Page 56 of King of Storms and Feathers

“Very well.” I pushed onto my feet, my restraint near to snapping as I drank in the picture of her spread across the rock. Water lapped where my tongue had been, and her eyes burned with anger and unfulfilled passion.

I offered my hand, and she turned her head away, ignoring me. I scooped her up by the waist, tossed her over my shoulder, and returned to the pavilion.

After I locked her chain in place, I went into the bathroom. I leaned against the marble wall and gripped my cock, stroking and stopping on the edge over and over, my whole body shuddering.

I drew the agony out, needing it to last as long as possible, but then the three words she’d uttered—please, King Arrowyn—whispered through my mind, and in four firm strokes, I exploded with a groan, thick ropes of seed coating my chest. As my breath sawed out of me, I pictured my climax decorating the human’s petulant mouth.

When my self-control was restored, I bathed and dressed for dinner, and on the way to the hall, stopped by the kitchen and advised Ari to deliver a tray of food to Leaf. Then, barely listening to Stormur and Raiden discuss the day’s gold delivery, I hurried through my meal, pleaded exhaustion, and then returned to my chambers.

In the moonlight, twin bolts of green glared at me as I unchained the human—the catcher and keeper of my nightmares. I silently cursed my way through her torturous massage, my cock rubbing the sheet with her movements and her moist heat searing my skin.

To keep my wits, I recalled today’s hunt, counting each strike of my blade on the raiders’ flesh. I only just stopped myself from turning over and slaking my need with Leaf’s hot little body. I kept reminding myself that a more powerful release awaited us both on the day she eventually submitted to me, and that was worth waiting for.

As I settled down for sleep and drew Leaf against my chest, she wriggled several times, pressing her perfect ass into my hardness, the musk of her arousal an agonizing temptation. But I refused to give in to her body’s unconscious demands. I was her master, and she would bow to my will, not the other way around.

“Your guard dog was right about me,” Leaf said in a sleepy, barely audible voice.

“My guard dog?”

“Esen.”

“Tell me what she said.”

“Why should I?” Leaf asked. “You’ll only believe her word over mine.”

“Likely true. Tell me anyway.”

“I already did tell you at the docks, and you pretended not to hear it.” She sighed. “Esen called me the king’s harlot.”

My jaw tightened. “Jealousy has long been Esen’s curse to bear.”

“Because she’s your lover?”

“No. I’ve rejected her advances more than once. I don’t sleep with my soldiers.”

“Just with girls you can chain up.”

“So it seems.”

“Will you tell her that I told you?”

I smiled against Leaf’s neck, wishing I could see her face. “It seems only fair that I should. Esen informed on you when you disappeared at the loading bay today. Now you’ve returned the favor. I’d say the scales are balanced.”

“Great. Now she’ll want to throw me in your famous fire pits more than ever.”

“Then don’t go near them.”

“Or… if you’ll tell me where they’re located, I could throw Esen in instead.”

I laughed. “Go to sleep, ruthless one, and wreak revenge inside your dreams.”

Within minutes, she was asleep in my arms, leaving me to wonder where such a fierce little human had come from. Then worse, if there was a human male out there searching the realms night and day to get her back.

If so, let him search.

I would never let him find her.

Chapter 15

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