A woman like that, she is a dangerous woman.
Chapter 5
Briar
Kane continues to surprise me. I still don’t know why I sought him out this afternoon, or why I didn’t push him away when he leered at me in the carriage. No. I know why. It’s because for all his cruelty and his spiteful words and wicked gaze, something pulls me to him like a moth to a flame. The flame is dangerous to the moth, deadly even, and yet it can’t resist the subtle pull. I drop my gaze to the thick carpet covering the dark floors as I wander the halls. Kane is my flame, and if I’m not careful, he might be the death of me.
Unless I get him first.
I clear my mind of such thoughts, suddenly worried that the creatures of this realm can sense my thoughts. But I’m alone in the halls, as I have been since we returned from the carriage ride. Kane left me immediately, not even bothering with goodbyes, before stalking back towards his office. I drifted behind him, breathing in his cologne, or perhaps it's his natural scent. I’m not sure. But he smelled like midnight and pine. It was intoxicating.
I pause in front of a window, a genuine window with clear glass, not one of the painted ones. It looks down upon a small garden, tall trees hide its contents from view, but I feel a spark of curiosity. I find the nearest staircase and go down to the main level, where the door to the garden should be. It’s a simple door, nothing like the architecture of the rest of Kane’s gothic palace. I twist it open, assaulted by the fresh smell of jasmine and rain. I breathe in deeply, the fresh air clearing my head. It’s easier to think of things besides Kane out here, and it feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.
The garden is small, the size of my room perhaps. Tall, leafy trees round the periphery, sealing it in green foliage. In the center is a pool, taking up most of the space. Lotus flowers drift atop the midnight blue water, pink and flushed in starlight. Lit by stars and a few candles, the garden feels like a separate world from the rest. I glance back at the door and then search for any windows looking into this place. The only one is the one I spotted the garden from, and the canopy blocks the pool from view up above.
Satisfied of my privacy, I slip out of the white gown I wore today. I thought the light color was refreshing, and the material helped me evade the heat. Secretly, I had also hoped that it might remind Kane of my betrothal to him. I leave the gown on the stones and pad towards the pool. The water is as still as a mirror, and I spot a pretty mosaic inlaid in the tile at the bottom. A chill wind whispers across my skin. I slip into the pool, naked, and let the warm water buoy me up.
Sighing, I lay on my back, eyes piercing through the foliage to the stars I can see winking in the sky. I stretch out my arms and flex my toes, relaxing. This is the best I’ve felt since I came to the Underworld. Everything here seems right. Perfect. Calm. Here, there’s no pressure from my father, no comparisons to my older sisters, and no fear that Kane won’t want me.
“I see you found my mother’s garden.” Kane’s voice, distorted by water, reaches my ears.
I gasp, twisting off my back so my breasts are hidden by the water. Death himself stands at the edge of the pool, the door to the garden closed tightly behind him. His dark eyes glitter even in the night. His arms are folded across his chest as he stares at me and I flush, moving backwards into the shadows.
He grins wickedly. “There’s no need, darling, all creatures of the Underworld can see perfectly well in the dark.”
My heart hammers in my chest and I feel a stirring in my core. My blush deepens, but I don’t hide myself by wrapping my arms around my body. His eyes never move from mine as we stare at each other over the still pool. Heat courses through me and I get the mad urge to ask him to join me. I bite back the question before it can fall from my lips. Slowly, I rise from the pool, letting the water drip over my slick skin. The cool air pricks at me, sending goosebumps pocking over my body. My nipples stiffen, and Kane’s eyes flare.
He drags his gaze over me as I step out of the pool. His dangerous eyes are heated, narrowed on me. I reach for my dress, knowing the light fabric will cling to me and never be the same after I wet it. But I can’t stand naked in front of my betrothed all night. Even though his eyes are telling me I could. He lifts a hand and I flinch, not sure if I expect him to stroke my skin or strike me. But then a towel appears in his grip. He tosses it to me, moving his gaze from my slick figure to my eyes.
"I'm surprised you found this place, it rarely chooses to appear to anyone," he says, breaking the silence. He studies me curiously and then he closes the distance between us. I lurch backward, fear and
