Bride of the Traitor: A Prophecy of Sisters Novel

by Faiman, Hayley

  Merek shrugs a shoulder. “You are a man who was thrust into a position that you had no desire to have, then you were dealt something magical and unimaginable and you have handled it better than anyone could ever have expected. However…”

  “However?” I ask when he doesn’t continue immediately.

  He clears his throat. “However, your queen could use some comforting. It is true she stayed abed, not eating or drinking for a week’s time. I was forced to demand her to rise and take care of herself and make herself known amongst your people. I do believe the witches when they describe her as tenderhearted.”

  “Thank you, Merek,” I murmur. He dips his chin and turns from me, only to stop and look back over his shoulder.

  “Your correspondence is in the top drawer. There are several balls that you’ve been asked to attend. And unfortunately, my mother will be paying a visit shortly.”

  “Why?” I almost shout.

  He snorts. “Unsure, but I believe it has more to do with me than it does you. She has been hounding me about taking a wife for some time.”

  I shake my head. “Won’t you join me in speaking your vows, cousin?” I chuckle.

  His eyes dance and he shakes his head once before he answers me. “Only if you find someone like your queen for me. I think the women of her world, if they are all remotely like her, hold much greater appeal than the royalty my mother will demand I wed.”

  “Find a commoner then, you do realize I am the one who’ll approve your match, do you not?”

  He tilts his head to the side, lifting his hand he rubs his jaw. “Would you?”

  “To make my cousin, my brother happy, I would do very much, Merek.”

  Merek leaves my chancery without saying anything else. I’ve given him something to think about and I hope that he will indeed, think on my words.

  I do not wish to force him into a loveless marriage just because my wretched aunt demands he marry someone of breeding. I know as well as he does that those women will never make men like us happy.

  We need women like my Sybilla, he is right on that note. She is fiery, smart, soft and sweet all in one extremely seductive package. Standing from my desk, I decide that my correspondence can wait.

  SYBILLA

  I’ve been avoiding my girls all morning and now, afternoon. Standing at the back entrance of the castle, I watch the creepy-ass Elephant birds peck at the ground ahead of me.

  I prefer the view from the front of the castle, but it’s extremely busy today and there is a higher chance of running into not only Merek, Rowan, or Henry, but also Elias there. It’s quieter back here, only servants come and go, and they ignore me.

  A finger touches the back of my neck, slowly sliding down my spine and stops at the last button of my dress. I don’t jump, or even turn around to see who it could be, I already know.

  Not only could I feel Elias’ presence as soon as he stepped out here, I also know that nobody else in this castle would dare to touch me.

  “You’re not pregnant then?” he starts.

  Spinning around, I narrow my eyes and shift my gaze up to meet his. “Why would you even ask me that?”

  He shrugs a shoulder. “I had hoped…”

  “I’m sure that you did. That way you could lock me away and never have to put up with me again,” I snap.

  His brows tug together and his lips turn down into a frown. “Sweeting,” he begins.

  I hold my hand up. “No, stop right there. No more sweetings, no more soft Sybillas. No more anything. This morning was a mistake. I know the witches did something to make us crave each other, carnally, but we’re just going to have to fight that, because it’s not happening again.”

  I hear a small rumble of thunder in the distance and the scent of rain becomes stronger. Elias tilts his head to the side, his eyes focused on me and looking nowhere else.

  “Do you love Merek?” he oddly asks, ignoring my words completely.

  “What?” I cry. “Of course not. I mean maybe it would be easier if I did, he’s sure a hell of a lot nicer than you are, but no I don’t love Merek.”

  His lips twitch into a small smile. “You cannot love him and do you know why?” he strangely asks. Crossing my arms over my chest, I press my lips together and shake my head. “Because you are bound to your heart’s true love, physically. You become ill if you and your true love are not together and your true love feels the same effects.”

  I take a step back, not quite believing this shit. That witch bitch. I mean it would make sense that Elias is the one, especially with the way I just plopped in his castle the way I did, ripped from my home and my family.

