Chapter 18

Erhan

Erhan tore his gaze away from Kleena’s hazel eyes, willing himself not to look back. Despite his greatest efforts, the dance overwhelmed him and that final glance… it threatened to unravel the carefully built facade he’d constructed around himself.

His hands, though, didn’t follow suit and by the time he realized he was still clasping Kleena’s fingers in his own, the crowd was jostling them.

“I think it’s time we—’’ Erhan began, dropping Kleena’s hands a little too quickly and attempting a not-too-conspicuous retreat.

But before either of them could escape their embarrassment, the villagers spoke up.

“Don’t worry. It’s not over yet!” called a young woman beside them. She had her hand hooked in the arm of a handsome young man who Erhan took to be her husband.

“That’s right,” the man said with a knowing smile. “The next part of the ceremony is personally my favorite.”

He shot Erhan a wink before he and his wife dissolved into giggles. Erhan, however, wasn’t amused. His heart was pounding at the thought of yet another part to the couples’ ritual.

Beside him, Kleena managed a smile, but he could see that it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was as nervous as he was, it seemed, and even when Erhan glanced in her direction, she made sure to avoid eye contact.

She must hate this , Erhan thought, a stab of guilt shooting through his chest.

For a moment, Erhan glanced around as if hoping for some sort of escape, but he knew it was impossible without drawing attention to their charade. As the crowd of couples moved forward, though, Erhan almost stopped dead in his tracks.

He’d just caught sight of what lay in store, and it almost threatened to give him dead away.

“Just choose any bungalow!” the young man behind them cried as his wife pulled him away. “And have fun!”

He gave Erhan and Kleena another wink before disappearing through the wooden door.

This time when Erhan tried to catch Kleena’s eye, she looked back.

“I guess we should…” she trailed off, gesturing toward the nearest building.

“Right,” Erhan replied, his tongue flickering nervously as he spoke.

With a nod of mutual understanding, Erhan allowed his hand to find the small of Kleena’s back as he guided her toward the door. Around them, the remaining villagers cheered, sending them and the other couples off with a round of well-wishes that made Erhan’s heart pound.

Inside, the place was remarkably beautiful. Though it didn’t exactly compare with the lavish decor of the royal palace, it had its own romantic charm and it was clear the villagers had taken pride in their work.

The small room was hung with garlands of fresh flowers in deep hues of red and gold. The bare wooden walls had been covered with strips of dark fabric, which transformed the bungalow into a cozy boudoir. The entire room was lit by the warm flicker of candlelight, and the air was thick with the smell of incense.

Against one wall was a bed, dressed with soft sheets and mountains of pillows. And in the center of the room, a small round table sat laden with food.

It was obvious to Erhan what this part of the ritual was intended for.

He was painfully aware of Kleena’s presence beside him, but as soon as they closed the door, she stepped away from his touch. In just a few seconds, she’d placed herself on the other side of the small room, as if eager to put space between them.

On the one hand, it left him oddly longing for her. On the other hand, the distance was probably for the best.

“Well,” he began, aching to fill the awkward silence that stretched between them now that they were alone. “We might have to stay here a while.”

Kleena bit her lip slightly in worry, but the sight of it sent a dangerous thrill through him. He forced himself to maintain composure, but in spite of his efforts, he felt something stir beneath his scales.

“Mmm,” Kleena replied noncommittally. She nodded slowly, though, as if resigning herself to the idea.

As if to solidify the thought, the giggles of villagers outside came drifting through the door. There was a good chance, Erhan realized, that they would be eavesdropping.

Kleena must have realized the same thing because she closed the space between them.

“I guess we could at least pretend to get along,” she told him now that she was close. Her voice was low, and Erhan could just catch the sweet scent of her breath. It made his heart jump involuntarily into his throat.

“Then, after you my dear.”

The feigned affection somehow succeeded in pushing down his growing desire as he pulled a chair out for Kleena. She seemed surprised but managed a small smile as she accepted and allowed him to settle her.

Taking the seat beside her, Erhan kept up the facade. He never thought he’d be thankful for his years of royal training, but tonight, it was coming in handy.

“Have you ever tried zylan?” he asked politely, taking a heaping spoonful of the golden puree and placing it delicately on Kleena’s plate.

She shook her head, eyeing the dish and taking a deep breath.

“Oh wow, it smells delicious.”

Erhan watched as she took a tentative first bite. Immediately her eyes fluttered closed as if in ecstasy, and she uttered a low moan at the flavor. The sound of it made his tail twitch in a way that made him grateful she wasn’t one of his kind. Any female Niri would have known its real meaning…

“And how about gostin?” he said hurriedly, tearing his eyes away from his companion.

“Nope,” Kleena replied, blissfully unaware of the heat rising in Erhan’s body. “But if it’s anything like the zylan, count me in.”

If it’s anything like the zylan , Erhan thought as he doled out a serving of the deep purple meat and its accompanying cream sauce. I’m done for.

He tried not to stare as Kleena cut herself a piece and brought the fork up to her mouth. She slipped the morsel between her lips, leaving the slightest sheen of cream on her bottom lip as she chewed.

“Oh my god,” she groaned, closing her eyes again. As she chewed, she threw her head back a little, exposing the sleek outline of her neck.

Erhan felt his lower jaw drop ever so slightly as he watched her, his snakelike tongue darting in and out of his mouth and tasting the air. Kleena’s own tongue broached her lips for just a moment, licking up the cream that still lingered there.

When she opened her eyes, Erhan suddenly shot back in his seat. Without realizing it, he’d been leaning forward slightly, and now he felt like he’d been caught in the act. The act of what, exactly, he couldn’t bring himself to admit.

“Are you okay?” Kleena asked, shooting him a strange look. Her words weren’t biting, though. In fact, they seemed to convey some genuine feeling, and for a moment, Erhan allowed himself to slightly drop his guard.

“Fine,” he assured her. “It’s just nice not to be fighting with you for once.”

Without thinking, he reached forward, placing his hand on hers. The heat of her skin sent a wave of pleasure through him, and when he looked down, he was surprised by how much he loved the sight of her pale, fragile skin against the black of his scales.

When he looked back up, though, Kleena was gazing intently at him. For a second, he was afraid he’d overstepped by touching her like that, and he was about to pull his hand back when he saw something else in her eyes. It wasn’t rejection, as he’d feared. It was something he hardly dared put a name to.

As the silence lengthened between them, their hands still clasped together, Erhan couldn’t keep denying it.

It was desire that he saw.

Kleena’s hazel eyes were growing dark, and she seemed to be leaning forward ever so slightly. Even over the aroma of the incense, he could smell her, the heat of her and… could it really be… the wetness of her.

This was the final straw. As if in a daze, Erhan leaned forward, and Kleena met him there, their lips finding each other in a kiss that could no longer be resisted.

Erhan’s other hand came up to cup Kleena’s cheek, and her lips parted, welcoming his tongue into her mouth. As his tongue snaked into her mouth, the taste of her appealed to his deepest longing. Beneath his scales, his twin cocks grew hard, wanting to feel what he could smell so strongly now.

Any facade of resistance had crumbled away. Only a wave of undeniable and inevitable desire remained.