26. Tryst on the Terrace
“ I ’ve never seen your beast quite so . . . lively , cousin.”
“He is a constant surprise,” Adrian replied, following Benedict’s gaze to Rose and Larkin. He ached with missing her and drank more champagne to endure pretending she didn’t exist.
“He is certainly very protective of that maid,” Andrew noted.
“The slave that was rescued, no doubt,” Benedict replied astutely.
Adrian simply sipped more.
“I prefer brunettes, myself,” Andrew said, shifting his attention to Lady Julianna. She was surrounded by a circle of her friends but excused herself to go to the champagne table. “I think it is time for a dance.” He winked at Adrian before walking away.
“You don’t seem very upset he’s trying to take your female.”
Well aware of all the ears that could overhear, Adrian replied to his cousin, “She is free to dance with whomever she chooses. Besides, competition makes things more interesting. And I’m still in the lead. ”
Benedict chuckled lowly. “I bet if you crooked your finger, she’d come running.”
“They all do.” Except for one. “But is there none you fancy, cousin?”
“None has struck my eye. But I see Silas limping away from Lady Eloise. Perhaps he will be more forthcoming about your boring little party that I was not invited to.” Giving a teasing smile, he bowed. “If you’ll excuse me.”
Adrian inclined his head. “Later, Benny.”
Sipping the last of the champagne in his glass, Adrian scanned the crowd. His mother laughed very loudly from the middle of her friends, his father bragged boisterously from the middle of his, and Dimitri spun around with three giggling females.
They were all on their way to drunk, which was all the better for him as he sought his guard in the shadows.
Rose stretched her aching back, startling when a touch brushed her elbow. A slip of paper was pressed into her palm. She barely caught the hint of black slipping into the dim of the outer ballroom, where chairs were stationed behind the columns for guests to sit and converse.
Not many people were back there, but the open salons on either side of the ballroom were in use for blood play. The Queen preferred such things be kept private, and the few couples Rose could see were too involved to notice her .
She wasn’t sure if the slippery shadow vampire was only a messenger of her Prince or if he always watched. There were times she’d think she saw a hint of red eyes or black leather following her, but when she turned, there was nothing there.
He was a mystery.
But she did appreciate the notes he gave her. She’d been refusing her Prince’s company lately, but it made her feel warm that he remained thinking of her.
Five minutes. Sitting room near the West Terrace.
Do not deny me or there will be hell to pay.
Her heart stuttered because her Prince could spend time with any of the pretty ladies present, and yet he wanted her .
Or he wanted to take the desires of his body out on her since he couldn’t touch any of the nobles .
Fighting bitterness, Rose put the little note in her pocket and went back to cleaning up spills. With Larkin the lion beside her, the nobles kept their distance, and her thoughts warred.
She wanted to see her Prince because she missed him, but it was dangerous, especially tonight. So many had noticed her. And she was being watched by the Queen. It was a huge risk.
When her five minutes neared completion, the shadow vampire grabbed her elbow. Though she half-heartedly resisted, he dragged her into one of the empty salons. Larkin bared his teeth and growled, but the vampire only smirked .
“Your bark is worse than your bite, beast.” And to Rose, “My orders were to drag you if necessary. I apologize if I was rough.”
Rose folded her arms. She glanced at the entryway that led to the ballroom, where the large double doors stood open, but no one was paying any attention.
“What about my choice?”
“Keep resisting, Miss Rose, and find out just how His Highness feels about your choices lately.” The vampire flashed his fangs in a sort of smiling threat. “His Highness’s fangs are sharper, and you’ve been testing him for some time.” The smile faded. “You know you want to give in. And you should know, he’s been denying himself.”
She scoffed. Did he think that was flattering?
“What’s your name?”
“Timothy.”
“Nice to meet you, Timothy. Are you going to disappear again now?”
In response, he began melding with the shadows. She looked back to the ball, where she could plainly see the King and Queen speaking with a group. The Queen laughed with her hand on the King’s arm, and he smiled at her indulgently. Prince Dimitri danced with a group. The maids and other servants hurried about with their duties.
“Go,” Timothy urged from where he hid. “You will not be missed. Take the hallway on the left. His Highness is three doors down on the right. Don’t make me drag you again.”
Rose rolled her eyes. “That’s creepy, you know.”
But she made her way out of the room. The West Terrace opened from the Queen’s large public Tea Room. Rose made her way into the dark interior, searching the shadows.
