Page 24 of The Rat King
“You can, Xavier. You’re king now. If she won’t freely give you her love, then you must take it. Do what your brother was too weak to do, for all of our sakes. Show her the man you are like you show me.”
They were quiet for a long moment, then fabric rustled and several pieces of material, likely their clothes, thudded to the floor. “We don’t have long, my love. Use your mouth,” Xavier said, and a few seconds later, his groan was followed by slurping sounds.
I knew I shouldn’t be listening, but this was a rubberneck situation. I couldn’t tear myself away.
“Oh yeah, baby,” he said, and moaned. I jumped as the bell struck once. It rang a second and third time, and a grunt came from inside the room. “Easy, Olive.”
“Sorry, my king,” she said, and I could tell by the slight change in her voice that her rat teeth had come in. Their footsteps retreated, and I poked my head inside just enough to get a glimpse of them.
I’d never seen any of the rat-people naked, and other than being dusted with the fine rat’s hair everywhere, they appeared anatomically the same as humans. Granted, I was a distance from them.
Xavier guided her over to a chair in the corner, pressed her to her knees, and bent her over it. He got to his knees behind her, and she made a pained sound as his hips went flushed with hers and he started pumping, grunting with each stroke. All of it repulsed me. Even the way his thick ankles angled his feet outward behind him as his belly smacked against her furry ass made my stomach churn. Ick.
I’d seen enough. I turned and scurried down the hallway toward the safety of my room.
Oh. My. God. Xavier already had a woman, and he was trying to get me to fall in love with him for the sake of breaking this curse. I thought we’d at least formed a friendship, but this was absurd. That andhis lover, Olive, had encouraged him to use a stronger hand, coaxing me into submission. I knew her type—total pick me girl. If she lived in my plane, she’d probably be one of those crazies suggesting women give up their voting rights because it made them feel good to pander to powerful men. Eww.
Shock had me panting as I leaned against the back of my locked door. Not that I felt even the slightest glimmer of hurt. That was the thing. I didn’t care who Xavier slept with. I just hadn’t expected what I saw and heard.
The way he’d glared at me before he stormed away… I knew that look. That was the type of look I usually called a bouncer at the club for. He was slowly gearing himself up to take what he wanted. After that, her words would have convinced him.
I had until the next full moon and then Xavier was going to force himself on me if I didn’t let him. I needed to let him. I knew I did. I’d been telling myself that for the last few months since our wedding, and I’d honestly almost psyched myself up to do it, but seeing him railing that rat-woman with his mild paunch slapping over her furry backside was a sight I would never be able to erase from my mind.
Run. I could run away like the women before me, curse be damned. The fact that it would be damning an entire society of people to live for eternity in half-rat form made guilt churn deep in my gut. And then there was what Nighval and the other warlocks would do to the witches when the curse expired. But if I could somehow find this witch who cursed them,their mother, maybe I could convince her to release the curse to save her sisters. Yes, that is what I would do.
My mind whirled. I could go now, I wanted to go now, but perhaps waiting until the next full moon would be wise as the castle workers and guards would be distracted during the few hours of the reprieve. That was another thing I learned I could count on in this plane. Those couple of hours a month, everyone seemed to abandon their duties, and no one paid it any mind. Besides, I didn’t think Xavier would try anything while in his rat-form. I only had to hope the supposed nice guy inside him held out long enough for me to prepare.
Chapter 16
Avery
One month later
Iscannedmyroomas the moon began its ascent. My backpack lay in the corner of the room near the window, one of the few in the castle with no cracked or broken panes. I had it packed and waiting, stuffed with clothing, my kick-ass makeup kit, and non-perishable food pilfered from the kitchens earlier that morning.
It had been a busy month and since Xavier had taken up relations with his lover again, some of the pressure on me dropped. With that, he even agreed to shift a few of the castle duties Leviticus handled to me which was really too bad since I was leaving. Had he done that and shown faith in my abilities during the prior seven months, when I’d had to fight tooth and nail to make the small changes I had, things might be different.
Actually, who was I kidding. I probably should have seen him for what he was, what my gut was telling me and split like the other witches months ago. That misjudgment I definitely blamed on the Disney movies doing me a solid disservice.
Tonight, I would slip off the first-floor balcony, into the gardens and catch a ride to the first town bartering with my jewelry and the other items which had been inside the drawers of my vanity. All of it was there when I arrived, probably belonging to the other witches before me.
I changed into the most practical attire I’d brought with me, low-worn leather boots, leggings, a long-sleeved crop top which only showed an inch of my midriff and had a built-in sports bra, all black. I snatched out a traveling cloak out of the wardrobe which had armholes for the large draping sleeves and stuffed the valuable items into the inner pocket.
In my month to prepare, I memorized a map of Ras alhague and re-read every single document I’d taken from Samara’s room twice. I’d even found Link again and made him pick the lock on the room so I could read the love letters. Anything to get a peek into her psyche. I’d find her and, as a witch myself, kind of, I’d convince her to undo the curse.
My determination outweighed my nerves as I scanned the room which had been my home to see if I’d missed anything when my eyes fixed on the nightstand and the drawer which sat open an inch. Tilting my head to the side, I considered it. In my first month here, when I’d thought that I was in more danger than I was, the danger I was in now, I’d stashed a carving knife in the drawer. Just in case.
Shaking my head, I left it there. I remembered hearing a self-defense instructor say it was better not to attempt to wield a weapon if you didn’t know how to use it. I’d be more likely to hurt myself with the thing than defend myself.
I knew I’d never fall for this man, especially not after what I’d seen. And he didn’t even want me as queen. He wanted Olive. My efforts had never been so futile. It was time to go.
Chapter 17
Nighval
AsIcreptthroughthe shadows after her, it was hard not to let a smile play at the corners of my lips. It was almost cute the way she tiptoed down the dark alley. Honestly, I was surprised how far she’d made it into the night before I’d sensed her breaching the wards I’d placed on Ravsted. I didn’t think she could ride, but perhaps she paid off someone for transportation in a carriage or even one of the dozen motorcars which could be found in the city surrounding the castle for hire.
Something about the way she fled excited my prey drive, a sensation which differed from when I’d hunted the lowlifes on her wedding night or when any of the witches had run before her. Was it the animal in me, enlivened by the curse, or just the way I was? Or was it her? I glanced up at the moon. I had time. I could make a game of it before I delivered her back to my brother.
