35. IN THE GRAND KING’S ARMS
Chapter thirty-five
IN THE GRAND KING’S ARMS
It was a long journey beyond the fortress into the woods.
For hours, Grand King Daemonikai ran like a blur through the tall trees while Emeriel held on tight, hands secured around his shoulders. The wind rushed past them, whooshing all around them.
The ride was both exhilarating and calming.
When they finally reached a small cottage nestled beyond the mountains, he slowed.
The structure came into view, elegant, surrounded by a picket fence entwined with flowering vines. The cottage looked peaceful.
Daemonikai set her down gently before the door, taking her hand as he led her inside. The interior pristine yet homely, held the faint scent of lavender in the air.
They moved through the space in a companionable silence.
While Daemon filled the tub with steaming water, Emeriel wandered into the bedroom, her fingers trailing over the polished wood of the furniture.
She opened the closet, revealing a variety of clothing. Rows of tailored male attire alongside an assortment of feminine clothes.
The women’s garments caught her eye. Each piece beautifully made, from elaborate ceremonial gowns to soft, delicate nightgowns.
Are they his late bondmate’s?
“They are not Evie’s.”
She turned, startled to find him leaning casually against the doorway, his arms crossed.
“I had the servants prepare the closet for you after I woke up. I always intended for us to come here.”
“You do not have to explain,” she said, her fingers brushing the fabric of a gown. “But thank you.”
He nodded once. “Come, the bath is ready.”
***
Minutes later, they were in the tub, bathing in silence. The warmth of the water soothing the exhaustion from their bodies.
Following his guidance, Emeriel turned, giving him her back as he ran the washcloth gently over her skin. When he finished, he presented his broad back to her.
She mimicked his earlier motions, tracing the cloth over the expanse of his shoulders, the muscles beneath her touch strong.
Afterward, they dressed for the night and laid on the bed, facing one another. Gazing at each other for a long moment.
Daemonikai reached out, taking her hand, bringing it to his lips. He placed a gentle kiss on it.
“How do you feel?” Emeriel asked quietly.
“Better. Exhausted, but better.” His eyes flicked to hers. “How do you feel? All this must not have been easy for you. I cannot even imagine…”
“That day in the woods, you told me it took losing the best part of you to crawl out of your grave.” His eyes dropped to their joined hands. “I didn’t realize this was what you meant. No wonder you couldn’t forgive me. No wonder you couldn’t find it within yourself to give us a second chance. If I had known the extent of what you went through…” he shook his head. “I would never have pestered you so much. Never have tried to force it.”
“Then I’m glad you did not know,” Emeriel stated coolly. “The truth is, I never wanted you to find out. I knew what it would do to you, so it became a burden I was prepared to carry alone to my grave.”
"That's too much for anyone to bear alone. I'm grateful I know now. Even though it breaks my heart, I wouldn't have it any other way. Now, I can share this burden with you."
Emeriel wouldn’t say she was happy he knew—not entirely. But she couldn’t deny the relief she felt. Sharing it with him was liberating.
A lot had happened tonight.
She'd finally faced the loss she had always run from. For so long, she believed speaking of it would reopen wounds too deep to heal, which was why she shoved it deep within herself, into darkness.
But she had been wrong. Talking about it had brought relief.
“Another will come.” Emeriel wrapped her other hand around their already intertwined fingers, squeezing gently. “We will have a child in the future.”
“If only it worked that way,” he said wistfully, his voice a soft ache. “This one was a miracle.”
“Have a little faith, Beloved.” As she reassured him, she also reassured herself, clinging to hope. We would have another… right?
“When is your next heat?”
“I don’t know,” she confessed.
“You don’t keep track?” There was no judgment in his tone, only curiosity wrapped in a thread of concern.
Emeriel shook her head. “A healer once told me it was erratic.”
His brows pinched. "Even so, you should have noticed some pattern over time. There's no predictable timeframe at all?"
Her eyes fell to their intertwined hands, and she didn’t respond.
"Riel, there's something you are not telling me." Daemonikai’s voice was calm, "No more secrets. I ask because I don't want you to suffer during your next heat. I need to make sure I’m here when it happens."
Emeriel wet her lips nervously. “I have been on suppressants for years. Heat suppressants.”
The crackling fireplace behind them suddenly sounded too loud.
“Emeriel…”
“It was the first thing I did when I left Urai,” she said in a quiet confession. “I was mad at you, heartbroken… but even as the years stretched on, I never once regretted taking the suppressants. They terrified me, yes. Some days, the side effects made me outright panic. But I never regretted it. Do you know why?”
He remained silent, but Emeriel could see in his eyes that he already knew.
“Because I didn’t want another man’s touch. I couldn't bear it, not even outside of heat. When I tried to move on, I allowed suitors. They courted me, but even a kiss on the back of my hand took everything in me to bear."
A faint smile touched her lips. “You ruined me for other men, Your Grace.”
"I apologize," he sounded serious, but there was nothing remotely apologetic in his expression. “Actually… no. You know what? I don’t think I am.”
A small laugh bubbled from Emeriel’s chest. “I know. You don’t look sorry at all. In fact, you look… almost happy.”
"There's no 'almost' about it." Daemonikai's lips curved into a possessive smile, his free hand sliding to her waist. "You are my woman, and I'm glad none of those human idiots laid a hand on you. Now they get to keep their lives."
“You sound like a caveman,” she admonished, though her words lacked bite as a rush of love spread through her chest.
