dancer.”
He was doing well until she distracted him. She sighed and went to the railing. Why am I trying so hard to seduce him?
The moonlight reflected off the river below like a wrinkled satin ribbon and bathed her in its comforting glow. “What do you know of the Children of the Moon?”
Diah’s body radiated warmth from where he stood behind her. “Isn’t that what some of the tribes call themselves?”
She nodded. She wanted to know if he’d heard the legends about shape-shifters. Part of her wanted to tell him, but she worried he’d order her to get the hell away from him. Or worse, kill her. “What else?”
“I’ve heard that, like us, some of them possess the ability to cast magic, but their magic is different than ours. Almost mystical.”
“Yes, our wicasha wakan have visions of the future and see into men’s hearts. They are also more skilled at destroying things unseen.” She paused. “Is that all you know?”
“I’ve heard some crazy stories, but I’m not sure if I can believe them.”
Her breath caught. Did he know what she was? “Such as?”
“I’m worried if I’ll offend you if I share them.”
“You can try.” She turned to face him “I don’t offend easily.”
“Well, it depends on the tribe, but everything from human sacrifices to picking the flesh off the dead to channeling animal spirits. It all seems a little uncivilized to me.”
She inwardly winced. How uncivilized would he think she was if he learned she could shift into an animal? And why would he think it was uncivilized? It was a rare gift among her tribe. “Ah, yes, we’re nothing but savages, right?”
Diah caught her as she walked away and wrapped his hands around her shoulders. “I thought you said you didn’t offend easily.” Despite his lopsided grin, a hint of worry filled his voice. “After all, they’re just stories. Tales told by the first explorers to justify taking their lands.” He brushed a finger across her cheek. “I don’t think there’s anything savage about you, Oni.”
She kept waiting for him to lean in and kiss her. Her mind begged for it and, if the way he was looking at her was any indication, he wanted to as well. Desire burned in his eyes, widening his pupils so that only a thin rim of blue surrounded them.
Her heart sank when he pulled back from her and turned away.
Although she enjoyed the way he treated her like a lady, she cursed it at the same time. His gentlemanly behavior was holding him back. What did she need to do to convince him to give in to his feelings without throwing herself at him like all those women who crowded around his brother?
“Come on, Diah. I’ve kept you out here long enough.” She laced her fingers through his and led him to her room.
When they came to her door, he didn’t release her hand. Instead, he stared at it while his thumb rubbed along the side of her index finger. “I’m sorry if Cager made you feel uncomfortable earlier.”
“Why do you think he did?” She moved closer to him, inhaling his clean, male scent.
“He made some suggestive comments and I wanted you to know I—” Diah looked up and inhaled sharply. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me right now, Oni?”
She leaned her body against his, savoring the feeling of his hard muscles along her breasts and stomach. Below her waist, his hardness pressed against her, and wetness pooled between her legs. She tilted her head and stopped her lips inches from his. “I think I might.”
He accepted her invitation, crushing her lips. She eagerly opened her mouth for him to explore. Her tongue danced around his, coaxing him out of his shyness. He hesitated until a whimper rose from her throat. He pulled her closer, his mouth claiming hers with confidence that rose with each flick of his tongue. She had never been kissed like this before—so strong, so sweet, so fierce. Her head spun from the intensity of it.
She brought her hands up to his face and covered his
He was doing well until she distracted him. She sighed and went to the railing. Why am I trying so hard to seduce him?
The moonlight reflected off the river below like a wrinkled satin ribbon and bathed her in its comforting glow. “What do you know of the Children of the Moon?”
Diah’s body radiated warmth from where he stood behind her. “Isn’t that what some of the tribes call themselves?”
She nodded. She wanted to know if he’d heard the legends about shape-shifters. Part of her wanted to tell him, but she worried he’d order her to get the hell away from him. Or worse, kill her. “What else?”
“I’ve heard that, like us, some of them possess the ability to cast magic, but their magic is different than ours. Almost mystical.”
“Yes, our wicasha wakan have visions of the future and see into men’s hearts. They are also more skilled at destroying things unseen.” She paused. “Is that all you know?”
“I’ve heard some crazy stories, but I’m not sure if I can believe them.”
Her breath caught. Did he know what she was? “Such as?”
“I’m worried if I’ll offend you if I share them.”
“You can try.” She turned to face him “I don’t offend easily.”
“Well, it depends on the tribe, but everything from human sacrifices to picking the flesh off the dead to channeling animal spirits. It all seems a little uncivilized to me.”
She inwardly winced. How uncivilized would he think she was if he learned she could shift into an animal? And why would he think it was uncivilized? It was a rare gift among her tribe. “Ah, yes, we’re nothing but savages, right?”
Diah caught her as she walked away and wrapped his hands around her shoulders. “I thought you said you didn’t offend easily.” Despite his lopsided grin, a hint of worry filled his voice. “After all, they’re just stories. Tales told by the first explorers to justify taking their lands.” He brushed a finger across her cheek. “I don’t think there’s anything savage about you, Oni.”
She kept waiting for him to lean in and kiss her. Her mind begged for it and, if the way he was looking at her was any indication, he wanted to as well. Desire burned in his eyes, widening his pupils so that only a thin rim of blue surrounded them.
Her heart sank when he pulled back from her and turned away.
Although she enjoyed the way he treated her like a lady, she cursed it at the same time. His gentlemanly behavior was holding him back. What did she need to do to convince him to give in to his feelings without throwing herself at him like all those women who crowded around his brother?
“Come on, Diah. I’ve kept you out here long enough.” She laced her fingers through his and led him to her room.
When they came to her door, he didn’t release her hand. Instead, he stared at it while his thumb rubbed along the side of her index finger. “I’m sorry if Cager made you feel uncomfortable earlier.”
“Why do you think he did?” She moved closer to him, inhaling his clean, male scent.
“He made some suggestive comments and I wanted you to know I—” Diah looked up and inhaled sharply. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me right now, Oni?”
She leaned her body against his, savoring the feeling of his hard muscles along her breasts and stomach. Below her waist, his hardness pressed against her, and wetness pooled between her legs. She tilted her head and stopped her lips inches from his. “I think I might.”
He accepted her invitation, crushing her lips. She eagerly opened her mouth for him to explore. Her tongue danced around his, coaxing him out of his shyness. He hesitated until a whimper rose from her throat. He pulled her closer, his mouth claiming hers with confidence that rose with each flick of his tongue. She had never been kissed like this before—so strong, so sweet, so fierce. Her head spun from the intensity of it.
She brought her hands up to his face and covered his
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