Page 41 of Crown of Chaos

“You should rest, Aria. I need to know you’re okay because I’m the fucking villain, and I’ve no issue raining hell down on this world. Now come here, because I ache to hold you against me,” he rumbled, tugging me closer before folding his frame around mine. “I enjoy knowing that you’re the big spoon to anybody else but me.”

“I appreciate that you’re man enough to be the bigger spoon, asshole.”

“Go to sleep, Little Monster.” He chuckled huskily against my ear and crowded against me to prove he wasn’t immune to my being against him.

“Thank you for holding me. I really needed you tonight, Knox.” His hold on me tightened, and I smiled weakly while melting in to his warmth. Knox exhaled, kissing my forehead as I closed my eyes and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter Twenty

I awoke alone in thelarge, enticingly scented bed, but the sound of Knox’s excited heartbeat gave away that he was watching me from the darkened corner. Stretching, I groaned at the ache still deep in my body and then slid my bare feet to the floor. I didn’t need to be told that Knox hadn’t planned to honor his deal past the moment I’d woken up in enemy territory.

“Good morning, gorgeous girl,” he uttered huskily.

“Morning, Knox,” I returned coolly, knowing that he was about to pounce. “Did you sleep well?” I backed away until I felt the cool wall against my spine.

“Indeed, I did,” he replied, stepping from the shadows.

His hands were the color of freshly spilled ink, and I pushed down my unease, which had him tilting his dark head, chuckling wickedly. The tattoos that lined his ribs turned crimson, as if a fire burned in him and was ready to drip from the markings. My tongue grew heavy with the need to sample him and see if he tasted as erotically delicious as he looked.

His lips pulled back, revealing a row of serrated teeth that caused my heartbeat to speed up. Knox reached below the waist of his sweatpants and fisted his thick erection. Rolling my eyes up to his face, I blinked, and in that fraction of a second, he had closed the distance between us.

“You are so fucking beautiful, Aria,” he growled, cupping my cheek in his palm. “You have seconds to flee before I claim what is rightfully mine. In case you need it written out in crayon, that’s you. Lennox wants you, and I’m done fighting him. Considering you gave birth last night and need time to heal, you should probably run,” he hissed huskily.

He grabbed a handful of my hair, preventing me from moving away from him as his mouth slammed down on mine. I lifted my arms and brushed my fingers through his dark-blond waves, claiming him hungrily.

When Knox broke the kiss and slid his lips down my neck, I brought my knee up hard into his balls, which caused him to snarl and struggle to get air into his lungs. While I still had the chance, I shoved him down and stepped out of his reach.

“And so the king bows before his queen,” I murmured before releasing a bubble of laughter. Knox lunged, but the library was faster. One minute, I was standing before him, and the next, I was on the other side of the barrier with a cocky smile on my lips.

“A king doesn’t bow to a queen, ever,” he snapped through clenched teeth, fighting to gain control of the pain. “But I intend to make you now and prove which of us is more dominant than the other.”

“I’m sure you’ll try, and fail. I will not yield, nor get on my knees for no one. You were right, Knox. Emotions and such things are weaknesses and hold no place in this bloody war. You are a good teacher,” I admitted sliding my hungry stare over his chest before lowering it to his enticing V-line, which led to his magnificent cock. The prick was the epitome of masculinity, and I was an addict who craved the high he offered. If I allowed myself to taste him, he’d be my downfall, and I was finished bowing to baser needs or the emotional bonds that held me back.

“Someone woke up and decided to be violent.”Soraya snorted. “One guess as to who that was, anyone?”

“Yeah, she chose violence because he instigated it though.” Esme grunted before flipping her hair with sass. “Knox liked the woman she was before she’d tasted pain, and I predict she’ll be a tad more bitter and violent now,” Esme stated with a sad smile.

“I imagine so.” I swallowed against the lump in my throat. “We should prepare for the funerals to come.”

“Whose?” Siobhan asked carefully.

“Anyone who opposes us or gets in our way,” I announced, turning on my heels to head deeper into the library.

I didn’t turn to see the anger on Knox’s face, but I felt it in my cold, dismal heart. He’d been right when he told me I could no longer be the weak girl I’d attempted to hold on to. Her naïveté had gotten her daughters killed, so I had to rise from this stronger and smarter and more ruthless than I’d been before.

I would paint the ground with their blood and build my stronghold from their bones. If Aurora thought I would continue to follow her after what had transpired, she was wrong. I would no longer stand beside her or be silent about her failure and inability to lead. Last night had proven to me, and everyone else, that she wasn’t fit to be a queen or rule over anyone. My sisters were no better. I’d sacrificed greatly to protect them, and the moment I needed them, they fled. It made me question things, and I didn’t like the direction those questions led to. I loved them, but I was at the point where I couldn’t trust them anymore.

“What is the plan?” Siobhan asked.

“I have to tell my sisters that Reign and Rhaghana are dead. We should keep the knowledge of what Aurora did to me to ourselves for now. We’ll give her enough rope to hang herself and then watch her swing. The other witches will need to choose who they’ll join if we split ways. I think my sisters will come to our side, but I can’t promise that. I don’t suspect a lot of witches will part from Aurora since she is a second-generation Hecate bloodline witch. I will not make them come with me if they don’t wish to, though, but those who do join us will have to be tested for darkness.”

Esme nodded. “I am with you either way. It just surprises me you’re willing to walk away from your sisters.”

“My sisters left me to die last night. Whether on purpose or because they didn’t realize I hadn’t made it through the portal yet, they abandoned me. I’ve stopped trusting them to have my back. Putting my trust in them and Aurora was a mistake I won’t repeat. I can keep searching for the books that’ll tell us how to build a new realm without their help.” I frowned before heading in the vault’s direction. “Hecate won’t allow me to live. Not when she believes my future son will end her life. You should all consider that as well. The real battle begins now, and it’ll be a long one that we may not win.”

Turning, I walked through the portal that appeared as I reached the wall, waving my hands to make it appear.

I changed into a solid black dress embellished with silver jewels, pulled on the boots the library had provided, and turned to find the girls waiting behind me.

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