by ERIN BEDFORD
We stopped, and my eyes landed on the king's bedroom door. My heart leaped into my throat, and I shook my head violently.
"Nope. No. I can't." I spun around and tried to run the other direction, but Finch was there to stop me. I stared up at him with wide eyes and a panicked expression. "Finch, I can't. I've never seen a man naked outside of my father, let alone the king. This is... this is..." I clutched the labels of his jacket and sucked in quick breaths. "I think I'm going to pass out. I can't breathe. I can't..."
Finch placed a hand on my head, and a cooling sensation poured through me. All my fear and anxiety sank away until I was sure there was a dopey look on my face. I felt like I was flying, and my head was floating above the clouds and into the heavens. This was probably what those humans who snorted pixie dust felt like. I could understand the addiction. It was... niiiice.
"Ericka. Ericka." Finch snapped his fingers in front of my face. "I placed a calming charm on you. It'll help you get through this without incident." He arched a brow as a girlish giggle burst from my lips. "I hope I didn't give you too much."
"I'm good." I waved him off and turned toward the door. I gestured forward with a loud laugh. "Time to clean the royal ass!"
Finch groaned and mumbled, "Definitely too much."
I giggled once more and pushed through the door that was surprisingly open. I guess when you’re the king, you didn't worry too much about others just walking into your room. Though, with how frightening he was to most people, I doubted anyone dared to come in unwelcome. I snickered. Probably worried about someone seeing him in his royal underpants. My heavy-lidded eyes scanned the bedroom of the beast of the fae court.
"Lame," I muttered as I realized his room was quite ordinary. Boring really. A four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room. Encased in dark blue, the only big difference between my bed and his was the size. It was massively huge, even for someone of his size, and it was ridiculous. Did he have orgies or something in here?
My cheeks warmed at the thought, and I quickly turned away from his bed. A wardrobe stood to one side of the bed, and a large desk was placed against the other wall. The desk was covered with papers and ink pens scattered in such disarray that I had to wonder if he had stopped in the middle of what he'd been doing. My gaze drifted from one side of the room to the other. Here was the king's room, but where was the king?
As if reading my thoughts, the king's distinct voice rumbled from an ajar door. "Finch? Is that you?"
The king was in the bathing chamber. Of course, he was. That's what I was there for. The anxiety charm was quickly evaporating into thin air at the thought. Was he nude already?
I walked toward the door, passing his laundry basket. Inside sat the clothing he'd been wearing at dinner. That answered that question. The king was no doubt nude.
"Finch?" Balefire called out once more and then after a small pause, "Human?"
I opened my mouth and shut it a few times before clearing my throat. "Uh, yeah. It's me. I mean, I’m here to help you bathe."
"Well, don't stand there all day,” he hummed, and the sound of water sloshing made my spine stiffen. “Get on with it."
Licking my lips, I reached for the doorknob. As I turned it, I took a deep breath. He was just a man. A nude man. I pushed the door open to reveal the king lounging against the back of a steaming bathtub. Thankfully, his eyes were closed so I could get my fill of everything.
I took back everything I said before. He wasn't just a man. He was a fae man which made him unfairly gorgeous, especially for the personality that was attached to such a magnificent body.
His golden mane flowed over his shoulders and clung to his skin while water drops slid down his chest. The only thing I could be thankful for was that he was already in the bath, saving me from having to see the whole glorious package, pun intended, as it was being unwrapped.
One piercing blue eye cracked open, and a lazy smirked covered his lovely lips. Fuck. Get a handle on yourself, Ericka. He was an ass. A royal pain in the ass who was doing this to humiliate you. Don't get distracted by those rippling muscles. Though there were a lot of them. Fuck!
"Are you going to stand there and stare all day or are you going to come do your job?"
The rumbling growl of his voice did nothing for my libido. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Okay, who was I kidding here? An ass he may be, but I now knew why all those women in the kitchen were cooing over him.
I cleared my throat again and moved toward the tub. There was a small stand next to the tub of golden metal shaped into vines and flowers. On top of it sat glass containers of what I could assume was shampoo and soap. A bright blue sponge sat next to the containers. Of course, he'd have one. They were expensive since you had to trade with the mermaids down in Leanan Bay, and they only came from the deepest part of the depths.
"Come now, human. This isn't too much for you, is it?" Balefire opened both of his eyes now, staring at me with a challenging smirk.
Boring. That's what Finch said. Be utterly boring.
I straightened my spine and kept my expression flat as I walked over to the stand and picked up the sponge.
"Would you like to wash first or your hair?" I asked with a monotone voice. To my delight, the king frowned at me, confusion furrowing his brows.
"You can wash my back first," he slowly said, still thrown off by my demeanor. Lifting up off the side of the tub, Balefire bared his back to me so I could wash it.
I walked around the tub and grabbed one of the containers of soap. Pouring a generous amount onto the sponge, it smelled of lilies and raspberries, I reached out and pressed the sponge to his back. I blanked my mind and scrubbed the sponge along his broad shoulders and back, trying my best not to notice the way the muscles rippled beneath the surface of his golden skin.
"Oh, lower," Balefire moaned slightly, and I paused, lifting the sponge. His head turned toward me and grunted. "Why'd you stop? Get to it. Lower."
I nodded, though he couldn't see me. I replaced the sponge on his back and scrubbed lower until the king let out a long, moaning sigh. Daaaamn. I was in trouble. It was harder to stay dull and uninterested in what was going on than I thought.
Stepping closer, I leaned over him as I moved the sponge up and over his shoulders. My other hand found its way onto his other shoulder, and I began to knead the muscles there with my palm. My mouth watered, and a low thrumming began in between my thighs.
That’s when Balefire leaned back against the tub and forced my hands over his shoulders and onto his chest. His head pressed against my chest, and my breath caught. Not sure if this was some ploy to make me uncomfortable or not, I didn't say anything. I simply continued to wash him, moving in slow circles across his chest, pausing as the sponge caressed the heart shaped symbol over his left pec. He lifted his arms from the bath so I could sponge off each of them, something I did in great length, marveling at the strength in them.
When I was done cleaning his arms, I led the sponge back to his chest and had to push up on my tiptoes to get down to his abs. The water sloshed where the sponge plunged in and out of it as I scrubbed. My breath came in small pants now at the prospect of cleaning what was beneath the soapy water. The shadows and murky water made it hard to see what I was looking at, but what I could see made my cheeks heat.
Balefire's large hand caught my wrist, and I turned my head. Our faces were now only inches apart now. Our breath mingled, and our eyes locked. Bemusement and... maybe interest reflected out of the king's eyes. He couldn't be as affected as I was, could he?
Dropping my wrist suddenly, Balefire turned his head away from me. "I can finish it from here. Go back to your room."
All I could do was gape. I didn't know if he was serious or not. When he didn't say anything else or even acknowledge me, I dropped the sponge and straightened back up. Walking as fast as I could without running, I made for the door. I didn't stop until I was out of his room and safely back in mine.
Closing the door behind me, I sank
against it with a heavy sigh. What the heck was that?
I didn't have time to think about what almost could have happened, because there was someone in my room.
A woman. Obviously fae, with long black hair that cascaded over her shoulders and pooled around her on my bed where she lounged. A slinky ink black dress clung to her curves and showed off her ample cleavage as she shifted to sit up on the bed. Horns the length of my forearm protruded from her forehead, and her ears were pointed as well as the majority of the teeth in her mouth. She flashed those sharp teeth in my direction as I moved away from the door.
"You've returned finally." Her emerald green eyes surveyed me with great interest before wrinkling her nose. "You're not much, are you?"
"Uh... I'm sorry?" My brows lifted. I didn't know why I was apologizing, she was the one who came into my room unannounced.
