Page 66 of Queen Takes King
I was moving before she could finish the thought, eager to hold her, touch her, taste her. Relieved that she was alive and well and victorious. I wrapped my arms around her and pressed against her back, taking my spot. And then I leaned over to bite her throat, so she could revive the man she’dsaved.
She always tasted magical, addictive, and vibrant with power. Now there was an edge in her blood. A blade that would cut, that would face the hardest test and come away marked, scuffed, perhaps, but her edge true and sharp. Her blood dripped onto the man lying lifeless in her arms and he stirred. He sucked in a rasping breath and opened hiseyes.
For a moment, I thought he’d lunge up to try and rip her head off. His eyes blazed with fury and hatred. He’d wanted to be free, even if that meant our queen was dead. He’d rather be dead than here, looking up at her, tasting her blood. Chained. To aqueen.
A fate worse than death, for him atleast.
She said nothing. Didn’t move a muscle. Didn’t use her bond to command him. She didn’t give him arguments or promises or excuses. She just waited. Looking into his eyes. Letting himdecide.
If he didn’t feed, she’d let him die. She’d lay him on his back on the ground and walk away. It was hischoice.
He tore his gaze away from the blood dripping down her throat and met my gaze. I stared back at him as evenly as she did, refusing to drop my eyes. I was alpha. If he stayed, he’d accept me too. Or I’d be more than willing to pound him back into the ground, flat on his back, and leave him bleeding. I didn’t care how old he was. How powerful. I had him beat, and I knewit.
Because I loved my queen with every muscle and bone in my body, and I’d willingly die to keep hersafe.
This slimy fucker had been willing to kill her to save his own scaly hide. I wouldn’t soon forget it. Let alone allowhimtoforget.
Certainty hardened in me. Shara needed him for some reason. Her goddess had said so. So she would have him. Even if that meant I had to bash his head in for him until he saw the error of hisways.
His breath sighed out and he dropped his gaze from mine tohers.
“Say it.” She kept her tone soft, but her bond gleamed sharp and strong, ready to cut himdown.
He swallowed hard and closed his eyes, averting hisface.
“Look me in the eye, and sayit.”
He lunged up toward her throat, but she didn’t have to move a muscle to defend herself. I wrapped my fist around his neck and squeezed. “She gave you anorder.”
He shuddered in my grip, all the fight bleeding out of him. He’d used the last of his reserves. Through her bond, I felt his heart skip and flutter in his chest, desperate for blood. Forlife.
Emerald green eyes glittered up at us. His throat worked beneath my hand, as he struggled against his ownpride.
“My,” he snarled out, his voice raw. “Queen.”
I released him and she lifted him up to her throat. “Take what you need from me, myking.”
29
Shara
Wounded and weary,we slowly made our way down the mountain. Rik had to carry me because my knees wobbled every time I took a step. Pulling an Amia as old as Leviathan back from the grave had taken the last of my reserves and I hadn’t been able to heal him all the way yet. Poor Xin limped beside us, refusing even a drop of my blood for healing. Leviathan stumbled along, slung between Daire and Guillaume. From the dark looks they both kept giving him, the man was going to be lucky to make it down to the waiting cars in onepiece.
My broken arm throbbed with every step Rik took. Although I had my face pressed to his throat, I could sense him glaring at me. “If you would feed, you could heal it now and no longer be inpain.”
I was tempted. He smelled so good. So strong. But I knew that I’d want more than his blood, and if I bit him, he’d come. And when he came, I wanted him to be inside me. And while I loved him more than ever, I wasn’t too excited about making love on the side of a mountain. Especially when I was so tired. I couldn’t remember ever feeling likethis.
Just… drained. Not in blood, butspirit.
I was fucking exhausted and all I wanted was a huge bed and a lot of sleep. With my guys all crowded around. And then when I woke up, I’d be more than happy to get to the blood and sexpart.
The new man lifted his head. “Unless things have changed a great deal from my time, feeding doesn’t have to involvesex.”
Daire gave a jerk on the man’s arm hard enough he groaned. Guillaume somehow managed to step on hisfoot.
It almost made me laugh… but I was too tired for amusement. “I know. But that’s how we preferit.”
“You mean that’s howyoupreferit.”
