Page 17 of Queen Takes Queen
“Hmmm.” I pretended to think about it a moment. “If you bite his neck, I’m too short to reach. You should probably bite himlower.”
Daire waggled his eyebrows, making me laugh. “How low, my queen?” He dropped to his knees and rubbed his head against Rik’s abdomen, looking up at me through his tousled hair. “Maybe here? They say that blood drawn from the groin is more potent andhot.”
But Rik wasn’t amused by our game. He bent down, snagged an arm under my butt, and hauled me up high against him. “My queen never goes down to her knees. Let alone in thesnow.”
Pressed up against him, I was starting to regret my decision not to bitehim.
“Later.” his low voice crashed like fallingboulders.
“Promise?”
“You know it.” He gave a hard look at Daire. “Get on with it. Shehungers.”
Daire slid in beside me, still purring as he sank his fangs into Rik’s throat. He groaned deep in his chest and took several swallows before lifting hishead.
“Thank you,” I whispered, remembering our first nighttogether.
How they’d had to help me, bite for me, because I didn’t havefangs.
Now, I had huge fangs—with a serious side effect. So they still had to help me, and I didn’t mind one bit. Notanymore.
How could I, when I loved them somuch?
Locking my mouth over Daire’s bite, I drank Rik down. So good. So strong. I couldn’t imagine his blood being any hotter or more potent, even if I’d sunk my fangs into his femoral artery. His blood settled me, my rock and foundation,unshakable.
Still purring, Daire curled up beside me, licking the trails of blood that I’d missed. Rik held us both to him. Taking care of us. Loving us. And I could cry at how beautiful itwas.
Daire licked at my mouth, wanting me to share. Normally, I wouldn’t have minded in the slightest. Tasting Rik’s blood from Daire’s mouth was a heady, erotic act that would quickly have me dragging them both to the guest house. But tension still coiled inside me, my nerves tight like a drum. Keisha Skye was going to attack, and we weren’t fully prepared yet. Not until the heart tree wasdone.
:No,:Rik said before I could move.:Make your ownbite.:
Daire did as he was told, sinking his fangs into the other side of Rik’s throat.:You taste different. Stronger. Fuck me sideways, but that cobra bite made you taste evenbetter.:
Rik made a low noise like distant thunder, his arms tightening on us. Listening to his bond, I kept a careful sense on his health. I couldn’t risk weakening my alpha, no matter how good hetasted.
He snorted, dropping his head so his chin rested on me.:You could never weaken me. Even if you drained me until I couldn’t stand, all you’d need to do would be to give me a few sips of your blood and I’m stronger than ever. Take what you need, myqueen.:
I sensed movement to my left and smelled Nevarre’s blood. He didn’t interrupt, but made himself available to me by leaning against Rik, his arm coming around me too. Then Mehen, of all people, pressed against Daire and me both, a silent offering. He couldn’t shift, not until I allowed it, though in his bond, all I felt waseagerness.
He wanted me to feed. He wanted to fuck. All of us. It didn’t matter who, as long as he was part of it. Though the vibration from Daire’s purring was doing some serious arousal for my oldest Blood. So of course Daire purred louder and shoved his butt back against the otherman.
If I didn’t hurry up and grow the heart tree, we were going to have another orgy under thestars.
Not that I’d mind in theslightest…
But I had some serious work to dofirst.
Lifting my head, I looked up at Rik as I licked his blood from mylips.
His eyes smoldered, heavy and intense.:I think Daire has been punished long enough, myqueen.:
My heart leaped and I smiled, blinking back tears. Finally, I’d have my cuddle buddy back in mybed.
Daire, like a little shit, purred so loud and so hard that I could probably come just from leaning against him. Though he might have done that as much to torment Mehen asme.
Instead, I turned to Nevarre. Before I could say anything, he lifted his hand to my mouth, offering his blood. Before, he’d tasted like ancient Celtic magic and wind-swept moors, at least that was what my mind thought. Now, he had a darker, subtle edge in his blood. The clang of swords. The raucous call of war ringing in his bond. A slow, insidious shadow that crept across the land, obliterating even the strongest and mightiest ofwarriors.
:Morrigan has returned my gift.:He whispered in my mind.:I am Her Shadow oncemore.:
