Page 28 of A Kingdom of Death & Darkness
I thought it was Thorn I had to worry about. Who the fuck is this creep?
“Christian wants to meet,” Thorn murmurs before tossing the scroll into the weak embers that are heating Crymson’s fireplace.
She immediately plucks the scroll from the ashes and glares at the King.
That’s it. That’s the look I like to see in my girl’s eyes when she’s looking at the most powerful fae in all the realm. I peer over her shoulder to see that asshole smirking at her again, looking like he wants to eat her alive, starting at her pu–
“Sor’y, who the fuck are you?” I blurt, stepping around Seven and making myself comfortable right in front of the fuck-boy fae who can’t stop undressing Crymson with his eyes.
He looks me up and down slowly, taking in my nudity, measuring my level of threat. He leans back on Crymson’s bed frame, his wings scuttling around him as he takes his time holding out an elegant hand to me. His hand is that of an aristocrat’s even if he doesn’t appear to dress like one in simple tunic and pants. But the way he carries himself tells me more about who he is than his clothing does, even before he reveals his identity.
“Carver,” he introduces, but he pauses with a cruel gleam in his eyes as he corrects, “PrinceCarver.”
The Blood Carver.I’ve heard of him. They say he killed his own mother, the Fae Queen, but I know personally that that’s untrue. Because Boris killed his mother. Little by little he drained the life outta her. Just like he does ’em all.
Just like he wanted to do with Crymson.
My eyes narrow intently on the Blood Carver.
I don’ like him,I send down the bond I share with Seven.
Well, he’s Crymson’s fated mate, so that probably has a lot to do with your newfound intuition.
My fists clench hard, and the urge to swing is so intense I step back. One foot after the other, I back away from him like he might set me on fuckin’ fire if I so much as look away. His glinting gaze holds so much amusement, it’s like he somehow knows I know.
How is that possible?I manage.
“Please meet him. Please,” Crymson interrupts, and her tone alone has every male’s attention in the room swinging back to her.
“He doesn’t want trouble,” I add, and it’s then that Thorn remembers I exist at all.
“Do you—do you own pants, by chance? A kilt or even a large dinner napkin to make us all a bit more comfortable,” he says with a general gesture to my nudity.
A smile touches the corner of my lips, and my hands brace on my hips as I nod to the bed behind him.
“Pass me that bedspread. Should be ’nough.”
He doesn’t though. His gaze slides to his brother, and the two of them share a look that I don’t really understand. It’s Crymson who slips between everyone and stands in front of me, covering my apparently insulting nakedness with the smallness of her own body.
My hands fall to her hips, and she feels so fuckin’ good in my hands, I almost forget everyone and everything. My eyes close for a moment, and the memory of how good she felt when I was buried inside of her tingles through every inch of my body.
“I’ll meet him,” Thorn growls out.
Her gasp of happiness makes my cock jump from behind her, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek not to groan.
She doesn’t thank him. She’s practically vibrating with happiness, but she doesn’t say a word. He moves closer and takes her small hand in his despite his discomfort with my entire existence just behind her. Their relationship is as strange and confusing as it ever was. The emotions that pass between them shine in their eyes, though, and it’s then that I realize something is very wrong in the Fae Kingdom. My stomach twists as I watch their intimate closeness together.
He stares down at her intently just as he whispers, “But then I want them all gone. By dawn.”
EIGHTEEN
Crymson
Apparently,planning for the arrival of the Crown Vampire Prince is a feat in itself. While Thorn has agreed to meet with Christian, he has no intention of the vampire staying, and the preparations around the castle make that clear.
Normally, everything inside the castle feels open and light, the sunshine streaming in through the windows and the staff mostly smiles. Now, every room I come across that isn’t necessary for use is locked, some of the windows are covered up, and even the sunshine doesn’t seem to penetrate Thorn’s permanent frown. The Fae King I’ve grown close to is as buttoned up as this castle. So, I decide to leave him to his own devices and planning. Whatever makes him feel safe, I suppose. But I don’t think Christian will do anything out of place. Not with Seven here.
Rorrick left right after Thorn’s decision, running back to the Blood Lands to deliver the message to Christian before the sun fully touched the horizon. His hands had lingered on my skinbriefly before he’d pressed a toe-curling kiss to my lips and left. Much to Thorn’s annoyance. Carver, on the other hand, seems to be enjoying the drama. Which is strange to think about. If we’re supposedly mates, I expected some jealousy, not delight. But there isn’t much about Carver I do understand.
