Ink of Copper

41. In Which a Queen Double Crosses a Devil

Chapter 41

In Which a Queen Double Crosses a Devil

Y anking her hips, he pulled her to the edge of the bed. Her legs hoisted over his shoulders, he continued his tongue’s assault on the most intimate part of her. Liam growled as he buried his head between her thighs. Callassa arched her back, her orgasm building as her toes threaded through his feathers.

“Please,” she panted, grabbing his ears to look at her. “Liam.” She breathed, clutching him, her long, slender fingers weaving into the tight coils of his hair.

He stopped his assault and looked up at her. The rise of where her hips joined obstructed everything except his eyes.

“Aye, mo chuisle ”—his arousal made his voice gruff—“begging, I see.”

He entered one finger into her cleft, causing her to buck against him. Syren rolled her hips and wrapped her legs around his middle.

“I never beg,” she growled at him, pulling at him, tugging, forcing him to climb her body. “I want this.”

Biting into his chin, she grabbed his rock-hard cock. He sucked in a breath through his teeth and grinned wickedly.

“Whatever my vixen wants, my vixen shall have.”

He entered her hard, filling her in such a satisfying way that she groaned as she clutched at him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and hooked her ankles, forcing him to stay in the place where she ached the most. Liam set a pace, but soon Syren created one more to her liking. Reaching above her head to grab the sheets, he drilled into her at a feverish pace. She panted, arching her back, encouraging him with each little whimper.

“Gods.” His hoarse whisper sent a shiver through her as his body strained, nearing his orgasm. She grazed his bottom lip with her teeth.

“Do not come,” she commanded.

Liam groaned. “Syren, gods.”

The sinewy muscles in his arms strained as he looked down at her. His eyes were wide, glowing gold, his body taught. Adjusting herself on her elbows, she pushed him to a standing position off the edge of the bed. He grunted at the change but slowly regained his speed until she increased their pace.

“I can’t. Please,” he begged with each thrust.

A deliciously wicked smile spread across her lips as she gripped him from inside, causing Liam to shudder.

“Now, who’s begging?”

In a few thrusts, they both fell into their version of bliss together. He rocked her a few more times. She could feel every pulse, every stroke, and it sent liquid fire through her veins. She collapsed back onto the bed as her convulsions slowed. In the last few days, she had learned to keep her siren screams to a minimum, even though it took all her effort to keep herself muffled. This house was too close quarters, too many ears for her to trust they had any real privacy. She couldn’t risk one of the servants hearing her and running to tell Maximus. His cock still inside her, Liam grabbed her leg under the knee. As he pulled out, his hand stroked down her leg to her ankle. Her heart stopped when he lifted the ankle for closer inspection. The oxygen suddenly sucked out of the room, and she couldn’t breathe; her vision blurred. He placed a soft kiss on her mark, then turned her ankle over and kissed the other side. Liam’s thumb softly caressed the raised pattern across her skin.

“So damn beautiful,” he cooed and dropped her ankle. Crawling up her, he flopped onto the bed next to her, his long legs dangling off the edge. “How come I’ve never noticed that tattoo?”

She panted, her lungs on fire from lack of oxygen. “You don’t seem to notice much once I’m naked, Liam.” She turned and patted his cheek.

He chuckled and slung an arm low across his well-defined stomach. She struggled to control her breathing, to not let him see her panic.

“Aye, that’s true.”

He pushed himself off the bed and walked to the spot on the floor where he had tossed his tunic aside. She rolled to her side to admire the view as he stooped to get it. He was facing her when a sinful smile bloomed across his lips.

“My eyes are up here, love.”

Syren repaid his coquettish grin with one of her own. “Oh, I know perfectly well where your eyes are. That’s not the part interesting me at the moment.” She arched an eyebrow unabashedly.

He barked a laugh and pulled his tunic down, which caused her to frown. Sliding off the bed, she headed for her clothing pile as he flopped into the chaise lounge.

