Page 16 of Mated

The cloaked guard paused then nodded and retreated.

I approached her slowly, and when she saw me coming, she looked a bit surprised but smiled in welcome.

When I stood before her, she straightened and gave a nervous curtsy, eyes wide. “My queen,” she said, her voice soft but steady. She went to curtsy again, but I stopped her.

“Please don’t,” I said softly, warmly. “You don’t need to bow to me,” I said, stopping in front of her. “This is all… new to me.” I smiled again. “What’s your name?”

She visibly relaxed before answering. “Katrina.”

“Katrina,” I repeated gently then lowered my voice and glanced at the monster she was with. I took in his appearance with more of a critical eye this time. Massive with curling horns and deep gray skin. He towered over many in the hall, and his black claws were sharpened to deadly points. “He never lets you out of his sight,” I said, motioning toward the gray beast. “Is he your mate?”

Her eyes widened again, and she looked down, twisting her hands together. “No,” she whispered. “We aren't mates. He hasn’t… claimed me. Not like that.”

I tilted my head, noticing her blush moving across the tops of her cheeks and her neck. “But he protects you like you’re his.” It wasn’t a question. It was obvious by the way he never let her out of his sight.

She gave the smallest smile. “He saved me.”

Silence hung between us, and it was then I noticed the bruising on her arms. “Those are–”

“Not from Blaylock. Never from him.”

Emotion neither of us wanted to voice aloud hung heavy and thick between us. I knew all too well the pain landmarks from the men around me.

“Blaylock found me,” she said, her voice distant now, like she was pulling the memory out and reliving it. “I’d been taken as a flesh slave. He’d been passing through when he saw the auction.” Her throat worked as she swallowed. “I thought he was just another buyer. Just another monster who would use me horribly. But he tore the others apart before they could lay a hand on me. And he took me away from all of that to his kingdom.”

I reached for her hand without thinking. She let me take it, and together, we held each other as we stayed silent.

“Blaylock has never touched me, not like that. Not once. He gives me every creature comfort I could ever need or want, but I see the way he looks at me–”

“And you hate it?” I was willing to help this woman escape if she needed to.

“No. On the contrary, I… like it.” She looked at her monster and smiled. “For as frightening as he looks, I’ve never had anyone be so kind to me.”

She looked back at me and gave me an almost sad smile. “It’s strange, really, that the monster you’re supposed to fear is the one who saved you.”

I pulled her in gently, wrapping my arms around her. She tensed at first then melted against me. We stood there, two human women in a world ruled by beasts but finding that this was where we… belonged.

10

QUEEN ELOWEN

The night had ended, and the moment the heavy double doors of the grand hall closed behind the last guest, I felt something shift in the air.

I sat on my throne, feeling Draxus’s presence surround me. And although it should have been suffocating, all I felt was intoxication. He came up to me, his towering figure looming. The heat radiated off his body, and I felt his molten gaze bore into me as he held out his hand. I slipped mine into his rough palm and let him help me up.

We left the hall and walked down the shadowed corridor to our bedchamber. I was exhausted from the evening, but I felt good—so good, so comfortable. And I felt crazy for it, because I’d never felt that way before.

My gown shimmered as we walked silently, Draxus’s arm around me. With each step, my body heated further. Because I knew what would happen once we were in our room.

I’d felt so powerful standing before all those creatures and monsters. How strange to feel at peace in such an unfamiliar place.

“You played your part well, my sweet Queen Elowen,” Draxus rumbled, his voice deep and wrapping around me. He tightened his arm around my waist as we neared the room, his tone approving. I felt pride in myself.

We stopped at the door, and I glanced up at him, my breath catching as I caught the glint in his fiery eyes—burning for me with pleasure. So much anticipation thrummed through my veins.

The shadows of the corridor seemed to bend around us, caging us in an intimate setting. He lifted his hand—massive, clawed, and impossibly warm—and reached out. I leaned into his touch.

His fingers brushed my cheek, and the heat of him sent a shiver down my spine.

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