"As you should be." She shifted from the bed and slid to her feet in a move so smooth that it barely seemed like she had moved at all. Then she began to circle me, her fingertips pressed together in thought. "So, you're the human the whole castle is in such a fuss about? I don't see what the big deal is. You're pretty, I suppose... for a human."
I tried to follow her with my eyes, but I still had to turn each time she moved to my back. "Thank you?"
"But I cannot see what has the king so intrigued." The creature stopped before me and lifted a bit of my hair that had escaped from my up-do. "He is mine, you know? Balefire might be wasting his time playing with you, but don't think that means anything. You're nothing. Human trash that can easily be broken and discarded." She grinned those sharp teeth at me once more, dropping my hair as if it were garbage.
Okay, now I was getting mad. I was tired and emotionally drained from what just happened with the king. I just wanted to collapse on my bed and sleep. I didn't have time for some pissed-off concubine.
"Who are you?" I asked as I barely held back a snarl.
The woman seemed to sense it anyway. Taking a step back, she waved her arms around her in a flourishing sort of way. "Why, I am Shirazan. Bringer of death and lover to the King of the Spring Court."
Yep. Concubine.
"Look," I started with a tired sigh, "I don't have any interest in the king outside of getting him off my back. You can have him. I give you my blessing. Now, please, leave. I want to go to bed."
I moved past her toward my wardrobe and opened it. When I saw that it was empty, I remembered I'd packed everything up. I searched for where I'd dropped my bag and found it by the foot of the bed. But when I moved for it, a hot ball of fire came barreling toward me. In a panic, I threw myself to the ground and covered my head with my arms.
Thank all the gods, I didn’t get turned into a pile of cinders.
Shirazan laughed haughtily. "Next time you touch what is mine, I won't miss."
Then, as mysteriously as she appeared, she was gone. I lifted my head and quickly patted myself to make sure nothing had caught on fire. The scent of burning wasn't coming from me. My eyes drifted over to my bed where the center of it was burning brightly. As the fire began to spread, I jumped into action.
Running to the bathing chamber, I grabbed a nearby bucket and filled it with water. I rushed back to my room, the water sloshing over the sides the whole way, and dumped it on my bed. I did this four times before finally the fire was put out. I sighed in relief and sank to my knees.
There went my hope for getting to sleep any time soon.
Chapter 10
Balefire
I stayed in the tub until the water cooled, but it did nothing for my heated blood. Finch had been right, the bastard, this had been a very bad idea. I should have never chose bathing me as Ericka's, no, the human’s, punishment.
I groaned and collapsed on my bed, still naked, slightly wet, and not at all less turned on than I'd been when Ericka, I mean the human, had been here. I growled at my slip up again. Rubbing a hand down my face, I let my mind wander.
I’d never considered myself prejudiced. The humans were here living their lives, not trying to overthrow the fae or anything. They just existed. They hadn’t given me a reason to care about them one way or the other. I certainly never paid two minds to them, certainly not enough to insult one right to their face.
Why then? Why had I purposely gone out of my way to say something nasty about the species when I knew Ericka was listening?
It brought up another issue as well. Why did I even care what she thought? Was this still all a game to put her in her place? Or was Finch right and it was something more?
I huffed a laugh, shaking my head as I stared up at the canopy of my bed. That’s ridiculous. There wasn’t anything remotely interesting about her. She wasn’t overly beautiful. I’d seen prettier beings human and fae alike. Her hair was just a shade too muddy, and her eyes just a bit too dark... except when she was angry. Then they lit up like coal burning in a fire. They really were quite... mesmerizing.
Then there was the fact that she was too skinny for someone who spent their lives baking. Did she not eat her own creations? That was unsettling. I’d only tasted two of her foods, and both had been delicious. Insanely so. So, why was she trying to work in the palace where she’d fade into the background? Not when she could have her own shop somewhere and be the most sought after baker in the Spring Court. Maybe even all Elphame.
