Treasure of the Fire Kingdom (The Elemental Phases Book 4) (26 page)

He
snarled out an oath.  “Why must we do this?  Why can’t you just tell me his
name?  Are you afraid I’ll kill him?”

“No,
because he’s
you
, and that would be suicide.”  Hope hesitated.  “But, if
I
did
want another man, I’m sure you
would
kill him.”  She tacked
on seriously.  Likewise, any other woman who set her sights on Kingu would get
a Fire House style beat down that she’d never forget.  You didn’t mess with
soul mates.

“Fucking
right, I’ll kill him.  If I ever see him, he’s dead.  I will never let another
man have you, even if he deserves you more.  You belong to
me
.”

God
she loved it when he talked like a warrior.

“If
you truly care for this man, you’ll forget about him.”  Kingu continued.  “It
will be the only way he survives.”

Hope
rolled her eyes and remained silent.  She wasn’t going to keep repeating the
truth and going around in circles.  He’d realize it for himself, given enough
time.  It was destiny.

Kingu
let out a long breath, like he was struggling for control.  “Very well.  Just
understand I will not let you go be with another.  I don’t have a soul, but I…
feel things for you.  I know you are
mine
.  I cannot release you.  For
everyone’s sakes, you must adjust to your life here and put other men from your
mind.”

Had
he rehearsed that speech?  It sure sounded like it.  That was kind of sweet. 
Her renewed annoyance at him faded.  “Alright.”  She agreed casually.

Kingu
was quiet for a long moment.  “Alright?  That’s it?”

“Isn’t
that what you want me to say?”

“I
want you to
mean
it.”  He snarled.  “When I found you, I said that it
was enough to possess your body, but I was wrong.  I cannot
stand
knowing another man is in your thoughts and in your greater destiny.  You will
remove him, at once.”

“I
don’t
have
another man in my thoughts or my greater destiny, dumbass.”

He
opened his mouth to protest that, but Hope cut him off.

“And
you’d better not call me a liar, again, either.  It pisses me off.”

Kingu
regarded her in brooding silence, but he wasn’t giving up.  “I could give you
things, Hope.  Not my soul, because I don’t have one, but certainly more than
some human or Phase.  Tell me what you want and it’s yours.”

“I
want to get Lycus out of that horrible gladiator jail.  He helped me yesterday
and I want to help him in return.”

Kingu
swore under his breath, not liking that request.  “Why won’t you just accept
the unicorn?”

Hope
disregarded the complaint.  “It’s not right to leave Lycus in that prison,
Kingu.”

He
paused, thinking over new request.  “Is Lycus your soul mate?”

“
No.
”

He
didn’t look convinced.  “You only agreed to come with me yesterday when I
released his neck.  You must care for the man.”

“I
barely know him, actually.  I just didn’t want him dead.”

“Lycus
threatened you, though.  He said he would rather kill you than see you with
someone like me.  I heard it.”

“He
thought
you
were threatening me, silly. 
That’s
why he said
that.  He didn’t just understand.”

“Understand?” 
Kingu’s voice went cautious.

“Yeah. 
He didn’t understand that you and I are destiny.”

Kingu
met her eyes and actually held them.  A long moment of silence past, like he
was searching for answers in her blue gaze.  “If I had a destiny, Hope, you
would be it.”  He finally murmured.  He glanced away before she could respond
to that.  “I’m through discussing this.  Come down to breakfast.”

“Wait,
I have to get dressed first.”

Hope
didn’t even think about the words before she said them.  Even if she
had
,
she certainly wouldn’t have considered them any kind of sexual way.  It wasn’t
until she saw Kingu stiffen and felt his attention shift to her clinging
negligee that she felt a frantic punch of excitement.  The heat inside of her
rose to an unbearable temperature.

“I’m
nearly naked under the nightgown.”  She added, just to fan the flames.

Kingu’s
throat worked convulsively.  She could see his arousal from across the room,
hear it in his fractured breathing.

