Knightfall (Tangled Crowns Book 1)

by Ann Denton

  He’s crossing the moat! Quinn, you have to go—

  The moat! Quinn yelled. Water!

  Suddenly, the water in the moat surged overhead. It rose in a ring around the castle, floating above the towers, rippling in the wind.

  I heard Declan’s voice muttering next to me. Yellow light shot toward the water droplets, which suddenly turned black. An iron stench filled the air. My breath caught. My heart skipped when I realized the droplets weren’t black. They were red. Red as blood.

  Blood started to rain down on all of us as the dragon flew over the first tower and spewed flame.

  I could feel my power swell with the presence of so much blood.

  And for the first time, the rush of adrenaline in my veins carried the edge of excitement with it.

  This beast wanted to attack my castle? Let it try.

  My arms automatically swung to follow the dragon. I pushed out every last ounce of power I had. Green light exploded through the sky. The ring of blood shriveled, evaporating as my power consumed it.

  I met the dragon’s orange eyes head on.

  Its eyes flickered, turned brown. And then it fell, smashing into the cobblestone courtyard.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Meeker was brought up by two of Quinn’s spies. He’d been caught trying to leave Marscha when the dragon was spotted.

  At first, the Sedarian ambassador refused to disclose how to work the elven chain. He said it was a betrayal of Sedarian state secrets.

  But Quinn was not my spy master for nothing. He was eventually able to persuade the ambassador that disclosing that information was in Meeker’s best interests.

  Though I had defeated the dragon and was able to stop using my powers, I wasn’t able to climb off the balcony until Meeker provided the counter spell. So when I came down, it was on shaky limbs.

  I collapsed into Connor’s arms.

  Ryan personally drug Abbas into our deepest dungeon and chained him there.

  Declan went to find our beast master, to see what might be done about a dragon who’d collapsed in the courtyard and was snoring peacefully.

  Jorad and Avia made an appearance to check on me.

  Neither were very impressed by the state of my clothes, the state of the balcony, or the state of the courtyard. I didn’t get a single clap for defeating the dragon.

  Instead, Jorad’s lips thinned as he surveyed all the damage he’d need to get repaired, the blood stains he’d need to get out of the stone, and the awful state of his queen and her knights. The ledger-keeper in him was tallying up the expenses of my first day as monarch. Watching that almost made me laugh.

  He stiffly reported that the citizens had been calmed but would expect a speech from their ruler. I nodded and waved him off.

  “In a moment.”

  He gave a curt bow before going back to do … whatever he needed to do.

  That’s when Avia launched into me.

  “You idiotic strumpet! You got engaged to that lunatic? And then, sent me below like some, like some—” she collapsed into dramatic teenage tears.

  “I needed Abbas to feel in control.”

  “He had a sarding dragon! He was in control!”

  “Well, yeah. We didn’t know it was that close.”

  Avia smacked me. Hard. “Don’t you ever do that again!”

  “I’m your queen. I’m allowed to do that.”

  “You’re my sister and you’re never allowed to do that! And that’s final!”

  I bit my lip to hide my smile. “Well if you say so—”

  “I do say so. You big stupid shite!”

  “Oh, stop squawking,” I pulled her into a hug.

  When I released her, I turned to Connor. “Do you mind doing most of the talking? You’re better at not being offensive than I am.”

  Connor gave me a tired half-smile and nodded. He grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers. “Of course, Bloss Boss.”

  We made the announcements to a stunned crowd and then put Jorad in charge of answering questions and politely kicking everyone out of the castle.

  The dragon woke before Jace and Declan could figure out how to wrangle him. The beast took off and was followed by Ryan’s guards as he headed north.

  I doubted we’d seen the last of him. But, at least now, we knew we stood a chance. We knew we could fight him, so long as we fought together.

  “What do you think of a moat permanently filled with blood? It could be kind of neat.” I joked.

  “I nearly puked from the smell alone,” Declan responded.

  “Alright. But the Blood Queen has a ring to it, doesn’t it?”

  “No,” Connor responded.

  “Bloss, the dragon killer?”

  “How about Bloss, the spanked?” Ryan retorted with a yawn.

  I pretended to pout. “You all are no fun at all.”

  We are exhausted from saving your beautiful butt, Quinn said.

  I turned in outrage, ready to lecture him.

  Just joking, Dove. Let’s save the nicknames for a time when we’re not utterly spent.

  We went to the royal wing together, bathed, and everyone piled into my bed. In under two minutes, we were all asleep.

  The next morning, I woke to four naked men, standing at the foot of my bed, stroking themselves.

  I yawned and stretched. “Well, if that isn’t a sight for sore eyes.”

  “Your eyes aren’t going to be the only thing sore today, Wife,” Ryan said.

  He walked forward and pulled me out of the bed. He hugged me to him for a moment before he set me down. Then Ryan tore at my clothes. He ripped my chemise in half with his bare hands and shoved it off my shoulders. It fell to the floor in a heap and I was left shivering in the brisk morning air.

  Four pairs of eyes raked over every inch of me.

  “Dearling,” Ryan murmured.

  Declan came up and hugged me from behind as Ryan ran his hands over the newly healed scars on my thighs. Connor and Quinn came to stand on each side of me.

  Ryan stroked the scars. “Never again, Dearling. You will never do that again.” His voice grew rough. “Say it.”

  “Which part?”

  “You’ll never come up with a stupid plan. Or get engaged to another man. Or fight a dragon. Or try to send us off—”

  “That’s quite a list. What if I don’t have a choice?”

  Ryan growled, his fingers curling around my thigh. His hands were so large he covered nearly half of it. His eyes burned down into mine. “Bad girls talk back. Say: I won’t put myself in danger again.”

  “I won’t put myself in danger again … sir.”

  Ryan groaned, and his fingertips dug into my thighs.

  Declan pushed aside my hair and whispered in my ear. “Blossie, I think you need to be punished.”

  Ryan roared and spun me around so that I was facing Declan. Declan held my hands and bent me forward so my breasts dangled. I had a clear view of his erect cock, pointed up at my mouth. But he wouldn’t lower me enough to let me touch it.

  “Not yet,” Declan breathed. “You’re in trouble.”

  Quinn stepped forward and cupped my right breast, squeezing softly. He released it so I felt the weight as it fell back toward the floor.

  Bloss, he moaned in my head.

  Having the three of them touch me all at once set off something wild inside me, something untamed. I hummed with need. My eyes sought out Connor, who was standing back, taking in the scene as Declan cuffed my wrists in his hands and Quinn bent and sucked my right nipple into his mouth.

  Connor’s tousled curls fell over his eyes but he didn’t bother to move them. His hands were busy on his shaft. One of his thumbs slid over the sensitive head of his dick as he pleasured himself. I could only imagine the sensual picture the four of us made.

  But I ached to feel all of them at once.

  “Connor, come here and touch me too, please,” I begged. “I need all of you.”

  Connor stepped forward slowly and
sank to his knees under my belly. He kissed from my belly button downward, leaving a feather light trail that made my nerve endings light up.

  Ryan’s finger traced a trail down my spine and over the curve of my ass, under each cheek.

  Then Ryan’s finger left my body. He gave me a smack, pushing me into Declan’s chest just as Quinn grabbed my left nipple and pulled, just as Connor’s tongue touched my slit.

  I bucked like a wild colt and only Declan’s arms kept me in place.

  Having all of them stimulate me at once was amazing and overwhelming.

  But then they all stopped. They waited. I looked up at Declan but his eyes were on Ryan, awaiting orders. I turned my head to look at Ryan out of the corner of my eye.

  Ryan held his hand up, poised to smack my ass again. But he stayed there, frozen. “I can’t,” he said. “I’m actually mad. I can’t spank you again.” His eyes softened as he dropped his hand. “You scared me so bad, Bloss.”

  Declan released me. I stood and turned to reach for Ryan, but Declan grabbed me.

  “You might not be able to spank her. But I can punish her.” Declan spun me around, smashed me into foot of the bed, pushed me over so my back hit the mattress, then yanked my body so my legs were off the sides.

