Page 47 of Fated Unkindness
“More?” He moves to the other breast, twirling his tongue around the sensitive flesh, sucking, and tormenting me with each pass. I squirm under him. “This?” He bites down on the bud, causing an ache to build in my core.
“More.” I groan out the word, withering, reaching for the buttons on his breeches. He bends down, bringing his face lower on my body and moving his hips out of my reach. I sigh whenI can't take him into my grip, and he chuckles as he brushes my knees with his hands, pulling them apart, spreading me wide for the breadth of his shoulders. He sits up between my legs, his hard length pressing through his breeches, eager to be free. I reach for him again, but he takes my hand, joining it to my other hand above my head. He holds them there for a moment, his heavy body pressing mine to the bed of blankets and furs. Only the fabric of his breeches between us. My breasts brush his chest as he steals my breath away with a kiss so passion-filled that my hips lift as I seek friction to soothe the ache that builds.
“So demanding.” He whispers at my ear before he trails his tongue down my body, flicking over the rosy bud once again, and lower still. He scores a warm line through my wetness, and he groans as he tastes me. Rolling his mouth from my opening to the bundle of nerves that is pulsing with the need for more. His movements are slow and tortuous, but so, so good. Bringing his name to my lips with a low growl. My voice so laced with pleasure that I hardly recognize it. Running my fingers into his hair, I pull him into me as I shamelessly ride his face, and he devours me. He brings his fingers to my opening, and just as he has the pressure building beautifully with his tongue on my clit, he plunges two fingers deep into my center, curling and pumping them just right. I fall apart, breathing hard and grinding myself on his hand and his face. His name rips from my lungs.
Before the high of the moment fades, he lifts his head from between my legs, his full lips wet with my arousal and glistening in the light of the fire. His gaze flicks over my body as he pulls himself free of his breeches, a bead of moisture gathering at the tip. He squeezes at the base and moves closer. This is the moment wejoin our bodies, completing the ceremony and binding our souls together in life and in death. The hum in my chest and the pulsing at the apex of my thighs make my head swim. I unsheathe the dagger at my thigh, placing it in my hand above my head. Dax reaches up with both of our palms on the sharp edges of the blade.
“You are mine, and I yours, evermore.” He says the words needed for the bond, and I repeat them.
“You are mine, and I yours, evermore.” He rips the blade free of our hands, and at the same time, he sinks his hard length deep into my throbbing center. The burn of the cut and of the sudden fullness is both pain and pleasure.
Magic claps as he begins moving, rolling his hips into mine. My inner walls gripping him tightly as he pushes me toward oblivion. The purple glow of our combined magic fills the room, the immense feeling of him being inside me and his magic driving deep into me as well. Our blood coming together allows the essence of our magic to flow freely between our bodies. We become bonded in every way as he thrusts deep, hitting the sweet spot that has me screaming my release to the gods, and he follows me, growling my name and spilling himself deep. He thrusts a few more times, and my throbbing center grips him tight, extending both of our pleasure as his movements become slower and he kisses me deeply between ragged breaths.
As he pulls out of me and lays down on the blankets to my side, he props on one elbow. His hooded gaze slowly tracks up my body until his eyes lock with mine. Both of us are slick with sweat, blood, and the evidence of our ruin. He runs his fingertips across the wet skin between my breasts.
“You’ve made me the luckiest bastard this world has ever known, and I will do my damn best to deserve everything you’ve given me. I am your blade to wield, your soul to command. You, my Mate,” He leans down kissing me gently. “My wife,” He deepens the kiss then whispers into my lips, “my Queen.”
I reach up, brushing my fingers across half of his face. “My husband, my dark King. You are deserving of everything and more, don’t you see that? Your heart, the darkness that is there, isn’t there from an evil need. It's there because of the passion you feel for those you love; the darkness is the retribution you seek on those who have harmed you and those you love. I see who you are, Dax. We are one in the same. Two souls destined to be brought together. We are destined for greatness.”
Dax and I dress after bathing and more exploration of each other's bodies. My celebration dress is much less formal but no less beautiful. The curve-hugging thin silk dress spills at my feet, where I wear matching silk slippers instead of the death-defying heels Maki had put me in on the first night here for that colossal failure of a dinner. I thank the gods for small blessings. Dax is in the same finebreeches and buttoned shirt, but he has added a pair of protective leathers to his ensemble.
“I have something for you.” He comes out of the closet carrying a large flat box that he sits on the bed. “I know I haven't talked much about my mother and father, even before you had lost your memories. This was a gift from your biological mother, the Queen, to my mother.” His eyebrows pull down as a frown pulls on them. “See, my mother, Trinity Fornax, she was a war maiden before she met my father. The late Queen's war maiden. She was very close to her; actually, my mother and father met because my father had come to the palace as the new leader of Ravendene when he came of age. He was on business and stayed in court for an extended period of time. My parents were bonded at a gala the Queen was hosting for the summer solstice. That year was special because the meteor shower Leonids fell on the same night. It was quite the show, especially for all those in attendance, getting to see a bonding take place right then and there.”
He shifts on the bed, and I see a sadness in his eyes and the lines that bracket his mouth, making me reach for his hand. He blows out his cheeks and continues his story, taking strength from the simple touch. “My mother was wearing this the night of Leonids summer solstice celebration. I think this would look beautiful on you, and would show strength to the people. It would give you something they would recognize from the kingdom before it fell. I wish I had more. Something of your mothers. Either mother.”
