Page 22 of Essence of the Throne

I desire to command his body and bend it to my will until he submits to me in the way he was born to do. His mind, his body, his soul—they’re mine. Created by the Angel itself to complement every jagged edge of my existence. He was made to worship every part of me, and I am deeply satisfied when I remember that he already does. His essence calls to me, callsforme, in the way it was meant to, Aether be damned.

I need to feel him. The writhing presence growing under my skin will not wait much longer. It demands we complete what has only been half-forged.

It takes not even a mere thought before my shadows wrap around his torso and drag his body back against the headboard. His immediate panic wars with the heat clouding his gaze as he watches me like I am the most fascinating creature he will ever see.

I am.

Shh, I call to his mind with the link I’ve created.Your panic is misplaced, Cas.I lean forward on my hands, crawling over his stiffening legs onto his lap. I sit straddling his thighs, close enough that our chests press together. I sigh at the relief inside me that’s been building from the distance between us.You know who I am, Aetarys…I would never hurt you, I whisper into his mind.

I lift a hand to trace my fingers down his cheeks before pinching his chin, forcing him to hold my stare. “Only the fools whowouldhurt you.”

You may speak, I drawl, amused when his mouth opens to do just that.

But I do not want his words. No, I want to taste the sounds I’m going to wring from his body.

I close the minuscule distance between our lips, melting into him when he moans just how I imagined. His hands slide over my hips and, though I crave his touch, my shadows encircle his wrists and flatten the full length of his arms to the headboard. I smile into our kiss when he tugs against his restraints, thoroughly enjoying the hardness growing under me. My hands run throughhis soft strands of hair and pull his head back. I chuckle when I find his wide pupils, puffy, wet lips, and heated cheeks.

Image of Ariella's shadows holding Caspian.

His brows scrunch. “Ariella,” he barely utters my name, just as breathless as me. I’m pleased with howmuch I affect him. “Your hair.” My gaze slides down to my breasts, already knowing what I will find but humoring him, regardless. Silver covers my chest, the strands emitting the faintest glow between the dark clothing we both are still wearing.

I need to fix the latter.

But I pause my focus on the buttons of his shirt when he manages to pull a wrist from one of my restraints.Yes—I need him here with me. His fingers trail through my hair, the cause of his confusion, moments before I see what I’ve been waiting for: the suppressed half of his nature awakening in his eyes.

“There you are,” I purr, my core fluttering over the responsive twitch of his straining cock. I cannot contain the need for connection much longer. “Caspian.” The name snaps him from his daze, and my hunger for him grows feral the moment those irises meet mine. “Your eyes,” I whisper, basking in the glowing rings of silver before diving for his mouth once more.

I invade his lips with my tongue roughly. My body is prepared to bury itself inside him and finish what we started mere weeks ago.

We’ve waited too long already. It’s not natural and pulverizes our bodies and minds each day we delay.

My fingers tug his head back until his neck is exposed to me. I lick from his lips to his ear before dragging my tongue down the crease of his throat until I reach the crevice that connects to his shoulder. My center clenches at the guttural moan that leaves him when I touch the sensitive spot, the sound radiating through myvery soul and forcing me on. I gently lick the spot and smile into his reddened skin when he arches his head back even further.

Every nerve in my body ignites when I graze my teeth over his skin as they beg me to continue. I listen. My jaw clamps down on his neck, the taut skin aiding my need to break through it.

But I don’t.

My teeth are not quite sharp enough in this body to force through without immense pressure, and it takes me a few moments to realize I’m whining from the build-up ofsomethingI feel inside me. I need to release it. I must give it to Caspian, but I do not wish to harm him.

Before I can pull away, one of his hands connects with the back of my head, pushing me further into him. “Do it,” he mutters so quietly I almost miss the words over our heavy breathing. My stomach flutters—I couldlivein the desire seeping through his voice.

Any hesitations I had about hurting my prince melt away at his command, so there is no more time to waste. I bite. Hard. It takes more effort than I’d hoped, but Caspian’s hold on me is so tight that I know I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to. The give of his skin is the catalyst for the deep, animalistic groans that fill the room.

I would not be able to confirm who is making what sound; I’m far too gone in the hot liquid that coats my tongue. In claiming him. My entire body shudders, and I almost come at the taste of his blood. My prince—so in harmony with every part ofme—clutches my hips hard enough to bruise before grinding me down over his cock. But it’s not enough.

None of this is enough.

I pull my mouth back to capture his eyes. “I need you to fuck me.” My demand is a whisper over his lips, and I move to reach for the buttons of his pants only to wrap my hand around the length of his bare dick.

“What?” I mutter to myself before snapping my eyes downward.

How the fuck are we both naked?My head wars with itself, both sides fighting for dominance.

“It doesn’t matter, sit up,” the prince orders, forcing all questions to the back of my mind. I lift myself, allowing him to rub the head of his cock through my arousal before pausing at my entrance. His eyes hold mine as something playful and wicked flashes through their depths. “Now sit the fuck down.” I shiver from the possessiveness dripping off him.

Before I can comply, he snatches my waist and shoves me down until he’s buried to the hilt. My head drops back from the immense, overwhelming pleasure that radiates throughout my body. I haveneverfelt like this before.

I eagerly follow his lead and slide him in and out of my core at the tempo he sets with his hands, his fingers trembling against my skin, though he holds tight. Honestly, I’m not sure I could pry his grip from me right now—he’s holding me as if his life will end the moment he lets go.

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