  “If I don’t want to be bound to an asshole like you?” I ask.

  His mouth turns up into a big, too beautiful smile. Damn the bastard and his beautifully scarred face and the way that it makes my belly melt.

  Elias takes a step toward me, wrapping his arm around my waist before he hauls me against his strong chest. His mouth touches mine, his warm lips just staying there and not kissing, just touching mine. It’s sexy and sensual and he knows exactly what he’s doing.

  “Elias,” I whisper breathily.

  He hums, and that brings a shiver down my spine as my body arches closer to his, begging for more of his touch, more of what happened earlier, more of him giving me pleasure.

  “You are my queen, Sybilla. With or without that spell, I knew that you were meant to be mine the moment that I laid eyes on you. Prophecy be damned, you were made for me, sweeting. I do not know how to be a husband or a lover, not properly.”

  “Are you saying you’ve never been in a relationship before?” I ask.

  He grins. “I’ve had many relations, but usually not with the same woman more than a few times. This is new to me, Sybilla. You must have patience. I’ll not be the man of your dreams. I have duties that far outweigh any personal desires. You will need to understand that I will not be able to be available to cater to your every whim,” he explains gently.

  “Yes, I realize this.” I nod.

  His lips gently touch mine in a soft kiss. “I vow to endeavor to be a better husband from here on out.”

  “Is this an apology?”

  “Kings do not apologize, sweeting.”

  “Not even to their queens?” I gasp.

  He chuckles, his arms flexing around me. “Not even to their queens, but I will try to be better to you and for you.”

  Without another word, he shifts his head and his lips capture my own. He may not think that kings apologize, but that very moment, as his tongue tangled with mine, my king apologized for being a royal asshole to his queen.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  SYBILLA

  My eyelids flutter open to the feeling of soft lips brushing against my lower belly. Lifting my hand, I thread my fingers through his hair, gently tugging his head back. He looks up at me, his lips turning up into a small smile.

  Using my other hand, I extend my index finger and slide it down his scarred eye. His entire body stiffens and I slide my finger over to his mouth, tracing his lips with the tip.

  “You’re beautiful, Elias,” I whisper.

  Vulnerability.

  It’s not something that I’m entirely used to, but I want to be for him, for what appears to be a new start for us. Yesterday afternoon, after his silent apology, he spent the day with me. He showed me around the grounds of the castle, places that I hadn’t discovered yet.

  He took me to their church, pointed out different species of birds that I’ve never seen or heard of before. He even took me to the stables where a mama had just delivered her pups. I couldn’t contain myself, I sank to my knees and just stared at the still closed-eyed puppies.

  Then, he brought me back to our room and made love to me in the sweetest ways possible before he had a tray of cheese, fruit, and crackers delivered for our dinner along with a pitcher of wine. It was the honeymoon that I wanted, it was perfect.

  Now, waking up with him still in bed with me, h
is body between my legs, I can’t stop from warming at the sight of him, his hair still mussed up from his sleep. A sleep that he spent with his arms wrapped around me.

  “I am a monster, Sybilla.”

  Biting my bottom lip, I shake my head. “No, you’re not. One simple scar doesn’t make someone a monster, what it does is make you ten times more attractive. You are strong, you’re a warrior and I’ve never been with someone so rough, so rugged, so brave or strong before. Beauty, you hold a beauty that I’ve never witnessed in my life.”

  I watch as he closes his eyes, almost as if he is in pain before he reopens them and his black glittering gaze meets my own. He bares his teeth and presses his palms next to me on the bed before he pushes up and moves farther up my body, all of his brute strength now hovering above me.

  Spreading my legs, he lets out a grunt when his hips fall between them and his length presses against my pussy.

  Just when I think that he’s going to push inside of me, he lowers his head and runs his nose along my own. I let out a breathy sigh, lifting my legs to press my shins against his ribs. He grunts, his hips shifting as he glides his length through my pussy lips, sliding against my clit.

