Page 12 of Wicked Prince of Carnage
Cyan blinked, his body trembling while he nodded. He did as she asked by unfolding the paper and refolding it into a square before slipping it into his pocket. His gangly arms then flew around her, squeezing her as though she would leave him there alone and never return. “I’m sorry.”
Sterling held him while he sobbed into her chest. Cyan was only a babe when their mother’s body lay broken, when the wolves tore their grandmother apart and scarred Sterling’s face, and she was glad he would never have those images to carry around with him.
She drew back to rest her hands on his shoulders. “Next time, do as you’re told and stay with Nareth, all right?”
“I promise.”
“Let me take you back to the shop, and then I’m going to hunt.” And for him, she clarified, “For meat to sell.”
“Just don’t be mad at Nareth. I told him I was going to the bakery to play marbles again with Archie.”
Sterling didn’t scold him as they left the edge of the forest and continued down the path to the bustling market. A few whispers echoed of Red Riding Hood hunting down another wolf, and she kept her gaze trained on the ground to not give herself away. She instead thought about the hefty block of wood that had almost hit her brother because of the prince. It would’ve been a concussion at the least, death at the worst.
As soon as she opened the door to the shop, Nareth looked up from behind the counter. Three customers stood in line waiting for their purchases.
“You’re back early,” Nareth called while handing two coins to an older woman.
“We’ll discuss things later. I have to go.” Sterling then glanced at Cyan who sent her a sheepish look. “Stay here today.No going to the bakery. And when the line dies down, help Nareth with the meat, all right?”
Cyan wrinkled his nose. “Fine.” He acted as if she was forcing him to eat the meat, but they needed the money to continue putting food in their bellies.
Sterling left the shop and two villagers from the hanging cast curious glances her way. Even if she had called Prince Winter an ass to his face, the villagers would’ve secretly approved since the wolves weren’t any help to the village.
She’d known Cyan would eventually find out that she was Red Riding Hood taking down wolves one by one. Though she’d simply thought she had a few more years before her brother uncovered the truth, or at least have killed the prince, burned the cloak, and then never have had to reveal any of it.
Now that he knew the truth about her scars and their grandmother, a weight had lifted from her. She’d kept it a secret so he could grow without fear in Bloodstorm, but perhaps it had made him too soft.
Winter’s smug face crept into her mind, and as wicked as he was, he was more dangerously attractive than she remembered. But a vicious wolf would never tempt her, even if he hadn’t been the leader of the ones who murdered her grandmother.
If the prince discovered she was Red Riding Hood, he would do much worse to her than put a noose around her neck—he would make her suffer, perhaps starting with tearing off each one of her limbs. Revenge would come before that day—she vowed it.
Red and yellow leaves drifted to the ground around her in their own rhythmic autumn dance. As she reached her cottage, the chickens squawked and the two goats bleated from the back of her home.
Sterling opened the door to her cottage and went straight into the kitchen, her throat parched. She drank a full glass ofwater and, after the earlier stress, needed a good orgasm before gathering her things to hunt. Nareth was no longer available to help with pleasure, and she wouldn’t tumble just anyone.
She had to be quick to allow enough time to track decent game, so she slid her hand down into the waistband of her trousers. As she circled her clit, she closed her eyes, pretending it was a man’s fingers. Whose? That was anyone’s guess since she couldn’t put a face there. Just as the coil of pleasure stirred, growing bolder, Prince Winter’s features slipped into the faceless image.Fuck, she better not lose this orgasm because ofhim.
A chair creaked from inside the sitting room, and she yanked her hand out of her trousers and whirled around, the potential pleasure within her ceasing. Her gaze met the bright blue eyes ofthe prince. Winter’s expression was just as bored as it was at the hanging, as it had been when her grandmother lay torn apart and dying. Several of his shirt buttons were unfastened, exposing his tan chest.
“Don’t mind me,” Winter drawled. Even though years had passed since they’d met, his hair was the same—shorn close to his scalp just above his ear on one side, dark locks hanging to his chin on the other.
Hot blood boiled through Sterling’s veins while she stared the bastard prince down. Her enemy had just seen her touching herself, but worse than that, the look in his eyes was unreadable. Had he learned who she was? No, that wasn’t possible—he was here because he knew she’d lied to him at the hanging. She had to act, to pretend as if she worshipped the prince to get him out of her house before he could discover who she was, so she fell to her knees and bowed before him. “Your … Highness. How honored I am to be in your presence. How may I … serve you?”
“Look at the floor, not at me.” His voice was just as bored as his expression.
What a fucking piece of shit. “Yes, Your Highness.”
The chair creaked when he stood from it, his boots thudding against the wood, drawing closer. Sterling didn’t tremble, only thanked the gods that Cyan wasn’t with her. If she’d had her bow, she could’ve pierced his throat as soon as she’d seen him. Even then, his wolves might not be far.
“You caught my eye at the hanging today, didn’t you,human?” Winter purred.
“It was only because I wanted to capture your attention, Your Highness. I find you very … handsome. Otherwise, I know that you never would’ve noticed me. A pathetic, lowly human.” She held back from rolling her eyes and spitting on his boot, and she was rather pleased at how sincere she sounded.
“Oh? Is that so?” His voice came out amused.
“It is. Very much.”
“So would you kneel before me and suck my cock in apology?” She could hear the smug smile in his voice.
