Renegades (Hotbloods #3)

“It’s good to be back in one piece,” Navan replied, pulling his brother into another tight embrace. “The two of us have much to discuss, but it can wait until the morning. Sleep well. You’ve earned it. I’m sure the lab looks incredible,” he said, before releasing his brother and following me out into the corridor.

As the door closed behind us, we set off toward our chambers, everything seeming so quiet without the energy of the other three. However, it was a silence I liked the sound of. It was a particular sort of peace, enjoyed only by a couple in love, the tension bristling between us. Truthfully, my body was tired, but there was another part of me that wanted to kiss Navan until I had no energy left, relishing in the fact that we were both still alive after everything that had gone down today.

Reaching our bedroom, all I wanted to do was curl up beside Navan in our bed, falling asleep in his arms. It seemed that was what he wanted, too, as we settled in for the night, going about our oddly domestic routine. Once Navan had showered and teased me about my smelliness, I took my own thorough shower, letting the cool water run across my skin and sloughing off the dust and dirt from the mountain pass. I dried off and changed into my nightdress, detangling my wet hair with my fingers. Navan came up behind me and slipped his arms around my waist, gazing at me through the mirror. Gently, he leaned in and kissed my neck, his eyes closing in desire, the touch of his lips thrilling my senses.

“War is coming, isn’t it?” I asked quietly, hating that I might be about to ruin the moment.

He paused in his kisses, his eyes seeking out mine. “It is, but we’ll find a way to escape it, Riley. I promise you, when the worst of it comes, we will be far from here,” he murmured against my skin. “You won’t have to watch anyone suffer. You won’t have to witness the horrors that come with it.”

All this time, escape had been at the forefront of my mind. Everything we’d done was leading to getting away from Vysanthe, but now that Navan’s words had made it seem real, I wasn’t sure if that was what I wanted anymore. Perhaps Vysanthe needed something else. Perhaps it didn’t need another battle between embittered sisters, it just needed someone better equipped to steer it toward a course of peace and harmony. Seraphina’s vision for the planet seemed like a good place to start, though I wasn’t an idiot. Maybe that ideal was even more impossible than a fragile balance between two halves.

“I’ll be in soon, Navan. I just need a minute,” I whispered.

“I’ll be waiting,” he said with a smile. Pulling his t-shirt over his head as he went, he turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the bathroom to sift through my endless thoughts.

I caught sight of a box on the bathroom counter, tucked away in the corner by the sink. The queen’s emblem was embellished in gold upon a label, trailing down from a perfectly tied ribbon. Curious, I reached out and lifted the top off the box. There was a small brass pot inside, engraved with birds and insects, each creature entwined. I didn’t recognize the animals, but the craftsmanship was exquisite. Next to the pot was a card. Excited by the prospect of a gift, I lifted the note and read the words upon it: Enjoy. From, The Queen.

It certainly seemed as though we were back in Brisha’s good books, though the handwriting looked oddly familiar. With a wry smile, I realized it was Lauren’s bubbly letters upon the card. Queen Brisha must have asked her to write out the words in our language so she could surprise us. A sweet touch.

I unscrewed the lid of the pot and lifted it to my nose, inhaling the deliciously sweet scent of the concoction within. Moving it beneath the bathroom lamps, I noticed that the cream seemed to sparkle, the iridescence catching the light in the most remarkable way. I grinned, dabbing my finger into the rich, delicious-smelling cream before rubbing it across my hands and neck—all the places that felt dry and uncomfortable after the strain of the day. Everything felt immediately better, as though my skin had taken a huge sip of water.

Rubbing it across the rest of my body, wherever it felt like I needed some help, I inhaled the sugary scent, the aroma lifting my spirits. I’d never believed in aromatherapy before, but this was changing my mind. With my skin refreshed and a smile on my face, I stepped back into the warmth of the bedroom.

Immediately, I became aware of Navan behind me, his arms sliding around my waist, his lips caressing my skin, his hands gripping at the fabric of my nightdress. Amused, I turned to face him, catching sight of his flushed cheeks and glittering eyes.

“Well, someone’s eager,” I whispered huskily, running a hand through his hair. “Not that I’m complaining.”

His voice caught in his throat. “It’s that scent… It’s a… Vysanthean aphrodisiac. It makes the wearer…irresistible to their partner,” he murmured, his hands finding my face, his lips grazing mine with an almost desperate passion.

He sat down on the bed and pulled me onto his lap. My legs wrapped around his waist, and his hands slid beneath my nightdress, exploring the curve of my spine, each touch making me shiver. All I could see and feel was him, his body cool to the touch. I could feel his hunger in the way he kissed me, in the way his hands moved across my skin, taking in every curve and contour. This wasn’t like all the other times.

It was infectious, his desire setting my body alight. I kissed him back, hard and passionate. He gasped against my neck, growling in the back of his throat, as he lifted my nightdress over my head and threw it to the floor, leaving me naked in his arms. This time, there was no hesitation. I didn’t want to wait any longer. I wanted him, and I wanted him now.

He reached for his waistband, then paused, leaning over to the bowl that Brisha had previously left for us. He picked up two of the strange herbs, putting one in his mouth and placing the other on the tip of my tongue. I let the herb dissolve, the process feeling alien to me. In his arms, however, I felt safe and secure, knowing he would lead me.

Hurriedly, he wrestled free of his pajama bottoms. Drinking him in with a sense of surprise and excitement, I realized things were not quite as dissimilar as I’d feared they might be. We could definitely make this work.

Relaxing, I moved back onto the bed, drawing him down with me, my hands running over his smooth skin, my mouth hungrily kissing every inch of his body it could reach. My fingertips explored him cautiously, discovering things I’d never experienced before. His did the same, making my back arch against him, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps as he held me to him, guiding me through. A ripple of pure pleasure bristled through every cell in my body, setting my nerves on fire.

“I love you,” he murmured in my ear, as his hands parted my legs and he pressed himself against me.

“I love you,” I gasped back, realizing it was the first time we’d ever said the words aloud.