Page 61 of Between Two Kings

She frowned. “No.”

“And yet, you belong to my brother. That implies ownership.”

She shook her head. It was difficult to refute Apollo’s point when he was standing so close. Despite Tem’s best efforts, her gaze kept dipping to the thick stem of cock between his legs. Something glistened at the tip: a perfectly round drop of cum. Tem had never seen such a thing before. When Caspen came, his cock was either inside her or down her throat. She’d never seen an erect cock that was already seeping cum.

Apollo followed her gaze. His mind returned to hers. That is for you.

I don’t want it.

Is that so? Then why are you staring at it?

Tem’s eyes snapped back up to his. I’m not staring at anything.

It is yours to stare at. I do not mind.

Of course he didn’t mind. He wanted her to stare at it. He wanted her to do plenty of other things too. Tem knew she should retreat—knew she should remove herself and go to bed. But she was frozen in place, entranced by Apollo’s intoxicating words. He was not unlike Leo in that way. Both were talented with their mouths.

Apollo was mere inches away, his head tilted down, his lips mirroring hers.

Do you wish to taste it?

Desire clawed at her. What would it be like, she wondered, to raise her finger, brush it along the tip of his cock, and taste it? Would it taste different than Caspen’s? Or even more intriguing: Would it taste the same? Oh, they were in dangerous territory now. This was not what Tem had expected to do with her evening. But her husband was gone, and his brother was here, and his cock was hard and ready and leaking for her. Her basilisk side practically roared with pleasure at the thought of taking Apollo to bed. Why shouldn’t she indulge?

Tem hadn’t even realized she’d raised her hand until Apollo’s presence surged in her mind. He gripped her temples, squeezing everything out except for him.

Touch it. His grip tightened.

Tem nearly blacked out.

Taste it, Temperance. It is yours.

Tem was unbearably hot. Her hand was still raised, her fingers an inch from the tip of his cock.

Taste it, Temperance. Put my cum in your mouth. Slide it across your tongue. Swallow it.

The passageway seemed to swim around her. Her throat was tight.

It is only a matter of time before you give in to me. So give in now.

But she couldn’t give in. To give in would be to listen to her basilisk side—the side she was still learning to tame. The side that sinned.

To sin is to live, Temperance. I know you want me. So taste me.

Finally, it was too much for Tem. She looked Apollo straight in the eye as she said, “If you say one more word, I’m going to slap you.”

Apollo’s eyes flared. He leaned in, his breath against her blushing cheeks as he whispered, “Please do.”

Something within Tem just snapped. She’d had enough of this evening—enough of Apollo and his games and his insistence on making her feel something when that was the last thing she wanted to do. So she slapped him.

Tem threw everything she had into it—every ounce of frustration she’d been feeling the last few days, every deep, tortured worry she’d harbored since beginning her time under the mountain. All she wanted was to Shut. Him. Up.

The moment her palm made contact, Tem felt a release not unlike a climax. It traveled from her body to his, and she was sure Apollo must have felt it too. The exchange of energy was powerful—it reverberated through the passageway like a physical force, ruffling her hair and shaking dust from the walls. Apollo’s head whipped away. Then he turned back to her slowly.

Even though she’d just slapped him, he looked at her as if she’d kissed him. And perhaps, in his opinion, she had. The slap was as good as a kiss. Both were an exchange of power. Both were a passionate, raw reaction. The slap only confirmed that Tem was out of control with him, that she was unable to resist her emotions. She’d thought she was drawing a line between them, but now she realized she was doing the exact opposite. By the way Apollo was smiling, he surely realized it too. She had slapped him, yet he had won.

A red welt was forming on his cheek. Tem knew Apollo was barely injured, if at all; it had done nothing but make him happy. He was smiling at her with utter triumph in his eyes, as if he knew exactly what he’d finally managed to provoke. There was no doubt he had won their little exchange. It was his intent to tease her, to push her to her limit, and he had succeeded.

“Aren’t you going to heal yourself?” Tem snapped. She could think of nothing else to say.