He lifts the lid and pulls out an amazingly beautiful bronze and silver scalemail chest and shoulder armor. The metal shone and reflected the flames of the fire still burning all around us. My browshitch, and I look at Dax, eyes wide as tears rush in filling them with emotion.
“Thank you, Dax.” The tear spills over the edge of my lashes, and he wipes it away with his thumb. “Let's go claim the throne, my warrior Queen. Cano, Demetrey, or whoever stands in the way will rue the day they do because in doing so they will bring on the wrath of the raven and the moon.” I dip my chin as he places the armor over my head and clasps the chains at my sides and neck. The scalemail covers my breasts to my navel, both shoulders and back, and has a beautiful design upon the chest. The protection is like a breathtaking piece of jewelry.
“Let's go claim our throne.” I reach up on the tips of my toes and kiss him just as the floor we stand on begins to shake. He pulls me to his chest and our gazes lock. Then there is an ear-splitting screech at the same moment a crash sounds on the rooftop above us. “Fuck, what the—” Dax’s words are cut off when a fiery billow escapes from beyond the window, and the flames lick at the edges of the balcony entrance with a roar that sends shivers down my spine. My feet are heavy as my mind spins with the realization of what I’m seeing. This cannot possibly be happening. Dragons don’t inhabit these lands. They have not ventured into our kingdom incenturies.
“Fuck. A Dragon?” Dax says, pushing my dagger into its sheath at my thigh, and urges me to run from the room just as the stone roof begins to crumble and debris cascade into the space where we were just standing. I bring my arm up to shield my face and eyes as we race to the ballroom, where there are hundreds of people waiting to celebrate. All of which are now in danger.
Chapter forty-five
Melani, Kait, and Iare out in the gardens after the ceremony, walking the grounds. Hearing Mel laugh brings a lightness to my soul. She runs around the beautiful flowers, picking an array of different blooms to add to a bouquet she says she’s going to give her new sister.
“I’ve always wanted a sister.” She preens as she arranges the flowers just right, and a lopsided smile pulls at my lips.
“Two brutes for brothers not good enough for you?”
“You and Dax will always be good enough.” A giggle breaks free from her as she plucks a yellow primrose from the raised bed. “But you guys don’t understand girl stuff.”
“They don’t understand girls in general most of the time.” Kait laughs, her smile tugging at the scar on her face as she looks at me. When she notices my attention on her, she turns her head so I can’t see the scars, but keeps her eyes trained on me.
“Well, you're not wrong about that.” I scrunch my nose up and poke my tongue out at her playfully. One corner of her mouth quirks up. It's all I need to see to give Kait reprieve from my eyes, and I turn my attention to Mel. “But Ella, you mean the world to Dax and me. I'm glad that you will have Raelle for girl things, and I'm happy Dax has found the person who can pull him out of all the grumpy-ass moods he's always in.” A grin pulls my mouth up at the corners listening as she and Kait both bust into a fit of laughter.
The joy of this moment is snuffed out as we hear the loud screech in the distance. My head whips up to the sky above the castle. Fire blooms over the far spire, and the stone crumbles under the giant claws. An enormous dragon scales black as night and wings, causing an uptick in a forced wind as it lands heavily. Screams break out immediately after as a multitude of shifters also fly into the courtyard, attacking innocent Fae who are here for the celebration. Soldiers attacking common Fae.
“Motherfucker.” I curse as my shift comes over me in a burst of rippling magic. I unfurrow my wings, and I spread them wide as my gaze slingshots to where Kait and Mel stand huddled together, Mel’s eyes round in shock. I storm over to my younger sister and drop to one knee. I don’t have time to think about how the fuck there are dragons in our realm or how. I just know that I need my little sister to get to safety, and I need to go help the people of Loema.
“Listen, Melani, I need you to go to the treasury. It's where Maki will be. Miles was with him, the last I saw. Get to Miles, ok?” She shakes her head frantically as she looks over my head at the dragon wreaking havoc; her lip begins trembling, and her eyes swell with moisture. I brace her face between my large hands, bringing her eyes to meet mine. My brows pinching together at the thought of leaving her, but I have to go help the people inside the castle. This must be Cano’s doing, and the hell if I'm going to run from a fight with the bastard. How? That’s another question I can’t even ask right now, but one thing is certain,I'm going to kill that prick.
Kait removes her clothing quickly; the beautiful pale pink dress she wore for the ceremony drops pooling at her ankles, and she kicks off the heels as her body begins to vibrate. I know she's trying to hold back her shift. It's been so long since she was last able to shift. I know her wolf form is ready to take over. The panic-stricken look on her face is mirrored in the beats of my heart as it races, feeling as though it's going to jump from my chest. Mel looks between me and Kait as she places her small hands on the backs of mine. Tears fill her eyes and threaten to spill over as her gaze burrows into mine.
“I love you, Trent. Dax too. Please,” I don’t let her finish the sentence.
“I love you too, sweet girl. Don’t worry about me and Dax. You just get to Miles. I need you to be safe in the treasury with Maki. Understand?” Her head bobs as the tears fall from her eyes. I give her a tight-lipped smile and press a kiss to her forehead. “Go,” I command. She lunges for me, wrapping her hands around my neck and squeezing tight before she turns and takes off, running in the opposite direction of the castle and the chaos that awaits us. Thereis another entrance to the treasury that only a trusted circle knows about. It's a safety measure for reasons such as these. When she makes it there, the magic protections on the space will keep her safe.
