Page 13 of Queen Takes Checkmate
:Thank you, G. Send them in.:
The door opened. Daire and Ezra came in first, followed by Carys and Llewellyn. Guillaume and Nevarre followed them, while the twins held the door. My warcat immediately came in close for a kiss and he didn’t hesitate to drop down on the floor beside me. I combed my fingers through his hair. My eyelashes fluttered a moment, soaking in the deep rumble of his purr.
“Humph.” Ezra stomped closer and glared at Daire. “I suck it up and play bullshit politics all day, but he gets the cuddles and kisses.”
Daire snorted. “If you went down on your knees and asked for a kiss, I’m sure you’d receive one too.”
Grumbling beneath his breath, Ezra dropped down on my other side and shoved his face close to mine. It made me laugh, because for all his complaining and growling, he didn’t even touch me without permission. I reached out and grabbed a handful of his beard in one hand and his shaggy hair in the other and pulled him in for a kiss.
He thrust his tongue into my mouth and slanted his head so he could stroke his tongue over the roof of my mouth. For all his gruffness, he was a consummate kisser. His tongue found the small holes where my fangs hid. Shivering, I started to pull back, afraid I’d puncture his tongue accidentally, but he moved closer, keeping his tongue pressed to that sensitive hole.
:Your fangs won’t come down as long as I’m pressing on them,:he said in my mind.:I’m surprised Rik hasn’t done this for you yet.:
His tongue worked the roof of my mouth as thoroughly as he would lick my pussy. Surely those little holes, just big enough for my fangs, couldn’t be as sensitive as my clit, but with his tongue gliding and probing firmly, I was about to come.
Panting, I jerked my head back. My fangs shot down so hard and fast that I groaned. They ached, longer and more sensitive than ever. I pulled his head to the side and buried them in his throat.
He bellowed with release and leaned harder into me, his rough hands cradling my head like I’d break into a thousand pieces. His scent stirred my hunger even more. Not just for his blood, but for his big burly body. He was such a grizzly bear on the outside, and the sweetest, gooey marshmallow on the inside. And that fucking hook…
Groaning roughly, he stroked my cheek with his thumb. “Anytime, sweetheart.”
Reluctantly, I pulled my fangs out of him, delighting in the way he shuddered and groaned again. “Later. I have business to complete first.”
He kissed the tip of my nose and then shifted down to his butt to sit against my knees, turning to face the newcomer.:I’ll hold you to that promise.:
Once upon a time, I might have been embarrassed by the fact that I’d just made one of my Blood come in public, and I’d been damned close to release myself. Even now, it felt like I had two throbbing clits in my mouth, aching for more of his tongue. If I had Daire busy between my thighs, and Ezra torturing my fangs…
“Fuuuuuck,” Ezra muttered and reached down to adjust himself, already hard again.
I pushed that image aside and focused on Carys Tylluan.
She looked nothing like what I’d imagined after reading Gina’s notes. Granted, I had limited exposure to other queens, but everyone I’d met so far had projected elegance and regal beauty. They’d looked young, perhaps in their thirties at most, even though they were several hundred years old.
Yet here Carys stood before me, dressed in a dowdy men’s tweed jacket, baggy trousers, and muddy boots. A giant equally-scruffy gray owl sat on her shoulder. She was shorter than me and quite stocky. Her hair was cut in a short, no-nonsense pixie. She looked at least forty years old, with fine lines around her eyes and mouth that spoke of experience and laughter and yes, frowns.
This woman didn’t take shit from anybody.
So how had she found herself sworn as sibling to House Skye?
Intrigued, I held out my hand to her. “Thank you for meeting with me, Carys.”
Her eyes narrowed, but she took my hand and bowed like Guillaume or Llewellyn to kiss my hand, though she didn’t lick my knuckles. The owl flapped its wings and dug in heavy claws to stay in position. Now that Carys was close, I could see deep rips in her jacket from the owl’s talons. And yeah, some white streaks down her shoulder and back that had to be bird crap. “Your Majesty. How can I be of assistance to House Isador?”
Gina stepped forward. “Her Majesty is offering to make you a sibling to House Isador.”
Carys glanced at the two Blood on the floor beside me and my alpha at my back. “You’re strong, I’ll give you that. You call good Blood. Interesting Blood. But you’re inexperienced and too fucking young to play with the Triune.”
My Blood tensed against my knees and Rik felt like solid granite against my back, though none of them said a word. I wasn’t going to argue with her. I was inexperienced. I certainly wanted nothing to do with the Triune. “I’ve had a taste of Triune politics and I want no part of it.”
She scoffed. “Keisha Skye was not Triune.”
“I’m not speaking of her.”
When I didn’t elaborate, Carys arched a brow at me. “Indeed. Then I’m interested in that tale.”
Even Daire bristled.:She isn’t showing you respect at all.:
I stroked my fingers through his hair, unconcerned.:I don’t care about politics. I like her.:
