“Oh. Oh.” Mayte arched a brow, staring at me with a speculative look on her face that made my cheeks warm.
Then she dropped her gaze to my mouth, and I would have fallen out of my chair without Rik there to steady me.
“Does this magical bite work on women?”
I opened my mouth. Closed it. Shrugged wordlessly. I had no idea. They’d told me that Mayte would want to offer her throat to me…
But it’d never dawned on me what that would mean. Especially for an orgasmic bite like mine.
“Could be interesting to find out,” Mayte said softly, turning back to the salad she shared with her alpha. As she ate several bites, she turned her head away slightly.
Flashing her throat at me.
I wasn’t familiar with the ways an Aima queen might flirt with another queen… but that seemed pretty blatant to me.
I met Guillaume’s gaze and he made the quick cut on Rik’s throat for me. :Thank you.:
:My pleasure, my queen. If you need other assistance…: He arched a brow at me, a twinkle in his eye that made my cheeks color more. :I’m ready to serve in any way you desire.:
Daire’s warcat rumbled in my head. :I could slip beneath your dress under the table.: I felt the distinct swipe of his big tongue firmly stroking over my skin, even though he didn’t physically touch me. :Nobody would know.:
My eyes about bugged out of my head. I quickly turned my attention to Rik, licked the blood from his throat, and sealed my mouth over the small cut. :I don’t want to turn my first formal dinner into an orgy.:
Daire pouted and his warcat bumped me playfully in the bond. :In my opinion, that’s the only way to turn a boring political dinner into something much more memorable. I’m sure Mayte wouldn’t mind. Especially if you bite her. She’ll love it.:
:I’m not biting anyone, especially at another queen’s dinner table in front of her entire court.:
I tried to wrap my mind around Mayte and what our possible alliance would mean. I’d assumed it’d be political only. But even with my mouth locked to my alpha’s throat, I could still see her shining eyes. The way she’d looked at my lips, offered me her throat. So feminine and pretty and—
Not Blood.
Certainly not my Blood. I couldn’t see them in the same picture frame as her. I didn’t want my Blood touching anyone but me. The thought of Daire or Nevarre stroking a hand through her hair or caressing her back made me want to rip her eyes out and send Leviathan to blast this whole nest to the ground.
:I’m game,: Mehen immediately said in our bond, giving me an image of dragon fire bathing the court, people running from the plaza screaming.
I didn’t want that. Not really.
But I didn’t want Mayte touching my Blood.
I tried to picture her alpha touching me and my mind flinched away from that too. Not because Rik would be glaring at the other man, still remembering how they’d let me walk right into Skye’s trap. He’d glared at Mehen after he broke my arm and that had been smoking hot. Because they were both mine.
This Eztli guy was hers. I felt nothing when I looked at him, even though I recognized that he was a damned fine dark-skinned man with broad shoulders, trim waist, and lithe, powerful movements. He wasn’t mine. He’d never be mine. I didn’t want him to be mine, because he was already hers.
Rik pushed the empty salad plate away and started shoveling into the next course. Roasted or grilled meat of some kind. He knew I wouldn’t want to eat much of that and so didn’t feel like he was depriving me by eating it. His throat worked beneath my mouth as he swallowed. We were both eating, feeding, though in different ways, and it satisfied something primal inside me to know that he ate food to make sure he had the strength and energy to feed me. :I’d rather have your blood any day.:
:I know.: I sensed hesitation in his bond, a question. Or maybe he wanted to suggest something but feared my reaction.
How he could think that, while letting me take his blood in front of over a hundred people, I had no idea. I nestled my face against his bare throat and lightly scratched his skin with my fangs, making him shudder.
:We can arrange things however you like.:
:I know.: I did, really. He’d never been unwilling to do whatever I asked. But I didn’t know what I wanted in the first place. Not exactly.
:You don’t want us touching her. You don’t want to touch her Blood. So what’s left?:
Me. Touching her.