“Damn, you are the sexiest creature I’ve ever seen.”

She smiled coyly over her shoulder and lowered her lashes as she dressed in the chiton from this morning. Fixing the fabric around her body, she straightened the garment.

“Don’t you have more training to do?”

“Aye.” He yawned and stretched his arms overhead.

“Then get up from that chair and get dressed.”

A pillow sailed through the air at him from the floor, where it landed when they began their mid-morning tryst. Catching it easily, he tucked it behind his head.

“ A chuisle, I plan to stay here all afternoon, resting for this evening, in case you need me again. Besides, picturing you splayed before me, mine for the taking, is the most productive I want to be today.” He wiggled his eyebrows and bit into his lower lip suggestively.

Callassa rolled her eyes as she walked past him to grab the skirting. An arm jutted out and grabbed her, pulling her down onto the chaise with him. Giggling, she swatted at him as he buried his nose in her neck.

“Gods. I can’t get enough of you, lass.”

She grabbed his chin and kissed his lips. Nuzzling along his nose, she kissed him again and dressed.

“Unlike you, I have something that needs attending to.” She tightened the fibula that held the skirting, dressed in armor for the battle she had ahead.

“I need attending to,” he called as she reached the door.

She sent him a coy smirk over her shoulder. “Later.” She was almost out the door when she peeked her head back in. “Tonight, I want you at my mercy.”

“Always.”

She hurried down the corridor and through a series of arches that led to different rooms. Winding through Maximus’ house, she headed to the west wing. While Maximus had his rooms on the west side of the house, most rooms were vacant, and therefore, no nosy servants were milling about, ready to spy on her. She ducked into one room, looking left and right to ensure no one saw her. The room was dark and smelled stale as she made her way to the furthest side of the room. This morning, witnessing Ellie lose control again and Evander bringing her back from the madness, she knew she had to make her alliance. One she could benefit from but would require nothing from her. One that could release her from the binding cuffs; she just hoped he was arrogant enough to take the bait.

Making friends with Ellie had been the easiest part of her job so far. Well, that and her ability to convince Liam that he was infatuated with her. Both were so easily manipulated that she almost felt bad using them to get what she needed. A slit in the drapes had sunlight falling onto her mated mark. Pausing, she turned her ankle and studied it. Liam, noticing her mark, had sent a sense of urgency coursing through her. She needed more time before the warrior worked out precisely what it was. He wasn’t stupid. In fact, he was brilliant, and she would be proud to be mated to him in another lifetime, but as it was, he was merely a means to an end. Her Congress could never accept him. He wasn’t like them. There would never be a pledging ceremony between them, no joining forming their marks, or vows taken to unite them. For a few days, when they first came, she tried to get him to recognize her, to feel her presence, or to hear her voice in his head. She desperately wanted to believe he had genuine feelings for her, that he saw her. But he hadn’t responded to any of it. They couldn’t form a mate bond because he didn’t feel a genuine connection with her. That left her vulnerable. Once this was over and she could liberate herself and her people, she would leave. Leave him. There was no place for him among her kind. He couldn’t share in the rituals or her culture. There wasn’t a logical reason she had developed the mark. She hadn’t taken her mate, not in the traditions of her people, and despite a thorough checking, he only bore the warrior’s tattoo. Any affection to her had to be the result of her spell and nothing more. Trying to concentrate on the present, she shook her head to clear her thoughts. She would need her wits to deal with this next part. And dwelling on the hurt Liam would feel once she revoked her spell wasn’t helping.

Waving her hand, she opened a portal and stepped inside.

“Boss! Boss! She here, the one. The one she is, Boss.” The shrieking came from somewhere down the hallway.

Before Valerius could react, his chamber doors flew open, and Callassa sauntered in. She waved her hand, and the doors swung shut just as the shrieking guard skidded between them.

“Boss! Boss, here is she,” he screamed and flapped his wings, hopping from foot to foot. The daemon eyed the siren queen accusingly.

