King of Me (The King Trilogy #3)(31)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Fuck. He was right. And more than anything I wanted to see him just one last time. I promised myself that if I did, I wouldn’t hold back. A life where you didn’t follow your heart wasn’t a life. And sometimes you just had to make the leap and trust in something that didn’t make sense.

Hang on, Mia. Hang on. He’ll come for you.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

No two deaths are alike. That was my conclusion. How were they different? It was hard to articulate. When I’d died the first time, King had literally gone inside my body and stopped my heart. It was an eerie frightening feeling, the terror diluted by the knowledge that he was doing it out of concern for my well-being—so I’d thought—and that I, barring any unforeseen snags with the ring, would come back. Fully intact. Fully me. There was also a tiny part of my brain that quietly rejoiced in the sensation of his soul or light, or whateverthehell you call it, moving around inside my shell. Yes, it also hurt like a sonofabitch, too, because of his curse. However, there was an undeniable tickle of erotic delight from being so intimate with such a wicked sexy bastard. Call me sick, I know. Of course, that was before…he hurt me.

This death, though, was so very, very different. Drowning was lonely. It hurt. And there was no secret pleasure or intimacy of a man’s touch. It felt like being ripped from my skin while my insides pulsed with life, every nerve ending scorching with nonexistent fire. My bleeding soul and oxygen-deprived muscles screamed in agony. Had I been sent to hell?

Shit. Shit, I thought. This can’t be happening.

“Mia, wake the f**k up, woman.” I heard a deep masculine voice plunge through my misery and a sharp sting on my cheek. “Do you hear me? You wake the hell up this instant, or by gods I will…”

Slowly, I peeled open my eyes.

Blue. Blue…so much blue. There was the bright heavenly sky above and the sanctuary of cobalt orbs staring down.

“King?” I whispered.

“Yes, it is I. Your king.”

I blinked. “Did you say ‘fuck’?”

He growled. “Foolish Seer. Why did you attempt to kill Hagne?”

I wiggled my toes and fingers. The cool air and warm sand on my back felt real.

“Where are we?” I asked.

Inches above my face, King brushed the wet hair back from my forehead and beamed. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“But…I drowned. I…”

“No. You nearly drowned.” Deep conflict shimmered in his eyes.

I coughed violently for a few moments and then flung my head back, panting. “Who the hell put a well there?”

“Who the Hades knows? But what were you thinking?”

“I couldn’t let her ruin you.”

“So you meant to stab her with this?” He reached to my side and plucked a shiny object from the sand.

“Something like that.”

“This is the dagger of Potnia. If left inside the body, it is said to mimic the appearance of death, but merely puts a person to sleep.”

Oh, great. Nap, Hagne? “It was the only weapon I could find. So it was either that or claw her to death. But I would’ve done it. I’m not letting her win.”

He stared affectionately into my eyes for several long moments. “You are mad, Mia. Mad and beautiful.”

Slowly, I brought myself to my elbows and looked around. We were alone on the quiet beach just outside of the cave’s mouth. “How did you find me?”

He slid his large, rough hand over my “K” tattoo. “I believe this drew me to you. I felt your anguish, as if you were calling to me.” His eyes filled with distress. “The moment I returned, I confronted Hagne, but she would not disclose where you were. However, by the grace of the gods, I felt the pull. I followed, and it led me straight to you.” He cupped the side of my cheek. “I cannot remove you from my thoughts, Mia. Awake or asleep, I see only you.” He unexpectedly slammed his lips to mine and plunged his tongue between my lips, thrusting in and sliding out at a slow, sensual pace.

My body, already wet and now growing warm from the sun, instantly grew hotter and wetter. His mouth felt like everything to me. Life, love, and need. I slid my hand behind his neck and urged him to deepen the kiss. Perhaps it was a signal, too, of what my body really wanted: him, me, as close as we could get.

I wasn’t going to let this chance go. Not for anything.

Arched over me, King’s large body hovered, as if reluctant to take what it wanted.

I moved my hand to the small of his bare back and pulled him in toward my hips. I hoped he wouldn’t hesitate to accept my offer.

He didn’t.

Within the space of a breath, he moved on top, our tongues colliding and lashing, our teeth bumping. Our bodies ignited and hands clawed to get closer to each other. He tore away the top of my wet dress as I clumsily broke the small metal clasp at his waist and freed his lower torso.

Within seconds, our bodies were naked, and he slid his muscled lean frame between my legs. Needing to touch him, I reached down and found his insanely thick long shaft. A groan emanating from deep within his chest erupted from his parted full lips when I gripped him firmly and began stroking. I wanted to drive him so close to the edge that he’d be begging me for it, that there’d be no chance of him turning back.

I reached for his sensual lips with mine and found that hot, wet tongue ready, just like his magnificent cock, the heat spurring me on.

I ran my thumb over his tip, finding a delicious drop of moisture, which I spread over his silky head in little circles.

King tilted his face toward the sky. “Damn, woman, what you do to me.”

I reached with my free hand and snaked it behind his neck to pull his salacious lips back to my mouth. But instead of delivering those sweet, wet, and sinful kisses I longed for, his head moved down to my chest.

Staring at me with those piercing blue eyes, his mouth opened and covered the erect tip of my breast. He began to suck hard, and I began to pant harder. Watching him take my nipple into his mouth, his tongue swirling rapidly over that sensitive skin, nearly brought me over the edge.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I just couldn’t. Foreplay was for people who needed to warm up, who didn’t feel comfortable acknowledging their sexual hunger, or who had all the time in the world. We fit none of these.

I firmly gripped his shoulders. “Please?”

A carnal smile spread across his lips, but he didn’t obey. Instead, his hand slid down between my thighs and began stroking. The moment his fingers penetrated me, I flung my head back and gripped handfuls of sand.