Rik at my back. Inside me. And those shining eyes staring into mine.
22
Shara
I made it through the incredibly long dinner without fucking anyone, much to my Bloods’ disappointment. My fangs throbbed in time with my heart. Not to feed, exactly, because Rik had already slaked my thirst. I wanted to sink fangs into him just for the pleasure of it. To be inside him, and feel his pleasure roaring through our bond. As the festivities continued with a band setting up in the corner, and a crew removing the tables, I didn’t know how much longer I could last.
So, of course, my Blood found reasons to come closer and tempt me.
Nevarre bent down close so his hair slid over my bare shoulder and asked if he could fetch me anything. Guillaume kept playing with his knives, popping a blade up from thin air and twirling it, the flash catching my attention. He thought about deliberately nicking himself.
:Don’t even think about it.: I warned him. :I know you’re too skilled to ever cut yourself accidentally.:
Ezra and the older Blood he’d been paired with were getting along famously after a few gigantic mugs of beer. I thought he was fairly well distracted, until he offered to sing me a dirty limerick.
Even Xin joined the games, startling me when he seemed to materialize between me and Gina. :I thought I’d use my gift later and search the nest. See if she’s got anything to hide.:
Squatted down beside me, he braced his arm on the table and leaned in close. I loved every part of a man’s body, especially my Blood’s, but I’m pretty sure people must have written poems dedicated to Xin’s forearms. His muscles didn’t bulge like Rik’s, but veins and ligaments roped beneath his skin. My eyelids fluttered a moment, remembering when I’d taken him alone. The way his powerful, lean body had worked so hard to please me, even when he feared he was breaking into a thousand pieces and would never be able to serve me again.
:That’s a great idea.: Even in our bond, Rik’s words rumbled with deep, low bass. His rock troll wanted to come out and play too. :I can’t believe she’s only got four Blood and has still been able to defend herself from Skye all these years.:
Daire leaned across the table and propped his chin on his hands, braced on his elbows. “Maybe you’d like to dance, my queen?”
He didn’t even purr, and I still shuddered at the thought. Swaying to music, him draped around me. I’d never be able to keep my fangs out of him.
Mehen slammed his palms down on the table on either side of Daire and leaned in with an aggressive shove against his back. His eyes glittering with emerald fire. “I’m eager to punish him for you, my queen.”
Mayte watched all this with a mixture of amusement and, dare I say, arousal on her face. “Punish him for what?”
Arching his back so he could rub against the other man, Daire batted his eyes at her. “Everything.”
I had my hand fisted in his hair, jerking his face around to mine, before I even realized I’d moved. “Don’t give her your kitty-cat eyes.”
“These eyes…” He gave me a long, slow, sensual blink, his eyes blazing with heat. A deep purr rattled the table enough my wine glass tinged softly against my plate. “Are only for you, my queen.”
Mehen’s bond rumbled like a distant thunderstorm. :Please, Shara, my queen. I’ve been good. For me, at least. I even let the bear go first.:
I didn’t have to ask Daire what he thought about the other Blood’s plea. :The big mean dragon should definitely punish me for you. We’ll provide a loud distraction so Xin can more easily slip away undetect
ed.:
Daire knew full well that Xin didn’t need any help, not when he would vanish without a trace.
“You allow them to…” Mayte didn’t finish the sentence. “Sorry, that’s none of my business.”
I looked at her, the blush spreading across her cheeks, her lush lips softly parted, her tongue darting out to moisten them. Her alpha and the other three pressed close, drawn to her need. Just as my Blood were drawn to mine. She wanted very much to be a part of my business.
The two other men standing expectantly in front of the table had no reason to look at me. Especially not with that dark, sensual look.
Mayte saw me take note of them. “My older twin brothers, Itztli and Tlacel. Everyone in my nest is at your disposal. If there’s anything you need… Or want…”
“We ask that you accept us as Blood,” one of the men said.
At first glance, I couldn’t tell them apart. Bronzed, lean, lithe, tremendous warriors by the way they stood and held themselves. They were attractive, yes. I could be interested in them.
Could be.
I narrowed a hard look on them, which seemed to surprise them. That only infuriated me more. They actually thought I’d fall over myself accepting them? When I had seven Blood I loved more than life itself?
“I don’t take Blood for strength or numbers or political gain. Being my Blood comes with certain…”
“Requirements,” Rik bit off the word, his voice graveled.
“Risks,” Mehen snarled, and even Daire shot them a dark look as he stood, though he didn’t draw away from my other Blood. “Service without reservations.”
Guillaume flicked the knife to his other hand without even looking at it. “Honors that you can’t possibly fathom.”
The two men glanced at each other and then shrugged. “Like what?”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “Do you honestly think I’d take two men as Blood who stood by and watched me step into a trap that nearly killed me?”
A small, strangled sound escaped Mayte’s throat. Her brothers whirled on her. “What?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“You didn’t warn her about Skye’s geas?”
“How could I?” She shot an imploring look at me and back to her brothers. “I was afraid if she knew, that she wouldn’t even try, and I had to protect… us.”
That small hesitation sent alarm bells going off in my head. She was hiding something. Attractive or not, powerful or not, smart politically or not… Even if I disregarded exposing me to such risk by not telling me of the geas, there was no way in hell I’d sign on blindly to become her ally when she kept secrets from me. Let alone take her brothers into my Blood.
Studying them both, I started to see small differences between them. They both had shoulder-length dark hair, but one wore his hair in a high pony tail, and the other had his swept up in tight braids on each side into a ridge that fell down the top of his head like a mane. They both had tattoos on their cheeks, but one was a black sun and the other a red spiral. They wore black suits like my Blood, but with dark red shirts underneath and no tie, leaving the neck of their dress shirts opened.
A glint of gold and green flashed at the black sun brother’s throat. Some kind of jewelry, I guessed. He looked at me and for the first time, I felt a twinge of pity for him. The abject longing on his face was like a knife to my heart. Not for me exactly, since he didn’t have any idea who I was. Not really. No, he longed for what I represented: power, honor as my Blood, and stature among his people. “You know how long we’ve waited for a queen of our own.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” Mayte repeated, swiping at her eyes. “I’ll fix this.” Squaring her shoulders, she met my gaze. “Your Majesty, name your price for full restitution, so that you may freely consider my brothers as Blood. Whatever it is, I’ll pay it, unless it harms any in this nest other than myself.”
“It’s not that easy.” She flinched, and I hurried quickly to explain. “I made an oath that I would never take a Blood that I didn’t love.”
“You…” the other brother drew my attention, his voice rippling with melodic undertones that still managed to rumble. “You love them? All of them?”
“Yes.”
He started to step closer, but Guillaume and Xin slid in front of him, blocking his path to me. “Will you not even give us a chance to earn your love?”
Gina leaned close and whispered, “It would be a smart political move.”
I nodded slightly, keeping an eye on them. “But can I trust them? Or her? After what they’ve done?”
She shook her head slightly. “No way to know unless—”
I blew out a sigh. Unless I tasted their blood. And then it would be too late.
Rik stood slowly, drawing the twins’ gazes to him as he unfolded his impressive body to his full commanding height at my side. :You don’t have to decide anything tonight. They might need some convincing about who’s alpha, and I’d rather not subject you to any further strain tonight.:
That sealed it for me. If they wanted Rik to bash their heads in, they could wait another night. I had more important things on my mind. I stood too. “I will consider your request and give you a chance to convince me and my alpha that you belong with us. But not tonight. After what happened earlier, I need to rest first.”
Resigned but with her mouth a firm slash of determination, Mayte stood. “Of course, Your Majesty. Let us show you to your rooms.”
23
Mehen
Rather than fire, my dragon blasted me with lust.
I burned with need. All the feeding and touching and sleeping in a big sweaty hot pile was well and good…
But Shara had only fucked me that one time.
One. Fucking. Time.
It was all I could do not to scream :fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!: every time I touched her bond. I was going to lose my mind if she didn’t take me again. Or at least allow me to take someone.
I really wanted to fuck Daire senseless and see how good that purr felt with my dick inside him. But I wasn’t picky. I’d fuck any of her Blood. Hell, I’d even beg hung-like-a-horse Guillaume to fuck me. Or the bear. Ezra hated me. I didn’t fucking care.
As Blood, the utmost peak of pleasure would always be found with our queen, so the last thing any of us wanted was two more Blood. We’d have even less time with her. Though these two clowns might be entertaining. They kept eying Rik’s broad back like they had a snowball’s chance in hell of taking our alpha. When I, Leviathan, king of the depths, had surrendered.
Utter nonsense. But it would be fucking hilarious to watch Rik snap them both like twigs.
The Zaniyah queen led us up a grand staircase. Pausing at the top, she gestured to a pair of double doors to her left. “My main quarters.” Then a matching pair of doors on our right. “The guest quarters.” She nodded to the two wannabes who’d followed us, and they pushed the doors to the guest rooms open. “I hope you find everything satisfactory.”
“I’m sure we’ll be quite comfortable,” Shara replied. “Thank you. Dinner was wonderful.”
Mayte smiled but clutched her hands together before her. “Our pleasure. Please let us know if you need anything.”
“I will. Good night.” Shara started toward to the French doors, where the two men silently watched with a tight, resigned look on their grim faces. Hoping she might change her mind at the last minute…
Snickering beneath my breath, I watched as Daire and Xin slid in tight on either side of her. Naturally, Rik had her back. Guillaume paused before her, blocking the way, and yeah, the hard-ass motherfucker stopped her within arm’s reach of them on purpose to torment them. “Allow Nevarre and Leviathan to scan the room first to be safe, my queen.”
She nodded and I stepped around them with Nevarre. The guest suite was nice enough and our bags had already been delivered. A private sitting room with comfortable-looking leather couches and chairs. A small bedroom for the consiliarius, a decent sized full bath, and a l
arge bedroom.
With a sadly lacking bed. If it was even king sized, I’d eat Rik’s ass while Guillaume fucked me.
A double set of French doors led out to a balcony that overlooked the plaza, still lit with the colorful party lights. Music filled the night, but since the queens had retired, the musicians played soft ballads and folk tunes rather than dancing music. I opened my senses fully, letting my dragon perk his head enough to seek anything amiss.
:Outside access to the plaza,: I told Rik and Guillaume in the bond. :The room is empty.:
“All clear, my queen,” Guillaume said aloud, dropping his arm and stepping aside.
She swept into the room without a second glance at the men asking to join her Blood. Even though one of them inhaled loudly as she passed and groaned beneath his breath.
“I’d best not find you lingering out here.” Guillaume produced a foot-long knife from somewhere on his person. He tested the edge with his thumb. “Or I may see if I still have the right touch.” He looked up at the nearest man and smiled. “It takes a smooth, yet powerful, stroke to behead a man with one swipe of even the sharpest blade.”
The twins bowed deeply. “We hear and obey.”
I snorted. “Sure. Sure.” And I fucking slammed the door in their faces.
Gina’s phone rang. “Excuse me, Shara. I’ll be in my room if you need anything.”
I muttered, “I hope that room is soundproofed.”
“Doubtful,” she laughed, shaking her head. “But not to worry. I brought headphones, and I have several calls I need to make to London. Good night.”
“Good night, Gina.”
With the doors closed and the strangers gone, Shara let down the facade she’d held all evening. Weariness weighed heavily in our bond. And yes, oh, yes, need. She burned almost as badly as I did.
As we all did.
Queen Takes Queen Page 18