It didn’t make much sense. Not much about her did, at least to me, especially the peculiar tingling feeling I got when I set her off. It wasn’t a bad sensation, not in the least. The only feeling that had been better than pissing the human off had been the scent of her arousal.
I’d almost thought I’d drifted off during my bath, I was so shocked by the tangy sharp scent of it. What surprised me even more was the fact that my own body had reacted toward it. The moment it hit my nose, my cock had stiffened, painfully so.
The small sounds the human made while she was washing me made it even harder to resist pulling her into the bath with me. When her mouth ended up inches from mine, I almost gave into my need and ripped her clothing from her body. That crimson dress fit her like a glove, and the way it pushed her breasts up to the neckline would make any male’s mouth who had eyes water at the sight.
I’d wanted to rip that dress right down the middle and pull her breasts into my hands, my mouth. I wanted to hear her whimper and beg me for more as I had her on top of me, underneath me.
I grunted as my hand found its way into my towel and wrapped around my aching cock. Hating myself for giving in to the temptation but knowing I wouldn’t sleep otherwise, I kept the image of the human in my mind as I tugged my hand up and down my length.
A familiar sound filled my ears, the sound of magic and fire, but I ignored it, too far gone in my pleasure and shame. However, I couldn’t continue to do so when a deep purr filled my ears and a hot hand trailed up my thigh.
“My, my, seems I was just in time, my king.”
I didn’t bother opening my eyes to see the owner behind the hand. I knew who it was. Only one person was brazen enough to come into my personal chambers without permission. Only one person, other than Finch, who wouldn’t be punished for it.
Shirazan.
Gorgeous and dangerous as any fae female should be, she had a talent for knowing exactly what I wanted and when... but not tonight. Tonight, I wanted her gone.
“What do you want, Shirazan?” I tried my best to keep the annoyance out of my voice, she had a temper after all, but from the way she stiffened on top of me, I knew that I’d failed.
Still, after a moment, she relaxed once more. “Why, to please you, my king. As always.” Her hand slid over mine, trying to take over where I had stopped.
“Not tonight.” I grabbed her wrist and sat up, pushing her away as I swung my legs over the bed.
“Why not? You were already about to do it yourself. Why won’t you let me take care of you?” I could hear the pout in Shirazan’s words and could almost see those full lips of hers puffing up in my head.
&n
bsp; I didn’t want to look at her, not because she wasn’t every fae man’s dream. Quite the opposite.
Shirazan was tall and curvy in all the right places. Her breasts were blessed by the gods, and even in her aging years, they hadn’t changed a bit. Dark hair laid against pale skin which I knew was as smooth as it looked. It tasted just as good as it looked.
However, she was harsh. Cold. Not in temperature but in temperament. Not like...
Dragging my sleeping pants on with a sigh, I glanced over my shoulder at Shirazan. The dress she wore was sheer and barely covered a thing even though it was long enough to brush her ankles. Tempting. Exceedingly tempting. But I couldn’t make myself get excited for her. My mind and body were already set on someone else.
“I have a headache.” I groaned internally at my pathetic excuse. What next? I’ll be talking about my feelings? Wanting to share? Gods help me. “I mean, I have a headache of a political situation to fix. I don’t have time for pleasure.”
Shirazan frowned and cocked her head to the side. “I could always just...” She lifted her hand and fire appeared, dancing on her palm. “... squash the problem.” She smiled viciously as her hand closed around the fire to snuff it out.
I almost smiled. “Not that kind of problem. Though, I wish it were.” Gods did I. Not only did I have to worry about Ericka and the strange happenings between us, but I’d have to smooth things out with Nico and her father. I had no plans to take a wife, least of all one from the Fall court.
“This is about that human, isn’t it?”
Shirazan’s question threw me off, and for a moment, I didn’t know what to say. The jealous gleam in her eyes told me that she knew exactly who she was talking about, and I knew that I had to tread carefully. While Shirazan might serve me, she could be a wild card at times. I’d always wondered when the day would come that she’d turn against me, but I didn’t want it to be today.
