Read Online Scorched by Darkness by Alexandra Ivy - Free Book Online

he muttered.
    A part of his brain recognized he wasn’t being entirely fair. But that didn’t stop him. This female stirred the primitive side of him that didn’t care about logic or justice.
    With a frown, Rya reached up to smack his hand away. “Are you blaming me for us being trapped here?”
    He heaved a rough sigh, grasping her shoulders as she tried to scoot away.
    “No, I’m blaming you for scaring the shit out of me,” he rasped.
    She blinked, as if startled by his revelation. “Torque.”
    “And if you dare claim that I would be happy if you were dead, I’ll…”
    “You’ll what?” she demanded.
    “This.”
    Torque didn’t know what demon prompted him to swoop his head down to claim her lips in a stark kiss. At least not until he felt her mouth soften beneath his fierce demand.
    Only then did he acknowledge that he’d been aching for any excuse, no matter how flimsy, to kiss her again.
    He’d harbored a precise memory of her sweet taste. And the way her lips parted when he swept his tongue over their lush temptation.
    Now he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tugged her tight against his body.
    She had heat, but not the scorching heat of his own dragon. Hers was a smoldering, exotic warmth that enticed his beast even as his fey blood bubbled with the intoxicating magic that sizzled between them.
    Allowing his fingertips to touch the satiny smoothness of her cheek, he plundered her mouth. He wanted to drown in the sensations that thundered through him.
    Why the hell had he been so reluctant to claim this delectable female?
    Reluctantly lifting his head, he watched as her fingers fluttered toward her reddened lips, her eyes still dazed.
    “Why did you kiss me?”
    “Because I can’t stop myself,” he admitted in a gruff voice.
    She blinked, her expression oddly wary. “You’re just saying that to try and manipulate me.”
    He flinched, guilt blistering over his raw nerves. Of course she didn’t trust him. He’d never given her any reason to believe he cared about her.
    “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his hands smoothing over her fragile shoulders.
    He felt her tense, her tongue peeking out to lick her lips.
    “For kissing me?”
    He scowled. Was that supposed to be a joke? He rarely understood humor.
    “Hell, no,” he snapped. “That’s the one thing in my life that I’ll never regret.”
    “Then why are you apologizing?”
    His skimmed his hands down her arms, grasping her hands in a tight grip.
    “I allowed my reluctance to relinquish my life as a warrior to tarnish our betrothal,” he admitted. “I never considered how my lack of attention was affecting you. It was selfish and unnecessarily cruel.”
    Something vulnerable flared through the amber eyes. “And now?”
    He tilted his head to the side. “Now?”
    “How do you feel about our mating?”
    He didn’t hesitate. “I’m fully prepared to do my duty.”
    The air cooled, her expression suddenly impossible to read.
    “Duty?” she demanded.
    “Yes.”
    “Awesome.”
    She tugged her hands free, closing her eyes as she sucked in a deep breath.
    “Rya.” Torque frowned, baffled by the scent of singed blossoms that filled the air. Rya was pissed, but he didn’t have a clue why. “What’s wrong?”
    “The fact that you even have to ask proves you know nothing about me,” she muttered. “Or any other female.”
    Her eyes remained closed, as if she was trying to block him out. The sight made tiny flames dance over his skin.
    Dammit. He’d just told her that he regretted not treating her with proper respect as his soon-to-be consort. And even told her that he was ready to complete their mating.
    What more did she want?
    “I have no talent for reading minds,” he groused.
    Her lips twisted. “What is your talent?”
    “Killing things,” he informed her in bleak tones, belatedly wondering if she’d hoped for a mate who was artistic or poetic or philosophical. He’d never had time for anything but training to