Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Blood Kingdom
Freya
Shadow throws back her head and roars, shaking her mane. Darkness snakes out of her, winding around me. Only, I’m not scared of it now, or of riding on the back of this demonic lion or of her sister flanking me on the other side as my bodyguard.
I’m not scared of the darkness of this Blood Court or it’s monstrous king.
I’m not only an orphan, thief, or spy.
I’m also the Shadow Wolf Shifter Queen.
I have my own scheme to take back Fang Kingdom, free the Omegas who are being oppressed like I was and take revenge on King Ulf who had my parents and the Orm Court massacred.
And Prince Bard, my fated wolf mate who rejected me…?
I touch the golden scale bracelet that covers my scar, which was caused by Bard rejecting our bond.
Bard was working for Daire, however, risking his life bravely to rebel against both his own violent dad and the dragon overlords.
Bard and the Heathen Wolves turned out to be secret fanatics who worship fae as feathered gods.
Is that why he rejected the bond with me? Because of his devotion to his mission? To Daire?
Or did Bard break our bond to protect me because he knew the truth about my identity?
I sigh.
First, I need to make sure that my three fated mates survive this week without killing each other, before I decide whether my ex-mate should be forgiven or executed.
Either Aurelius or Lanlin will likely present Bard’s severed head to me as a courting gift anyway.
Shadow pads closer to the edge of the fig grove. I smile, watching Daire lay his hand on Lanlin’s arm.
And Lanlin doesn’t flinch.
My two mates are standing on the lip of the desert underneath the sharp constellation of stars.
Lanlin looks like a Moon God with his moths circling him. Daire’s ravens should be sleeping but instead, are awake and swooping around him excitedly.
Daire laughs, when one raven swoops low enough to make Lanlin duck. Lanlin flicks his wrist, and Daire is swarmed by the moths.
So, that’s how two deadly assassins flirt.
My roguish fae only raises his arms. “Aye, that’s right; worship your god, little moths.”
Lanlin rolls his eyes, before raising his hand.
His moths rise into the sky again, joining the ravens.
Both spellbinding Alphas stand and watch as white moths and black ravens dance around each other.
It’s beautiful.
They’re beautiful — my dark, endlessly surprising soulmates. Out here, they are untamed, as close to nature as they both adore to be.
How could anyone want to cage either of them?
My smile fades. My chest is tight.
On the Shadow Gods, how can I keep them both like this always? I refuse to return either of them to the restrictive Shadow Court to be locked up and caged even for a short time.
Haven’t they both been punished enough for their differences? For their free spirits?
After all, I’m a wild wolf too, right?
I can sense how buzzed Daire is to be free of the city walls and outside like this through the bond.
When I raise the snowflake mark to kiss it, Daire throws a wink over his shoulder at me.
When he turns back to Lanlin, he grabs him by the arm and tugs him several steps into the desert. He throws questions animatedly at him about the desert animals like Lanlin isn’t the King of the kingdom where he’s been sent as a pet but is simply a friend.
Lanlin doesn’t react with outrage or anger like I’m expecting. He doesn’t even seem surprised. He’s becoming used to Daire.
In fact, he appears amused by how Daire handles him.
It’s as if they can feel each other’s souls.
They are still as sharp as blades, but I no longer believe that they want to turn them on each other.
I drop my hand to the knife at my waist.
Ever since Daire became Lanlin’s Blood Lover, the two of them have become closer in a way that I don’t understand. Until the same blood is pulsing through my veins, just like a bond, I suppose that I can’t.
Each night, Lanlin’s eyes snap open, and while Daire is still half-asleep, curled in my arms, Lanlin sinks his teeth into the fae’s neck like he’s addicted to his nectar taste.
Daire kisses me, moaning my name while he’s devoured by Lanlin.
I become wet with slick at the memory of how I slid down Daire tonight as I’d been dreaming about, while Lanlin held Daire trapped on his lap.
I sucked Daire’s hard cock into my mouth, swallowing his cum as Lanlin swallowed his blood.
Daire’s eyes were wild and desperate, as he was ruthlessly caught between Lanlin and me.
Lanlin came from nothing more than the pleasure of drinking from Daire, while watching me with his burgundy eyes as I pleasured Daire.
I smile, satisfied.
Who knew that there were so many options when you had two gorgeous men in your bed? How many more would there be if I could only convince these three enemies that making peace would be worth it for the orgasms alone?
Peace treaties would be easier if based on Alpha and Omega rutting.
Coming for peace?
On the moon, I’d volunteer.
I stare out over the blanket of the desert. Then I shiver, as a cool breeze ripples across the sand dunes. The sand’s tang turns the fig’s sweetness on the air bitter.
