Moon Raven Rising (The Moon Raven Trilogy #3)

6. Raelle

Chapter six

Days have passed, and I’m only able to venture out of the lush tower Soren keeps me in when it pleases him. At least it’s not the dungeon. Nonetheless, I’m a caged bird. The fact of the matter is, he enjoys reminding me any chance he gets. He calls me his gods awful nickname, little bird , every time he insists I be in his presence. The entire time his voice rakes at my eardrums as his words drip from his rancid lips, and acid burns at the back of my throat. He forces me to play dress up, puts me in fancy dresses, and parades me around the castle like a shiny new toy. I hear the whispers from the Fae around us as he forces me to entertain him for meals. Time and time again, he attempts to break me with his threats. Each one he delivers only hardens my resolve.

Unfortunately, now is one of the times I’m subjected to his presence.

Osiris lingers at the edge of the room just as he always does. Ever the shadow, never very princely. He only has come near when he brings food to my room, where he waits until he’s seen I’ve eaten something, then leaves just as swiftly as he entered. My skin prickles at the back of my neck as I sense his eyes on me. Something about him makes my magic stir. As if it’s alive under my skin; clouds churning in a storm.

“You’ve barely touched your dinner, little bird,” Soren says and the wine I just took a sip of sours in my mouth immediately. I want to spit it out. Spit the toxic taste of his words back at him, but I don’t. Holding my tongue, I look up at him through my lashes and reluctantly put a small bite of golden potato in my mouth. I glower at him the entire time I chew. A glint of something enters his eyes as he watches. Sick bastard.

“This arrived today,” Osiris states as he places a piece of parchment down on the table between Soren and me. Soren looks at it and then to the Prince of Dragons.

“And? What is it, boy?” I can almost hear the grinding of Osiris’ teeth as he takes the sharp tip of his dagger and slides the parchment closer to Soren. It almost feels like a threat and has me looking at the prince out of the corner of my eye in a new light…

“Perhaps you read it, then I would not need to waste my breath.” My eyes twitch up to the prince, but he does not look at me. Soren, however, notices the twitch in my brows at the surprise I’m unable to contain.

“Watch your tone. Or should I remind you who is in charge here in Alrama—” Soren’s words get trapped in his throat as his eyes score lines in the parchment. He crumples it between his fingers, crushes it in a tight fist, then slams it down on the table. All of the dinnerware jumps at the impact. “Take her back to her room!” He bellows before taking the ruined missive and his furious emotions in a storm out the door.

My eyes lift to the prince, who stands a little taller, a smug smile pulling an invisible thread at the corner of his lips.

“Finish eating.” He grunts without looking at me, then pours a measure of Soren’s bourbon and walks to the window, giving me his back.

Curious, I narrow my eyes on him as I wonder what the letter said, but I bide my time and eat the rest of my meal while the prince drains his glass, lost in thought. His eyes never stray from the sea below. The silence stretches for a long moment while I continue to force myself to eat the meal. Every bite is a struggle, but I know, even though it feels futile, I need to nourish my body. Food doesn’t please me when so much is wrong in my life. When the pain overwhelms everything else, but I know I need the strength it will bring.

I place my fork on the dish in front of me and clear my throat.

“If you are finished,” he says as he places the crystal down on the table and makes his way to the door without waiting for me.

“I wish to see the garden.”

“No,” he replies immediately. I can’t help the scoff that comes from me as his blunt answer. When his blue eyes turn to find my green ones, he takes a deep breath. “You heard Soren. Back to your room.”

“My prison,” I grumble as I pass him, but if he hears me, he doesn’t respond. No sooner than I enter the room. My door is shut behind me. The click of the lock turning, trapping me inside loud through the emptiness… I groan, throwing myself on the bed. I don’t know how long I lay there looking up to the ceiling like it’s a window to the heavens. Eventually, though, the waning light from the dying fire is snuffed out, my eyes grow heavy, and sleep takes me into its grasp.

“Dax,” His name flutters past my lips on a breath. His hand brushes lightly across the side of my face as he stares down at me. Our eyes meet only briefly before he scans the rest of my face and body. When he kisses me, it’s as though my heart has grown wings and is trying to take flight out of my chest. A tiny bird trying to break free of its cage. Both of our eyes close and we lose ourselves within each other. With one hand cupping my cheek, he lets the other trail along my body. His long nimble fingers work any tie, button, or clasp I have on my clothing and pull it away.

His lips find a path down the column of my neck, then through the valley between my breasts. Each kiss and trail of his tongue scorches where they touch and soak my aching core. I subconsciously rock my hips forward, my throbbing center needing the attention of his mouth. I run my fingers through his hair and grip it as I urge him closer to the destination I wish him to be, and the chuckle he lets out just above my now bare lips has me panting with need.

“Breakfast,” he whispers, then kisses the inside of my thigh near my knee. “Lunch,” he says wickedly, moving closer even, the warmth of his breath causing an inferno between my legs as I weep for him. Achingly slow, he moves to the other leg, kissing my inner thigh again. “Dinner,” he growls before his eyes flick up to meet mine. My legs are trembling with anticipation, and when his hot tongue scores a line through the slick heat, I can’t hold back the moan that comes deep from within me. “Dessert,” he says, punctuating the word with a scrape of his teeth on my clit.

My hips buck, and he doesn’t disappoint; his mouth covers my sensitive bud, and he devours me. My back arches, and one arm comes above my head and grips the sheets. Pulling as though it will ground me. His tongue thrusts inside of me as his hand slides up my stomach and finds my hardened nipple. He pinches at the same time he sucks my clit into his mouth, flicking his tongue just right.

My mouth falls open on another moan as I rock myself into his face. His rhythm grows frantic as I reach the edge of oblivion, and when he thrusts two fingers into my opening, I scream for him. My inner walls clamp down and pulse around them with urgency. My juices soak both of us, but he doesn’t stop.

He’s on me in a second, his clothing gone, and he plunges his cock into my center fast and hard; at the same time, he dips his fingers into my mouth. Making me clean myself from them. With each thrust, he grunts and hits a spot so deep I feel as though he will split me in two, but the ache is building again. Each pull and push sends me closer and closer to the edge.

His cock grows harder, just as he thrusts, and at the same time he buries himself deep within me, and we erupt together. Panting, sweating, and shaking until neither of us can hold ourselves up and we collapse.

My eyes snap open to the sound of footsteps, and confusion creases the skin between my eyebrows as I lay on my back, naked, panting, with a sheen of sweat coating my body. I shuffle up the bed, and as I do, I notice the ache between my legs. A satisfying ache that has my mind spinning.

The footsteps continue past my door, not stopping until the sound of another door opens and then shuts. I know it’s Osiris because I know that he’s been keeping residence in the neighboring room. When no other sounds reach me, I let myself fall back into the pillows and reach out for the blanket. The sheets where I once lay soaked with still warm come causes my breath to catch in my throat. The feeling of being watched intensifies. “Dax?” I question the shadows in the corner of the room. “Where—are you here?” I swallow, the feeling between my legs… The tremors still lingering in my muscles. It had to have been him, but as the feeling subsides, I pull the blanket up to my chin, breathe in a long breath, releasing it through my nose, and as my eyes fall shut this time, I think of Dax. I think of every ounce of love I have for him and hope that I can send that feeling to him. Somehow, let him know that I have not given up. My heart is his, and I have a plan.