Page 101 of Blood of Two Crowns

Nakoa’s fangs released me, licking up the blood dripping from the puncture wounds. I arched my back into him, caressing his cheek as I captured his lips and offered him my soft moans.

Malekai’s hips stuttered, drawing my gaze, and I found all my awe, admiration, and love mirrored in those eyes. Emotion clogged thickly in my throat.‘I love you, Kalini,’he whisperedas his cock pulsed inside of me.

My voice wavered as I gave him a tremulous smile, ready to break on my building tears.

“Katadamna kaza.”

Chapter

Fifty-Nine

NAKOA

What a bizarre turn of the tides. If someone had told me that I’d be sharing mysoulbundwith another male, I’d probably have gutted them for even daring to speak the words. Now… I wasn’t entirely sure I would have it any other way. Though it felt like we were treading upon new, fragile grounds, daring to build something new. Something unfathomably precious.

And I found myself constantly worrying about someone new.

Ataraxus.

And I silently vowed that we would visit him tomorrow and sent a prayer that he would recover from whatever it was stealing his consciousness.

When I woke, some hours later, it was still only early evening. Mareina’s head lay on my chest with a leg draped over mine. Malekai was curled on his side against her with his large hand curved over the swell of her hip. I peeked down to see her eyes closed, lashes faintly kissing the apples of her cheeks, and her breathing even. My heart pinched at the gorgeous sight of her.

It also felt startlingly intimate to see Malekai in a sleeping state, his expression peaceful. I realized then that I’d never seen him at peace until now.

As if reading my mind, Malekai’s eyes opened in that exact moment. A beat later, he carefully disentangled himself from Mareina and silently rolled over to climb out of bed. His gaze dropped to the floor as if suddenly realizing that he didn’t have any previously shed clothes waiting for him there. Perhaps Mors wouldn’t mind sharing. Likely not, considering he was currently suffering the amnesiac effects of drinking from the River Oblivion. Malekai peered over his shoulder at me with a silent question.

Malekai followed me out of the room as we padded towards Mors’ bedroom. We strode directly towards a door on the far side of the room to discover his wardrobe. Constructed of elaborately carved dark wood, it was filled to the brim with clothing in every fashion, boasting surprising pops of color I’d never have assumed the God of Death would fancy. I opened one of several drawers to discover a style of soft, form-fitting undergarments with a stretchy waistband I’d never seen before. All of which were in a tremendous variety of patterns.

“He seemed kind. I can’t imagine he’d mind lending clothing to one of Mareina’s mates.” Malekai’s words sounded, if anything, as if they’d been spoken to reassure himself as he opened a few other drawers, sifting around beyond what was necessary to gather borrowed clothing.

I couldn’t help but feel a little pang of jealousy at the admission. “You met him?”

“Briefly. Yes.”

Before I could ask any other questions, Malekai’s snooping resulted in the discovery of a wide velvet-lined wooden drawerboasting coils of rope, silk ties, masks, nipple clamps, a remarkable variety of butt plugs in every shape and size, and other sex toys I didn’t even have names for.

Our brows lept with mild surprise as we stared down at the God of Death’s treasure trove. Malekai took short breath, hesitating to ask the very question running through my mind. “It would be…wrongfor us to borrow these to use on his daughter… Right?”

I grunted in affirmation. “Totally…”

Neither of us moved and simply remained staring as our minds whirled with opportunity. Malekai gave a thoughtful hum.

“… So very, very wrong.”

My eyes caught on a sealed box. “Unforgivable, really.”

Malekai’s gaze followed mine. “Twisted beyond measure.”

As if drawn by some unknowable force, my hand found its way to the entirely new, unopened box.

“What’re you two doing?”

Malekai and I both yelped, jolting around to face Mareina, dressed in nothing but asoiledwhite sheet.

Mine and Malekai’s response came in unison. Our voices the epitome of innocence.“Nothing.”

Malekai cleared his throat. “Just borrowing some of your father’s clothing.”

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