Read Savage Possession (Temple of Luna #1) for Free Online Page B

to, she wagered.
    He said nothing else. The door closed behind
him, a quiet, stark statement on how easy it would be to forget
her.
    She’d made her choice. The smart choice of a
mature, fortunate woman who didn’t have to settle for a king’s
wandering attention. Or worse, a mating like that of Rais’s father,
who was rumored to have a long-term mistress who owned his heart
and body while his mate had to settle for the cold sheets of his
empty bed.
    Avani knew better. Raised by those close to
power, she knew that the king had no mistress. If anyone owned his
heart, it was without the comfort of flesh. Kings could do as they
pleased, but strong rulers did what was honorable. If Rais took a
mate of good breeding and found no long-term pleasure in her body,
he would do the honorable thing. A cold, proper marriage, with
carefully scheduled sex as a means of producing heirs.
    For her, a life living on
the crumbs of lingering affection when her uncle’s status and
wealth could guarantee her the luxury of love. Unless he loved me.
    The worst thing of all was knowing she
hadn’t been brave enough to take that chance.
    And now she’d never know.

 
    Chapter
Three
     
    Rais tripped over the rucksack in the middle
of his tent. He regained his balance, but not before driving his
toes into the metal frame of his cot. Pain shot up his leg, and he
growled viciously. “I need bigger quarters, Jarek.”
    The healer didn’t look up from the wide
tablet in his hands, but his fingers moved to touch the screen.
“You have the biggest tent in the army,” he said absently. “But you
already know that.”
    It was true, and it drew another growl from
him as he hauled the rucksack into the corner. “That doesn’t mean
it’s sufficient.”
    Jarek simply arched a thin
eyebrow and studied him over the tablet. “You do remember that I’m here to decide
if your...irregular schedule of Temple visits is detrimental to
your temper, don’t you? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you
wanted to be sent back.”
    “ I don’t have a temper,” he
snapped. “And if I wanted to go back to the Temple, I wouldn’t need
anyone’s permission.”
    “ Interesting.” Jarek
returned his attention to whatever notes he was taking. “I went to
school with your cousin, you know. She has your temper. She’s a lot
prettier, though.”
    “ Fuck you. And stay away
from Zahra.” He paced to the other side of the tent, his shoulders
tense. “She’s too good for you.”
    “ Undoubtedly true.” He
didn’t sound offended. “My file says you saw Dhaval’s niece, but
stayed with her less than a day. You’re playing a dangerous game,
and I can’t let you rejoin combat if you’re not steady.”
    Avani. His chest ached, and he rubbed his
hand over it absently. “The priestess attended my needs very
efficiently. I’m not going to crack up, if that’s what you’re
implying.”
    Jarek sighed. “I don’t care if you fucked
the high priestess herself. Twelve hours is insufficient time for a
man who’s been under your level of strain. And it shows.”
    Again, the quiet healer
probably spoke the truth. But, for some reason, the thought of
going back to the Temple to see another priestess was
unfathomable. And Avani doesn’t want to
see you, does she, you sad little bastard? “I’m fine. Just fine, Jarek.”
    “ You’re not fine,” Jarek
replied, his voice flat. “You can tell me what’s going on and we
can work through it, or you can lie and I’ll mark you unfit for
duty. After the last incident we had with a man pushed too far, I’m
not taking chances.”
    Rais ground his teeth. “My ill temper has
nothing to do with the stress of battle. It’s--” He sucked in a
rough breath. “Perhaps you’ll be happy to know I’m in a mood
because I’ve been thoroughly rejected. I asked Avani to wait for
me, and she refused.”
    “ Avani?” Jarek’s fingers
whispered over the screen, undoubtedly calling up files. “Dhaval’s
niece.