Scorched by Darkness Read Online Free PDF Page A

nerves. “Now. Do you want to tell me just what the hell you think you’re doing?”

CHAPTER THREE
    Torque felt as if he was perched on top of thin ice.
    Quite literally.
    No doubt the strange sensation came from the fact that he’d suffered one shock after another.
    The first shock had come when he’d stepped out of the portal to realize that he was standing on a frozen wasteland that stretched with empty desolation as far as the eye could see. Why would any female leave the luxurious comfort of a dragon lair to freeze her pretty ass off in the middle of nowhere?
    The next shock had been his outrageous fury when he’d entered the cavern and witnessed a strange male touching his betrothed.
    Okay. Any dragon would be annoyed to catch his betrothed eating an intimate meal alone with another male. Especially when the bastard dared to touch his female. But the boiling cauldron of rage in the pit of his stomach that urged him to incinerate the male until he was nothing more than smudge on the ice was…over the top.
    Only the knowledge that he was acting completely out of character halted his attack.
    But had Rya been grateful for his restraint?
    No.
    In fact, she’d acted as if he was an unwelcomed intruder. And now she was glaring at him without the least hint of remorse.
    What happened to the meek, biddable female he’d met during their betrothal ceremony?
    It was…what did the humans call it? Bait and switch?
    Almost as if to prove his point that this wasn’t the same, quiet female who’d accepted his marking, Rya slammed her hands on her hips.
    “I asked you a question,” she snapped.
    Torque stepped forward, ignoring the fact that his heat was melting the ice beneath his feet. For once, he was incapable of commanding his usual composure.
    “One I answered.” He allowed his gaze to slowly move down her slender form, taking in the soft, blue sweater and the jeans that molded to her slender curves with aggravating perfection. Had the sprite touched the fuzzy material of her sweater? Or studied her fine ass when she’d walked across the cavern? Or sucked in the exotic scent of lotus blossoms that clung to her golden skin? The mere thought was enough to make flames dance over his body. “I’m here to retrieve my betrothed.”
    The amber eyes smoldered with anger. “You make me sound like a missing piece of property. Of course, I shouldn’t be surprised. That’s exactly what you think of me, isn’t it?”
    Torque frowned. Somewhere in the back of his clever brain, he realized this meeting wasn’t going well. But at the moment his male pride was in charge.
    Never a good thing.
    “Is that supposed to make sense?” he demanded.
    “I’ve never been more than an unwanted duty you’re forced to endure to please my father.”
    The accusing words made Torque falter. How did she know how he much he resented the mating? It wasn’t like they spent time together…
    He abruptly grimaced. Of course she would know. The fact that he’d gone to such an effort to avoid any contact after the betrothal ceremony would warn the most oblivious female he wasn’t eager to take her as his consort. And Rya was far from oblivious.
    Now he felt an unexpected pang of regret, swiftly followed by an odd urge to defend himself.
    “It’s no secret that Synge arranged our mating,” he reminded her.
    “And no secret how much you resent it.”
    He glanced around the icy cavern, his dragon blood protesting at their frozen surroundings.
    “This is no place for this discussion.” He abruptly decided. It wasn’t that he was trying to avoid her accusations. Of course not. It was just that he preferred to conduct their conversation in a place that didn’t have ceilings with icicles that threatened to impale him. “We’ll return to your father’s lair.”
    “You don’t listen very well.” She leaned forward, her eyes flashing amber fire. “I’m not going back. At least not yet.”
    His hands clenched. His every instinct urged