Unlikely Queen (Crystal Castle 1)

“You can’t always save me,” I say, leaning in. His hands wrap around my waist, and I lean forward, ready to kiss him, but at the last minute, I turn my head and my lips meet his neck. His skin is cold beneath my lips, and as I push myself forward onto him, I can feel his hardness between us. I bite my lip to stop the soft moan that wants to leave.

“What is it that you are doing, little fighter?” His voice has changed, being more huskier now. Dirtier. Did I do that to him?

“I do not know,” I answer him truthfully.

I stop and pull away, putting distance between us. He moves forward and pushes my hair back behind my ear.

“I’m going to give you something, something that is forbidden. You must not tell anyone and use it at your discretion.” He pulls out a sharp blade. It’s small, bright, and looks a lot like other knives, but there is something incredibly different about it. I stand, wiping the dirt off my ass before I face him again. In those eyes that hold death, I see anything but. I see someone who is like no other person I have ever met. Someone I probably should have never met, but someone I was destined for.

I see death in all he’s beauty.

Stepping forward until I am almost touching him again, I reach for the knife. My hand grazes his and our eyes lock.

“Why are you giving me this?” I take hold and it sends a buzz all through my body. I feel a weird connection with it, and when he removes his hand, I blink a few times at the loss.

He seems puzzled at first, his brows knit together as he stares at it.

“What does this do?”

“It kills angels,” he answers.

My fingers open and it drops to the ground at my feet. I take a step back and stare down at it, at the power it holds.

“The problem… only you can use it but no one else can. Do you understand me?”

“No.” I start shaking my head. “I definitely do not understand you at all. How is this even a thing?” I glance back to the blade shining brightly in the dirt, and I lean down to pick it up and hold it in my hands again, feeling the uniqueness.

“It is not known by humankind or supernaturals. This is only used by us. We keep our weapons under wraps. But those angels you are facing are no longer serving the same god I am, so this is why I give you this weapon. They will not care if they end your life. And I would rather avoid that if I can.”

“How chivalrous of you,” I say with an eyeroll.

“Don’t mistake me for a caring man, little fighter. I am neither man nor caring.”

“You care if I die.”

His lips thin at my words. “I do.”

Before I can stop myself or talk myself out of it, I lean forward and my lips connect with his. He doesn’t stop me, doesn’t pull away. He lets me have this moment for whatever it will be worth. One of my hands grips the back of his neck while he just stands there. He doesn’t kiss me back, and because of that, I go to pull away. As I do, his hands snake around my waist and pull me to him so our bodies are smashed together, the knife somewhere between us, as he holds me as if I am his everything.

Then he moves his lips. Those sinful, full lips melt into mine and open as he takes everything I can give. He kisses me back with the most soulful kisses, as if he collected them and waited until this perfect moment to give them to me.

I take it because, for once, I want to be greedy.

Greedy with Death.

Even saying the words makes me question my sanity.

My hands at his neck claw at him, needing more and never wanting this to end. When our tongues touch, it feels like a hundred fireworks just went off in my stomach. This is what it should always feel like, and I’ll never be able to forget it now.

I’ve been kissed before.

Slow.

Rough.

Kind.

But never with a fierceness that takes hold of my body and grips to my soul with its dark clutches and won’t let go.

To stop him would be a sin.

To have him would be death, floating up to heaven.

I can’t imagine what that would be like, so I relish all that he is willing to grant me right now. His mouth on mine, his tongue dancing with mine, giving me something he has denied or not parted with before.

He tastes like cotton candy and fresh air, like saltwater mixed with the perfect alcohol. You can’t help but lick your lips at his taste. And tasting him is what I am doing, what I plan to do every time I see him.