Page 33 of The Barbarian King's Assassin (Magic and Kings 1)

“You’re right. You are attractive. What I should have said is I try to avoid having sex with dead men.”

One corner of his mouth quirked. “Do you want me to prove how alive I am?”

“You’ll be dead before you try,” I warned.

His apparent acquiescence proved to be a sham, as one moment I had him prisoner, and the next, he’d flipped me off and pinned me to the ground. His weight wasn’t the kind I could shove off. Rather than try, I lay prone under him.

“Is this where you show me the way barbarians rape and pillage?”

His moue of distaste appeared all too sincere. “We don’t force women.”

“You abducted me,” I reminded.

“Not for sex but because you tried to kill me. Which makes you a criminal.”

“So you’re taking me back to your country to stand trial?” I didn’t hide my incredulity. It seemed like a lot of effort.

“I’m taking you back because you’re interesting, Ilyana. Whose last name isn’t really Benoiix.”

“My father would be hurt to hear that.”

“You mean the father who is also an assassin? Jrijori, also known as the Gray Fox. One of my men recognized him. The fact you’re together makes you his daughter, Vixen.”

I grimaced. “No thanks. Horrible names.” Bestowed when we used to sail the seas and how we launched our career in Aluztha.

“What would you prefer to be called?”

“Nothing because I’m no one.” Assassins shouldn’t be seen or heard, just legend.

“Don’t feel like no one.” He ground against me.

It wasn’t actually unpleasant. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

“Do you want me to seduce you?”

I smirked. “Tease.”

Interest smoldered in his gaze. “I could say the same.”

“If I wanted, I’d take.” With that, I nipped his lower lip. Probably not the smartest thing I could have done given our position. He didn’t move as I sucked his lower lip, but a humming noise did make him vibrate.

Before I could test his control, we were rudely interrupted by a drawled intrusion. “Um, Your Majesty, we should probably get going before the storm hits.”

“Just give me a moment,” he hollered back.

“If it only takes you a moment, then what’s the point?” I taunted in a low whisper.

He growled. “If we had time—"

“It wouldn’t have just been the rain getting you wet. But that’s your choice. And your one chance. It won’t happen again.”

“It will.” He sounded so confident as he rose and offered me a hand.

Ignoring it, I popped to my feet. “It won’t. You’re practically married. Or have you conveniently forgotten?”

The scowl on his face came with a barked, “We’ll have to ride hard if we’re going to beat the storm.”

“Mmm, riding,” I murmured, my hand still somehow clutching my knife. I’d be lucky to get one jab, and it would take more than that to kill him.