“Good,” I said, leaning back to scowl at him. “Because I’ll think of you whenever I have to deal with someone who can’t handle their alcohol.”
“Listen, I drank a lot of wine that night, alright? It’s strong stuff.”
The smile his words coaxed out of me faded almost as soon as it bloomed. Just because I wasn’t going to be there to help him, it didn’t mean he couldn’t save himself. “Maybe I shouldn’t ask for this, but I want you to try to live, Idris.” His expression froze, his eyes turning distant. He tensed beneath the hands I now noticed were pressed against his chest. I didn’t dare pull away, not now that I’d started such a difficult conversation. “I want you to stay away from the wine, and to find things that make you feel happy and glad to be here. I know it won’t be easy, but… try. Please. You’re a good person, and I can’t stand to imagine a world without you.”
He didn’t speak, only stared down at me, unmoving. Was he even breathing?
“Find-find someone, yeah? You’re a prince. How hard can it be? Fall in love.”
He shook his head fervently. What was he saying no to? Everything, or just the last part?
Finally, he swallowed. When he spoke, his voice was gruff. “Has anybody ever told you how incredibly annoying you are, meddling in things that don’t concern you?”
“Idris—”
“Fine. I make no promises, but I… I’ll try.”
Relief washed through me. “Thank you, because I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but you will be happy again. And… Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I’ll never forget it.”
“It was nothing.”
“I’d have died a hundred times over if it wasn’t for you. And I’d definitely never have ridden a flying horse, or found my way home.”
“It was the least I could do.”
“No. The least you could do is smile for a photo.”
He rolled his beautiful eyes, an incredibly human gesture from such a haughty beast. “You’re infuriating.”
“That makes two of us.” I fished my phone out of my pocket, pivoting under his arm still wrapped around my shoulders. He didn’t fight as I nestled beside him and held out the camera.
“Smile,” I reminded him through my own bared teeth.
As I’d expected, he only glowered at the screen like a Goddamn runway model, but it was distraction enough. My free hand slipped around his neck, and before he could react, I hooked a finger into the corner of his mouth, pulling his lips back from his teeth.
I snapped away, howling with laughter as he jerked his head out of reach with a sound of sheer disgust. Tears rolled down my face, blurring my vision, but I kept on hitting the button, determined to catch at least a hint of emotion on his beautiful, miserable face.
“That was utterly revolting. When did you last wash your hands?”
My wheezing intensified. God, I was funny, and Idris was beyond help if he couldn’t see it.
When I regained a shred of composure, I mopped my wet eyes and found the brooding prince standing with his arms crossed and an expression of deepest disapproval.
“Oh, come on, that was hilarious.”
“You think so?”
I grinned at his glowering face as I slid my phone into my pocket. “I know so, and so do you.”
Idris lunged.
Quicker than my brain could process, he was right in front of me. He seized my face, forcing my head back, and before I had time to suck in half a gasp, his lips collided with mine.
Every thought fled from my head, scattered by the surge of electricity that rushed through my body, rooting me in place. Idris ran his tongue over my lips, and without thinking, without even trying to resist, I parted them for him. He deepened the kiss, pressing closer until his body was flush against mine, warm and solid and delightfully large. Beside him, I was small and delicate, something I’d never felt in my life.
His tongue swept into my mouth, deep and insistent, claiming. The last of my defences melted away. I didn’t care where I was, or who I was, or even that I’d been tempted to tangle with his twin. All that mattered was Idris’ dizzying touch, and the rapidly pooling heat low in my belly. Everything he gave, I matched. My hands slid around him, clinging, as my tongue dragged over the tip of one fang, sharp enough to threaten pain. My needy little whimper sounded into his mouth at the sensation.
The prince blew a breath out of his nose and slid a hand around the back of my neck, burying his fingers in the base of my ponytail. With it, he steered my head, arching me further back until my body was crushed against his. Stars sputtered behind my eyelids, glimmers of popping light, mirrored by the cascade of tingles simmering over every inch of my skin.
Idris pulled away, leaving air where there should have been only his lips against mine. I might have leaned forward, seeking touch, if not for his hand still fisting my ponytail. My eyes fluttered open to find his face barely an inch from mine. Golden green scorched down to my soul. The green was a colour I’d never seen on any human. This close, I saw that the golden sheen came from threads and flecks of yellow, weaving into the green. Beautiful.
“See?” he breathed.
Oh, I could see alright. See the haze of desire in his eyes, telling me he’d enjoyed that unexpected moment as much as I had. Telling me he wanted more. My tongue darted over my bruised lips. Idris tracked the movement, his pupils flaring.
“It’s impolite to stick things in people’s mouths,” he pressed, though he didn’t sound convinced.
“Maybe you should teach me some manners.” Maybe another kiss would do it. Maybe it would take more than that.
His hand tightened in my hair, but it wasn’t my scalp that twinged in response.
“Maybe I’ll have to stick something else in your mouth next time.”
“Maybe I’ll like that.”
A sound, something between a snarl and a groan rumbled in Idris’ throat, and a thrill of triumph raced up my spine. I’d done that to him. I’d dragged that noise from him. What other sounds could I coax forth? The heat between my thighs turned to a throbbing pulse at the thought of it, of watching him come undone at my touch.
I dragged my hands to his front, sliding one between our bodies, and down, down. Abs rippled beneath my palm, tensing as I went lower. My fingers snagged his belt, but I shifted my hips, making room, and continued my descent.
