Page 50 of The Rat King
Oh Goddess, if I hadn’t caught the feels before, I definitely had now. Maybe more than with the way my heart was wildly beating in my chest. He pulled away and grunted with the effort of it. I opened my eyes so I could watch him, all the while my pleasure ratcheted higher and higher.
Never had I imagined any of this. While the man above me lost in his own lust driven haze was so flawed, he was also perfect. And he wanted me to be his wife.
“Nighval,” I said, and he caught my gaze. “I think, oh my God,” I said as the words began to form in my mind. “I think I—”
“No,” he said, and a frightened look crossed his face before he leaned down and took my mouth again. Whatever I’d been about to say disappeared as a wave of pleasure crashed over me and my body went rigid. My heels dug into the bed, thrusting my hips up so I could take more of this sublime onslaught he was giving me. Goddess, the waves kept coming, driving into the deepest part of my core, and I was blinded by the hard rolling sensation.
It felt so good it almost hurt, and as the waves slowed, little aftershocks still jolted through me. He pressed in deep, in a final thrust, and I jerked as it spiked through me, sending off another explosion. He released my mouth and groaned, “Fuck,” as his body stiffened above me. His hand had snaked around my ass and was pulling me tight against him as he spilled himself inside me in throbbing, pulsing surges.
When he finished, he collapsed over me, still semi-hard inside me. “Are you okay?” he asked, breathing into my ear. His hand threaded through my curls, and he placed a series of sweet kisses across my face.
“Yes,” I said. “More than perfect. You constantly surprise me, Nigh.”
“Good,” he said, sliding out of me. He was still draped half across me, and he tucked my arm across my stomach and threaded our fingers together. This big, scary man could be so sweet. It was a paradox I could hardly understand.
“I know I should clean you up, but the thought of you sleeping next to me with my cum leaking out of you is too attractive to resist.”
Hell, that was dirty. But I’d been drinking herbal pregnancy prevention tea in preparation for when this finally happened, so I figured I could give this to him. “Okay,” I said, and his fingers squeezed mine.
Something about the way he’d been while we were intimate, his earnestness, struck me. He was desperate to make sure I was his. It made my heart ache knowing the pain the thought must cause him. That he found himself so unlovable he thought I’d bolt at a moment’s notice. That I wouldn’t accept him and how wonderful I was learning he could be. I was only now coming to understand how negatively he viewed himself. It was tragic.
If things kept progressing like they were, we would break the curse. It was crazy, and unexpected, and wonderful. Not only would I be a queen, but I’d also get a fairytale love. Perhaps I should back pedal on my Disney hate after all. Sure, the heroine went through some shit to get the prince, but she got him eventually.
How had all of those other women not seen the prize before them, so clearly ready to be loved? I would not make that same mistake. Reaching over, I tilted his face toward mine.
“Nigh, you’re not going to lose me, okay?”
He swallowed as he scanned my face. “Promise?” he asked, his voice was guttural and such vulnerability shown in his eyes I could hardly do anything else but agree.
I nodded, as my heart pinched for this perfect man. “Yes, Nighval, I promise.”
Chapter 37
Nighval
Ipeeledmyselfoutof bed before my fiancée awoke. The word made me hungry with need. It was too bad Xavier ruined the word bride for me, likely for Avery, too. At least I had fiancée. I’d think of the title until it changed to wife. But the reprieve ended sometime in the night and we both slept through the bells indicating its end. Now when I looked in the mirror, a monster stared back at me. I needed to clean up and get out of this room before I gave into my desires and crawled back into bed.
It was one thing to use my mother’s magic to make her see something else and sleep with her in human form during the reprieve. I wouldn’t allow myself to have her in this form which meant this next month was going to be difficult. Now that I knew how seamlessly we fit together, restraining from taking her, especially knowing how eager she was for it and the smoldering flame between us, would be utterly painful. Especially since I must keep things progressing between us.
It briefly crossed my mind that I should have allowed her to say the curse breaking words that, for an instant, tried to escape her lips. Then she could hate me, and we could get on with it. Because I wasn’t letting her go, no matter what. She was the queen I was promised, and I’d be damned if I didn’t keep her. She’d come around eventually and if I’d let it happen, let the curse break with those three words, I’d be one step closer to reclaiming my position between her thighs and in her heart once again.
But after all these years I’d become selfish. I wanted to live for a month under her warmth as her feelings for me built. I cursed my people to another moon cycle for the love of a woman and my weakness. My not wishing to see hate color her eyes against me. I’d done it to prolong that disdain I had coming for another four weeks. And now I was retreating from the room we’d share from now on so she wouldn’t wake up and try to pull me into bed. I didn’t know how I would resist and the more I ruminated on it, the more fucked I sensed I was.
At least I had enough work to occupy me until I could have her again without restraint. When I awoke and snuck into the bathing chamber to ready myself for the day, I discovered a correspondence from Link sent with his power overnight in our usual spot by the sink. He’d finally made it back to Ravsted to keep an eye on things while I was here and according to the letter, he had Leviticus back on his leash. That was one less thing for me to worry about. The Council of Warlocks, under his guidance, would deal with a few pressing matters there while I was courting Avery, but he’d included a stack of items he felt needed my direct attention. I was grateful for the distraction.
I picked up my discarded cloak and gave my fiancée one last glance before I strode from the room. As I did this, another word floated into my mind.Chase. An uncommon name, but a name. The way she’d cried it out last night as I watched her sleep made my stomach swirl with dread. Her face pinched like she enjoyed whatever was happening in the dream. It was the one coherent word I’d picked out of all her murmurings. Could this Chase be a former lover, or who she saw when she looked at me?
I brushed the thoughts away. I had to cling to the knowledge that despite the façade she saw, she was getting to know me. When it all came crashing down, at least we’d have a true foundation to build upon, because choosing to let her fall for myself was the one right decision I’d made in the last eighteen years.
After spending about an hour in my office, I needed to make a trip into Bellfield, the township a few hours’ ride away. It would take the better part of the day, but I’d left Avery a note explaining the need for my absence as I always did.
Jonas stepped into the doorframe right as I was collecting a few documents. When I was in residence at Ravsted, people brought their petitions to me, but at the palace I found it easier to venture out into my kingdom. That way I could keep the messy business of ruling out of my leisure home for the most part.
“Your Majesty,” Jonas greeted.
“Good morning, Jonas. Perfect timing. Please have Eclipse saddled and brought around front,” I requested.
Instead of obeying, Jonas shifted uncomfortably on the balls of his feet. “Actually, Your Majesty, Sir Robert Musson is here to see you.” I groaned, but Jonas continued. “This time he has two of his sons with him.”