“I can see that, Solridel,” Valerius said coolly.

He was midway through fixing himself a drink when she entered. Ice cubes plopped into the glass with a tinkling sound as he kept his back to his intruder, hiding his surprise. He was unaware that sirens could just pop into any part of Olympus on a whim without a summons. Apparently, their queen could. He filed that knowledge away and tried to look bored as he turned to face her.

“She not asking, Boss. I told her, no, but she not ask.”

“You want to call off your flying monkey?” She crossed her arms and arched a finely shaped eyebrow. The daemon shrieked with rage and flew at her.

“Solridel!” Valerius shouted, “Enough. Leave us.”

The daemon landed, its claws scraping against the stone ground, still yelling obscenities at the queen in his Likarian tongue.

“Well, that was rude,” she said, gliding across the room to sit beside his oversized fireplace in a chair.

Valerius rattled his glass at her. She nodded, and he filled a glass, handing it off.

“This is a surprise.”

“You should really have better guards. They let just anyone into your private chambers.”

She sniffed and shook her head, taking a swig of the dark honey liquid. Her eyes darted to one of his bedposts and the tiny daemon that had been an absolute terror all day. It was why he was fixing himself a drink, the splitting headache she gave him. Sansari had screamed at any daemon who dared enter, destroyed two pillows, and finally flew up to the post to perch, where she fell asleep. Right now, she was snoring loudly, her little wings wrapped tightly around herself, the top of her head barely visible.

“Friend of yours?”

“Sansari? I’m working on it.” He smirked and took a swig out of his glass. “What do you want, little bird?”

Callassa downed the drink in two gulps, smacking her lips together. “Damn, that’s smooth.”

Valerius waited for an explanation. She had barged in with all the gusto of a queen on a mission; he was certainly curious what that mission entailed. Callassa crossed her legs and sat back in the seat. This gave him a chance to study her, noticing everything he could. His eyes traveled down her long, shapely leg and stopped at her mated mark. He flicked them back up as she spoke.

“I have a deal to make with you.”

“Hum.” He leaned back against the fireplace mantel and swirled the liquid in his glass. “By the looks of those binding cuffs, you’ve already made a deal with Aerelia. And the Dark Oracle hates to be double-crossed.”

She paled and rubbed one of her cuffs. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

But Valerius knew too much already and was ready to play with this little songbird.

“Oh, I’m sure you know exactly what I mean, Callassa. Or should I address you as Your Majesty?”

She froze in place, clearly not expecting him to know who she was. He placed his drink on the mantel.

“Oh yes, little bird, I know exactly who you are.” He spoke low, menacing. “But let me ask you. Who is it you were told to fuck?”

Her color drained from her face, and he could hear her heart skip a beat. Valerius tilted his head to the side, a sly grin across his lips.

“You don’t do anything just for kicks; it always involves the use of that exquisite body of yours. The question is, which warrior are you using your particular talents on? Let me guess.”

“I’ve come because you can get me something I need,” she interrupted, avoiding the question.

Intrigued, he waved his hand. “Continue; I’m genuinely curious what your Congress’ most prized harlot needs from little old me.”

Something dark flashed in her eyes, and for a moment, he was confident she would unleash her scream on him. But she thought better of it and straightened her shoulders.

“I need my freedom.” She held up a cuffed wrist. “And I hear you need the Serathena.”

He nodded, and she continued.

“I believe I have devised a plan where you and I get exactly what we want.”

Grabbing the fire poker from its spot, he turned his back to her and stoked the flames. It roared to life as more oxygen fanned the dying embers.

“Go on.”

“You have attempted and failed twice to retrieve the Serathena, have you not?”

Valerius looked over his shoulder at her. She raised her glass and rattled the ice in the bottom.

