Page 61 of Queen Takes Queen
Mayte smiled but clutched her hands together before her. “Our pleasure. Please let us know if you needanything.”
“I will. Good night.” Shara started toward to the French doors, where the two men silently watched with a tight, resigned look on their grim faces. Hoping she might change her mind at the lastminute…
Snickering beneath my breath, I watched as Daire and Xin slid in tight on either side of her. Naturally, Rik had her back. Guillaume paused before her, blocking the way, and yeah, the hard-ass motherfucker stopped her within arm’s reach of them on purpose to torment them. “Allow Nevarre and Leviathan to scan the room first to be safe, myqueen.”
She nodded and I stepped around them with Nevarre. The guest suite was nice enough and our bags had already been delivered. A private sitting room with comfortable-looking leather couches and chairs. A small bedroom for the consiliarius, a decent sized full bath, and a largebedroom.
With a sadly lacking bed. If it was even king sized, I’d eat Rik’s ass while Guillaume fuckedme.
A double set of French doors led out to a balcony that overlooked the plaza, still lit with the colorful party lights. Music filled the night, but since the queens had retired, the musicians played soft ballads and folk tunes rather than dancing music. I opened my senses fully, letting my dragon perk his head enough to seek anythingamiss.
:Outside access to the plaza,:I told Rik and Guillaume in the bond.:The room isempty.:
“All clear, my queen,” Guillaume said aloud, dropping his arm and steppingaside.
She swept into the room without a second glance at the men asking to join her Blood. Even though one of them inhaled loudly as she passed and groaned beneath hisbreath.
“I’d best not find you lingering out here.” Guillaume produced a foot-long knife from somewhere on his person. He tested the edge with his thumb. “Or I may see if I still have the right touch.” He looked up at the nearest man and smiled. “It takes a smooth, yet powerful, stroke to behead a man with one swipe of even the sharpestblade.”
The twins bowed deeply. “We hear andobey.”
I snorted. “Sure. Sure.” And I fucking slammed the door in theirfaces.
Gina’s phone rang. “Excuse me, Shara. I’ll be in my room if you needanything.”
I muttered, “I hope that room issoundproofed.”
“Doubtful,” she laughed, shaking her head. “But not to worry. I brought headphones, and I have several calls I need to make to London. Goodnight.”
“Good night,Gina.”
With the doors closed and the strangers gone, Shara let down the facade she’d held all evening. Weariness weighed heavily in our bond. And yes, oh, yes, need. She burned almost as badly as Idid.
As we alldid.
She took the crown off and handed it to Nevarre. Her hair was falling down from the complicated twists and knots the hairdressers had done in Dallas. She tried to comb her fingers through it, but the heavy strands were tootangled.
Rik rummaged in his bag and pulled out a hairbrush. “Allow me, myqueen.”
Tiredly, she nodded, reaching behind her to tug at the zipper of her gown. Daire closed his fingers over hers, kissed her fingertips, and took over for her. The gown slipped to the floor and she leaned back against him with asigh.
Of course the little fucker started up that damnable purr that she loved somuch.
“Change, please, everyone. Getcomfortable.”
Daire voiced what we all wished to say. “Orstrip?”
She smiled and moved toward the bed. “If that’s yourwish.”
Rik shrugged out of his coat and hung it in the wardrobe. “Xin, make your rounds and see what you can find. Guillaume, Ezra, Nevarre, you’re on first watch. Keep a close eye on the twins. When our queen’s desire and blood are in the air, they may not be able toresist.”
“Then they’ll be dead,” Guillaume said coolly. “Nevarre, you take the balcony. The bear and I will take the front room. Your raven has better sight and will see anything trying to approach from adistance.”
Nevarre tossed his coat to Rik, yanked his shirt off over his head, and unbuckled the leather belt that snugged the heavy cloth of his kilt about his hips. In seconds, he was naked and dropped the folded kilt on top of his bag. Feathers sprouted down his back as he strode to the balconydoor.
Rik hung up Nevarre’s coat and his pants, and then moved to join Shara on the bed. Leaning back against the headboard, he opened his thighs wide and she settled against him, wrapped in his heat. He fucking took up the entire width of thebed.
Shara laughed softly as he carefully brushed out her hair. “I guess she wasn’t expecting a visiting queen to take more than one Blood to bed at atime.”
