She inhaled his scent. “I feel your need for me. Why do you not take what I offer so willingly?”
“You do not comprehend what you invite, Princess. Freely ask me anything except of the desire that exists between us.” The coldness that rasped from him caused her to shiver.
Saieke flashed toward the embankment of the river and sat on the stone edge that rose above the waters. She kicked off her sandals and dipped her feet into the water without thinking and recoiled. “It’s freezing!”
Saieke held her breath when he appeared beside her and cradled her feet and started a deep rub and massage. She moaned and leaned against the massive tree trunk behind her. “How is it that you can exist in the sunlight? Your healers said that you can bend the shadows wherever you are even in the sun.”
“Why would you think that we cannot exist in the sunlight? Our world is simply without suns.”
Saieke mused on that briefly. “I think all other kingdoms believe that you can only exist in the dark. Other realms call your people demons and vampyres.”
“Yes.”
Saieke leaned back further resting against the tree, sighing as his hands glided up and down her instep. Heat trailed wherever he touched, and hunger unfurled inside of her. She forced herself to focus on assuaging the need to learn about him. “But in those dimensions, the sun is detrimental to your kind. Legend holds that for vampyres to be in the sun is painful and in extreme cases cause death.”
His lips twitched. “Legend also says that we consume blood for sustenance. And you have dined with us, so you know that is not factual.”
Saieke’s hands flew to her neck as the memory of the many times his fangs had pierced her, made her limbs grow heavy in arousal. His hands tightened on her knees and she witnessed the control he fought for.
“Do not take me to task for the smell of my need.” She slid her legs against his very obvious hardness. “You are as aroused as I am at the memory.”
“I have only ever taken your blood.”
How curious. Memory of pleasure curled around her and sensual tension filled the air.
He broke the enthrallment by talking, “We have been crossing over to other dimensions for hundreds of years now, and legends have evolved over time. We are referred to as blood drinkers, werewolves, skin walkers, and demons.”
“So the weakness of the sun is not true?” Saieke asked skeptically. “Reports in Amagarie indicate no one have ever seen a Darkan in the sunlight.”
He stilled and her neck prickled in warning.
“Have I said something?”
“Your curiosity in the face of how reviled we are, is almost refreshing.”
Almost. For the first time since he had kissed her, awareness of what he was reared its head. The pitiless gaze that settled on her face threatened her composure. “You do not trust me?”
Cunning gleamed in his eyes. “Is there cause for mistrust?”
Her heart lurched, fear squeezed her throat, and it was telling that he did not offer reassurance. “Of course not. I would never even think to betray your confidence.”
The silence lingered, then he spoke, “We cannot call upon our beast power in the sunlight.”
This was a secret. The fact he trusted her with the knowledge was alarming…and intriguing. “Why?”
“Each Darkan possess a beast inside that is pure chakra. Our beast’s origins are from the Demonage realm, and their essence is passed on through the generations. The Demons are malevolent, filled with rage, blood-thirst and evil. That chakra lives in us, however its evil cannot be manifested in the purity of sunlight.”
“So Darkans are without powers in the sunlight? Vulnerable?” Saieke shifted on the boulder, and tried to find comfort.
“Not vulnerable. Possibly equal to all other Amagarians who have fighting skills. The manipulation of shadows and darkness is our natural ability. It is only the
powers of our beast that we cannot use under the sun.”
That really was not common knowledge.
“Lachlan believes that my kingdom’s healing elixir can help with the madness that sometimes affects your people?” She questioned tentatively.
Drac gaze went flat. “Lachlan mentioned this to you?”