by R. Scarlett
Sweat pooled on Lilith’s forehead and her hands shook, but Molly could sense she was losing it. But she had to treat her like a cornered wild animal. One wrong move and she’d rip his heart out without a second thought.
Molly looked over at Tensley and his eyes were dark with the need to be brutal. To unleash the beast.
Just as Lilith tugged—Tensley gripped her jaw and snapped it to the side, forcing her to meet Molly’s powerful gaze.
And Lilith froze, her mouth parting, her eyes widening—slipping under Molly’s control.
Her hands went limp and Molly moved—
Lilith gasped, her body arching as someone plunged their own hand into her chest.
But it wasn’t Molly’s. And it wasn’t Tensley’s.
Prim stood behind Lilith, covered in her blood. Lilith’s deformed beating heart gripped in her delicate hand.
“Sweet fucking dreams, Lilith. I hope they’ll rip you apart in hell,” Prim said with a tone so low, so menacing, so full of wrath.
Molly had never heard such an emotion coming from Prim and she wondered if she had dreamt it all.
Where she had come from, she didn’t know. But she had a wild, dangerous look in her eyes.
The look of a woman who had been ruined and had grown a thirst for vengeance.
The prince moved fast, his boots stomping against the marble slabs and his hand slid across Lilith’s limp neck and he crushed it—slowly, carefully, so every bone shattered into pieces.
“Goodbye mother,” the prince hissed as he glared into her dull eyes.
The sound resounded in the room, as a heavy silence reigned over them all.
A stunned silence.
A relieved silence.
The court of snakes had one less viper amongst its troops, but she had no doubt that more would come.
More would show themselves now that the loudest was dead, someone else would take their lead.
Tensley yanked Lilith’s hand from his chest, stumbling slightly as he held a palm over the hole.
Molly caught Tensley’s arm and he instantly pulled her into his embrace, Illya crying between them.
Tensley kissed her mouth once—twice—again and again, his breath uneven, her own heart racing deep within.
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so, so sorry for bringing the both you into this, dolcezza,” he kept repeating over and over, his head shaking.
“Shh…” Molly said, but the adrenaline was quickly leaving her body and she was starting to shake violently. “It’s okay, we’re… we’re okay. We’re okay.”
When he wiped at her cheeks, she hadn’t realized she’d been crying and smiled weakly up at him.
“We’re okay, dolcezza,” he whispered and kissed her.
When they broke apart, they gazed at the silent court.
Lilith’s dead body lay sprawled across the broken marble slabs. Her gowns slowly turning a darker shade of red as her blood pooled.
The prince ran a bloody hand along his trousers and stared back at the two of them. She couldn’t believe he had snapped his own mother’s neck, but he had kept his promise. He had protected them.
Slowly, each member, both men and women, lowered to their knees in front of them.
Tensley’s hand snaked around her wrist and squeezed between them and Molly gawked at the submission, at the bowing of the court to them.
TENSLEY STOOD BY the window as Molly nursed Illya. They had bathed together after the fight and the court was in a moment of quietness. Tensley had yet to tell Molly what he planned, but he thought it would be best for both of them.
Molly had summoned a healer and after the healer did as much as he could, Molly healed him with soft, sweet kisses and touches. He still felt sore, but he was alive and his iron heart still beat proudly inside of him.
As Molly fixed her dress and patted the baby’s back against her shoulder, a knock came at the door.
“Come in,” Tensley said.
The door opened and the prince walked in, bowing slightly, a look of indifference across his features.
“You summoned me, Knight?” he asked, his tone low and controlled.
“I have summoned you to discuss a personal matter,” Tensley said, stepping forward. When the prince raised a brow, Tensley continued. “I no longer want the throne.”
Molly’s eyes snapped to him, widening.
The prince’s jaw tightened.
“I have more important matters to focus on than a court,” Tensley told him, his eyes darting to Molly and the baby for a split second. “I have been toying with the idea for a while now, but I didn’t want to leave the position until I could find someone who I trusted to replace me. What good would it make if I replaced one tyrant for another. I wish for a better world for my son. A better world for demons. And I think you and I have very similar goals and wants.”
The prince’s hands rolled into fists at his side and he breathed out heavily.
“I only have two conditions. First, is for you and your court to leave my family alone. I will rule Scorpios, and you don’t try and meddle in my business. You get your kingdom of beasts and I get Scorpios, my family. Neither of us rules over the other. Second, you revoke the law your father created about the heart of a demon. I trust you to be much more imaginative with your punishments,” he said with a wry smile. “If you can agree to those terms, then the court, the throne, and the crown are yours.”
The prince worked his jaw, scanning Tensley. After a long moment, he spoke. “You wish to give up the power for…her?”
Tensley’s eyes moved to Molly who watched him closely, and his heart clenched tight. He looked back at the prince. “I would give anything up if it meant I could stay with them.”
The prince nodded once at that and looked over at her. Tensley noted the look on his face. One of longing. The prince didn’t want his dolcezza, but perhaps that same fierceness Tensley felt for her.
“You forget one very important detail however, Knight,” he said, and when Tensley only looked at him, the prince’s lips turned into a feral smile. “One must kill the king to become king. How does that play out in your master plan, huh?”
