Finding the Jewel Read online

Shouldn’t have gone after her, he told himself darkly. Shouldn’t have tasted her juices.

  Yet he hadn’t been able to help himself—licking and sucking her fingers had felt almost like a compulsion—he had to know what she tasted like. And the sweet, salty taste of her still lingered on his tongue, despite the strange food they’d been given for dinner. Now all he wanted to do was taste her honey again—this time from the source.

  Yet every time they got too close, she shied away. Did she desire him or not? He could smell the heat on her but did she want him, or were the two of them actually affected by the mysterious “Skin Hunger” as Monk Taroni had claimed?

  She’s too good for you, a part of him insisted. She’s fucking gorgeous—an elite. Why would she want you?

  But she reacts to me—her body responds to mine, Tark argued with his insecurity. Was it really too much to hope that she might be attracted to him—might want him the way he wanted her? Yet when he’d told her point-blank that he wanted her, she had turned pale and started stumbling and stuttering almost as badly as he did himself. Clearly his admission had upset her. Still…

  “You think everyone’s asleep?” Chloe whispered, breaking his train of thought.

  “P-pretty sure,” he murmured. “C-come on.” He climbed out of the bed pit and waited for her to follow but then he saw her feeling around the edge of it like a blind woman. “Ch-Chloe?” he asked, frowning. “Y-you all right?”

  “Are you already out of the pit?” she asked, her voice sounding tight. “Sorry, I just can’t see a thing in here.”

  “H-here.” Tark held out a hand to her, then realized she couldn’t see him at all. Well, it was pitch-black in their chamber, but he had no problem seeing. Kindred had excellent night vision. Apparently humans didn’t.

  “Tark?” she asked. “Where are you?”

  “R-right here. B-but I can just g-go by myself,” he offered. After all, it wasn’t her quest.

  Chloe’s response was immediate.

  “And leave me here all alone in this creepy bed-pit in the pitch black? Uh-uh—I don’t think so,” she exclaimed. “Besides, how will it look if you’re caught sneaking around without me? Like you’re trying to rob the place—that’s what. Whereas, if we’re together and we get caught, we can claim we were, I don’t know, looking for the sexy-meditation grotto together or something.”

  “The s-sexy meditation grotto?” Tark couldn’t keep the humor out of his voice. That was another thing he liked about the sexy little Elite—she made him laugh and the Goddess knew he’d had precious little laughter in his life before he’d met her.

  “Well, if you can think up something better you’re welcome to,” she grumbled, but he could see one corner of her mouth twitching. It seemed when he laughed, she couldn’t help but join in. “But whatever you do, just don’t leave me here alone in the dark.” She reached for him. “Please.”

  “Are y-you sc-scared of the dark?” Tark asked, crouching by the pit to take her outstretched hand.

  Chloe bit her lip.

  “No…not exactly. But I don’t like being in a strange place by myself and not being able to see,” she admitted. “Oh, there you are.” She clasped his hand gratefully.

  “I’m g-going to l-lift you out,” Tark told her. “S-so you d-don’t st-stumble.”

  “Okay, just don’t hurt your back.” She sounded doubtful. “I’m not exactly a lightweight, you know.”

  “Y-you’re perfect,” Tark assured her, meaning it. “C-could carry you all d-day.”

  “Well, you are really strong,” she conceded as he lifted her easily out of the pit. He put her down gently but she tripped almost at once over some irregularity of the ground. “Whoa!”

  Tark caught her quickly and swung her into his arms.

  “Hey,” she protested, frowning up at him though it was clear she couldn’t see him. “I can walk.”

  “N-not without t-tripping,” he pointed out. “You c-can’t see and I can.”

  She grumbled a little more but finally put her arms around his neck and let him hold her, which Tark enjoyed immensely. He loved cradling her to his chest and feeling her lush curves pressed against him. Of course the fact that the right side of her robe-gown melted wherever it was pressed against him didn’t hurt either.

  “You Kindred must have really good night vision,” she remarked in a whisper as he carried her out the door, turning carefully sideways so she didn’t bump her head.

  “Yes,” Tark said simply. He knew he probably ought to try and talk more—to practice his speech, as Chloe had told him. But a lifetime of keeping silent whenever he could was hard to overcome—even if he was speaking better than he had in years. Oh, he still had his stutter but somehow when he talked to Chloe it seemed to grow better. Maybe because she addressed his stutter head-on without trying to pretend it wasn’t there.

  How many times in his life had he seen people’s eyes slide away from him in discomfort or boredom when he struggled to get the words out? How often had his own father told him he would never amount to anything or find a mate if he couldn’t at least learn to talk properly?

  But Chloe was different. She was direct but also supportive. She had expressed outrage when he’d explained why he hadn’t gotten any help for his halting speech and had even spoken of how a person with his problem needed understanding and love, not reproach or anger.

  She was special, Tark thought—perfect. Gods, if only he could hold her in his arms forever and never let her go!

  “Hey, do you have any idea where we’re going?” she breathed, obviously trying to keep her voice low.

  “C-closer to the center of th-the r-resort is my g-guess,” Tark murmured back. “If they k-keep precious th-things here, they’ll want t-to have it someplace s-s-secure.”

  She nodded. “That makes sense. Okay, well as long as you can find the way back to our room again—I still can’t see a thing.”

  “I can f-find it,” Tark said confidently. He was never lost—in the dark or otherwise. “J-just hold on to me. I’ll keep you safe.”

  “I know you will.” She sighed and snuggled against his chest. “Thanks, Tark. I do feel really safe with you.”

  Tark felt his heart swell. He didn’t answer with words but dropped a gentle kiss on top of her head. Her hair smelled sweet and her warm, feminine fragrance made him wish he could kiss her more but he knew he couldn’t.

  Chloe was silent for a moment and then she whispered, “Hey, I see a light! Do you think that’s it?”

  “C-could be,” he acknowledged. “L-let’s check it out.”

  They were out of the curving corridors now and into a larger space—a vast cavern which must be some kind of general assembly area. Maybe the dining hall they had been forbidden to visit? The fact that they were walking past low tables with cushions placed around them for seats seemed to confirm this. Tark was especially careful to walk quietly—every little noise echoed in the enormous chamber.

  The light was past the dining area, up a steep ramp with no railing on either side. Tark climbed carefully, aware that he held a precious bundle in his arms.

  “Hey,” Chloe whispered when he was halfway up. “Are we going uphill or something?”

  “Yes.” Tark nodded though he knew she couldn’t see him.

  “Well, do you want to put me down and let me climb myself?” she asked. “Like I said, I’m not exactly as light as a feather—this is probably quite a cardio workout for you.”

  “I’m fine,” Tark answered honestly. “Rather k-keep carrying you.” He didn’t like the idea of Chloe trying to navigate the narrow pathway blind in the dark. They were high up now—about the height of a two-story building. A fall from up here could be fatal. He held her closer to his chest, not liking the thought.

  “Well…okay.” Chloe sighed and relaxed against him again. “If you insist.”

  “I do,” Tark said firmly. They were finally reaching the end of the stone ramp and he was glad to get back on solid ground. He gave