  “Elias,” I exhale.

  I’m tender from our time together yesterday afternoon and throughout the whole evening. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much sex in such a short period of time and yet, it doesn’t feel like enough. I don’t know how I managed without his touch for six whole weeks.

  “I cannot get enough of your body, of the feel of you, Sybilla,” he purrs.

  He slants his head to the side, his lips crash against mine, at the same time he eases inside of me. I’m not wet enough and my body protests, but only for a moment. Then my back arches as his tongue slips into my mouth and he pushes completely inside of me, easily.

  “You are ready for me, always,” he mutters against my lips.

  My teeth nip his bottom lip playfully. “As are you, My King.”

  Elias growls, pulling out of me before he thrusts back inside. “When you call me your king, I feel invincible,” he admits.

  “Aren’t you though?” I sigh, reaching my hands to his ass and grabbing ahold of his hard muscles.

  He shakes his head, his lips smiling as a chuckle escapes. He rolls his hips, causing my smile to die and a moan to take its place. “Nay, sweeting. I’m only a man.”

  “More than a man,” I groan as my nails dig into the muscles of his ass.

  My grip causes him to move faster, thrusting harder, my breasts moving with each drive of his cock inside of me. Sweat beads on his forehead, but I can’t look anywhere but those glittering black orbs as he stares intently into my eyes.

  “Everything about you is golden, the color of my coat of arms. You were made just for me, Sybilla. Never forget that you are special, my Queen.”

  “As long as you never forget either,” I whimper.

  Elias shifts to his knees, but I can’t let go of his spectacular ass. My shins stay pressed to his side as he changes his angle. His arms, no longer needed to hold him above me, shift as one of his hands grips my waist.

  The other moves to cup my cheek, his thumb sliding along my bottom lip, his eyes following the movement before they flick back up to meet my own.

  Lifting my hips, I meet his thrusts, my body climbing higher and higher, so close to another orgasm. I’ve had so many in the last twenty-four hours I’m not sure my body can handle one more, but then my back arches, my eyes close and it takes over my entire being.

  “Spectacular,” I hear Elias whisper above me.

  He doesn’t allow me to bask in my release for long, his strokes become erratic, hard and fast as he takes his own pleasure, climbing and then stilling as his cock twitches inside of me. He lets out a roar with his climax, his body trembling.

  Neither of us move, my eyes are just slightly open as I attempt to catch my breath. My hands are still gripping Elias’ ass, his are still gripping my waist and cupping my cheek as we both just stare at one another.

  “I don’t believe in love, Sybilla. I never will and that is the downfall of this prophecy. You are supposed to be with your heart’s true love and he is supposed to love you. The witches meddle, but although you are mine, my body has claimed you, my heart perhaps has as well, but love is a choice and I will never love another.”

  My heart cracks at his words. He’s still inside of me, his cock half-mast and he’s making damn sure I know that he will never feel love for me. Turning my head to the side, which he doesn’t allow, I try to hide from him. His hand on my cheek guides my face back so that I am forced to look up at all of his beauty as he stares down at me.

  “That does not mean that I will treat you poorly. It does not mean that I do not hold affection for you. I do, sweeting. If I were to love, you would be a formidable match for me. You are strong, yet soft. You are sweet, yet high-spirited. You are everything that I’ve never experienced in a woman and didn’t realize that I needed.”

  “But you’ll never love me? I’m your wife and you’ll never love me?” I ask, trying to keep the hurt from my voice, but judging by the wince on his face I fail miserably.

  He lowers his face, his lips brushing mine. “I will never do wrong by you, My Queen. Trust me, believe me when I say that though there can be no love from me, there will always be respect where respect is earned. And you, Sybilla, demand respect, which you will always have from me.”

  I hate his words. Hate them. No woman wants to hear about her husband never loving her, but in return respecting her while he’s buried inside of her, while she’s still wet from his cum. Fuck that.

  Releasing my hold of his ass, I put my palms against his chest and attempt to push him off of me. He shakes his head once, shifting his hips forward, grinding his pelvis against my clit.

