pulling the heavy door shut behind him.
Ava stood, her hands linked loosely before her, and let her sense take in the unfamiliar room. More sunlight cut through the long slices of the windows, thick glass making the room glow. The chamber was sparse, only a desk and heavy chairs in the center and a row of cupboards along one wall.
Heyerdar stood before the blackened fireplace in the dark leather tunic and breeches of a plain guard. Sunlight touched him, and the gold and copper in his hair gleamed. There was a sleek, animal beauty to him and it hit her that she’d only ever seen him in daylight naked.
“Don’t try your tricks on me here, thief.”
“I’m here to work, Captain.” She couldn’t let her thief provide her calm. It wanted Heyerdar. She could feel the push of darkness, the need for her to close the short distance between them and press her body up against his. To consume him. “Reist said there were thieves in the city.”
“As of this morning there were four.” His golden gaze raked down over her cloak. “Take that off.”
“What?”
“The cloak.”
“Captain...”
“I’m the Left Hand of the Emperor.” A twist of a smile touched his mouth. “You obey me as you do the Right Hand.”
Ava pushed through the buttons and caught her cloak before it slipped from her shoulders. She stood still, keeping her breathing even as Heyerdar stalked around her. He ran his fingers along her shoulder, his palm wrapping around her upper arm.
He squeezed. “There’s muscle there.”
Ava held down the wince as his heavy hand pressed against the blackening bruises he’d left the night before.
“Not much, though. You can wear the messenger’s uniform.”
“What?”
Heyerdar let out a slow breath. “I don’t intend to make it well known that you’re in my service.” His delay on the last word forced her glare and his smile grew. “So I’ll put you in uniform, make you invisible.”
“I’m a thief. I’m already invisible.”
“Make you unimportant, then.” He took her cloak and threw it across a chair. He waved his hand to the door. “Quartermaster, now.”
“It would be easier to move through the city as myself.” Ava kept her words controlled. Reist had never dictated how she performed her job, not for a long time. “I know what’s required.”
“You’re not working for him. You’re working for me.” He pulled open the heavy door and grabbed her arm. He frowned as she winced. “What?”
“Bruises.” She bit out the word and held his gaze, saw the memory flicker there.
His hand eased but he didn’t let go. He pulled her behind him. “I’m not used to women with so little stamina.”
Ava gritted her teeth, fighting the rise of emptiness that wanted to pull every last thread from the man and leave him a husk on the marble floor. Because she could. She was a fucking thief and a thief knew no master, knew no end, she could take him, devour and consume him—
Heyerdar shoved her up against the marble wall. Her feet dangled. “You want to take me?” His voice was a low growl, his breath hot over her open mouth. “Make me a husk like the bodies in vaults?” His eyes gleamed gold. “Try.”
His mouth took hers, his tongue sure and ruthless, his body hard against hers. She couldn’t move. He pinned her to the cool wall. But her empty soul hungered and grabbed for the power that burned in his body. She pulled him in. The fierce clash of their mouths, the heat, the need for more of him wrapped around the golden surge of his power into her.
His thigh pressed hard against her sex. Her belly throbbed, the low ache thudding with her pulse. They were supposed to be discreet, a secret, but she wanted him, wanted him to take her hard and fast up against the wall. Uncaring. Brazen.
Fuck, this wasn’t her. This was her thief.
Ava ripped her mouth from his. The loss of him and his rich flow of magic broke a low moan from her. She closed her eyes.
“See?” His fast breaths
Ava stood, her hands linked loosely before her, and let her sense take in the unfamiliar room. More sunlight cut through the long slices of the windows, thick glass making the room glow. The chamber was sparse, only a desk and heavy chairs in the center and a row of cupboards along one wall.
Heyerdar stood before the blackened fireplace in the dark leather tunic and breeches of a plain guard. Sunlight touched him, and the gold and copper in his hair gleamed. There was a sleek, animal beauty to him and it hit her that she’d only ever seen him in daylight naked.
“Don’t try your tricks on me here, thief.”
“I’m here to work, Captain.” She couldn’t let her thief provide her calm. It wanted Heyerdar. She could feel the push of darkness, the need for her to close the short distance between them and press her body up against his. To consume him. “Reist said there were thieves in the city.”
“As of this morning there were four.” His golden gaze raked down over her cloak. “Take that off.”
“What?”
“The cloak.”
“Captain...”
“I’m the Left Hand of the Emperor.” A twist of a smile touched his mouth. “You obey me as you do the Right Hand.”
Ava pushed through the buttons and caught her cloak before it slipped from her shoulders. She stood still, keeping her breathing even as Heyerdar stalked around her. He ran his fingers along her shoulder, his palm wrapping around her upper arm.
He squeezed. “There’s muscle there.”
Ava held down the wince as his heavy hand pressed against the blackening bruises he’d left the night before.
“Not much, though. You can wear the messenger’s uniform.”
“What?”
Heyerdar let out a slow breath. “I don’t intend to make it well known that you’re in my service.” His delay on the last word forced her glare and his smile grew. “So I’ll put you in uniform, make you invisible.”
“I’m a thief. I’m already invisible.”
“Make you unimportant, then.” He took her cloak and threw it across a chair. He waved his hand to the door. “Quartermaster, now.”
“It would be easier to move through the city as myself.” Ava kept her words controlled. Reist had never dictated how she performed her job, not for a long time. “I know what’s required.”
“You’re not working for him. You’re working for me.” He pulled open the heavy door and grabbed her arm. He frowned as she winced. “What?”
“Bruises.” She bit out the word and held his gaze, saw the memory flicker there.
His hand eased but he didn’t let go. He pulled her behind him. “I’m not used to women with so little stamina.”
Ava gritted her teeth, fighting the rise of emptiness that wanted to pull every last thread from the man and leave him a husk on the marble floor. Because she could. She was a fucking thief and a thief knew no master, knew no end, she could take him, devour and consume him—
Heyerdar shoved her up against the marble wall. Her feet dangled. “You want to take me?” His voice was a low growl, his breath hot over her open mouth. “Make me a husk like the bodies in vaults?” His eyes gleamed gold. “Try.”
His mouth took hers, his tongue sure and ruthless, his body hard against hers. She couldn’t move. He pinned her to the cool wall. But her empty soul hungered and grabbed for the power that burned in his body. She pulled him in. The fierce clash of their mouths, the heat, the need for more of him wrapped around the golden surge of his power into her.
His thigh pressed hard against her sex. Her belly throbbed, the low ache thudding with her pulse. They were supposed to be discreet, a secret, but she wanted him, wanted him to take her hard and fast up against the wall. Uncaring. Brazen.
Fuck, this wasn’t her. This was her thief.
Ava ripped her mouth from his. The loss of him and his rich flow of magic broke a low moan from her. She closed her eyes.
“See?” His fast breaths
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