Page 7 of Queen Takes King
Alrik tightened his thighs on me, which pressed me tighter to Daire. “A better way to phrase it would be to say so he knows where his place isnot. His place is not at yourback.”
Daire let out a growling purr. “And not between yourthighs.”
4
Daire
Iwantedto shift to my warcat, but I didn’t want to appear defensive, rude and jealous, especially when Rik was taking a new Blood sowell.
He didn’t have as much to lose as I did. He already knew he wasalpha.
I had no idea how far down the ladder I’d fall as our queen took more Blood. Fucking hell. I didn’t even know if I’d be allowed to sleep with her and Rik once more Blood came to hercall.
My throat tightened and I fought down the warcat. He’d only pace and claw and roar at this new Blood, and upset Shara. So instead, he paced and clawed inside me so hard I could barelybreathe.
From the throaty roar of the engine, the man had the pedal pressed to the floor as he drove up the street. Yeah, I’d flown to her side too. As soon as I’d felt her. I couldn’t fault him for screeching to a halt outside. The iron gate wouldn’t keep him from her, even if Gina had locked it shut behind her. He’d just vault over it.Easy.
“What do I say?” Shara whispered, her thighs trembling against my shoulders. “Is there a handbook forthis?”
“Talk to him as you did us,” Rik replied. “Gauge your interest in him, and his willingness to be loyal to you. You’ll feel it. You’llknow.”
“And if you need to taste him first, I’ll be happy to draw his blood for you.” I regretted the words as soon as they were out of my mouth. I sounded too weak. Too eager. Too desperate. I hatedit.
Gina moved to the door. “Should I let himin?”
“Hold on.” Shara wrapped her arms around my neck, her chin on top of myhead.
Then she stroked mybond.
Her mind reached into me, moonlight and rainbows, sweet jasmine on a gentle night’s breeze. She touched my hissing, furious warcat and he rolled over on his back and purred, winding like fur through ourbond.
The man thumped at the door hard enough it shook the entirewall.
“Not yet,” Shara said absently, reachingdeeper.
I knew she could see my fear. I didn’t try to hide it. I couldn’t hide anything from my queen, not if she was determined to find it. Her hand cupped my chin and she pulled my face around so she could look into myeyes.
“You’re not going anywhere.” She spoke softly, but her words rang with power, binding me to her. I saw us in bed with Rik, him at her back, me wrapped around her and him. Cat or not. She didn’t care. She wanted me there. She made me feel it. She showed me the aching hole in her heart if I wasn’t there withher.
“Let him in,” she said to Gina, but then she leaned down and pressed her mouth tomine.
I sank into her, willing her to take me. Use me. Drain me. Whatever she needed. I would give it. Gladly. I would knock out my fangs and give them to her so she couldfeed.
Rik’s bond flared to life in me too. While we’d had a bond for many years, we didn’t constantly listen to one another’s thoughts. It was exhausting and even Aima liked a little privacy in their own minds. Where she was magic and pearly rainbows, Rik was molten lava, streaming down the side of a massive volcano. Hot, but slow. Deep. Controlled. With enough strength to rock the entire world if he neededto.
But the volcano’s fury was contained. He might show a crack here and there, but generally, he kept his feelings under lock and key, buried deep insidehim.
I loved him too much to go mining in his private spaces. But this time, he let mein.
He wasn’t as calm and confident and assured as I’d thought. He felt… young, green, and ill-prepared. We’d never served a queen before so we were bound to make mistakes. Shara would make mistakes, and we had to do our best to help her. He felt that pressure acutely, especially her lack of fangs and how she fed. It wasn’t a problem for us—but he feared for her. He feared her pride and determination to do things her own way would offend the goddess. And when a goddess wasoffended…
How could we protect her against the mother of her ownline?
Shara lifted her head, staring into my eyes. One corner of her lips quirked, but her eyes smoldered. Her hunger roared in our bond, and if she wouldn’t have been ashamed before this new Blood, I would have torn my wrist open for her immediately. :Better?:
:I love you, myqueen.:
:I love you, my furry warcatBlood.:
