In Malice (The Stolen Queen Book 1)

by A. M. Hodges

  When he looks up at me, his expression matches mine as I hear him inhale sharply. That predatory gleam is in his eyes again, but then it is gone in a second.

  "Are you ready Krasivaya?" his eyes continue to roam my body.

  "Hell yeah I am," I try mustering more confidence than I feel with him looking at me like that. He motions for me to lead the way and we head downstairs to begin our walk to our destination.

  About fifteen minutes later we stroll up to Raven's, my favorite bar in Atlanta. During the week it's just a hole in the wall bar, but every Saturday they have karaoke. It usually attracts the misfits of the city which makes me feel comfortable and relaxed. I don’t feel judgement when I’m here, only acceptance and comradery.

  Their karaoke is different than typical karaoke bars. They don't use a DJ. They use a live band instead, making every performance like a mini rock concert. There is no limit to what you can sing. If the band knows the melody and you can find the lyrics, it's fair game. The patrons it attracts usually come ripe with hidden talents.

  We walk inside and I whip around to look at the males behind me.

  "Welcome to your first karaoke experience. Which one of you has the balls to get up there and sing me a song." I stand in their way with my hands on my hips.

  Jeb smirks and shoulders passed me to walk towards the band without another word.

  "Oohhhh, Reyna. What have you done?" Lucah moves to follow Jeb towards the band.

  "What?"

  "You just challenged a Pixie. If you haven't noticed, Jeb is a bit competitive. Do you have any idea the musical talents that Pixie's have? Or the number of instruments that Jeb alone knows how to play, expertly?"

  No, I don't. But now I plan on asking.

  "Sit back and enjoy the show Princess," he calls over his shoulder as he continues towards the band.

  I find a high-top table near the stage and sit down. Lucah gets us drinks from the bar, since I’m underage. I haven't seen Jeb since he marched passed me at the door, so I sit anxiously listening to the other performances and sipping my drink.

  Finally, Jeb approaches the center of the stage, looking completely in his element. He waits patiently as the band resets. Multiple women catcall him from the audience, making my hackles rise. When the first cords drop, he makes eye contact with me and his face breaks out into a grin. When he opens his mouth to sing, my jaw drops.

  His voice is dulcet and booming, belting out a rock rendition of Shape of You. As the song continues his voice turns gruff, and raspy. By the time the chorus drops, Jeb is in his own world and everyone in the crowd, including me, is enthralled by him. Damn he's sexy.

  By the end, everyone is standing and rocking out with Jeb. I can feel the raw energy pulsing through the crowd. People passing by are even drawn in by his voice.

  I decide to go next, not wanting to be in my seat when Jeb comes down from the stage. There are still a few more surprises left in me. Going to the left side of the stage, I flag down the girl in charge of the list to talk her into letting me go next and tell her my song. Since I'm a regular, she doesn't take much convincing.

  I track Jeb with my eyes all the way back to our table. He is nonchalantly looking around the room for me, but I notice. I lied and told Lucah that I was going to the bathroom.

  The drummer recognizes me when I catch his attention and motions for me to come on stage.

  Standing at the microphone stand I find Jeb and Lucah in the crowd, the latter using his fist to try and hide his amusement. Jeb merely cocks an eyebrow at me. I can't fight the smile that spreads across my face as the band plays the first cords to 'All Around Me' by Flyleaf.

  When I start singing, the world falls away. I can't get my voice quiet as high as the original singer, but I hold my own. I'm not naive enough to deny that I have talent. Singing has always been therapeutic for me, providing me with a way to pour out my emotions when they overwhelm me. Music is my safe place, my comfort.

  As the song ends, I come back to reality and look over at our table. Lucah is unabashedly staring at me with his mouth hanging open. Jeb on the other hand, is staring at me, his entire body rigid and eyes blazing with desire. I can feel every single emotion radiating from him as if he were throwing them at me. I don’t need to be able to hear his thoughts to know what he is thinking right now.

  His body language says it all.

  I leave the stage and immediately dart out the back door, needing some air in my suddenly airless lungs. I am standing outside looking up at the sky when all the hair on the back of my neck stands up and my skin prickles. Someone is behind me.

  "Don't turn around," a low male voice whispers, "Heed my warning. Not everyone in Malatia wants to protect you, Reyna. Stay close to Jeb and Lucah. Read the book they gave you and learn the history. Watch your back at all costs. War is brewing, and you are the prized possession."

  Then, he is gone.

  Chapter 14

  When I walk back into the bar, Lucah is on stage doing a shockingly good job and singing 'Just Like You' by Falling in Reverse. Jeb is sitting at our table, looking completely content with a serene smile on his face, singing along with Lucah. I know right then that I can't tell them what happened outside. If I do, I will be on the first plane (or however the hell we were getting there) back to Malatia.

  Besides, the warriors seem to be at such peace right now, and I feel like they deserve these rare moments. I didn't really feel like I was in danger with the man outside, only startled. And I think his words were meant more as a warning than a threat.

  He didn't hurt me; he didn't even touch me. Everything he said seemed to be more about protecting me rather than harming me. I will definitely be reading the history when we return to

  Woodberry to see what all that’s about. There are still many questions that have been left unanswered after all.

  I try my best to plaster a genuine smile on my face and start back towards our table. It’s not hard with the way Jeb's eyes light up as he sees me coming and drags my chair closer to his. When I sit down, he throws his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in close before laying a soft kiss on my temple.

  "Thank you for this," he nuzzles my neck while using his free hand to grab his beer.

  The guys have been sampling the house beer all night. For me, they bring me everything but tequila, snickering each time they do. I am never going to live down that night.

  I roll my eyes and continue to sip on my cranberry and vodka. The guys put on a few more stellar performances before deciding to call it a night. Jeb settles our tab while Lucah and I wait for him outside.

  "Thank you for tonight Reyna," Lucah nudges me playfully, but I can see the sincerity in his eyes, "In Malatia, we don't get the chance to do things like this, not since the war. Our continent used to be so full of joy and light, thank you for reminding us. Thank you for bringing us out of the darkness, even if it was just for a little while."

  Tears prick behind my eyes as I take his hands in mine, squeezing in affirmation. I have no words to say in this moment, and Lucah doesn't seem to need any. His gratitude warms by heart, and I know then that I will do everything in my power to be their light, to lead them out of the darkness. I will lead them all out of the darkness.

  I release Lucah's hands just before Jeb exits the bar, looking relaxed for the first time since I met him. He simply smiles at me before taking my hand and leading us back to the hotel. When we enter the penthouse, Lucah bids us goodnight and disappears to his room.

  Not even a second after I hear the door shut, Jeb is on me, backing me into the couch with a kiss that makes my thighs clench. We stay locked in each other's embrace with fingers tangled in each other's hair, our tongues going to war, for what seems like hours. I can feel his control slowly slipping away. So, I push more, letting my fingertips graze just underneath the hem of his shirt.

  As we break away breathless, I search Jeb's face with my eyes.

  "Stay with me," I whisper breathlessly.

  "I t
hought you'd never ask," he rasps. I wrap my legs around his waist as he lifts me up and I crush my lips to his as he carries me to the bedroom.

  He kicks the door shut behind us and breaks our kiss long enough to toss me onto the bed and yank his shirt over his head. As he settles himself between my thighs, he trails long languid kisses from the crook of my neck to where my breasts are spilling out of the top of my corset. One at a time he pops open each bracket, his lips brushed each patch of newly revealed skin as he goes.

  My eyes are glued to his face as the last bracket releases and my corset falls open. He bites down on his bottom lip as he steps back and kicks his boots off, his eyes roaming over my bare chest. Slowly, so fucking slowly, he undoes the button on his jeans before hooking his thumbs under the waistband and dropping them to the floor.

  My eyes hungrily take in every inch of his beautifully sculpted body, all the way down to-

  Oh, dear fucking Jesus.

  A cocky grin stretches across his face at my unfiltered thoughts being screamed down the bond. He stares into my eyes as he reaches down and pumps his cock. Once. Twice. Three times and then he’s between my legs again, devouring my mouth with his.

  His hard length presses against the perfect spot and I whimper as I buck against him, pulling him closer to get as much friction as possible. He pulls away just enough to give him room to reach down and grab the hem of my leggings.

  “These are in my way,” he growls. With one yank he rips the seam down the middle, revealing my small lacey thong.

  After the sound of more ripping fabric and a small stinging sensation, the lace thong goes flying across the room. The look in his eyes is wild and savage as he positions himself at my now bare entrance.

  “I was going to take this slow,” he rasps, trying to reign himself back in.

  “Later,” I pant as I lock my legs around him and thrust my pelvis up to meet his, effectively sheathing him inside of me. His eyelids flutter shut as I cry out at the sudden intrusion. When he opens his eyes again, I can see that all his control is gone. He only gives me with mere seconds to adjust to his size before he is pounding into me vehemently, one hand braced beside my head and the other gripping my thigh.

  My orgasm barrels through me as he plunges deeper, my vision going white as my body spasms beneath him. Still, he doesn’t let up.

  Before I’ve had the chance to come down, he pulls out and flips me over with inhuman speed and I cry out as he slams back into me. His breathing grows heavier and little groans escape his throat as he reaches down and grabs a hold of my ponytail, yanking me up until my back rests against his chest.

  His pace quickens as he holds me against him, one heavily muscled arm wrapped tightly around my waist and the other raised to firmly grip my hair.

  Elongated canines graze the side of my bared throat, sending shivers through my body. Suddenly, he bites down on my shoulder and I scream my release as my next orgasm tears through me.

  His pace continues to quicken to breath-taking speeds, and it isn’t long before he’s moaning his own release. I collapse onto my stomach when he releases his hold on me and he rolls onto his back, panting up at the ceiling.

  I am almost asleep in post-orgasmic bliss when he gently rolls me over.

  I open my eyes long enough to see him move to the end of the bed and gently start unlacing my boots. Once he has rid me of my now destroyed leggings, he pulls back the blankets and climbs in next to me. He tucks me into his chest as I lose my battle with consciousness and fall into a deep sleep.

  ∞∞∞

  I wake up to the steady sounds of Jeb's breathing, tangled in his warm embrace. That is not how I imagined the night going, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn't secretly hoping for it. Thank god for lingerie and a Brazilian wax.

  Lying next to Jeb, I'm overwhelmed with emotion as I study his face. His long thick eyelashes, which I hadn't noticed before are black, fan out over his strong cheek bones. There is a blissful peace in his face, relaxing all his normally stern features. In that moment, I realize how irrevocably fucked I am. I love him.

  I take in a ragged breath as the realization hits me full force. I feel something snap into place inside of me. I don't mean figuratively, I mean it literally snaps something in my heart, forcing me to clutch my chest. The sudden wide-eyed look that Jeb wakes with confirms that he felt it too.

  He jolts up to rest his back on the wall behind the bed, the sheets slipping from his chiseled, tanned abdomen to dangerously low on his naked hips. The complete shock on his face brings an uneasy feeling in my gut.

  "What was that?" my breathing quickens. For some reason, it has become considerably harder to breathe.

  "That," he gulps, "was our bond."

  I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion.

  "You're my mate, Reyna."

  “What do you mean?” I’m dangerously close to hyperventilating.

  "I mean that you are my mate,” he looks at me like that should explain everything, “My soul-mate. You are the other half to my whole. Out of every Fae in existence, you are the one that is created just for me, and I for you. A Fae only gets one mate in their entire existence.”

  "What does this mean?" I stare up at his as my heart hammers, half full of hope and half full of fear.

  "It means, Krasivaya," his accent thickens, "that I love you. That you love me too. It means, that I will spend the rest of my immortal life by your side. I will protect you, with all my life. I will fight for you, with all my strength. I will serve you, with all my being. I will love you, with all my heart. And I will stand by you, until death comes for us."

  The promise in his voice and the utterly sincere look on his face has me almost completely not breathing at this point. His eyes show nothing of duty or obligation. Love. That is pure, unyielding love in his eyes.

  “If you will have me,” he adds, tensing slightly, “Only you can make the decision to fully accept the mating bond.”

  I look at him cautiously, “And if I don’t?”

  I watch as he attempts to mask the hurt on his face.

  “Then I respect your decision,” he takes a ragged breath, “and I hope you find love with whomever you choose. As long as you are happy.”

  My beautiful, honorable warrior. He would honestly give up his only chance at love and happiness to ensure my own. A smile spreads across my face and I let the tears I was holding back flow freely down my cheeks.

  I take his hands in mine, and look deeply into his eyes, "It would be my honor," I choke back a sob, "to be loved by you, and stand by your side for the rest of our eternity."

  As the words leave my mouth, the once small thread that runs between us flares into a blinding white light. Then, as if a veil has been dropped, all of Jeb’s wants, needs, thoughts, and feelings flood into me. His memories, knowledge and dreams soar into my mind. He fills every fiber of my being. Suddenly, I know everything I could possibly need to know about Jeb, including how to speak his native language.

  “Krasivaya,” I repeat his name for me, “You’ve been calling me beautiful this entire time?”

  His response is to climb on top of me and crush his lips to mine once more. I melt into the sheets beneath him.

  Chapter 15

  We lay in bed, Jeb leaning against the back wall with me resting against his chest, as I trace the hard-earned calluses on his hand.

  "Are mates common is Malatia?" I ask blissfully.

  "Mates, are very common. Though they usually only exist within the same race. Tiarkye becoming mates though, that’s almost unheard of," he mumbles with his chin resting on top of my head.

  "That's weird, I figured it would be easier for Tiarkye to become mates." I shift so that I can see his face.

  "Not usually. Being soul bonded warriors causes you to care for one another, even love one another. But there is a big difference between loving someone and being in love with someone."

  "How so?" I counter.

  "Think of it this way," he explains, "do
you love Jackson?"

  "Of course, I do, with all my heart."

  "Are you in love with him? Do you feel the way for him that you feel for me?"

  "Well no, that would be really weird," I fight not to cringe.

  "There lies my point. You can love someone and not be in love with them. Like the way you love Lucah," he offers.

  "I guess I understand. Lucah is like my family. But you, you are something entirely different to me."

  He nods, planting a kiss on the top of my head.

  "We need to get ready. We can't very well stay in this bed all day. You have school tomorrow. And you also need to rest for your training to continue," he pats my shoulder for me to move.

  I groan and flop over, burying my face into the pillows and inhaling his scent.

  "Do I have to run tonight?" I grumble.

  "No," he pulls his shirt over his head, "I think you've done enough cardio for the day," with a wink over his shoulder, he walks into the bathroom.

  Jeb must have gone and got clothes while I was in the shower, because he is dressed when I come out of the bathroom. After throwing on my road clothes, I grab my bags and follow Jeb into the living room. All the sudden, Jeb stops in his tracks causing me to run into is back. I look up at him, startled, and move to step around him into the living room.