  He wrapped my legs around himself. And then slid slowly down until his face aligned with my core, which was perched on the edge of the bed, gaping open from the position he’d put me in.

  Declan started to kiss my skin softly, gently. Then he began to kiss up and down my seam. He was careful not to build up friction. He made sure he kissed just hard enough to tease. My body warmed. I pulsed with need.

  I whimpered. My breath started to come faster.

  But Declan continued to kiss me at a snail’s pace, content to watch moisture gather at my opening.

  Connor joined us on the bed, so he could watch Declan from a better angle. He’d always been a voyeur. He perched on his knees near my shoulder. I watched his ball sack stretch as he stroked himself again and again, eyes roaming my naked body and heaving breasts as Declan teased me.

  “Dec, please,” I begged.

  “No!” He stopped.

  “But—”

  Declan loomed over me. “You pissed us all off. You still tried to send us away yesterday.”

  My eyes filled with tears. I looked at each of them, and their faces shimmered. “I’m sorry. I just love you so much. I can’t bear the thought of anything—”

  “Say that again,” Ryan growled, stepping up to the foot of the bed and standing beside Declan.

  “I love you.” I said it to each of them, holding Ryan’s brown eyes for a moment, then Quinn’s grey gaze. Declan’s baby blues stared at me, and he stroked my slit with his fingers as I said it to him. And then I looked up at Connor, who had paused his stroking to watch me as I said it to him.

  Declan slammed into me while I was still looking at Connor, surprising me.

  “You’re ours! Say it.” Declan slammed again, making my body slip back along the sheets.

  “I’m yours,” I groaned as Declan’s dick touched my cervix. There was a spike of pain, but not enough pleasure yet to set me off.

  “Please,” I moaned, hoping any of the others would take pity on me.

  Connor’s legs suddenly loomed over my face. He straddled me as he lowered his dick toward my mouth. He laid the shaft over my lips and waited for me to open. “Suck me,” Connor commanded.

  I took Connor’s thick red shaft between my lips as Declan smashed me again, this time grinding slightly to rub against my clit. The flicker of pleasure at my clit, along with the bone deep soreness of him slamming into my pelvis, started to build up pressure. My legs started to tremble.

  I rode that line of pleasure and pain as Declan slammed and ground against me again. I moaned against Connor’s shaft. I began to arch my back, searching for that perfect angle. I was close. So close. There. I found it as Declan slammed again.

  My eyes fluttered, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bluebird. It flew across the room to hover over me. And then it shite right on my face.

  “Ah!” I screamed. I pushed Connor’s dick aside as I swiped at my nose and mouth. But my face was bare.

  I turned to my right, to glare at Quinn, who was steadily watching Declan and Connor, who shoved his dick back into my mouth and started pumping, holding my hair.

  What the sarding hell, Quinn?

  Dec may get you first, Dove. But you’re still being punished. Besides, your first orgasm is mine. Only mine. His grey eyes flashed.

  Oh God, my mind shuddered at that. His possessiveness sent sparks down my spine. My brain began to unfurl like a flower in the sun.

  Until I saw a racoon scramble across the bed and bend to nibble at my nipple. I nearly bucked Declan off. I couldn’t help it. My mind was operating on an instinctual level at this point.

  “Dammit Quinn!” Connor cursed and climbed off me. “She nearly bit my dick!”

  “What’s going on?” Ryan asked.

  Quinn leaned toward him.

  An evil grin spread over Ryan’s face. Ryan turned to me. “Seems only fair you have to wait, Dearling. After what you put us through.”

  “No. No,” I moaned, shaking my head back and forth against the mattress.

  Connor spoke on my other side. “I think Quinn’s generous to say he’ll let you cum at all.”

  I turned to face him, and saw he was back to steadily pumping his own shaft, watching my tits bounce as Declan thrust into me again and again.

  Heat built up within me once more. But before I could get more than a tingle built up, Declan groaned. I felt his dick pulse.

  And then he slid out.

  Ryan grabbed me and flipped me over. “Up on your knees,” he barked.

