Page 58 of Oaths & Vengeance
“I did,” I agreed, then returned my attention to Camden, not bothering to hide my homicidal thoughts. “But now, my consent has been revoked.Stay away from Aella, and don’tevertouch her again…or I will kill you in a way that will shock even the most sadistic of individuals.”
I meant every word. Tonight would be the only free pass I gave him.
Aella trembled. “He’s going to tell someone you’re here. My uncle…”
“No, he won’t. Will you, Cam?” I asked with a pointed look.
The other elf shook his head vehemently. “No, sir. Of course not.”
“Then get out of my sight,” I ordered.
Camden didn’t waste another moment before disappearing into the woods.
I sauntered over to Aella, running my gaze up and down her body. Her light-golden skin appeared creamy in the soft moonlight and utterly touchable. She truly was magnificent. When I stopped before her, I took my time memorizing every bare inch before lifting my gaze to meet hers. There was a mixture of lust and fear in her green eyes.
“It’s about time I saw my wife naked, though I would have preferred it under different circumstances,” I said with a wicked smile that likely disturbed her.
Aella lifted her chin with mutiny in her gaze. How adorable.
“Don’t pretend like you didn’t change my clothes while I was asleep and helpless for days. That plum dress was a message, loud and clear. You probably looked at my body all you wanted while I couldn’t stop you.”
I almost regretted behaving myself during her stay, but I had tried to be honorable.
“Oh no, dear Aella.” I let out a dark chuckle and leaned an arm on the tree above her head. “As much as I was tempted, I asked my sister to handle that. She was the only one to see your body, though your undergarments remained on the entire time, and her tastes don’t run that way. I wanted you to be fully aware when I saw you naked for the first time.”
Relief flashed in her eyes, quickly followed by anger. “Let me go, Darrow.”
“Dare,” I said, wanting to hear it from her lips. It implied more intimacy between us, which was likely why she didn’t like using it. I enjoyed making her uncomfortable and challenging her.
“Fine,Dare.” She glared at me. “Let me go!”
I released my power over her, having made my point. Now, it was time to test what she did with her newfound freedom of movement. I leaned a little closer to see if she tried to scoot away or stand her ground. It was her choice. Interestingly, she stayed firmly in place and licked her lips as she gazed up at me nervously.
“By the looks of it, you’ve enjoyed the evening’s festivities. Your lovely hair is a wild mess with twigs in it.” I paused to pluck one out. “And your skin is quite flushed.”
Aella had pinkened even more since I began hovering close, which made me wonder if her body responded to my proximity. Now that I knew she was my mate, I was aware we'd both have a hard time resisting each other. The pull between us grew more undeniable with each meeting.
“There are people everywhere who could overhear us and see you,” she said, green eyes darting left and right.
“Faina is nearby, keeping them asleep.” I ran my fingers down her cheek and along her jaw, pleased at the way she drew in a breath at my touch. Still, no sign of resistance. “As for Cam, he is one of my spies, so you can rest assured he won’t tell anyone…if you’re still worried about that.”
Her jaw dropped, incredulity written all over her face. “You’re joking. He can’t be, or I’d have known.”
It was so much fun revealing that bit of news to see her reaction. Though we didn’t plan it, I’d known about their relationship since it began four years ago. Camden never kept that from me. It wasn’t his mission to spy on her specifically, but he did relay any information she gave him if it pertained to her uncle or other family members.
Now and then, it proved useful. He was a gentleman, though, and didn’t go into detail about his intimate activities with Aella. I’d never cared until recently. Now, I hated that he’d had all that time with her—knew my wife in ways I didn’t.
“Would I joke about it or let him live otherwise?” I asked, lifting a brow.
It was true that if he’d been anyone else, my restraint might not have been so resilient tonight. All I could think about now that I had Aella this close was touching her. The magic was getting under my skin more and more as the herbal remedy wore away to almost nothing. It didn’t help that herfloral scent with that vague hint of spice teased me, while the musky aroma from her lover made me want to cover it with my own.
“Well, I…”
I pressed my lips to hers before she could finish, pleased when she let out a moan. She didn’t fight it when I dipped my tongue inside her mouth, and instead, kissed me back with impressive passion. My wife was most certainly receptive to my touch despite what else she’d been doing tonight. I placed a hand on her hip. Feeling her bare skin there sent a jolt through my cock, making me long to do so much more. She couldn’t possibly understand the filthy thoughts running through my mind or the overriding need to claim her until she thought of no one except me.
Pulling back a few inches, I looked deeply into her green eyes. “For three days, I kept your sleeping body in the room next to mine. I’d check on you often to be sure you were safe and press a kiss on your forehead, hoping you would wake like in the fables, but of course, you never did. Tonight, I realized I don’t want to share you with anyone else because I want you all to myself.”
A mixture of lust and uncertainty filled her gaze. “I bet you’re still sleeping with other women, though.”
