41. Return to Reality
O n the day after they arrived back at the palace, Adrian woke up to an empty bed. He should have expected it because Rose never stayed. Even in Silvershade, she’d been up with the sun and off to start the day no matter how late she stayed up with him. But he’d thought she’d crave the last bit of togetherness they could steal before returning to palace life. Disappointment flooded him at being alone.
“Good evening, my Prince.” Following the sound of Rose’s voice, he found her sitting at the window, the last rays of the ending day helping her read. With a smile, she set her book down—a book Aldric had let her borrow—and made her way to him. “Why so grumpy this morning?”
“I didn’t think you’d stayed.” He pulled her close, suddenly hungry as he slid his hands inside the pink satin robe she wore and over her bare ass. “I thought you’d left to go garden or something.”
“Hmmm.” Hot hands running over his back, she tilted her head as he kissed her neck and then nipped teasingly from her jaw down over her shoulder. Biting lightly, he made tiny punctures that he licked as he made his way to her chest. “You know those are more noticeable than when you bite to feed.”
“Mmm. But you like it.” Pushing her toward the bed, he added, “I like it too.”
Continuing to devour her, licking the little cuts he opened all over her chest, he lay her amid the satin sheets. Leaving some of the punctures to leak, he massaged the blood into her breasts, infusing the air with her essence. The erotic red on her tan skin drove him to bite deeper in a trail across her belly. Licking the little puddles and smearing streaks, he made his way to her navel. Writhing under him, her body begged for more.
This was a game they’d played often on the travel home from Silvershade, where they’d had to stop frequently at inns for his vampires to feed. Most nights he’d worship her like this, bleeding her for him and then pleasuring her until she became a wanton mess.
All the little cuts hurt her, but there was pleasure in the pain. It saturated the air, Rose’s craving for more. The proof glistened on her sex as he spread her legs wide. Nostrils flaring as he breathed in her arousal, he gave her a long lick from her ass to her clit. Closing his eyes, he savored the way she arched into him, moaning.
“More, my Rose?”
“ Yes .”
He struck deep on her inner thigh. She trembled, fisting the sheets as he sucked greedily. Sweet Goddess, she was always so delicious. It seemed even more so today with the intoxicating scent of her arousal mixing with the heady flavor of her blood. Unable to resist, he slid a finger into her, loving the way she bucked and cried out. He stroked her as he continued to sate his thirst, fucking her with two fingers as his thumb sought her clit and rubbed fast circles .
“Fucking hell.” She rode his hand as he continued slowly sipping from her thigh. Rising on her elbows, she watched how he played her body. And then she shattered, her muscles locking as her orgasm crested. He hummed, pulling his fangs from her, and licked the cuts. Eyes locked on where her sex swallowed his fingers, he readjusted, shouldering her open further, and sucked on her clit.
“Oh Gods!” Her body shook, one orgasm rolling into the next. Circling her clit with his tongue while he rubbed his fingers inside her, he searched for the slightly rougher spot that drove her wild. When he found it, her fingers dove into his hair, fisting and holding him to her as she rode his face. The most delicious whimper of his name left her lips. Knowing what she needed, he kept his fingers working and flattened his tongue, rubbing her slow and steady.
He loved her like this, chasing her pleasure, completely uninhibited. His hips drove against the bed, his dick aching for relief. When she came again, he rose over her, positioning himself and slamming inside. Another orgasm ripped through her, and she screamed with it, but was soon moving in time with each punishing snap of his hips.
Raised on his arms above her, he fucked her fast and hard, his hips slapping hers, balls already tightening in preparation to unload. Her hands gripped the blankets above her head, mouth open in a silent cry as she took his pounding. The shaking bed creaked beneath them as her magic wrapped around him, moving through him, demanding more.
Shoving her knees to her chest, propping her legs on his shoulders, he grabbed her ass and unleashed.
“Oh, sweet Sun God, Adrian! Yes !” The bed banged the wall with every thrust, harmonizing with her rasping cries. “Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck !”
Her ardor made him feel powerful, her passion ringing in his ears as their spirits mingled. She bowed, crying out long and loud, and then screamed his name as she shattered again. Quaking around him, her breasts bouncing as he pounded her until the tingle in his spine exploded, sending a cascade of heat through him. With another hard thrust, he buried deep and cursed as his ejaculation blinded him.
Breath heaving, sweat running down his temples, Adrian remained above her on shaky arms. “You should stay until I wake more often,” he teased when he had enough breath to speak. She giggled. Pulling out, he plopped beside her on his back.
After another moment of recovery, she said, “I don’t think I could get away with it every day. Today, however, is the end of our vacation.” Turning to face him, she traced a finger over his sweaty pectoral. “I missed the meal with the maids from the night shift, so I ordered food. I was hoping we could bathe together before parting ways. If Ms. Shea has anything to say about my tardiness, I will tell her to take it up with you.”
Adrian grinned broadly, turning to face her and giving in to the urge to caress her breast even though he’d just had her. The dried blood was so enticing. Though she was sated as well, her nipple pebbled.
