19. Chapter 19
‘ L ord Commander, you’ve received a message from your brother.’
We’d barely stepped through the door to the mansion when the seneschal made his announcement. He extended a sealed missive, and I fought the growl rising in my throat as I glanced at it.
‘Get the baths ready, call Agnes to attend to Lady Annika, and bring us food. Has Vahin returned?’ I asked, the pounding headache in my temples preventing me from asking the dragon myself.
Is Reynard summoning me? I didn’t want to leave the mansion, not with Ihrain bound like festive sausage and Annika falling asleep in my arms. If I read that letter, I wouldn’t have a choice in whether or not I reported to him, so I ignored it for the moment.
‘Yes, my lord,’ the seneschal replied. ‘Your dragon has returned and is resting in his lair. I’ll make the arrangements—’
A shrill shriek interrupted him, making us both wince.
‘My lady! Oh, my poor lady! What have they done to you?’ Agnes was running down the stairs, wailing like a vjesci.
‘I’m fine.’ Annika jerked awake in my hold, sending me a pleading look, but I knew better than to get between my woman and her maid. From the moment I had chosen Agnes to serve Ani, the girl had surprised me with how protective she was of my Nivale.
‘Agnes is right, my love,’ I said softly. ‘You’re exhausted. Let her look after you while Ari and I deal with our unwanted guest.’
Alaric looked at me questioningly. ‘Ihrain,’ I clarified. ‘We need to secure him, and I’ll need to read this bloody letter.’ I exhaled sharply. ‘Then we’ll all get some rest. Please, both of you, listen to me for a change.’
Annika moved closer, concern etched on her beautiful face, but I stepped back. Something about coming home had loosened the emotions I’d wrapped into a tight knot deep in my core. My family was safe, but for how long?
The memory of the massacre at Roan Fortress surged unbidden, and it took every ounce of restraint not to let it show when I looked at her. To me, she was a woman burdened with too many scars. To the rest of the world, she was a weapon—a tool to win not just battles, but wars. Few cared how that role weighed on her.
‘Something’s wrong, isn’t it?’ she asked, her hand resting gently on my cheek. ‘Don’t lie to me. I know that look. Something’s bothering you.’ Her concern bled into our bond, filling the cracks I was desperate to keep sealed.
‘Roan Fortress was attacked. It was a massacre,’ I admitted, pressing a kiss to her palm before pulling away. The pain of losing so many souls was finally catching up with me. I needed space—distance—to keep from unravelling in front of her. ‘Please, let me take care of things, then I will join you. It’s better that way.’
My throat was too tight to say more, but I knew she could feel the maelstrom of emotions burning inside me. Sadness filled Annika’s eyes; my rejection must have hurt her, but she straightened her back and forced a tight smile. ‘I understand. Take your time, but promise me you won’t be alone. Maybe you can spend some time with Ari?’
‘I will, sweetheart,’ I said, managing a faint smile. ‘And I’ll make sure he rests, too. Don’t worry about me—I’m just an old soldier who has seen too much. I’ll be fine. Go find that grumpy dragon. He misses you. He flew faster than the northern winds to reach you.’
She hesitated, her worry lingering, so I teased her, ‘I expect to see you on the training grounds tomorrow. You were injured, and I suspect my battle mage has gotten a little sloppy lately.’
Annika huffed, feigning annoyance. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll show you I can still beat your arse.’
As she walked away with Agnes, Vahin’s voice rumbled through my weary mind. ‘ Thank you, Ormond. I need her more than I could ever explain. ’
Gesturing for the guards to take Ihrain, Alaric turned to follow them.
‘Not yet,’ I said, stopping him. ‘Take the piece of trash to the cells, then bathe and wait for me in our bedroom.’ He turned back, raising his eyebrow as if my commanding tone were the last thing he expected. ‘Please, just do it.’
I turned away, unwilling to face having to make another decision, yet heading straight to the war room to do so anyway. That damned letter was burning a hole in my psyche, and the sooner I knew what my brother wanted, the sooner I could report on my findings at Roan Fortress. Once that was done, I could take the time to face my own emotions.
An hour later, I was done. The missive was nothing urgent—simply Reynard sending his regards and informing me of the war council the next day. I quickly wrote a response, attaching the report on Roan, the details of our latest misadventure, and the location of Ihrain’s portal. It was crucial Rey had this information before facing the other leaders—better to prepare him than let him be blindsided later by my revelations.
