Three Days of Dominance by Cari Silverwood

Else what was she doing sitting here?
    “No. Here though, I guess we’d haul you up before a court and convict you of manslaughter. Send you to prison.”
    “The curse is my people’s way of doing that.” He tugged on her hair again. “Does it bother you?”
    “No.” She shook her head. She didn’t have to think at all for that answer.
    “Thank you,” he murmured, his breath feathering her hair.
    “You were saying…about the curse?”
    “Ah, yes. The curse winds down after one hundred years, and then, yes, our life essence is extracted from us. We die. The toah egg, if charged sufficiently, could be used to both destroy the remnants of the curse and to open a portal into my world. The three days is simply a requirement to make it difficult for me to succeed. Normally there is no such restriction on powering a toah. There, I’ve told you the facts.
    “In a few minutes, you will remove the toah. If it’s inside you too long, the magic will make it meld with you, then more magic would be needed to shift it.
    “I will destroy it; then we will have nothing more to do with each other.”
    What the hell ? Her heart quailed at his words. He’d rattled all that out like it were the details of a parking ticket.
    “Then why are you still holding me?”
    He cleared his throat, and she heard his heartbeat quicken. Did he regret what he was saying? Did he have deeper feelings for her? She squeezed her eyes shut. This seemed to imply exactly that. Maybe there was hope for me?
    “Why? Clearly it’s because I like doing this. Holding you.” His voice tightened in command. “Now be quiet and let me have this last bit of pleasure.”
    She tensed and for a moment didn’t dare to speak. But, pleasure? He liked just holding her. For some reason that unraveled her, and she sat in silence doing exactly what he’d said—enjoying being held.
    Killer rested his head on Heketoro’s thigh, standing calmly as his ears were patted. The branches of the willow trees hissed as they swayed in some unseen wind. She wondered if they somehow echoed the emotions of their creator—if that was what Heketoro was.
    She couldn’t and wouldn’t give up. Tentatively she spoke.
    “I would still like to help you.” She put her hand up and captured his where it rested in her hair. Pulled it down and kissed the back. “No one dies on my watch,” she said more firmly. “If I could bring back Jacob, I’d shift heaven and earth to do it. I can’t, but you’re not getting rid of me. On my world adults get to make their own decisions.”
    At least, he’d not get rid of her until he went back to his world. What a depressing thought. She shook it off. No use thinking that. Here and now, Danii, here and now . Though for a fleeting second, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to go to another world.
    He sighed, freed his hand, and drew his arm across below her breasts. “I see you need training in what be quiet means. If I had you on my world, that would be swiftly punished.”
    She stiffened. Punished? I’d like to see him try.
    He hugged her tighter to him. “And no. I will not permit this help of yours.”
    “When I’m told to walk away, I only get pissed off and more determined.” She writhed a bit, trying to sit up straighter, though it didn’t work too well. “You don’t want to see me when I’m pissed off.” She set her mouth in a line.
    “Oh? Are you sure?” He turned her chin, smiling down at her. “I’ve seen every other side of you. Though I’m sure it won’t be as nice as this little bottom of yours pushed up against me.”
    At that, she froze. The hardness behind her wasn’t a faerie wand, that was for sure. She imagined him sliding into her.
    “Stop toying with me.” The words came out husky.
    “I assure you, if I was toying with you, you would know.”
    Damn him. The familiar heat shivering through her played havoc with her thoughts.
    “You forget that the toah makes you more aware. And when I