That
was all the encouragement Hope needed.  Kingu wasn’t going to come into her
bedroom without permission.  She’d figured that out yesterday.  But framed in
the doorway, it felt more intimate than if he’d been standing right next to
her.  His hands came up to brace themselves on either side of the threshold,
staring her like she was his last meal.

“Do
you want to wait there while I get dressed?”  She whispered.  “Do you want to
watch?”

His
attention was riveted on the slipping neckline of the nightgown.  “Why would
you allow that?  If you trying to manipulate me into letting you go, it won’t
work.”  He was waiting for a trap to spring.  Hope could sense his raging
desire, mixing with suspicion.

Her
soul mate was not an easy man to seduce.  Thank God the Fire House had an extensive
pornographic library to draw inspiration from.  Hope batted her eyelashes. 
“Maybe I just like monsters.”

“Maybe
you just like playing with fire.”

Hope
nearly ginned at that.  “I really do, actually.”  She shifted her shoulder and
allowed one of the thin straps to slide down.  “Well, I’m not going to close
the door, so if you don’t want to see this, you’d better turn around.”  She
braced one foot on the mattress, ignoring the plastic manacle encircling it.

She
was being a good sport and not removing the restraint, but every time she
looked at the puny lock on the thing she wanted to start laughing.  Hope could
have gotten out of it in a matter of seconds.  Fire Phases taught children the
importance of picking locks by trapping them in a dead-bolted classroom and
then setting it on fire.

God,
that had been a tough day at school.

Probably
best not to mention her skill in the middle of her striptease, though.  Kingu
might get distracted.  Or maybe not.  He hadn’t moved a muscle since she
started the show.

Well,
that wasn’t entirely true.  His pupils flared as she began to slide the hem of
the nightgown up her legs.  “Oh fuck.”

Bingo.

Rule
number ninety-nine of being a Fire Phase:  Some battles are won by inches, so
make the most of every one you have.

Hope’s
eyes sparkled triumphantly as she slipped her hands under the bunched material
and slowly pulled off her underwear.  Making sure that Kingu didn’t see
anything above her thighs while removing the white panties was tricky, but sooo
worth it.  “You still have my other pair.  Do you want these for your
collection, too?

His
fingers dug into the wooden doorframe as she casually tossed the scrap of
cotton and lace at his feet.  “You think this is funny?”  His voice was dark.

“I’m
certainly having fun.”  She fluffed her hair.  “So what should I wear today?” 
Hope strolled over to the closet and surveyed the row of plain, conservative
clothing.  “Let’s see… beige, tan, or brown?”  She drummed her index finger
against her lips thoughtfully.

“I
don’t care what you do.  I’m not going to fall for…
Shit.
”  His palm hit
the doorframe in frustration as she nonchalantly held up a pair of fresh
panties.  “Do not you put those on, without taking the nightgown
off
.  I
mean it.”

Hope
glanced at him over her shoulder.  “I’m sorry, did you say something?”

Kingu’s
face had never been more beautiful in its savage intensity.  “You tease me and
you’re gonna regret it.”

“Wow,
I felt the exact same way yesterday when
someone
had me pressed up
against a wall begging and then just… stopped.”

“
You
were thinking of another gods’ damn man!
”

The
masculine roar increased the temperature inside of her by another painful
degree.  “No, Kingu.  I was thinking about
you
.”  Still turned away from
him, Hope shifted her body and let the other shoulder strap fall.  The
nightgown tumbled to her waist.

Kingu
froze like he hadn’t expected her to actually go so far.  For a heartbeat of
time, he just gaped at her bare back, his gaze roaming it hungrily.

Hope
had never been naked in front of a man before, but the Fire House didn’t raise
prudes.  Kingu’s rapt attention gave her all the confidence she needed.  She
arched a brow at him.  “Who am I thinking about right now?”

An
ample bust line was the one good thing about failing at every diet.  Phases liked
large breasts and, if Kingu’s reaction was anything to go by, Hope was betting
primordial gods did, too.