With the task complete, I made my way to the bath, eager to wash away the grime and tension of the day. Afterwards, I headed to the bedroom, hoping Alaric was already there.
By the time I opened the door, my mind was a mess of tangled emotions, all held together by uncertainty about our future. There was so much I needed to get off my chest, but could our newly blossoming relationship survive me sharing it all?
Inside, the unflappable bastard stood by the table, pouring a glass of wine. The sight of him stopped me in my tracks. He looked so much better. A bath and a change of clothes seemed to have restored the silver glow of his skin, but the most significant change was his eyes, gleaming with a golden light. There wasn’t a single hint of the pain that so often hid there. I stopped to study him, dressed only in spider silk, his shirt unbuttoned, openly showing the curse’s silver marks he’d been ashamed of for years, but even those had changed.
‘Wine?’ he asked. ‘Have a drink and tell me why I had to postpone the interrogation. You know my hands are itching to show Ihrain what “filth” can really do.’ He smirked, but his expression faltered when I crossed the room in two strides, slamming him against the wall.
My hand locked onto his throat, but he didn’t flinch, just calmly placed the goblet back on the table. ‘You spilt the wine,’ he whispered, the tease in his voice almost maddening. His body relaxed in my grasp—a show of trust that stole my breath. I needed him, and as his throat bobbed beneath my hand, I crushed my lips to his in a punishing kiss.
‘Next time you jump in to shield me, I’ll kill you myself,’ I growled, pulling back just enough to meet his gaze as my thumb traced the bruise on his cheek. ‘How dare you endanger yourself? I can’t fucking lose you, you stubborn bastard.’
Ari inhaled sharply, crimson light beginning to swirl in the depths of his eyes as he slowly licked his lips. ‘Dare?’ he asked. ‘You’re asking me how I dare to love you? How I dare protect the man who sees me for what I truly am and still accepts me? For all these years, you’ve meant more to me than anyone ever before. I’d die a thousand times for you, Ormond Erenhart. I dare you to question that.’
Alaric’s voice was hoarse with emotion as he swallowed. When he turned his head to catch my thumb between his teeth, I groaned, forgetting my dark thoughts. Gods, I want him so fucking much . I pressed myself against him, pinning his body to the wall.
‘I thought I’d lost you. I thought we’d returned too late, and in a way, it brought clarity to my mind. I can’t deny us, so if you have any doubts, stop me,’ I murmured, breathing in his crisp, masculine scent. ‘Stop me, because if you don’t, I will make you mine, Ari, and when I take you, your body and soul will never be free of me.’
‘No,’ he whispered, his body trembling under my touch. ‘I know what I want, Ormond; I was just waiting for you to want this, too. Do your worst. I can take it. I can take ... you.’
‘Fuck,’ I muttered as the last barrier between us crumbled. I leaned in for a kiss, and its searing heat reforged years of friendship into something more. Something so profound that it changed who I was. I didn’t have the words to describe it.
My hands shook with uncharacteristic vulnerability as I pulled back. ‘I don’t know what to do,’ I confessed, a quiet laugh escaping me. ‘I’ve never been with a man.’
Alaric’s eyes brightened with joy. ‘And you never will be with another,’ he said softly. ‘Do what you feel is right, and I will tell you if it becomes too much.’
My possessive fae had staked his claim and gave me the freedom to explore, but this wasn’t the teenage fumbling I’d witnessed in the barracks. I wanted something better for the both of us, and a sudden thought crossed my mind.
‘I know we’re both Anchored to Ani, but I ... I want a bond shared between the two of us, too, not just ... Is the ... Is it possible for us to share the blood bond, too?’
I was tripping through this like a nervous colt, my lack of knowledge failing me. I didn’t know if the blood bond was practised between dark fae males or whether it was only for a male and his domina, but I wanted it, and when he nodded, I acted on my craving.
My hand slid into his long, white hair, and I wrapped the strands around my fingers, twisting cruelly, never once looking away from his crimson eyes. With his lithe body pressed against mine, I kissed him again, licking across his lips until they parted, and I pushed inside. Ari moaned as I took control, and when my tongue slid over his fang, the soft flesh parted on its sharp edge, making him whimper.