  I complied, pulling my knees up on the satin sheets and resting my weight on my elbows.

  “Oh no, Dearling, get up,” Ryan gently pulled my hair until I was up on my hands. And then he pulled a little more on my hair until my back arched and my head was tilted back slightly. My throat was exposed. Ryan pushed on my back to arch it and expose my ass at the same time. I’d never felt so controlled. My nipples throbbed. I wanted to beg Ryan to touch them, but I knew I couldn’t.

  “You’re ours. Say it.”

  “I’m yours.”

  Ryan thrust into me. He was so thick, his girth spread my lips and rubbed against them, shooting sensation over my entire lower half. And then his balls hit. Ecstasy and pain at once. His balls were thick, heavy. They slammed into my clit again and again.

  Ryan’s hand smacked my ass. The spark traveled through me, up my spine toward my head. So close.

  He smacked me again.

  “Sir!” I cried. “I’m yours, sir!” The words alone sent me spiraling. One more thrust and I’d detonate.

  But Ryan stilled. “Let me know when she’s calmed down.”

  “Quinn!” I screamed. “That’s not fair.”

  A silent chuckle tickled the skin on my chest as Quinn positioned himself under me and began to slowly lick a nipple. It will be amazing when you do cum for me, love. It will take you into another plane. Now … suck Connor’s cock like a good wife.

  I looked up to see Connor propped up on his knees in front of me. His large red shaft was already slick with precum. His eyes were heavy lidded with desire. “I need you, Bloss.”

  My heart cracked, hearing that. “I need you, too.”

  “Damn straight you need us,” Ryan shoved into me, driving my face toward Connor’s cock. I opened my mouth and his cock slid in. It was salty against my tongue. I lapped at it, able to control little beyond my tongue since Ryan still rode me.

  The sensation was overwhelming: Ryan’s huge dick splitting me open, rubbing against my sensitive pussy lips with each thrust; Quinn sucking my nipple and sending sensation shooting down to my womb; Connor murmuring he loved me as his dick touched the back of my throat.

  Ryan roared when he came, bucking against me hard and fast.


  Connor came in my mouth seconds later, gushing warm hot fluid down my throat. I swallowed all of it that I could.

  I collapsed on top of Quinn, feeling wound up and exhausted at the same time.

  Oh, no. Dove. The best is yet to cum. Get it?

  He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me off the bed.

  “No,” I groaned in protest. My legs could hardly hold me up. But Quinn had me stand and hold onto the bedpost as he yanked pillows off the bed and tossed them on the ground. Then he led me over and had me lay on the rug in front of the fire.

  “Mmmm.” The heat felt good, so good I was drowsy.

  But then—sarding ass—Quinn opened a window. And the ice-cold breeze made my nipples pucker and goosebumps rise on my belly.

  What are you doing?

  Sensory stimulation, Dove. Your nerves are alive right now. Quinn grabbed my pelvis and lifted it. He waited until my eyes met his and then he deliberately stuck out his tongue and took a long slow lick up my opening.

  I gasped. The cold and the heat and his mouth on my core. It was a rainbow of sensation. All the feelings at once. It was bliss.

  My hands fisted in the rug. I struggled not to thrust against him wildly.

  He licked again. And I couldn’t help the tiny jerk of my pelvis. My eyes grew heavy.

  One more lick. I was there, teetering on the brink.

  Quinn shoved two pillows under my ass and thrust home, the giant mushroom tip of his dick splitting me open and rubbing inside me. He thrust just enough to hit my g-spot and then hovered there, twisting his hips. His hand came down to touch my clit.

  I exploded. The room went dark, then light, then dark. Tingles ran all the way to my skull. I was abuzz with energy, light, floating bliss. I thrashed and screamed and cried out. The orgasm seemed to go on and on, like a wave in the ocean. An endless current of pleasure.

  Hell yes, Dove. Give that to me. Give me your rapture.

  I started to come down, and I met his eyes. Can you … feel that?

  I can see your thoughts. Experience it that way. Connor over there was cumming again himself, lucky bastard.

  We both turned to watch Connor, who was mopping cum off his stomach.