Chapter 31 Malice
MALICE
Malice wakes with a start. Aerin’s reassuring weight is gone, and the room long dark.
The air still smells of their combined arousal and the soft tang of Aerin’s blood.
Malice’s stomach curls in disgust at himself as he scrambles to the ensuite and flips the shower on.
The spray is cold when he climbs in, shocking the haze from his system, though it does nothing to wash away his anger.
[What the fuck was that?!] Malice snarls at Reikan. The Dragon is silent. [You don’t get to take over MY body to fuck her, you bastard. And you don’t get to encourage her to further entrap us with her blood!]
Finally, Reikan rouses. [I will do as I wish,] he says calmly.
[No,] Malice growls back.
[This vessel is as much mine as it is yours.] Reikan sounds as if he’s reprimanding a child. Malice grinds his teeth.
[Don’t touch her again.] The cold water makes him shiver until a sudden eruption of warmth in his blood causes it to sizzle as it hits his skin.
[I will do as I please!] Reikan roars so loudly Malice’s ears ring.
When the Dragon speaks again, he’s calmer.
[And in any case, you cannot deny that it pleases you.]
Images of Aerin’s soaked panties moved to the side, exposing her beautiful, swollen core, of his fingers sliding in and out of her, berate Malice.
Closing his eyes does nothing to stop him from seeing it, and even worse, his cock stands to attention.
The feel of her is like a ghost on his skin.
The sound of her orgasm graces his ears despite his attempt to cover them.
[Now you can find release to the memories of our bonded-mate. You will thank me later.] With that Reikan is gone, firmly locked behind the door, dormant once more.
Malice slams his fists into the wall above his head before letting his forehead rest against the cool tile. His body temperature and his cock go down as his breathing heaves.
There is no way he is ever going to touch Aerin Tolvare again.
When Malice emerges from his room the apartment is quiet. The sun is up, the blood-bond strumming happily in his ribs. Reaching down the length of golden twine that connects them, Malice senses Aerin nearby. He wonders if she’s gotten enough rest, then finds himself annoyed at the tender thought.
Figuring Aerin won’t rise for a while Malice decides to set up his own security. While he already has a few cameras and sensors on the doors and windows that alert him when they are opened, he’s yet to replace the surveillance they removed last week.
Malice makes quick work of placing cameras in every doorway and common area. He connects everything to his phone and laptop, allowing both live feeds and recordings up to one week, keeping all the processors and hard drives in one corner of the desk in his room.
After making a list of additional items he needs to pick up, Malice wanders back to the living area. He faintly feels Aerin stir down the bond. The entire apartment is empty save for her room. He only lets himself feel moderately irritated knowing the Wolf is with her.
In the kitchen, Malice pulls out various items to make breakfast.
It isn’t until the door creaks open and Aerin wanders out that he realizes he’s made breakfast for two.
He tightens his wings and watches as she yawns, stretching her arms above her head, exposing a strip of tanned skin above her wickedly short satin shorts.
She makes her way towards him, collapsing into her favorite chair at the table before rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
Annoying himself further, Malice picks up a plate full of steaming food and a cup of coffee, both fixed the way she likes. He sets it down in front of Aerin. Her golden eyes flick up to him quizzically, but she says nothing as she reaches for the coffee and takes a long sip.
Footsteps in the hall give Malice some warning as the gangly looking Wolf emerges from Aerin’s room in his Fae form.
Malice retreats to the kitchen, but he feels Aerin’s eyes on him.
He grips the countertop with enough force to break it.
As if the Wolf senses the tension, he looks between Malice and Aerin multiple times before sitting down in the chair next to her at the table.
Nursing her coffee in silence, Aerin’s eyes flick from Malice to Emrys and back. The tension racquets through the room. Malice lets his own food grow cold and Emrys sits stiff as a board next to Aerin, shifting around in discomfort every few seconds.
Aerin sets down her coffee to dig into her food. The blood-bond preens and Malice wishes it was sentient like Reikan, if only so he could yell at it too.
The way Aerin eats is so unlike how a prim Princess should, it almost brings a smile to his face.
Around a mouthful of food she says, “Thank you for breakfast.”
Malice stiffens once more, almost hating that she brought attention to his actions. He doesn’t acknowledge her, instead looking to the Wolf. “We don’t have any small animals lying around for you to slaughter, but I’m sure the Princess can find something for you later.”
The Wolf’s honey brown eyes narrow in his direction.
“I don’t need to eat as often as Fae do,” is all he says back.
“Right, because you’re feeding off her magic instead,” Malice snarks. “I forgot.”
Malice decides he hates the Wolf. Hates his dark hair and his light eyes. Hates the way he seems to be soaking up every detail to analyze later. Hates the way he sleeps in Aerin’s room. Hates the way his eye twitches at Malice’s comment but he says nothing in rebuttal.
Aerin swallows before sighing a loud sigh that pulls all the attention in the room. She pushes the empty plate forward.
Emrys reaches for it, and Malice stiffens as the Wolf stands.
He tries to hold back his growl as the Wolf approaches where he hovers in the kitchen.
The sound strangles out of him anyways, garbled, more like a whine than anything.
The Wolf doesn’t back down, but he does duck his head lower as he passes Malice, depositing the plate in the sink and passing by again.
When Malice finally looks at Aerin, she’s glaring at him. Embarrassment pulses through his blood but he doesn’t let it show on his features. Instead, he bristles further, showing the Princess his canines. Aerin only huffs and folds her arms across her chest as Emrys sits back down next to her.
Finally, she asks, “Are you going to join us?” motioning to the chair across from her.
Malice shakes his head no, gripping the countertop with force.
“Suit yourself,” Aerin shrugs, shifting in her chair. She tucks a foot onto the chair, folding her body so she can hug her knee and glance between them. Malice feels an undeniable smugness as the shift puts her further from the Wolf.
“Emrys.” She looks to the Wolf and then gestures to the kitchen. “This is Malice. He is a Dragon-Fae from the North, my personal Royal Guard, and my bonded-mate, just like you. He is as much a part of me as you are. He can be trusted.”
Both males opened their mouths, but Aerin silences them with a look.
“Malice.” She gestures to the Wolf. “This is Emrys. We met nine years ago at a time when I often ventured outside the walls. Elara found us together, and she attempted to murder me. Emrys got me back to the wall, even when it was torturous to go against the orders of his Alpha. He has earned my trust time and time again. I fought for him, making me his new Alpha. We are bonded-mates by Pack magic. He can be trusted.”
They exchange looks and Malice bristles once more. If Malice had hackles, they would be up.
“Doesn’t mean I have to like him,” Malice snarls, his grip on the counter now threatening to break the stone.
“The feeling is mutual,” Emrys replies under his breath.
“Well, at the very least I need the two of you to be cordial. We will never be able to execute my plans if you are always in a pissing contest. In fact, let’s just whip them out right now. See who’s is bigger and get it over with,” Aerin snaps.
Both males back down. Malice falters at her crassness, then quickly backtracks.
“What plan?” he asks hesitantly, stomach churning.
Aerin smirks.
“The one where I overthrow my father, allowing Bruin to ascend as King of Valtara, so that I can shed the Tolvare name and leave this place once and for all.”