‘Ormond,’ he gasped, breaking the kiss, his eyes searching mine. ‘Remember that for me, this is ... forever.’ His expression was so open and full of yearning that I wanted to pull him back to me, but he had to choose this.
‘I fucking hope so,’ I said, the words spilling out like a vow. ‘You’re the only one, Alaric’va Shen’ra. The only man I could ever love. You’re more than a friend, closer than a brother. I want you to know I want this—I want you .’
‘No regrets?’
‘Only that I waited so long,’ I admitted, cupping his face. ‘I was blind, Ari, just a man set in my ways, unable to see love when it smacked me in the face, but that changes now. I want the entire world to know you are mine, and if anyone ever questions this, we can just unleash Annika on them.’
Alaric laughed, the sound like a balm to my soul. ‘I wouldn’t wish her wrath on my worst enemy,’ he said, pressing his leg against my hard cock. ‘I want this so much, but Ani will always come first. You understand that, don’t you?’
‘Understand? She made all of this possible. You, me, Vahin. For all of us, she will always come first, but loving you differently doesn’t mean I love you less. So, are you going to let me in, my roguish necromancer, or will you continue stalling for time?’ I asked, and his breath came in shuddering pants.
Alaric reached up and gripped my shoulders, tilting his head as he answered. ‘I accept. Dark Mother, is this real?’ he asked right before leaning forward for a kiss.
He was shaking like a leaf, looking so overwhelmed that I let him set the pace. The caress, when it happened, shattered my world. Roughly sensual and masculine, his fingers stroked through my beard, surprising me with how different it felt from the passionate softness of Annika’s touch.
‘Make me bleed, Ormond,’ he whispered, his voice low and throaty. The words struck something primal within me. ‘Make me bleed for you.’
I didn’t hesitate. My teeth found his lips, biting down until the tang of blood filled my mouth, sharp and metallic. The coppery taste mingled with his essence, intoxicating me as I sliced my tongue over his fang, deepening the connection between us.
‘Making demands, are we, my fae?’ I growled, barely holding myself back. His eagerness had me questioning why I hadn’t seen it before. Looking back at all those moments when his touch had soothed my pain, when he had healed my injuries and lingered just a little bit longer ... It made me realise how much I had missed—how much we had missed.
Desire surged through me, and I bent him back as he yielded. Alaric’s submission wasn’t weakness—it was trust, freely given, and it set me aflame. His fingers moved to my chest, unbuttoning my shirt and sliding it off my shoulders, stripping me of my clothing as a dark aura flared around us.
I don’t think Ari even noticed his magic slipping loose as he kissed my skin, nails scratching over my chest, my abdominal muscles tightening in response to his touch. I was hard as a rock, my cock throbbing painfully in my breeches, but I wasn’t rushing this. I savoured the moment.
‘The blood bond is sealed,’ he said. ‘I’m yours. Hrae, I’m finally yours.’ Alaric’s laughter was pure and unrestrained, a sound I hadn’t realised I’d been waiting to hear.
‘So you are,’ I teased, a grin tugging at my lips. ‘And what are you going to do about it?’
His gaze dropped to my chest, and his lips followed, trailing kisses along my skin. I gripped the table for support, my breath hitching as his mouth moved lower.
‘ Fuck ,’ I snarled. I didn’t know why seeing him kiss his way down my body aroused me so much, but I had to close my eyes because the view in front of me threatened my senses. I was close to finishing without him ever reaching my cock.
‘Should I continue, my Domine?’ Alaric asked, looking up. Mischief flickered in his eyes, a long-forgotten spark that sent a shiver down my spine. This was more than acceptance. I had been gifted the position of prime male in our household.
‘Are you trying to make me beg?’ I breathed, unable to calm my racing heart, groaning when he toyed with my belt buckle before freeing me from my constraints.
‘Beg?’ he teased, his lips so close to my shaft that I felt his breath waft over the sensitive head. ‘Could anyone make my commander beg? But ... if you’re so impatient, show me what you want.’
‘Stop taunting me, fae,’ I rasped, the intensity of the moment almost unbearable. His hand wrapped around me, stroking, and my knees threatened to buckle. I reached for his hair, fingers tangling in the silky strands as I watched him. His tongue darted out, tracing over the sensitive head, and I hissed, overwhelmed by the sensation.