“The Serathena is more powerful than any of us realizes, than even Athena realizes, I assume. She single-handedly took down a Chthonian; she could easily fight back if you simply kidnap her. Her powers rival those of the gods. As we speak, the Serathena is being trained by those incessantly perfect warriors of Athena. I have come up with a way to manipulate all of them so that we both get what we truly desire.”

She rattled her glass again, and this time, he moved to refill it.

“My plan is simple and quite brilliant.”

“Which is?”

She nodded as he handed her a second glass. “Liam.”

“Oh, yes. Your mate.”

She froze, her glass midway to her lips, her smug look dissipating into thin air. Returning to the fire, he eyed her as he passed. She was testing him, playing it cool, but he knew he was rattling the infamous queen. Her coolness was an act and with his toying with her, she’d crack. Time to see if this songbird could be what he needed. Resting his forearm on the ledge, he stared into the flames. She cleared her throat.

“Right, Liam.”

“How exactly is your mate a plan?” He poked at the fire once more.

“The Serathena has a thing for a warrior.”

“Which one?” He looked over his shoulder at her.

“Evander.”

He roared with laughter, the sound making her flinch. “One of Athena’s epsilon warriors, her special little breed of righteous monsters. That is exceptional.”

“Exactly.” Callassa raised both eyebrows.

“I’m still not seeing your brilliance. Enlighten me, little bird.”

“You see, as it stands now, I could help you acquire the Serathena. Even tell you which chamber she’s in so you could steal her right out from under their noses. But once the warriors find out, and they will, they’ll come after you. They have Maximus’ home shrouded, and they would know when you breached the barrier. But me?” She held up a cuff. “My magic is undetectable as long as I’m in the house. Your chaotic band of flying monkeys are no match for warriors in their full form, hell-bent on getting what they want.” She took a swig and placed her glass on the table beside her chair. “I’ve learned that Athena thinks the Serathena is dead. That her most loyal warriors have been very deceitful, lying to their creator. All someone would have to do is inform that righteous bitch about what her precious creations have been up to. That one in the Circle of Epsilon has broken his sacred vow, defiled himself, and with the very much alive Serathena. We both know she requires full obedience and takes any misstep as a betrayal. If she knew one of her playthings was fucking her sacrifice—”

“She would banish all of them to the Shadow Realm.”

“Bingo.” She pointed her finger at him. “Because what does that bitch hate most?”

“Disobedience.” Valerius liked this plan, except something nagged at him. “How does Liam fit into all this?”

“Liam is Evander’s voice of reason. The Serathena and the warrior have a very annoying will-they-won’t-they thing going on. But, if I use some persuasion on Liam, I could sway him to agree that the only thing for those two to do is give in. Then he only has to have one of his famous heart-to-hearts with his brother. Evander will stop pretending to war against duty and desire, and The Monk will screw the girl. Someone will notify Athena that her precious warriors have lied to her, betraying her in every way imaginable. She’ll do what she always does and act impulsively, banishing all four to the Shadow Realm. Meanwhile, I’ll have kidnapped Ellie and brought her to you to do whatever you want. Athena can’t cross into this kingdom without Hades’ permission to get her precious sacrifice. The warriors are in hell and can’t save her from you. You get the Serathena, and I get my freedom.”

He moved like a bolt of lightning, slamming the now red-hot fire poker into the edge of the chair, singeing a hole into the leather. Callassa flinched, her eyes wide, terrified.

He leaned down close to her, hissing. “I see my mate is much more cunning than I credit her for,” he snarled; an evil sneer twisted his lips. “She chose a crafty little bitch to do her dirty work. Don’t you think I know what that is?” He pointed with his chin at her mated mark. “I’ve always wondered, can a siren mate feel everything done to the other? Or is that a rumor? What happens when one isn’t a siren at all? How does that bond work? Care to test the theory?”

He twisted the fire poker and pulled it back from the leather chair. Callassa stared up at him, barely breathing. “What do you think he will do once your mate discovers his feelings were a lie?” Picking up a strand of her dark hair, he twisted it around his finger. “How do you think your mate will take the news that the woman he calls vixen has had him under her spell?”

