13. Valen

13

VALEN

R hea's eyes flash with defiance, her small frame practically vibrating with the need to prove herself. "Come on, Valen," she taunts, her voice a lash in the quiet clearing. "I'm not made of glass. Show me what you've got."

I clench my jaw, a flicker of irritation mingling with the reluctant admiration for her spirit. "This is not a game, Rhea," I warn, my voice low and steady. "You can't handle me."

She steps forward, her practice sword glinting in the dappled sunlight. "Oh, yes I can," she retorts, her hazel eyes locked onto mine.

I sigh, knowing that look in her eyes—it's the same one that's stared back at me from the reflection of still water for centuries. It's the look of someone with nothing to lose and everything to fight for. With a nod, I draw my own blade, the weight of it familiar and comforting in my hand.

We circle each other, the air humming with tension. Rhea lunges first, her movements swift but predictable. I sidestep her attack easily, my body reacting on instinct honed by countless battles.

She growls in frustration, her grip tightening on her weapon. We clash again, the sound of steel on steel ringing out. Our bodies brush against each other, a fleeting contact that sends a jolt of heat coursing through me. I grit my teeth, forcing myself to focus on the fight, not the intoxicating scent of her.

Rhea's persistence is both infuriating and arousing. Each time she comes at me, I find myself having to hold back, to resist the urge to overpower her completely. I can't afford to hurt her, not when she's finally becoming the weapon we need against our common enemy.

"You're holding back," she accuses, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

"I don't want to hurt you," I admit, my voice gruff.

"I can take it," she insists, her eyes blazing with a fire that ignites a primal urge within me.

Our dance continues, a ballet of strikes and parries. With each passing moment, Rhea's movements become more fluid, her attacks more daring. I find myself having to work harder to evade her, to anticipate her next move.

Finally, I decide to up the ante. I feint left, then swiftly move right, disarming her with a well-placed strike. Her sword flies from her hand, landing several feet away in the underbrush. Before she can react, I've got her pinned against a tree, my body pressed firmly against hers.

"Do you yield?" I ask, my face inches from her own.

Her chest heaves against mine, her eyes wide but defiant. "Never," she breathes, the single word heavy with conviction.

I can feel the rapid thrumming of her heart, a mirror of my own. The heat between us is undeniable, a living thing that crackles and sparks in the space where our bodies meet. For a moment, neither of us moves, caught in the web of our shared desire.

Reluctantly, I release Rhea. I step back to regain my composure, but the air between us is charged with an electric tension that refuses to dissipate. In this moment, I'm acutely aware of how easily she's slipped beneath my defenses.

"Relax for awhile, Rhea," I say, my voice betraying none of the turmoil roiling beneath my surface. "You've earned it."

I turn to leave, but her voice stops me cold. "Valen," she calls out, her tone laced with a challenge I can't ignore.

I glance back, and that's when she strikes—a sudden, forceful shove that sends me sprawling to the ground. Before I can react, she's on top of me, her practice sword pressed against my throat. Her chest heaves with exertion, and her eyes blaze with triumph.

"Yield," she demands, her voice a sultry whisper that sends a jolt of desire coursing through me.

I could easily overpower her, but I find myself captivated by her audacity. "You've made your point," I growl, my hands gripping her slender waist.

She drops the sword, and it falls to the forest floor with a muted thud. Her lips suddenly crash into mine with a fierceness that matches the spirit of the warrior she's become. I return the kiss with equal fervor, my tongue parting her lips and tasting the sweetness beneath.

In one swift motion, I roll her over onto her back, my body pinning hers to the soft earth. My hands roam over her breasts, firm and insistent, feeling the rapid beat of her heart beneath the thin fabric of her shirt. She moans softly at the pressure of my hard member pressing against her, a sound that fans the flames of my desire.

"Valen," she breathes, her voice a mixture of surprise and longing.

"Say it again," I command, my lips trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down the column of her throat.

"Valen," she complies, her fingers threading through my hair and pulling me closer.

I claim her mouth once more, my kiss dominating, possessive. Without thinking, my hands continue their exploration, sliding beneath her shirt to feel the warmth of her skin. She arches into my touch, her body responding to mine with an urgency that mirrors my own.

"You're driving me mad, Rhea," I confess, my voice husky with need.

She smiles against my lips, her hazel eyes gleaming with mischief. "Good," she says, her tone playful yet resolute.

Filled with a sudden panic, I scoop her into my arms, her body still flushed with the heat of our sparring session. We are too exposed here, too vulnerable to the ever-watchful eyes of our enemies.

Her hazel eyes gaze up at me with a mixture of confusion and desire that sets my blood ablaze. I can feel the rapid beat of her heart against my chest, a drumbeat that echoes the primal urge still pulsing through my veins.

"Valen," she murmurs again, her voice a soft melody that soothes the beast within me.

"Quiet," I command, my tone gruffer than intended. I cannot allow myself to be distracted by the sweetness of her voice or the intoxicating scent of her skin.

I carry her through the dense forest, my Vrakken senses alert to every sound, every shift in the wind. The journey back to our hideout is a test of my self-control, with Rhea's body pressed against mine, her warmth seeping into my very bones. I remind myself that she is more than just a source of my growing obsession, she is my ally, and perhaps something more that I have yet to fully comprehend.

Upon reaching the seclusion of our cave, I set her down gently. Yet the moment her feet touch the ground, I spin her around and pin her against the cool stone wall. My body cages hers, my hands braced on either side of her head. I lean in, my breath fanning across her cheek as I speak.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me, Rhea?" I growl, my voice barely more than a whisper. "How much I want you?"

Her lips part in a silent gasp, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and excitement. "Valen," she says, her voice trembling ever so slightly.

I silence her with another kiss, my lips claiming hers with a possessive hunger that brooks no resistance. My tongue traces the seam of her lips, demanding entry, and she yields to me with a soft moan that ignites a fire deep within my core.

As our tongues tangle in a passionate dance, I press my body against hers, letting her feel the hard, undeniable proof of my desire. I grind against her, a low rumble of approval escaping my throat as she responds with an eager tilt of her hips. Through the thin fabric of our clothing, I can feel the heat of her arousal, the slickness that betrays her own unspoken need.

I break the kiss, my lips trailing a path of fiery kisses down the slender column of her throat. "You're mine, Rhea," I rasp, my teeth grazing the sensitive skin where her pulse flutters like a trapped butterfly. "Say it."

She whimpers, her fingers threading through my hair as she arches into my touch. "I'm yours, Valen," she breathes, her voice laced with a desperation that mirrors my own.

The beast within me roars in triumph, but I know I must tread carefully. I cannot take her quite yet. But I can pleasure her a little bit, show her the depths of the passion that simmers between us.

My hands roam over her body, exploring every curve, every dip and valley. I cup her breasts through the fabric of her shirt, my thumbs teasing her nipples into taut peaks. She moans, her body writhing against mine, seeking the friction that will send her over the edge.

"You see, Rhea," I murmur, my voice hoarse with desire, "I can make you feel things you've never even dreamed of."

She nods, her eyes glazed. "I understand, Valen," she whispers, her hand reaching up to caress my cheek.

I capture her hand in mine and press a tender kiss to her palm.