‘What do you want me to do?’ I murmured, tightening my grip on his hair and twisting just enough to draw a moan from him. He looked back up at me, his pupils blown wide, and when I pushed forward, he hungrily took me into his mouth.
I groaned as his fangs scraped against me, the hint of danger adding to the thrill. His mouth was hot and relentless, and I couldn’t stop myself from rocking into him, chasing the pleasure he offered so willingly.
‘Is this what you want, my love?’ I asked, my voice strained as I fought to maintain control. Alaric didn’t answer—he couldn’t. The deadly warrior was greedily sucking the very soul out of me. His hands gripped my thighs as he tried to hold himself back, but I didn’t relent until he swallowed every last inch, gagging on my cock until his throat relaxed around it.
‘Fuck, you’re perfect,’ I muttered. I knew his tastes leaned toward the darker, his love of pain a part of him both he and Annika had hinted at. Can he take the beast? The thought burned through me, but I held back, unwilling to assume.
Pulling him off me, I revelled in the disappointed pout that crossed his lips. I tilted his head back, forcing him to meet my gaze.
‘Do you like being helpless?’ I asked, pulling his head further back until he whimpered. ‘If you want me to hurt you, you have to ask. Beg me for it, Alaric. Beg me to give you what you need.’
My voice was low and rough. This had to be his choice, freely given. But gods, I hoped he would beg.
Alaric’s hooded gaze burned into me, his fangs flashing as his whimper transformed into a moan. I held him firm. I needed to hear it—needed his words, unvarnished and free of hesitation. I would rather gut myself with a dull blade than be violent against his will.
‘How do you ...’ His voice cracked. ‘Hrae, Annika?’
Yes,’ I murmured. ‘She told me, but I already knew.’ My grip on his hair tightened just enough to elicit another moan. ‘Now answer me. Do you want me to make it hurt?’
Ari gasped, his reaction giving me a clue but not the clarity I demanded. ‘Alaric,’ I said, my voice breaking into a plea, ‘please ... beg me.’
‘Yes, Domine,’ he finally whispered. ‘I like it. Please, make it hurt,’ he moaned, reaching for my cock. His voice came out so breathy that I instinctively tightened my grasp, hurting him more, watching as his cock stirred in response.
‘ Fuck, ’ I groaned, overwhelmed by the force of his admission. ‘Just promise you’ll tell me if it’s too much.’ I wanted to ravage him until his throat became raw from my cock and fuck him until his voice became hoarse from screaming my name; I wanted to see the bruises from my fingertips on his silver skin. I wanted all of him and more.
He nodded, his lips parting in surrender, and I couldn’t hold back any longer. ‘Pleasure me, Alaric,’ I commanded, thrusting into his mouth. His throat tightened as he gagged, and I nearly lost myself in the sight of him—beautiful and undone.
‘Just like that. Fuck, you feel so good,’ I almost purred, watching tears streak down his flushed cheeks. I loosened my grip just enough for him to catch his breath before I fucked his throat, setting a brutal rhythm. He welcomed me with every thrust, his obedience only spurring me further until I felt the blissful oblivion darkening my thoughts.
But it wasn’t enough. My pleasure alone wasn’t enough.
I pulled away so suddenly Alaric fell forward, his wide eyes meeting mine as he gasped for air. I didn’t let him recover, dragging him to the bed with a feral urgency.
‘I am going to fuck you until you beg me to stop,’ I growled, yanking down his trousers in one rough motion. Gripping his hips, I pulled him flush against me. ‘You’ll plead for my mercy like you begged your goddess. This is your last chance to say no.’
His needy groan nearly made me climax on the sheets. ‘Do it!’ he breathed, his words defiant yet yearning. ‘How many times must I tell you I crave you? Or do you just love hearing me beg that much?’
He turned his head, capturing my lips in a kiss that was both challenge and submission as he pushed his rear back against my hard length. But when I smacked his ass, the sharp crack of the impact echoed, and his defiance crumbled into a whimper. My palm left a vivid red imprint on his silver skin, and I couldn’t hold back any longer.
