of my dress right over my breasts, exposing one. His tongue flicked over my hard, sensitive nipple and I mewled. Mewled and sank into his one arm the only thing supporting me, keeping me upright.

Three of the fingers on his other hand were inside me now, moving up and down, faster and faster, increasing with the sounds of my panting breaths and my pounding heart.

My hands were buried in his hair, the wave pulling me under was still growing until it released with such a powerful force, a scream rose from my lips. A scream that was muffled as Myles's mouth returned to mine, letting go of my nipple.

I rode his hand, his fingers inside me, his thumb on my clit, shamelessly I moved my hips in rhythm bathing in the sensations washing over me. Again and again.