Why couldn’t he have lit a candle for her ?
The door snapped shut behind her and she jumped. Even as she turned to face it, she was pushed against it and her mouth assaulted. Recognizing the cool fingers in her hair and the press of those lips against hers, she melted. Her Prince’s expensive spicy scent enveloped her. It was amazing how it saturated her senses, bringing comfort as well as excitement.
Oh, she’d missed him, his chilly touch, and that sexy mouth that moved against hers as if he owned it. He tasted of champagne, and she wanted to get drunk on it, all thoughts of resisting fleeing with his arms around her. She slid her hands under his suit jacket and gripped his back, pulling him closer as he pressed her harder into the door.
“You came,” he growled in her ear, licking her lobe.
“I was told to resist was futile.”
Prince Adrian chuckled. “You’ve been naughty lately. I had to resort to extreme measures.”
“I would not call Timothy extreme. ”
“He is my best,” her Prince said, kissing her rapid pulse in her neck. “He had orders, but I am glad they were not needed. It’s been torture watching you.”
“Her Majesty’s plan.” She skimmed her hands up his back, feeling his muscles through his soft shirt.
“No doubt. But I don’t want to talk about that.” His fangs brushed her collarbone, and Rose gasped, tipping her head back in offering. “You always make me so damn thirsty.”
“So, drink.”
Gods, she was weak, so damn weak around him. At the moment, she didn’t care. There would be plenty of time for regrets later. Right now, she was here, and she wanted .
Her Prince groaned at her words. Only an instant later, he struck, biting deep where her pulse thrummed. He sucked greedily, one hand around her throat, the other moving to cup her ass. Pressing a leg between hers, he rubbed it against her apex. Rose’s eyes rolled, passion unfurling in her belly. She ground against him, moving her hand to rub his erection through his pants.
His fangs sank deeper as she wrapped her leg around him and moved wantonly, chasing the orgasm rushing at her. Euphoria threatened bliss, the cusp within her grasp as another hard pull on her neck had her seeing stars.
Everything went hazy, soft around the edges, tantalizing and titillating.
Belatedly, she realized it was his thrall, and it made her pliant and willing. At the moment, she did not care.
She just wanted more .
“Yes, yes, yes,” she chanted, grinding harder, feeling it right there, right there.
But then he was gone, and she was left panting and confused, staring dumbly at his dark form as her body pulsed, aching with sudden emptiness. Reaching up with a leaden arm to the bite oozing blood, his grip on her arm stopped her.
“Naughty girls get punished, Rose. Let it leak. I like the smell.”
“Oh?” Her head spun dizzily.
“Your pleasure will be withheld since you have withheld yourself from me. But you will not deny mine.”
“What—” She cleared her throat, trying to think through the fuzziness muddling her brain. “What do you want?”
Tucking hair behind her ear, he leaned in to whisper, “Fellatio. Do you know what that is?”
“Y-yes,” Rose stuttered, staring into his red eyes, so close to hers. She swam in their depths, content, never wanting to leave.
“Then on your knees. ”
“I . . .” Gripping his jacket, she licked her lips, some of the fog fading with rising anxiety. “Your Highness, I’ve never—”
“On. Your. Knees. ”
She obeyed, slowly sinking to the floor. He watched her, sliding off his coat, and draped it over a nearby settee.
“Such a good girl tonight,” he whispered, and she felt a thrill at the praise.
Even as she worried she would not be able to please him.
He unfastened his pants, eyes still on her, and pulled out his cock. Wetting her lips at the sight, she clenched her thighs as he stroked himself. With his other hand, he tilted her chin up.
“Open,” he ordered, pressing his thumb on her bottom lip. She obeyed, nervousness and excitement coursing through her. “I’m going to fuck this disobedient mouth now, Rose.” His thumb entered her mouth, and she sucked. “That’s right. That’s just how you’re going to take it.”
Her hands gripped his thighs. The haze wanted to take her again, pull her deeper to a place where he had full control.
She fought it, wanting to remain cognizant.
“Yes, sir.”
The way he bit his lip and took a shaky breath said he liked that response.
And then his thumb was gone, his hand moving to the back of her neck, and his cock pressed past her lips. He was salty with wet, and she swirled her tongue around his tip, savoring his taste. He entered her further, and she had to loosen her jaw, trying to relax as he filled her.
