He’d demonstrated much em
pathy and kindheartedness toward her, a human. He’d been extremely gentle with her while she’d healed.
When he’d made love to her, however… He’d been fiercely passionate. Davian had shown her what desire and intimacy were all about. Jade knew innately and with certainty that she would never experience such powerful emotions with another man, not even Michael.
The very reason she shifted away from him when he reached out to touch her cheek.
“Please don’t,” she said in a low voice. Although she suspected Davian would stay out of her head, it wouldn’t bode well for Michael if the king slipped and inadvertently learned of this exchange through her own thoughts. It would torment Davian as well.
“Jade,” Michael said. “The night you were followed—when we were outside the tavern… I intended to kiss you.”
She nodded. “I assumed.”
“Yet you didn’t move away.”
“No. But things have…changed…since then.”
His eyes narrowed on her. “What things? How? We haven’t seen each other in a week.”
“Michael, I was in grave danger. I couldn’t very well let that transfer to you. I still can’t.” She heaved a sigh. How else was she to explain this other than with a direct approach? “Look,” she told him in a compassionate tone, “I think it’s best if we remain friends. No more than that. For all our sakes.”
She walked past him and reached for the doorknob. Michael halted her in her tracks as he said, “You’re infatuated with him, aren’t you?”
“Don’t be absurd,” she scoffed. But her hand shook on the brass knob.
“You challenged him at the meeting and it seemed to intrigue him. Clearly, though, he was interested in you before that. He was the one watching us on the sidewalk, wasn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“And he kept us from kissing.”
“Yes.”
“Because he wants you for himself?”
“No,” she lied, though it pained her to do so. Yet he wouldn’t understand her relationship with Davian. Nor did she want to throw it in his face. “There is a degree of fascination on both our parts, I’ll confess, but that’s it. Nothing more, Michael.”
His jaw clenched as he mulled this over and likely tried to choose his next words judiciously. Finally, he said, “Be careful, Jade.” He stalked toward her. Her hand fell from the knob. His replaced it and twisted. “Your eyes give you away when you speak of the Demon King.”
He yanked on the door and marched past her.
Chapter Twelve
Davian was in his study a week later when Morgan reported to him.
“The renegades that had set up camp on the Canadian border have disbanded,” the general told him. “No trace of the fire wraith. They’ve either retreated and have given up on assassinating you, or they’re out searching for reinforcements.”
“Likely the latter,” he said. “But there aren’t enough rebellious demons in the region to take on my army. Not even if he were to import them. The fire wraith needed me in the village to get to me. He knows he’ll never breach the woods on our side of the river without being detected and captured. He can’t penetrate our patrols around the castle or scale our walls.”
“We should do a large-radius sweep,” Morgan suggested. “Ascertain if they’ve regrouped elsewhere.”
“Yes. And I want reports from the regional stewards on any activity outside their own boundaries, in human villages as well as in uninhabited, remote areas.”
“Of course.”
Davian paused, his brain churning with a disconcerting, yet highly tempting thought. “If I’m to go into Ryleigh, now would be the time to do it.”
He wasn’t worried about his own safety. He’d taken on the fire wraith and proved he had more skill with a sword. Yet if he was going to protect Jade, he needed to disassociate himself from her so the renegade demon wouldn’t have a reason to return to the village. But before he completely severed the ties, he needed to see her one more time.