A Queen of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales 4)

He made it to our rooms, finding Urien and Leala working quietly to put away clothes and set everything to rights.

“That’ll be all,” Nyfain said, turning toward the bedchamber.

When they’d gone, he set me down softly before looking deeply into my eyes. He traced my jaw with his fingertips before putting pressure beneath it, tilting my head up a bit so he could lean down and slide his lips across mine.

“Thank you for being there tonight,” he said. “Thank you for standing by me. For never refusing to back down to my rage. I need it. The kingdom needs it. I like knowing that you’d poison my breakfast if I ever get out of hand.” His lips curled up into a smile, but I could hear the seriousness in his tone. “I like knowing you’d never allow me to turn into the man who raised me. If I should ever turn into the thing I loathe, I know you’ll never allow me to treat you the way my—what I thought of as my father treated my mother. You’ll ensure I don’t continue the cycle, and that gives me comfort. I will never hurt you, little dragon, and if I try, I expect death.”

“That is oddly romantic,” I whispered. His lips merged with mine and swallowed my chuckle, his slow and languid kiss sending shivers racing across my flesh. “I would never poison your breakfast, though,” I murmured against his lips as he pulled the straps of my dress off my shoulders. The fabric cascaded down my body.

He leaned back just enough for his gaze to take me in. He glided his hands down my sides, his fingertips barely skimming my flesh. Goosebumps erupted across my skin as he reached the band of lace around my hips, tracing it.

“No?” he asked softly.

“No. I’d poison your late afternoon tea, or your dinner, depending on how quickly the poison worked. That way you’d die in your sleep of what the doctors would hopefully assume were natural causes.”

His fingers skimmed my outer thighs now, his mouth next to mine, breathing the same air.

“I love that about you—you’re so smart and vicious.”

He moved his fingers back up, gliding them over the tops of my thighs and then my pelvic bones, avoiding all the places that were suddenly aching for his hard and fervent touch. They danced across my stomach and along my ribs, curving to sweep up the sides of my breasts, annoyingly avoiding my nipples.

“I’ve been nervous to take my place as king,” he admitted, which surprised me, because I hadn’t read that through the bond. “Nervous that I’ll end up like the king before me, and the king before him. That I will only be there because of titles and bloodlines.”

I wanted to scoff but didn’t, instead closing my eyes as his fingertips lingered over his claiming marks before moving upward.

“How about now?” It came out a breathy whisper.

“Now?” His lips glanced off mine. He pulled away before I could deepen the kiss.

His light touch moved over my shoulders and down my back, avoiding my scales.

“Now I am excited. The throne is not technically mine for the taking anymore. It is not a duty to bear. Instead…”

His fingers flowed over my butt cheeks, heading to the backs of my thighs.

“It is a position to fight for. It is a challenge to rise to. I will welcome challenges from anyone who feels they can strip me of the throne. And I will crush them all.”

Power rang through his words. It slithered across my skin and hardened my nipples. I groaned from the delicious feeling of it.

“I liked fucking your ass last night,” he said darkly, his lips on my neck, his palms spreading across my ribs. “What would you have me fuck tonight?”

His filthy mouth made me shiver. “I want you to fuck me with your tongue.”

He growled softly, his hands disappearing from me for a moment so he could quickly strip out of his jacket and what lay beneath it.

“Look at me,” he commanded. “Look at the monster who occupies your bed.”

Soft candlelight glinted off his robust frame, ink and scars and muscle winding together in perfect, battle-worn harmony. His golden eyes glinted in his beautiful face, his scars not detracting from his appearance. Adding to it, if anything, showing the dangerous edge he wielded like a sword.

Gazes locked, I slowly reached for him. His pec flinched when my palm touched it. My other hand went for his pants.

“You are only a monster to my enemies,” I said quietly as his pants dropped to the ground. “You are a guardian to me.”

I pushed down his underwear, salivating when his cock sprang free. I gripped it in my hand as I moved closer, sliding my other palm up his rippled stomach and back to his pec.