Page 51 of The Horde King of Shadow

Elthikan magic was once the most powerful thing in existence,Sarkin had told me.

I felt it now. I believed it. Only I hadn’t expected to feel it inthisway.

I heard a growl, dark and rumbling. It sounded animalistic, like it rumbled from Zaridan instead of the Sarrothian male who, I realized, was now my husband.

My mate.

For a lifetime. Because nothing would break these bonds now—only death.

The thought should’ve sobered me, but all I felt was pulsing anticipation as I watched Sarkin stalk toward me. I felt everystep reverberate in my chest, even as fear stabbed inside like a dagger.

I felt the heat of his body before he ever touched me, and I nearly cried out in relief when he did.

His hands slid over my body, and I arched into him shamelessly, like I was a puppet and he was controlling my strings. I had no experience with males…not like this, though I’d devoured the erotic books in the archives. There was a whole tome written about sex and how it celebrated our goddess Kakkari. There were instructions inside, sketches and drawings, and I’d brought it home too many times to count in my endless curiosity, feeling an exciting thrill every time as I’d pored over the delicate pages.

He was my husband now. I figured I might as well explore this new, enticing sensation with someone. And since he’d demanded it be no one else, it would behim.

Underneath his ceremonial vest, I knew there was endless bronzed skin, hot and carefully crafted and forged like a weapon. I nearly whimpered, my fingers going to his vest, wanting to see it.Needingto. I imagined digging my nails into him, liking the idea of marking him.Mine.

“Aralye, listen to me,” he rasped. His hands came into my hair, and I swore I could feel his touch in every last strand. My scalp tingled, then my neck, a whole body shiver racking its way down my body until it vibrated between my legs.

I squeezed them together. “Is this…is this normal?”

“We can fight this,” he told me. The words seemed plucked from him, harsh and guttural.

“Gods, no!” I thought, a scream in my mind, only it took me a moment to realize I’d cried it out loud. The room echoed with it. The damp, stone walls of Lishara’s chamber seemed to pulse like it was a living thing. The heartstones glowed brighter untileverything was cast in a soft, ethereal blue. “Don’t ask me to.Please.I can’t.”

“You’ll hate me for this,” he argued. “After.”

I was shaking my head, desperation nearly making a sob rise in my throat. “I won’t. Ipromise,” I pleaded. “Touch me. Gods, Sarkin,please!”

Sweet relief burst inside me when his hands slid from my hair down my neck, his thumbs brushing over the thunderous pulse of my neck. One moved up to rub against my bottom lip, and my tongue darted out, catching the edge of his warm skin, eliciting a low, rumbling groan from him. Heat flooded between my thighs, the dress I was wearing felt so heavy, it was suffocating. The texture across my skin was becoming unbearable. It scratched and raked against me.

Too sensitive,I thought.Need it off.

I gritted my teeth when Sarkin dragged his hand down the length of my side, and I gasped, arching into the stroke of his touch across my breast. When had they ever felt so sensitive? I thought I might be able to come just from him petting them.

“Fuck,” he hissed, feeling my nipples pebble against the material. His thumb dipped on the underside of one, thrumming it upward, and my legs shook. I was wound up so tight,tootight. His head dipped, and my eyelids fluttered close, a shiver racing up my spine when he rasped into my ear, “I can’t decide if I should try to have at least some restraint with you. But I fear it’s too late for that, princess.”

“I’m firmly against restraint at this point,” I gasped out.

I heard his whispered curse in my ear. He spoke something in Karag, something I couldn’t understand. Then I felt the bite of his teeth on the sensitive flesh. My hands flew to his shoulders, just as his felt like they were everywhere. All at once.

“Lysi,” I cried, the word echoing around the chamber.Yesin Dakkari. “Hanniva.”

Please.

“You’re going to make me come with those sweet little words,aralye,” he hissed. “Say it again. Beg me again.”

“Hanniva,” I whimpered. “Hanniva, rei kassi.”

Please, my mate.

I felt something unleash within him at the words, which I knew he understood. This was what I’d never experienced before. Had I ever thought I would beg a lover to touch me? Had I ever thought to hear Sarkin rasp those naughty words across my skin?

No. And yet it felt natural between us. There was no shame in this. Onlywant.

His hands flashed to the straps of my dress, and he snapped the thin, delicate chains with little effort.

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