  “You will not push me away for telling you my true feelings,” he grinds out.

  Shaking my head, I try to keep the tears from falling down my cheeks. There is a crack of thunder outside and then I hear the rain begin to fall. I feel that crack in my heart, my mood as stormy and sad as the weather outside.

  “You will not push me away,” he orders.

  “How do I find my heart’s true love, Elias? There is no way that it can be someone who refuses to open himself to me. There is no way the prophecy would put me with a man who refuses to love me and call it magical and fated. I don’t believe that, not for a second. The witches got it wrong, you got it wrong.”

  Elias’ eyes flash from black to steel blue and that is when I know that he’s retreated. He pulls out of me, rolling to the side of the bed before he throws his legs over the side.

  “Don’t turn your back on me, Elias. Not now, not again,” I whisper.

  He turns to look back at me from over his shoulder. His gaze is hard, his jaw like granite as he clenches it tightly, a muscle jumping. Then he shakes his head once.

  “I do not turn my back on you, Sybilla. You have all but told me that you do not want me. That I am not your true match, nor will I be your heart’s true love. Who do you think it is, Merek?” he spits.

  I sit up, ignoring my nakedness as I crawl on my knees, slipping from the bed to kneel between his thighs. Looking up at him from the floor, I am under no illusion that this is a position of submission, one that he will not miss, nor mistake.

  Placing my hands against his knees, I slowly slide my palms up his thighs and stop when I reach the tops and can go no farther. His eyes flick from my hands to my face. He doesn’t even attempt to hide his annoyance and anger as he stares at me, jaw clenched and eyes narrowed.

  “I want more, Elias. No man has ever loved me and I’m sorry if I want that from my husband, but I do. Prophecy or not, I want my husband to be madly in love with me. I’ve waited my whole life for that and I’m not going to just accept a lifetime of respect without love, not when I can have both.”

  “You ask too much,” he rasps, the anger ebbing from his features.

  Shifting cl
oser to him, I tilt my head back a bit farther. “No, Elias, I am not.”

  He lifts one of his hands, shifting it through the strands of my hair, cradling the back of my head with his palm. His fingers grip my hair, holding me firmly, but he doesn’t pull or guide me in any one direction, he just holds me still, his eyes searching my own, darkening right before me.

  “I never want to hear of your past lovers, not ever again, do you understand me,” he growls.

  His fingers grip my hair tighter, his eyes swirling blue and black before they turn their glittery black. I’m so mesmerized by his eyes that it takes me a moment to register his words.

  Narrowing my gaze, I try to pull away from him, but his grasp is too firm. His lips turn up into a slow smile at my struggle. Curling my lips, I pinch my eyes closed for a moment before I reopen them.

  “They happened. They’re not here and I didn’t know you then, so please don’t act like I owe you anything. I had lovers, you’ve had lovers and that’s just the way of the world, Elias. You knew I wasn’t a virgin the first time you took me.”

  He leans forward, his eyes sparkling and causing my breath to hitch at the anger that pours from them. His nose is almost touching mine, his lips the same and all I can do is hold my breath and wait for what he is about to say to me next. I have no doubt that whatever it is, he’s about to piss me off—royally.

  “You are bound to me, Sybilla. By the gods demands you are mine. Love, lust, respect, it matters not. All that matters is that you are mine and I am yours. The prophecy will play out as it is intended by these same gods.

  “They jest, and they do so often. They have done this by creating a woman perfect for me to love, yet not allowing me to have that feeling,” he explains, my heart racing faster and faster with each word that he says to me.

  Elias doesn’t stop there, he continues and in the distance, I hear thunder rumble around us as my thundering heart slams against my chest. “You will continue to fall in love with me, as you are capable of that, my sweeting. Your life will be full, you’ll be adored by your king, by your people, and our castles will be full of the children that we create together. What else is there in life, but those simple pleasures that are all that will matter at the end of our days?”