Crown of Crimson (Underworld Gods 2)

“You just have to trust me on this,” he says in a low voice.

“Why can’t you just show me? I’ve been there before.”

“You shouldn’t show someone their own book.”

“Who says?” I say through a squint. “You just made that rule up.”

“Library is off-limits,” he says, voice bordering on a growl now. His eyes are cagey. “For the next while. I’m, uh, doing a magic experiment.”

My mouth drops open. “A magic experiment? What does that mean?”

“It means the library is off-limits,” he says again, pulling me even closer to him. He’s fully clothed and I’m entirely naked and somehow I’m in-between his legs. How am I not surprised? “You can’t get in without me anyway. It will expel you.”

He adjusts his grip on my wrists, tilts his head as he looks me over. Maybe he expects me to protest but I know when to choose my battles. I ain’t getting into that library unless he wants me to.

“Now your turn,” he says.

“My turn what?”

His gray gaze is steady, playing no games. “You had to tell me something. What is it?”

I can scarcely remember, I’m still so focused on everything else. I’m also focused on his scent, his body throwing off massive amounts of heat, the pressure building between my legs, how hard my nipples ache.

Damn it! Why does my body do this to me?

He lets go of one wrist and cups me hard between the legs, pulling me closer that way. I gasp and he starts rubbing me with his palm.

He is not helping.

“Tell me,” he says. “Tell me what you were going to say. If you don’t tell me, I’ll stop.”

“Then stop,” I say, but I’m bluffing.

He doesn’t stop because he knows it. He works his hand further between my thighs and I know I’m already drenching him.

He stills and then holds me there. “Tell me.”

I sigh, breath shaky, and say, “There is a prophecy of three. The mushroom lady told me. So did a Bone Straggler named Michael. It’s not just the one prophecy that you know, there are two others.”

Now he’s really still, a deep line etched between his arched black brows. “What are the other prophecies?” he asks quietly.

“A shaman will have three children,” I recite. “One will raise the Old Gods. One can touch Death and together will destroy the Old Gods and the uprising. And one, born from shadows, will defeat Death, leaving the kingdom to Kaaos. Michael thought I was the one born from the shadows. He says that he’s met her, that her name is Salainen, that she’s with Louhi, and that she looks exactly like me.”

He grabs me harder, an acidity in his eyes. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me this earlier?”

“I tried,” I tell him. Despite myself, I move down into his palm, wanting the friction. Jesus, there must still be that damn glitter water in my veins.

“You didn’t try hard enough,” he snarls.

“You didn’t give me a choice!” I snap. “You dragged me here, married me, then threw me down a glorified well!”

“Are you going to bring that up for the rest of our marriage?”

“Yes!”

He growls. “You’ve fucked me enough since then to talk to me.”

“Oh but wait, wait, I thought you were fucking me?” I say mockingly.

He reaches up and grabs me by the back of the neck, pulling me so that I’m pressed against him and his fingers thrust up inside me. I moan, mouth open, unsure what to do, feeling too many things at once.

“I am your king,” he whispers harshly, his gaze so dark and dangerous. He thrusts another gloved finger inside me. “You kneel before me.”

“I kneel before no one,” I snarl at him.

He leans forward and kisses me, capturing my lip between his teeth. “Another reason why I can’t fucking trust you,” he murmurs, giving my lip a tug before covering my mouth with his, letting out a groan as he does so.

His tongue is strong and deep, bringing out a deep noise from the depths of me as he nearly has all four fingers far inside. His thumb roughly slides over my clit as long, leather-clad fingers curl over my g-spot, and then I’m coming on my feet.

Oh…oh god.

My neck arches and I let out an animalistic moan, my knees buckling as I’m taken by surprise so completely.

He grabs me by the waist just before I collapse to the floor. Then he lies back on the bed and effortlessly hoists me up and over until I’m straddling his face.

I stare down in shock and awe, still riding the wave of the last orgasm. My legs are quaking, held in place by his big gloved hands that wrap around my thighs and his eyes peer out from between my legs. Dark against pale. Rough stubble against the softest flesh.

“Tell me more,” he says, lips brushing against my pussy as he speaks. His eyes are still dangerous and completely carnal in their desires.