“Hope,
turn around.”  He ordered, his voice guttural.  “Turn around so I can see.”

“Who
am I thinking about?”  Her gaze sparkled mischievously.  “He’s the only one I’m
going to show.”

“
Shit!
” 
Male aggravation heated the air at the challenge.  “You think I’m that easily
controlled?  Turn around or I’ll just go into to the fucking room and see for
myself.”

Hope
nearly rolled her eyes at that lie.  She made a show of looking down at her
chest.  “Oh Kingu.”  She adopted breathy tone.  “My nipples are soooo hard and
tight.  I need to touch them, but…”

“Me.” 
The word was desperate.  “You’re thinking of me.”

“That’s
right.”  Hope turned to face him.  She had one arm crossed across her chest and
she lowered it to give him a clear view.  “Only you, monster.”

“Oh
Gaia.”  He looked slightly dizzy, his eyes devouring her skin.  “Holy fuck, I
knew you’d be pretty, but…”  He trailed off with a helplessly groan as she kept
going.

Hope’s
fingers trailed across her taunt nipples.  “Whose hands am I imagining all over
me, Kingu?”

“They’d
better be mine.”  The words were ragged.  “Drop the nightgown the rest of the
way.”

“You
want to see everything?”  She fiddled with the silk gathered at her hips. 
“Really?”

“Yes.”

“I
don’t think I should show that to anyone but my soul mate, do you?”

“You
do this for another man and it’ll be the last thing he ever sees.”  Kingu’s
eyes stayed riveted on her body.  “Probably, it would be worth it to him,
though.”

“Well,
if I give you what you want, you’re going to have to give me something in
return.”

Resignation
entered his expression, like he’d been expecting that.  “I know.”

Hope
almost felt bad for him.  Still, there was only one way he’d learn. 
“Alllllright.”  She drew out the word like she couldn’t imagine why he’d make
such a bad deal.  “If you’re sure…”

“I’m
sure.  I created that nightgown because I knew I’d want to rip you out of it. 
Your body in red lingerie is…
epic
.”

When
she’d spotted the negligee hanging in the closet, Hope had guessed that was the
stuff of Kingu’s fantasies.  It had been so different from the rest of the
utilitarian garb he’d provided.  Like a web of silk and lace and want.

Hope’s
eyes gleamed and she let the delicate crimson fabric fall to the floor.  Kingu
was fully dressed, topped her by three feet, and could probably make her
disappear with a snap of his fingers… And she absolutely
knew
he wasn’t
going to come into her bedroom without permission.

Completely
nude, Hope strolled over to stand just on the edge of the threshold.

Just
beyond his reach.

It
was exhilarating to see the way his expression went dark with arousal and his
hand clenched around the doorframe.  A piece of decorative molding pulled free in
his grip.  Kingu didn’t appear to notice.  His gaze was on her thatch of blonde
curls.

“Please,
God.”  It wasn’t a curse.  It was a prayer.  She stood less than a foot away
from him and his red eyes cut back up to hers.  “What do you want from me?”  He
sounded like he was about to explode.

Hope
was getting a real good idea of what it must feel like for the mares lead in
front of the stallions.  So much power held back by so few restraints.  “What
are you offering?”  She tilted her head so the tips of her blonde ringlets
brushed over her nipples.

Kingu’s
body gave a jerk at the sight.  “I’ll do anything, except let you go.”  He
looked somehow captivated and arrogant at the same time.  Only Kingu could pull
off that expression.  Like you might have won the round, but you’d never get
him on his knees.  A lion temporarily held behind bars and just plotting his
revenge.

“Well,
I know
just
what I want, then.”  Hope inched closer and kept her tone
sultry.

“I’m
sure you do.”  Kingu muttered.  He dragged in a deep breath, like he was trying
to inhale her scent, even as he scowled in frustration.  “Lycus freed and the
Banished Phases thwarted?”