Page 41 of Treasured By the Fae Royal

She pauses briefly and her eyes dart upward. She aims me a dirty look, and a dark chuckle escapes me. I give her hair a slight tug.

“I don’t know why you’re looking at me like that.” I perform another harsh thrust that makes her whimper. “This was your idea.”

She digs her nails into my thighs, and I chuckle again. But then she does something delicious with her tongue that finally pushes me off the precipice. She suctions her lips tightly around my length, creating a steady friction as her tongue swirls over the tip of my shaft.

I erupt in her mouth, and she swallows the first spurt of my seed. She gulps down every bit of my essence without spilling a drop, which is no small feat considering how much seed a virile fae male like myself can produce. I release her hair and gently run my fingers through her long locks, then I withdraw my cock from her mouth.

She inhales a huge breath, and I sweep her upward and into my arms, overcome by the urge to hold her and keep her close.

Warmth abounds in my heart, an endless wave of tenderness that only reaffirms my love for her.

I carry her to the bed. “Don’t worry, sweetling, I know you’re aching terribly, and I intend to bring you to a climax very soon.” I place her atop the covers and immediately situate my head between her thighs.

Her cries of pleasure echo off the walls.

CHAPTER25

YVETTE

Nestled in Lucas’s arms,I listen to the sounds of the summer night. Never mind that it’s technically winter in this orc territory, just like it is in the human territory I once called home. But it would seem it’s always summer wherever Lucas is, and I certainly don’t mind. I soak up his warmth, and I turn over to face him, hoping to catch sight of him sleeping peacefully.

But not only is he wide awake, he’s staring at the window with a fierce scowl that succeeds in putting the chill of winter into me. I follow his gaze but don’t see anything amiss. I don’t hear anything either. Nothing but the locusts and crickets and frogs.

The hairs on the back of my neck rise, and I hold my breath as I listen for any odd sound that might indicate imminent danger.

Lucas finally looks at me, and he places a finger to his lips. I nod my assent and remain silent, even though I want to ask what’s wrong. But I trust he’ll tell me when the time is right.

He slowly rises from the bed and puts clothes on, and he motions for me to do the same. I dress quickly in the gown I wore yesterday, and I also put stockings and boots on. I fasten the straps of the boots tight, just in case I have to make a run for it.

The building shudders, the windows rattle, and the sounds of summer fade.

Lucas grasps my hand and leads me to the door, but before he can touch the knob, everything goes dark and wind roars in my ears. Disoriented, I stumble and reach into the blackness, trying to find Lucas. I cry out and call his name, but he doesn’t respond.

Gradually, my senses return, and I spin in a circle as I take in my new surroundings. A glittering ussha-blessed forest.

I think I’m alone, until dark laughter rings out behind me. A chill skitters down my spine, and I turn to face the stranger. It’s a human man with cold, glowing eyes. Maybe not fully human. He’s part… other. Fae? I’m not certain.

I clear my throat and try to summon bravery. “Who are you?”

He smiles, and his teeth are just as pointed as Lucas’s, making me suspect he’s indeed part-fae, despite his curved ears. “I’m Bartonnus.”

“What do you want?”

“A life for a life.” He chuckles and crooks a long, sharp fingernail at me. “Come here and I’ll make it quick. You won’t feel a thing.”

I take a step back and scan the forest, wishing Lucas would emerge from the trees. But I don’t see him or anyone else. “How did you bring me here?” Maybe if I keep him talking, it’ll allow me to stall long enough for help to arrive. I can only hope. Lucas. Where is he? My heart clenches with worry. I pray he’s all right. I pray no harm has come to him.

Bartonnus sneers. “Who are you? What do you want? How did you bring me here? So many fucking questions. Does it really matter when you’re about to die?” He approaches me, but I take a few more steps back.

“Actually, it does matter when I’m about to die,” I say, still going with my plan to keep him talking. I study the dark-haired stranger with deeply wrinkled skin and ponder his identity. Yes, he told me his name, butwhois he really? “Do you know Prince Lucas?”

He sneers again. “Of course I know Prince Lucas.” He pauses and a frown creases his face, then he displays a look of profound confusion. “Well, I don’t know him personally, but I know who he is well enough. I know that he’ll come looking for you, and once he’s here and learns your blood has been spilled in a blood warning pool, the grief will weaken him long enough to allow me to kill him. And if I don’t manage to kill him, the dark creatures that slither toward the blood warning will.”

“Why do you want Prince Lucas dead when you’ve never actually met him before?” I think of the Summer Court army and can’t help but wonder if perhaps Lucas ordered an attack on this man’s home city. Perhaps he lost someone he cares about and wants revenge.

His breath hisses inward, and he rolls his eyes. His hands clench and he makes a noise of frustration. Blue light flashes over his body, seeming to come from within. I take several more steps back as I watch him struggle.

“Prince Lucas’s father killed my father.” More blue light flashes over his body. He brushes his hands up and down his arms, as though it might help soothe the surges of magic he can’t seem to control. “I’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to seek my vengeance. Watching and waiting all these years. Well, watching and waiting during the last decade, anyway. Before that, I’m afraid I was imprisoned for a few centuries, or perhaps longer, I’m not certain. One loses track of time in an orc dungeon.” He barks a strange laugh. “Orcs! Accidentally create the wrong war spell for them and see how fast they lock you up and throw away the key. Praise the gods I finally managed to escape.”

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