Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
His lips pressed down, and the taste of him swept her away. She pulled against the chains, wanting to free her hands and grab him. To yank him closer. She opened her mouth, and he filled it. His hand glided up her shirt, against her skin. His hard length rocked against her.
Her groan was tortured.
“Tell me, little human. Would you be disgusted if I fucked you in a prison cell?” He continued to rock against her. Her eyes fluttered as he did.
Her rebuttal was sultry and wanton. “If you try, you won’t make it to sunrise.”
“Hmm, delicious threats. Should we see if tonight will be my last?” He hiked her legs up to his hips to increase the friction.
The pleasure sizzled within her core. “Only someone deranged would consider fucking her jailor.”
“Yes, and that is why you are so very fun, don’t you see? You can’t help but want me, your superior in every way. Your better. Try as you might, but you are unable to resist me. Now be a good pet and unravel for your jailor.”
He rubbed against her harder. His fingers lightly pinched her nipple the way she liked, and his magic delved into her. All at once, the sensations were overwhelming. Incredible. She blasted apart, shuddering against him, loud in her climax. Supposed to hate him but unable to resist him, she would absolutely look weak and pitiful for this. The result was perfect, and thank the gods, because she didn’t have much of a choice. Not with him. Not ever.
Same, he murmured, shaking against her, his breathing fractured. He’d been consumed by the game. Now, quickly—mutter curses at me so I can check the mark on your neck.
She did as he said, leaning forward and twisting. He pushed her hair away, paused for a moment, and thought, Fuck!
When he leaned back, his eyes were searching hers. The image flashed into her mind: four pretty, intertwining symbols at the top of her neck that shimmered like a sea of tiny diamonds. They caught and threw the light into a gorgeous halo. A very noticeable halo. This was the wrong time to think of all the outfits it would work best with.
Fuck, he said again, his gaze filling with regret and remorse. He let go a breath. I might have no choice but to fully claim you in front of the court. I had hoped a mark would make a big enough statement, but diamond dust speaks of prophecy. What prophecy? I don’t know. I doubt anyone does. They have somewhat insane myths in this court based mostly on doom and destruction. Diamond dust is just one of many.
He shook his head and stepped back, his physical words taunting and drifting into the background, because his mental words were something entirely different. Something that sounded distinctly like him and not the creature produced by this court.
I don’t have time to figure it out, and it doesn’t matter anyway, he ground out. I didn’t foresee this. I apologize. I’ll… We’ll… He shook his head, flustered. I am sorry for what happened to you here, dove. I have placed watchers to alert me if anything else should transpire. Endure this place for a little longer. After that, we can move you. I just need that mind-shield magic to take hold. Never, ever lift up your hair. Not ever. Your safety depends on it.
He swore again as he pushed her back to flat.
Fully claim her? In front of an audience? Didn’t that mean…
Blackness rushed in and stole her consciousness.
9
Alexis
“Frank, seriously, for the last time, you cannot come.” Lexi faced him as the last of their new gear was being organized. His wispy hair arched over his mostly bald head, and lines creased his face. He’d known Lexi’s mom way back in the day before she died…and he’d died. Now he hung around, occasionally helpful, usually not. “None of you can.” She looked at John and Mia, two very useful spirits. “I can’t reach spirit on the other side of that portal, and I have no idea what Faerie will be like. I have power in this world because of my magic here. Hades, lord of the underworld, grants that magic. He’s not a god in Faerie. His domain ends here. My magic might, too.”
“They have the Amethyst kingdom in Faerie,” Mia murmured, picking at the big wooden button on her sweater from yesteryear. It was the one she’d died in, and she’d never decided to change her ghostly image. “Their affinity is for spirit.”
Lexi frowned at her.
“I’ve been listening in on your and Kieran’s planning and studies. I can’t understand time anymore, but I can retain new information.”
“Right…” Lexi hadn’t noticed that Mia had been taking an active interest in all of this.
“If they have an affinity for spirit,” said John, usually the commander of their undead army when they needed one, “they will have a setup for the afterlife. Hades was banished to the underworld here. He didn’t create it, or so the legends say. You can traverse it because of your affinity with spirit. If we have fae in our underworld, they’ll have humans in theirs. And if humans are admitted, you can traverse the spirit. It’s only logical.”