Page 50 of Cut of the Dark Elf's Blade

She shakes her head. “I’m not trying to learn to fight you.” She looks up at me with those bright eyes, and I almost believe her. I know she’s attracted to me. I know that she’s mine. But that doesn’t mean that she won’t try to fight me, to lie so that I let my guard down.

“Then what are you doing?” I shouldn’t be entertaining this.

“I don’t want to be easily overpowered by…someone I don’t want touching me.” Her cheeks flush and her eyes drop.

Slowly, the realization sets in. She’s admitting that she does want me. She doesn't want to fight me. But as defenseless as she is with me, she doesn’t want to be that way with anyone else.

I have to say that the sentiment does appeal to me.

I step closer, dropping to a crouch just in front of Neveah and tipping her chin up. Her eyes search my face, clearly trying to decipher my response.

“No one else should touch you,” I tell her, my voice deep and measured. “Including Rhiucra.”

“It’s not like that,” she sputters, but I pinch her lips closed.

“I. Don’t. Care.” Anger blooms in my chest again, taking hold this time. Now that I know her motivations, I’m ready to properly punish her. She needs to remember that no one can give her what I can. She needs to want no one but me.

I will make sure of it.

“No matter the reason,” I growl, and I don’t miss the lust that flashes in her eyes at the throatiness of my voice. “No one should touch you.”

She nods, any defiance in her features melting. She doesn’t look inclined to argue with me anymore. Good.

“You are mine, Neveah,” I breathe, releasing her lips to brush a thumb over her cheekbone. “Everything that touches you will be from me, because I allow it.”

“Everything?” I can see the confusion on her face, and I grin.

Letting go of her face, I slowly rise, stepping back until the practice swords are on my right. “Everything.” I guess she hasn’t noticed how my scent clings to her clothes, her sheets, her soap yet. That’s too bad.

“Are you saying I can’t even learn to fight anymore?”

I purse my lips, even as my cock jerks at the sudden defiance in her features. How quickly she switches to this feisty little creature. I love it.

“No, I’m not saying that.” I reach out, my hand wrapping around the bare handle of the sword that Rhiucra was using. “But you will only use the sword that I make mine.”

Neveah rolls her eyes. “You’re that possessive?” she huffs. “Fine. Which of them is yours?”

I shake my head. “None of them yet.”

Agitation leaks into her voice. “What the fuck does that mean?”

I flip the sword over in my hand, the blade sharp side down in my palm. It is dull, that’s true, but it can still cut through clothes. It’s kept sharp enough to leave a mark on a dark elf, to show where you’ve been struck when you spar, and I’m sure it’s sharp enough to pose a danger to a human.

I wonder if Neveah has noticed that yet.

Gripping the handle, I feel the smooth, cylindrical wood against my palm. It will have to do.

My lips curl up, and there must be something on my face that tells Neveah of my intentions because fear and arousal flicker in her eyes. But just as I expected, lust settles there, her tongue peeking out to swipe along her bottom lip. I feel the motion acutely between my legs.

My words are a deep rumble. “I’ll show you.”

23

NEVEAH

Iopen my mouth to ask what he means, the dangerous glint in his eyes making my arousal pool between my legs, but I don’t get the chance. Luocre lunges forward, sending me flying back.

I slam into the ground, Luocre pinning my wrists above my head and straddling my hips. The breath has been knocked out of me, and my back protests in pain. I can barely feel it, though, as he grinds against me.