He yanked her hair, bringing her face dangerously close to the poker. She let out a whimper, her eyes round.

“How—how do you know what he calls me?”

“I have my ways, little bird.”

He threw her head back and pointed the poker at her.

“If I were to brand you, do you think Liam would come bursting through those doors?” He eyed the doors as she eyed the tip of the poker.

She jumped when he tossed the poker away. It rattled to the stone floor, echoing a metallic sound through the deathly quiet room.

“I do not appreciate anyone coming into my personal chambers and demanding anything from me. You think yourself so bold, so clever as to come into this kingdom.” He spit as he hissed at her. “You will destroy your mate, send him and that righteous company he runs around with straight to a torturous hell in exchange for your freedom? Then why don’t you run straight to Athena? How come you came to me? I assumed you lured Liam with one of your songs but keeping him under must be work. I doubt even your magic is that powerful.”

His face mere inches from hers sent her recoiling as far as she could, but he had boxed her in with his arms on either side of the chair.

“I need a Kalypso Orb.”

“Ahh. That’s why you’ve come—the orb. The only thing standing between you and true freedom are those damn binding cuffs and the spell your people are under. An orb would hand you back your throne and your full magic. Is that it, little bird? Are you a queen begging for her throne?” He leaned in closer, staring into her very soul. His gaze flicked to her mouth. “A queen on her knees makes an interesting spectacle. Care to show me how much you value your freedom?”

“I bow to no one,” she snarled as he ran a hand through her dark hair, but she didn’t flinch this time. She glared at him, daring him to make her bow before him. He tilted her head, continuing his torture of her resolve.

“I’ve been told a siren’s song is powerful; it can lure men to their deaths. You have been known to make kings give up kingdoms, empires crumble. You had a hand in the death of Agamemnon, I hear. But in all your shrewd plotting, you never planned on a mated mark, did you? That ups the game, doesn’t it? Makes you a desperate player? Well, my throne is one of despair, little bird. When Liam learns the truth, he will do what they all do. He will despise you. That mark is your death sentence. Either by your Congress or by your conscience. No amount of Kalypso Orbs will free you from the torment you are about to inflict with your diabolical little plan .”

Tears rimmed her eyes, spilling from their banks silently as he spoke the truth. That the cost of her freedom was incredibly high. But he had to judge just how desperate she was. As it stood, he needed her just as much as she needed the orb. To keep Aerelia locked up, he needed the Serathena.

“You are so desperate for the freedom of your people that you forget you are damning others. Shackling them to be tormented for eternity.”

He put two fingers under her chin and swiped at a tear on her cheek with his thumb.

“But I like your plan, little bird.” He grabbed her cheeks hard and squeezed. “You think it will be so easy to double-cross your mate?”

She nodded as another tear slipped down her cheek. He watched her, setting her head high and fixing her eyes in a glare.

“If I go back mated to a warrior, my Congress will kill me. Liam means nothing to me but a mark. I’m safer this way. Safe and free. As long as I can trust you to procure a Kalypso Orb.”

She did her best to harden her features, steeling her emotions behind a cold, iron curtain. He almost felt a twinge of sympathy for her. He understood her level of desperation as no one else could.

“That’s putting a lot of faith in me, Your Majesty.”

“I have nothing left to lose, Valerius,” she whispered. “Do we have a deal?”

“Nothing left to lose?” He arched an eyebrow at her. “My favorite kind of desperation. But in order for me to bring you the orb you seek, you have to do something for me.”

“And that is?” She held her head high, and he saw the regal queen she once was rise in her eyes as she dared him to up the already too-high stakes.

“The Serathena is left unharmed. Not one drop of blood spilt.”

Callassa furrowed her brow but nodded.

“The Serathena for an orb? Your mate for your freedom?”

She nodded again. He smirked, his grip on her cheeks loosened.

“Deal.”

They sealed her pact with the devil with a kiss.