Tensley’s smile became twin to the prince’s. “I know men like you. I’ve seen them around. You’re a wicked son of a bitch, I have no doubt you’ll make the court kneel before you, whether you kill me or not. You’re a born hunter, you love the chase, so hunt your kingdom down, and take it as your own. It’s yours now. Your blood, your destiny, claim your rights and change the rules of the game. ”
The prince’s smile, grew more vicious, and something dark and wicked flashed in his eyes, before he clapped Tensley on the back. “I accept,” the prince said. “You will not be disturbed by this court. I’ll make sure of it.”
Tensley nodded curtly. “Good. Let’s announce it to the snakes then, shall we?”
The prince moved, stealing one last look at Molly. “It was a pleasure meeting you, little daemon. I shall be forever saddened I was not able to have a taste, as I’m sure you are delectable,” he said as his eyes fell to her full breasts, tongue briefly licking his bottom lip. When Tensley growled deeply, the prince laughed, the sound resonating around them as he shook his head and left the room.
“Tensley?” Molly stood from the bed, her eyes wide. “You gave up the throne, the power. For us.”
Tensley smoothed a hand across her cheek and into her hair. Then his head dropped toward hers and he kissed her lips. “I would do anything for you, dolcezza.”
Molly smiled tearfully, and the baby cooed. Tensley leaned down and kissed his forehead.
“You are my court, my crown, my queen. Family above all else. That is all that matters to me,” Tensley whispered and held them close, letting her feel the beat of his heart. “You have well and truly tamed the beast. Forever.”
One year later…
ILLYA GIGGLED AS he crawled across the hardwood floors, determined to escape. Molly laughed and bent down, picking him up.
“You
silly boy,” she said and gave him a wet kiss on the cheek.
He only laughed more.
“He’s a handful, just like his father,” Daphne said as she grabbed a bowl of chips and avocados. She squeezed his cheek and he smiled up at his grandma. “I can’t believe he’s one today. He’s grown so fast.”
Molly swayed him as he perched on her hip. Their little warrior had grown up fast indeed. He was tall and chubby and had the sweetest dark curls on his head. His eyes—were just like hers and when he grew frustrated, they would shine bright.
At first when it would happen, Molly would try to teach him to calm down, to control his emotions, but he was still so young, it was almost impossible. So instead, she had found another solution. When he would do it, she’d flash her own eyes at him and it would make him laugh, his chubby little belly rumbling with the sound, and he’d forget he was ever frustrated about something. She knew she had plenty of time to teach him how to control his powers.
“Speaking of which where’s his father?” Daphne asked, but still kept her complete attention on Illya. It was his strongest trait, one he had inherited from his father. He could capture everyone’s attention in a room just with his presence.
Molly rubbed her cheek against his. “He’s in his office finishing up some work before the party. I told him to be down here by five.”
Daphne arched a brow. “That man is going to work himself to death,” she said, and rolled her eyes. “And he keeps telling me he isn’t like his father.”
Molly examined Daphne’s sad smile. She still missed her husband, and Molly knew that Daphne liked seeing Salvatore in their children, because it meant that in a way, he was still there, with her, beside her, through all the trials and hardships of life.
And Molly knew their child wasn’t very different. She had caught Tensley staring at old family portraits of his dad a few times. He would only ever frown and wouldn’t say anything, but Molly knew the pain was deeply nestled inside.
“I’ll go get him,” Molly said and gestured to Illya. “Do you mind holding him?”
Daphne grinned and shook her head. “Come to Grandma.”
Illya willingly went into her arms, but he frowned as his mother walked away. He was attached to her and his father. It had been a struggle to get him to sleep in his own crib at first because he was so used to sleeping between both of his parents, snuggled tight. But Tensley felt they needed their own time together, that they needed their own space.
Molly was hesitant at first, worried their son might need her and she wouldn’t be close to him.
But when Tensley had reminded her all the things they could do when the baby wasn’t lying in their bed with them, Molly had eventually agreed to his demands.
But not without being very, thoroughly convinced first.
Molly smiled at the thought as she walked up the stairs of the summer cottage out in Cape Cod, eying the pictures of their wedding. Tensley had kept the promise he made before their wedding in High Court. He married her again in Manhattan, in a church, with a small crowd of their closest friends and family.
That had been five months ago.
September and Stella stood beside her and they would have came today for Illya’s birthday, but Stella was beginning her Masters Degree in Law and September was backpacking in Europe for the summer.
Molly walked down the hallway and knocked once on his office door. His gruff response told her he was pissed off about something. She entered, smiling at him bent over his desk, papers scattered everywhere.
“You’re late,” she whispered.
His stormy gaze snapped up to her and he fell back into his leather seat, a hand going to his forehead. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I got caught up.”
She perched on the side of his desk, crossing her legs.
“What will the guests think if their Dux is late to his own son’s birthday party?” she asked, lips in pout. Then, mischief flashed in her eyes as she eyed him, as delicious as always in his tight, perfectly tailored suit. “On second thought, we could take advantage of the situation. You’re already late anyway and your mother is taking care of the baby,” she added, shrugging. “You, in that sexy suit. Me, spread out for you to feast on. A few minutes of bliss on your desk,” she finished, and she almost sounded innocent. Almost.
