Page 18 of A Trial of War
“I’d much prefer a show of gratitude from you, my alpha queen,” I whispered.
My lips brushed against her soft skin as I trailed kisses along her jaw, down to the curve of her neck. I paused at my mating mark, teasing it with the tip of my teeth before finally pressing my mouth to it.
“We are overdue,” she rasped, the words teetering on a moan.
I slid my hand into her hair, tugging her head back to find her lips once more and deepen our kiss. My mate gasped. Her body arched into mine, her desire answering my own through the bond. Gods, she tasted like fire—wild and untamed. And I was wholly hers.
“We are going to be late.” I hated the words that fell from my lips.
“And?”
“You really wantthatto be the impression you set at your first war council meeting, Spitfire?”
She smirked, a wild challenge gleaming in her eyes. “Who says I don’t?”
The buckle of my shoulder armor came undone with a subtleclick, her fingers swift and deliberate. Then her lips were on mine, and she kissed me like she meant to ruin me. I was seconds away from sayingfuck the meetingand keeping her all to myself.
“Spitfire…”
“Gah, fine.” She pulled away, fury and arousal swirling through our bond, causing my pants to tighten.
Gods, she was pulling at every thread of my willpower.
“I’ll make you a deal,” I said, my voice heavy with need.
“Better be a damn good one.”
She sounded pissed, but there were important things to discuss today, key points I wanted to address at the meeting. It wouldn’t be fun if she knew everything I had planned.
Reaching for her hand, the flames at her fingertips parted for my touch. I was amazed how her magic could sense me, even if Skylar’s attention was diverted elsewhere.
“I swear to you, Spitfire, tonight—after this meeting—you and I won’t be disturbed. We’ll have a night just for us.”
She blinked, amber eyes swirling with curiosity. “You swear, Daxton Aegaeon?”
I nodded.
She sighed, bending in front of me to retrieve the shoulder plate on the floor, showing me a perfect view of her backside that caused a growl of approval to escape my throat.
“Tempting,” I said, arching my brow.
She smirked, satisfied with the rise she was getting out of me, and reached around my chest to refasten the strap. “Can’t have the high king showing up without his armor now, can we?”
“Never.” I grasped her wrist and brought it to my lips, pressing a kiss to her skin, needing one last taste of her before duty pulled us apart.
“Together.”
“Together,” I said, our fingers intertwining as we walked side by side toward the war council.
Chapter Seven
Skylar Cathal
Alright. Shoulders back, chin up, and pretend like I know what the fuck I’m doing.
“You’ve got this, Spitfire.”
I gave his hand an extra squeeze. I was learning, but a war council was foreign to me. Thank the gods I had Daxton by my side.
