Page 6 of Mated

We entered what was clearly the dining hall, and instantly, I noticed how the shadows clung to the cracked black stone, and molten veins of lava pulsed through the fissures like blood. The entire sight was eerie with this living glow.

It was terrifying. It was beautiful.

And it was now my home.

The dining hall was vast, and I tipped my head back to look at the ceiling to take in the massive chandelier made entirely of skulls—some human in appearance, others of creatures I could never name let alone envision.

The onyx colored stone walls flickered with the fiery light of a massive hearth at the far end of the room where a roaring fire danced and spat embers that licked over logs almost violently.

My eyes were drawn once again to the molten lava veins that twisted through the walls and floors, glowing brighter the closer they slithered toward the fire.

This room was alive… breathing.

Draxus pulled out a high-backed chair, and I sat, turning me head and staring down the long dining table that was carved from dark bone and stone. It was polished to a shine bright enough I could see my reflection on its top.

In my peripheral vision, I saw movement and glanced to the left where I saw dark, cloaked figures moving closer to us, their bodies shrouded in material, their hands covered by oversized sleeves. No part of their bodies could be seen.

One servant walked closer, their sleeve shifting slightly so I got a view of elongated limbs and clawed fingers. One of them was close enough that I could see into the hood clearly. I held in my gasp at the sight of jagged teeth, black holes where noses should be, peeling, dying flesh, and red glowing eyes.

They were ghouls. The living dead.

They carried trays of food that looked both fascinating and horrifying. Fruits I’d never seen before and breads that had an ashy tint but surprisingly smelled delicious. Then there was the meat, which far outnumbered all the items being set on the table.

Our chalices were filled with red wine, and then the servants melted into the shadows. We were once again alone.

Draxus sat beside me in a massive, throne-style chair, his back to the roaring fire, his focus squarely on me. His tail occasionally flexing as he curiously watches me, the barb on the end casually tapping the stone floor. I smoothed my hands over my thighs, feeling the silk of my ruined dress. In this grand, savage-like space, I felt small.

He sat quietly beside me, his tail thumping repeatedly against the stone floor. “Eat, my little queen,” Draxus rumbled, his inhuman eyes glowing in the firelight.

I stared at the spread, my stomach twisting with uncertainty at what exactly was in front of me, but my hunger won out. I knew I’d eat what was given. Carefully, I picked up a piece of something that resembled roasted meat. It smelled delicious, but whatever it was was too red, the texture strange.

Not wanting to look at Draxus, I took a cautious bite. The flavor exploded on my tongue, and I blinked in surprise. The flavor was rich and smoky, the meat tender and juicy. It had a strange, gamey flavor but was sweeter than meat should be.

Unusual, for sure, but it was delicious, and I kept eating.

As I chewed, my gaze wandered toward the large twin doors to my side, and I stared out the hall again, taking in the dark beauty of the architecture. And then there were the fissures of lava that pulsed like a heartbeat beneath our feet. I felt it humming, sending vibrations up my legs and settling right between my thighs.

I clenched my legs, willing my breathing to relax so Draxus wouldn’t know how I felt myself becoming aroused and primed. I swallowed and wiped my mouth delicately with the black napkin then glanced at Draxus.

“Will you,” I whispered and caught my breath, “explain to me what all this means?” He didn’t answer right away, and I exhaled slowly. “To be your queen.” That last word caught in my throat.

Draxus set down his chalice with a heavy thud, his focus still intensely trained on me. His attention made my skin prickle. “You know what it means, but I’ll spell it out, sweet beauty. It means you rule the Dark Realm of Blood Ash at my side.”

There was a stirring of the servants still hidden in the shadows. But Ifeltthem.

“You will command the monsters the humans fear, my queen.”

I shivered from fear but also from something far more dangerous… excitement.

Draxus leaned closer, his massive body radiating heat, his huge forearms taking up the space between us. The firelight carved harsh shadows across his scaled features, but I still found a strange, beastly beauty in them.

He reached out, brushing a single claw along the length of my bare arm. When he got to my wrist, he traced the healed mark–his scar–branded on my flesh. My heart thudded against my ribs when he rubbed the pad of one lizard-like finger along my skin.

“You wear my mark,” he announced with pride. “And because of your acceptance, because of this brand, you are forever bound to me and the minions who serve this realm.” He smiled then, sharp and wicked. “You will make this kingdom more powerful. More feared, my sweetness.”

And it was after his words that the lava beneath and surrounding us pulsed brighter.

There was no going back.

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