His eyes went to her legs and his jaw ticked. “Oh you little temptress… Don’t give me ideas now, dolcezza. With everyone downstairs, we’d have a hell of a hard time finding a kid friendly explanation as to why our guests could hear you screaming my name all the way from the office.”
Molly’s smile grew, then she shrugged again, falsely nonchalant. “You’d probably ruin my makeup anyway, and I spent a long time doing it. Might as well forget the idea.”
Tensley’s own smile turned feral. “Indeed.”
She shrugged, smiling down at him. “You do it all the time.”
He stood, stuffing his hands into his pockets, his jacket pulling back to reveal his fit body underneath. He stepped in front of her, his fingertips skimming her thighs. “Tonight, in here. You don’t get to make suggestions like that one and not go through with them, dolcezza,” he said, and his tone made her clench her thighs.
“Oh?” she cocked a brow and grinned at him, kissing his jaw. “Do I also get to decide how you take me? From behind maybe? We could let the beast have a little playtime,” she went on a seductive whisper.
He growled and gripped her hips, forcing her to stand. “As you wish.”
He kissed her softly, thoroughly, feeling across her cheekbones.
There was something she wanted to tell him, something she had been desperate to tell him for a little while now but was waiting for the right moment to do so.
But it wasn’t now, not yet. She’d wait.
She would wait until tonight.
TENSLEY DRAGGED THE cigar from his mouth and let the smoke pass through his lips. Outside in the summer night, members of Scorpios and his family gathered in the darkness. Lights sprawled overhead and laughter echoed.
The men spoke of High Court. Of the prince’s reign and the gossip of him claiming a woman as his and creating a scandal.
Politics and gossip that didn’t matter to him anymore.
He did his job. All that mattered to him was coming home to Molly and his son.
He eyed them across the lawn as Molly held him on her hip. She had been a natural with Illya and every second he was home, he spent it with his son and her.
He never wanted to miss a moment and deciding to give up the throne had been the best decision he had made. He wouldn’t have been able to see his family.
He would have missed so much and that made his chest heavy.
Gabriella stood next to Molly, her own Isabella on her opposite hip and Donovan moved between their legs, playing a game by himself. Senior Illya approached the group and smiled at Donovan, pretending to grab him. Illya had been a constant in their son’s life, especially after the death of his own mother. He overheard Molly telling him he was always welcomed to stay with them. That he was family.
Tensley couldn’t have agreed more.
Months had passed since the High Court and the passion between him and Molly hadn’t died down.
The last couple of weeks though she had seemed strangely quiet when he came home at night. She seemed tired and he kissed her until she fell asleep, getting up through the night to soothe Illya when he cried.
He sometimes envied his son—for the childhood he knew he would have compared to his own. All he had known was a childhood of pain and horror. Illya’s childhood would be his mother’s sweet kisses and her soft laughter and snuggles.
“You’re staring,” Beau said beside him, taking another drag from his own belladonna, a demon drug. Both of them stood underneath the giant willow trees, away from the rest of the men.
“Yes, I am,” he snapped back. He wasn’t ashamed to say he enjoyed watching his wife.
Lex moved toward Molly, not before stealing an angry g
lance at the two of them in the shadows.
Tensley worked his jaw. “What did you fuck up now?”
Beau snarled. “I didn’t do shit.” He took another drag and glared at Lex as she turned to face Molly and hugged her, then kissing Illya. “I would just destroy her.”
Tensley fought a grin. “Maybe she wants that.”
“She deserves better than me,” he hissed out. “You know what I am, how I am.”
When the beast had ruled over Tensley, he had went through some dark times. But it could never be compared to the kind of hell his brother self-inflicted.
He had been through hell, had been scarred by the past events and years later, he was still recovering, painfully slowly. He hadn’t had a Molly to heal him to curse him. But it seemed obvious to Tensley that Lex wanted to be Beau’s Molly. She wanted to help him, to help him through it. If only he’d let her and stop his own self-destruction…
A man in his twenties, young but with a self-confidence to him—a soldier of Scorpios approached the group of men and gestured to Lex. Lex broke out in a smile. She went into the man’s arms and he wrapped one of them protectively over one of her shoulders, whispering something in her ear. Whatever he said, it made Lex’s smile grow even more as she looked back at him with a secret look.
Tensley waited for it with a wry expression, waited for what he knew was about to come. And sure enough; it happened.
Beau growled lowly, the dark, animalistic sound ripping through him with a force Tensley knew oh too well.
“Territorial, I see,” Tensley said on a laugh.
“Shut the fuck up,” Beau snapped.
The man and Lex spoke, her smile brightening. Beau growled again, his eyes growing dark.
“That bastard better fucking stop touching her,” Beau snapped and stomped off toward her.
Tensley watched, amused as his brother wedged himself between Lex and the soldier. The soldier glared at Beau and words were exchanged. Tensley eyed Beau’s clenching and unclenching hands at his side. He was going to destroy that poor bastard.