There was a knock at the door, and Rose got up to put her robe back on. Adrian noticed how her legs trembled on the walk to the door and male pride surged in his chest. Tossing the sheet over his waist, he lounged against the pillows while Rose accepted the tray from Tristan. She held up a finger for him to wait and went to Adrian’s table to grab a coin as a tip. Tristan bowed his head in appreciation before leaving, and Rose brought her tray to the middle of the bed.
Moving closer, pushing the robe off her leg, he ran his hand over the long length of her thigh. A devilish smile stole over his face when she brushed him off.
“No more,” she said with a pointed look as she ate a strawberry .
“I like this new attitude. Spending my money like it’s yours, ordering my servants, taking control of your work schedule . . . You’re turning me on all over again.”
“Incorrigible.” Rose giggled as he kissed her knee, his fingers flirting with the bite on her leg. “I don’t have enough energy for more sex, Adrian. I’m trying to eat. We should discuss things. For instance, what your mother will do now that we’re home.”
“I told you to let me handle my mother.” He kissed higher up on her leg. “I will take care of things.”
“We’re in this together, right?”
“Yes.” He sat up. “But you need to let me handle my family. Don’t make yourself a bigger target than you already are.”
“Fine.” After eating part of her pecan muffin, she asked, “What about the million questions I’m likely to receive?”
“I doubt anyone will have the courage to ask anything outright, but if they do, handle it however you see fit.”
Pleased with that answer, Rose nodded as another knock sounded at the door. “That’s probably water for our bath.” As she closed the curtains on the bed, Adrian got up to slip on a pair of pants.
They soaked in the lukewarm water, her lying against him, and then took their time washing each other. It was a familiar ritual they’d developed over their long trip home from Silvershade, made only longer by their several detours.
They’d visited his mine in the Heatherfield Hills, where he’d checked operations and taken raw gems for her to make jewelry from, and they’d inquired at one of the slave offices where there was no record of her. She’d gathered flowers from many of the fields, where he’d also fucked her with their team looking on .
Those flowers, now dried in containers, lined the bottom of her wardrobe. Intended to be used to scent her baths, Rose now called them precious, memories of the time they’d been carefree and wild in their love.
The realization that such a time would likely never come again was sobering.
They dressed, and he helped her tie her laces. Her long fingers buttoned his jacket, adjusting his collar and brushing off his shoulders.
“No need for Devon today.”
“He has plenty to keep him busy, I assure you.” Setting his hands on her waist, he kissed her. “I could get used to this.”
“Me too.” She leaned up for another kiss, and he happily obliged. Setting her head on his shoulder, she wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her temple, not wanting to let go either.
“You will return to me after your shift.”
“I should make an appearance upstairs, check the rotation, and speak with Cordelia. Have patience if you’re done first.”
Cupping her face, he kissed her deeply. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, my Prince.”
She left. After several seconds of steeling himself, Adrian followed, heading to his office. Javier was organizing the mountain of paperwork waiting for him. Seeing him, his butler stood upright and bowed.
“Good evening, Your Highness. I have everything sorted, the most important matters on top. I imagine meeting with your father is the highest priority?”
“Yes. But first, tell me what I missed while I was away.”
“As I’m sure you are aware, gossip about you and your mistress is running rampant. Everyone noticed the slave missing as soon as you left and none think it coincidence. You have been mentioned in the society papers several times, and in the newspapers daily as speculation on whether or not you have eloped thrives.”
On their journey home, he and Rose had shared the newspaper. He had no comment for the speculation and planned to make none. His mother was doing more than enough.
As if reading his mind, Javier continued, “The Queen has had several events to appease the nobility. Though she has tried to hide it, news of her tantrums has spread. Be prepared for an earful from her, Your Highness.” When Adrian stared coldly, he cleared his throat. “Several deliveries have been made from your blacksmith. Everything is in your section of the armory. More has arrived from the Baroness DeGent. Your new suit was given to Devon, and the things for your mistress were put upstairs in her room.”
“Javier,” Adrian said, dark and full of warning. “You know I wish to keep her with me. Her things will be moved to her wardrobe in my room or so help me, I will fire you.”
“Yes, sir, Your Highness.” Javier gave a small bow. When he rose, he continued, “The birthday gift for your mother arrived just this evening. I put it in your office safe.”
“Good.”
“She is having a masquerade ball in the city this weekend where she also wishes to show off the progress on your and the young Lady Clearwater’s rose garden.”
He expected no less. “Noted.”
“As you requested, a sparring match is scheduled with your brother tomorrow evening.”
“Excellent.”
“Your cousin Benedict has invited you to a gentlemen’s night out next week, and Marquis Holt is holding a tennis competition in a month at his manor. Your invitations to both are on top of your correspondence, followed by several letters from Lady Clearwater and favors from the ladies of your circle.”
Adrian sighed. So much had changed and yet things were still the same.
“Is that all then?”
“No, sir. Since you’ve been gone, the talk of the werewolves spreading dissent has grown louder and more troublesome. The Assembly is eagerly awaiting your report.”
“Naturally.”
And with that, he gripped the folder containing the agreement with Aldric and walked with Javier to his father’s office, where they found him drinking a glass of spiked wine at his desk.