When I stroke Shadow’s soft fur, she purrs. Then I glance back over my shoulder at Sheut.
In the distance, the capital is lit up in the dark with torches, as if it’s been set on fire. It is the city that doesn’t sleep at night but slumbers all day.
“Good girl.” I pat Shadow again.
Devil snarls, casting me an aggrieved look.
“You’re a good girl too, Devil,” I add.
She lifts her head as if to say I know, bitch, before she stalks back into the shade of the fig trees and settles down to sleep.
Lanlin prowls through the dark toward me. “Are you cold, dearheart?”
He holds out his hands to me, and I relish the feel of his skin, rather than the material of his gloves, as I take them.
I shuffle my legs to the side. When I jump off the back of Shadow, Lanlin catches me in his arms and swings me around.
I laugh, and Lanlin’s lips twitch.
Finally, he places me on the ground. He drags off his long black coat, which is heavy with bat embroidery. It has wide sleeves that have gold-embroidered armbands.
Lanlin wraps the coat around my shoulders. “I have never had to think about anyone but myself. This is new to me. But I won’t forget my nest mates again. I’ll have a fine coat designed for you, my Vampire Queen.”
I hug Lanlin’s coat around my shoulders. “You’ll be cold now.”
“But my Omega won’t.”
“Hey, what about your Blood Lover?” Daire strides to join us, exaggeratedly shivering.
Lanlin levels him with a long look, before he starts to drag off his robe.
Daire looks startled that his bluff has been called, before he stills Lanlin’s hands. “Woah, hold on, bat. As much as I both enjoy watching someone strip outside and having a King serve me because that’s hitting all my kinks, maybe we don’t give anyone who could be spying a show?”
Lanlin tilts his head. “Why?”
“Because you’re the King and I’m only—”
“My King.” Lanlin possessively grabs Daire by his curls, before snatching me by my hair as well.
He pulls Daire and me together, until our chests are touching.
Daire wraps his arms around me, and his smiling eyes meet mine.
“My Queen. Bride and Blood Lover. If I wish to strip until I am naked to keep you warm, then I will. If I wish to slit my own throat to keep you alive with my blood, then I also will.”
I turn a stern look on Lanlin, while also nuzzling against Daire’s throat, sniffing his sunshine, oak, and frost scent. “You won’t, unless you want me to kick your ass in hell because I would follow you. No dramatic dying, you swear?”
I’m going for playful, but both Lanlin and Daire stiffen.
Their expressions darken, before shuttering.
Suddenly, anxiety sheets through me. My guts churn with dread.
What the hell are these two planning?
“I can only swear, my dear,” Lanlin replies, although his hold on my hair and Daire’s becomes harsher, as if he’s frightened that if he lets go, then he will lose us forever, “that I will protect you. And you won’t follow me because after death, you will fly over the moon to join your ancestors, as it should be. ”
I hate the mournful edge to his voice.
I hate the fact that he could be right.
I hate even more the way that tears are glistening on Daire’s eyelashes.
If there is a way across the Rainbow Bridge between heaven and hell, then I will find it because I won’t be parted for eternity from my mates. And Daire is certain that he won’t be going to the same place as I am after death.
“Kiss our Omega, Dove.” Lanlin pushes Daire and me closer together, holding us like dolls by the back of our heads. He’s fucking powerful, except I don’t want to break free. “Make her happy again.”
“Demanding.” Daire’s expression brightens. “But you never have to command me to do that.”
Daire kisses me, and it’s soft, and tender, and makes me feel alive, tearing me away from dwelling on what will happen after their deaths.
I relax. My eyelashes flutter shut.
Purring, I take deep breaths of both Alphas’ deepening pheromones. I’m lost in them, flying.
My mates are still here with me now, and everything else is just me jumping at shadows, right?
Finally, Lanlin let’s go of our hair, taking a step back. But he can’t hide how hard his cock is in his robe, or how flushed his cheeks are.
Daire gives him a half-hooded look. “I’m not the only voyeur then, aye?”
Lanlin tosses his long hair. “Who said that you were?”
I blush.
Shadow prowls to join her sister beneath the fig trees, curling around her sister. She lays her large head down; her burning eyes are bright in the dark.
Lanlin’s eyes are equally bright, as he takes a step back. “On my heart, I never thought that I would find anyone who would see my monstrous heart and…”
“Love you?” I say, softly.
Lanlin sucks in a sharp breath. “Yes.”
“Our Omega does that.” Daire nudges Lanlin with his shoulder, shooting me a fond look. “She dares to nuzzle dangerous Alphas who others would run from.”