For an instant, she feared she’d choke, but then he was pulling out, and she was afraid she’d done something wrong. Closing her mouth around him, she stroked him with her tongue and sucked him back in .
“Oh, sweet fuck,” he groaned, and she felt a surge of pride. Looking up at him, she took in his intense eyes on her, and the slightly tortured expression.
Her Prince wanted to come. She’d make him. She’d blow his fucking mind.
He’s been denying himself , Timothy had said. She wanted to be his only option, give him no reason to stray, even if it wasn’t smart.
Nothing about this was smart, and she was tired of fighting.
Missing him had hurt. Maybe it was time to give in, consequences be damned. He’d said all along that he’d protect her, take care of her, be there for her.
Trust was hard to give, but she wanted to.
So, she sucked harder, bobbing on him, and took all his sounds and the jerking of his hips to mean he liked it. Taking his balls in one hand, she squeezed and fondled them. His low groan had wetness soaking her underwear. The hand in her hair tightened and then his other was there, too, moving her curls away from her face so he could better see.
She looked up at him, his ruby eyes seeming to shimmer, enticing her to surrender and lose herself fully in him. Still resisting as he panted his excitement, she cupped his balls, squeezing a little harder, sucking a little deeper.
She gagged, pulling back for fear of choking. He thrust forward, not letting her.
The message was clear; she’d endure as he’d endured all her denials.
Closing her eyes, she gave herself over to it. She relaxed her jaw more, moving her hands to his flexing buns, and bobbed her head more aggressively. Tears filled her eyes as he hit the back of her throat, but she pressed on .
“So good,” her Prince moaned. “What a good fucking girl you are on your knees for me. You take my cock so well.”
The words should have been insulting, but the praise instead made her lightheaded, almost euphoric.
He shoved deeper, picking up his pace. She squeezed his ass harder with one hand, gripped the length of his dick that wouldn’t fit in her mouth in the other, and stroked him as she sucked.
“Bloody fucking hell, Rose.”
Opening her eyes, she took in the open-mouthed ecstasy on his face as his head fell back. He was in rapture. Because of her.
She would make him lose it.
As if on cue, his thrusts grew sharper, his hands in her hair gripping so tightly it stung, making her eyes water. His balls slapped her chin with every thrust.
And then his gaze was back on her, the expression in them animal as he fucked her, and all she could do was take it. She stared into his irises, imprinting the moment in her memory, and trembled as he let out a choked grunt, eyes rolling back as his dick thickened in her mouth. His hips stuttered as his cock pulsed, shooting semen down her throat. She choked, coughing, but he held her with an iron grip, remaining inside her until he was done.
When he pulled out, he pressed a finger to her mouth as if he knew her instinct was to spit. “Swallow.”
She obeyed without thought, her eyes never leaving his. Her chest heaved, her cheeks were still wet, her jaw ached, and her belly felt heavy and full with his seed. She should have felt degraded by his rough treatment. She should have been ashamed of her behavior, giving in so easily when she prided herself on being strong.
But sometimes there was strength in surrender. And with the way Prince Adrian wiped her cheeks and ran his thumb over her chin to clean up the saliva and his spend that had dripped there, the way his eyes adored her, she felt beautiful and strong.
Pulling her to her feet, he cupped her face and kissed her furiously. Anchoring her hands in his shirt, vulnerable and somehow flayed open, she knew she’d just lost a piece of herself to him.
But maybe it was okay because his actions said he cherished it.
“You’re amazing.” His thumbs rubbed her cheeks. “I can smell that you’re still aroused. You liked that then, hmm?”
“I like seeing you undone.”
“Ah, yes. The part where you only like me when I come.”
“You only like me when I make you.”
“Untrue. I like you all the time.” He put his dick away, grinning playfully. “That’s just when I like you best.”
She rolled her eyes as he fixed his shirt and then shrugged into his jacket. “You will ignore me no longer, Rose. Enough games.”
“I’ve been afraid.”
“Understandable. However, I told you I would protect you, did I not?”
“Yes, but—”
“You are guarded constantly. None will harm you.”
“Timothy?”
He nodded. “You will come to my quarters after the ball, where we will sleep soundly all day. Together.” He twined their fingers.
With her insides going soft and gooey, she opened her mouth to reply just as the lock in the far door clicked. Larkin, lying near a window trying to ignore the goings-on, growled lowly and put himself in front of Rose. Turning so she was at his back, Prince Adrian faced the door as well.
And they all looked toward whoever knew they were there.