Sliding my cock between his cheeks, I took a deep breath. My mind was a chaotic mess, but locking onto a shred of sanity, I entered him slowly, giving his body time to adjust, trying to control my urges. His trembling didn’t stop him from pressing back, impaling himself further, his tightness making me ache with the effort to hold back.
My hips came flush with him, my hard cock entirely inside, and I nearly lost control. His translucent, sweat-slicked skin gleamed under the light, and his moans turned ragged as he rocked against me. My own breath shuddered as I battled to control myself and resist the urge to explode at the intensity of the feeling.
‘Next time,’ I whispered against his ear, my teeth grazing his neck, ‘I want Ani to hear your sweet little moans. I want her to kiss them away, to hold you while I take you.’ The image burned through my mind, my cock throbbing as I claimed him.
His answering whimper was pure longing. ‘Hrae, yes,’ he choked out.
I gripped his cock, stroking in time with my thrusts as I buried myself in him, relishing every shudder and cry. The thought of Annika’s soft hands on him, silencing his cries while I took him raw, sent me over the edge. My pace turned brutal, my control unravelling.
I must have projected my pleasure because I felt Vahin’s presence in my mind, his surprise shifting to approval before fading, leaving me alone with my fae. Alaric’s voice, hoarse with pleasure, grounded me.
‘Yes . . . gods, yes . . . I’m so close.’
His husky voice, filled with desire, tied my heart to his in the most primal way. I was blessed to be with a man who took pleasure in my violence, and I gave him everything, my thrusts becoming erratic as I felt his release nearing.
His cock jerked in my hand, and his cries filled the room as he came, his body clenching around me. My own climax followed, violent and blinding. My world splintered as my wild magic surged, my cock thickening with one final thrust before I poured myself into him, our bodies trembling in shared ecstasy.
My Ari, my dark fae, beautiful in his submission, had taken my soul, owning it completely. We collapsed onto the bed, sweat-soaked and spent. I pulled him into my arms, unwilling to let go, my lips brushing his hair.
Alaric’s laugh startled me, a low, contented sound that resonated through my chest.
‘What’s so funny?’ I murmured, still catching my breath.
He turned, resting his head on my chest. ‘You. Me. The way you brutalised me in the most delicious way. I’m just ... happy. Happier than I’ve ever been in my long life.’
I kissed his head, smiling despite myself. ‘Brutalised? I thought I was considerate, giving you exactly what you asked for.’ My smile faded, concern creeping into my voice. ‘Do you need a healer?’
‘What?’
‘I wasn’t gentle and ...’ Uncertainty crept into my voice. ‘I will get you a healer. Besides, once Ani hears about this, you can bet gold against apples, she’ll insist on a repeat performance, so we better have you properly looked after.’
Alaric’s laugh was so free and unrestrained that it made my heart soar. He turned to face me, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
‘Anytime, anyplace,’ he said, his grin wide. ‘And no, I don’t need a healer. I’m ready to give our woman a show she’ll never forget.’
For a moment, his happiness made me forget about the horrors of Roan Fortress, and I found myself lost in it. But even now, I knew it wouldn’t last, at least not for me.
‘One day,’ I murmured, my voice softening, ‘once it’s all over, we’ll return to Varta. You’re nearly immortal, Vahin definitely is, and Ani wields the power of creation. But I’m just a human, Alaric. My time is limited. I don’t want to waste a second of it—not a single minute without you all. So we’ll live the time I have left enjoying every single day as if it’s the last.’ I tightened my arms around him, as if holding him closer could slow the ticking of the clock.
Alaric’s expression softened, his silver skin luminous in the faint light. ‘I can promise you this, Ormond,’ he said with calm certainty. ‘We’ll cross the Veil together. Without you and Ani, there is no life for me.’
A shiver coursed through me at the conviction in his voice, goosebumps prickling my skin. Before I could respond, his lips quirked into a smirk. ‘Or,’ he added lightly, ‘I could just use necromancy to bring you back. I’m sure you’d make a very handsome lich.’
I smacked his thigh. ‘Sleep pilchard. Maybe a good night’s rest will strip you of this morose humour.’
‘You started it,’ he muttered, his voice full of mock petulance.
I didn’t have the energy to argue. The exhaustion of the day finally caught up to me, dragging my eyelids down like lead. I wrapped myself around the man who meant more to me than I could ever express, my thoughts drifting to the woman who held the other half of my heart.