King of Darkness by Elisabeth Staab Read Free Book Online Page B

about it as you’ve been talking just now. And I think I’d like to try some. With you.”

Chapter 6
     
    Isabel looked at Thad like he had just suggested they go streaking. Through a gang of wizards. At sunrise. “You can’t be serious.”
    Yes, absolutely, 100 percent seriously crazy. “Do you have more available?” Suddenly he realized that red wine might not be the kind of staple one kept around the house like toothpaste or flour.
    “Sure, I do. But I’m surprised you would want to try it. You just said it was discouraged.”
    He scooted closer to the edge of the bed so that their knees were barely touching. It was the slightest of brushes but enough to evoke a nice zingy sensation all over that got him slightly more aroused. The thought of consuming the slightly illicit beverage was nuts, but a sense of excitement was overriding that. The idea of getting intimate with her the way she described… his pulse raced with anticipation.
    Thad clasped his hands together and leaned to rest his elbows on his parted thighs, just as he had during their conversation outside the taco stand. “You said, did you not, that this stuff lowers inhibitions? Fosters intimacy?”
    She nodded without comment, still staring him down like he belonged in a zoo.
    “So it would seem to me that for the two of us and this unique situation, it could be a useful tool in getting to know each other better. Maybe even for getting more intimate… seeing as how I’ve been given the message that we are destined to be mated.” He flashed a smile. Females usually loved his smile.
    The corners of Isabel’s mouth lifted just slightly. Bingo. “It amazes me that you seem to have a sense of humor about this.”
    Yeah, that was one way of putting it. Thad leaned against the headboard and stretched his legs across Isabel’s rocket-ship-themed duvet. To buy himself some time to respond, he loosened the laces on his heavy boots and kicked them off. Might as well get comfortable.
    “See, it’s like this. The more I think about it, the more I figure there must be something to this whole prophecy thing. I’ve spent the last few weeks and God knows how many miles playing some wacky version of hot and cold, and somehow that led me to where I found you. Now here we are. It’s just past dawn so we’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Why not make the most of it and see where things go?
    “Unless you plan to shoot me down, in which case we’re stuck playing twenty questions, or maybe go fish. And as for my sense of humor, I’ve run the gamut of emotions tonight, from pissed off to freaked out and everything in between, so for right now, focusing on what’s funny about this whole thing seems like the best way to keep from blowing my brains out.”
    She grinned. She wasn’t fully fanged the way he was, but still her smile was amazing. Sexy. Her entire face lit up, even when she narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t you think it would look really bad to the society if word got out that the king was hitting the Merlot?”
    Thad crossed his arms over his chest and swept his gaze pointedly around the small space. “Just you and me in this room.” He smiled back at her. “Come on, you don’t want to say no to this. I can see it on your face.”
    She studied him, hard. “You’re really sure about this?”
    Hell, no . “Absolutely.”
    Isabel continued to give him a dubious raised eyebrow, but after what seemed like forever, she rose from her chair and disappeared from the room. When she returned just moments later, she was carrying a large glass of water and two squat tumblers. A bottle of dark-colored liquid was wedged under her arm. After placing the water and smaller glasses on the desk, she conjured up a corkscrew as if from nowhere. A sommelier couldn’t have opened the bottle so fast. Strangely, her experience was almost comforting.
    “Mmm.” She leaned close to the glasses as the velvety liquid flowed, drawing the scent into her lungs.