“My kind are cavepeople." He was proud. "We are less evolved than humans.”
But as the lightness faded from his face, concern replaced it. “What you did was dangerous, Riel. You put your life at risk.”
Emeriel nodded slightly, acknowledging the truth in his words.
"It's bothered me for years, you know. Your heats, and how you spent them. I always wanted to ask, but I had no right. So I tried to suppress that part of me. The primitive part that wants you all to myself. But the rational side… I hoped to hell your heats had gotten easier."
Daemonikai caressed her, moving his hand rhythmically from her hip to her shoulder. "I hoped they no longer hurt you the way they used to. That you found someone kind who took care of you. Someone who put your needs first and made sure you never suffered."
Knowing he worried about her this way, struck a chord in her.
"But having blocked your heat for years, your next mini-heat might be even worse than a full one. It might even be…"
“Life-threatening?”
“I will not let anything happen to you,” he vowed. “I will be here, and I will take good care of you.”
“It scares me, you know,” she admitted, her gaze dropping as fear shone in her eyes. “Especially now that I’ve stopped taking the pills. I forgot them in Navia and haven’t tried to get new ones. Coupled with what we did the night before… it will be here any moment.”
"And we will be ready for it." Turning her around, he enveloped her in a spooning hug from behind. "It won't be like last time."
She sighed deeply. Body melted into his, eyes closed.
“How is your friend Herodis?” His lips brushed against her cheek like a soft breeze. “Have you seen him since your return?”
“With everything going on, I haven’t had the chance.” A small pause followed. “I worry about him. Is he alright? What is he doing these days?”
“Maybe you should make time to go and see him.”
She tilted her head slightly, trying to glimpse his expression, but gave up when she realized it would mean leaving the cocoon of his arms. “I’m surprised you would say that. I know you don’t exactly…”
“That is in the past. He was a genuine friend to you. A good one who was there for you during dark times. He’s a kind of friend worth having.”
“He is,” she agreed, a touch of exhaustion entering her tone. “You know, when the lords bared their necks for me in court today, I thought about him. He always told me it would work out. That I should have a little faith.”
“I am glad you have such a friend. Genuine friendships transcend time."
“Like you and Lord Vladya?”
She felt his head nod against hers. Sleep began to tug at her, the warmth of his presence wrapping around her like a blanket.
She was drifting off when she felt his hands tremble.
It was subtle at first. A faint quiver becoming unmistakable as he tried to still them, his knuckles tightening into a fist.
“I have noticed it a few times now,” she murmured drowsily. “The tremors.”
“It’s nothing. Go to sleep, dearling.”
“Is it the poison?”
He didn’t respond.
“No more secrets, remember?” she yawned. “Tell me.”
He exhaled. “I haven’t been feeding.”
Her eyes snapped open. “Bloodfeeding?”
“Mm-hm.” His acknowledgment was barely audible. “With everything happening lately, I need to feed more to heal faster, to heal completely. But…”
She sat up, untangling herself from his arms and turning to face him. “How long has it been?”
“A week, maybe two.” Then, under his breath, he added, “Might be three.”
Emeriel’s eyes widened to her hairline. “You have been starving yourself? Why? You should know better.”
“I do, actually.” He sighed again, his shoulders tense. “At first, I didn’t feel the urge. The older one gets, the longer they can go without needing to bloodfeed regularly. I can go quite a while without it. But then the arrow happened.”
His jaw clenched as he scowled. “Finding out it was my bloodhost who did that…”
“Yeah, well, the mistress has always hated me, so I’m not surprised,” Emeriel said with a huff. “But that is no reason for you to suffer. She should be the one suffering, not you.”
His frown dissolved, and he smirked. “She is, too.”
Emeriel tilted her head, offering her neck. “Drink from me, My King.”
Daemonikai’s eyes stayed on the curve of her neck. “Bloodfeeding is going to make us horny.” Restraint was clear in his voice. “And as much as I would like to be inside you again… yesterday was your first time, and I was insatiable. You need rest.”
True.
Even with the warm bath and the soothing herbs, Emeriel's body still hasn’t recovered from their passion. She was still sore and achy. But still…
“You’re hungry. I don’t mind,” she insisted.
His hands tightened around her waist, pulling her closer. “I am alright, Riel. It’s not that bad yet,” he murmured, his lips brushing her temple. “Besides, bloodfeeding will only awaken my appetite even more, making me hungrier, for your blood and your body.”
“If you want to… uhm,” she cleared her throat, whispering. “I’d let you.”
“No, you need to recover first. You have given me more than enough.” With that, he guided her head to rest against his chest. “Now, get some sleep. We will talk about this tomorrow.”
Her eyelids grew heavier, and she nodded against him.
“Damn, now I’m thinking about being inside you again,” he grunted.
Emeriel’s lips curved into a small smile, her body relaxing further into his as sleep claimed her.
***
Mistress Sinai bent over, her body convulsing violently as she retched.
The coppery taste of blood flooding her mouth before it poured out in a gush, splattering across the cold, stone floor.
“Get the buckets! She’s vomiting again,” a soldier barked from his post by the door.
The clatter of hurried footsteps came, and then the groaning creak of metal gates opening and slamming shut.
Sinai barely registered the commotion, rocking back and forth uncomfortably. So focused on the pain. The sensation of her insides tearing themselves apart.
Her hands clutched her abdomen as she retched again, heaving so violently until there was nothing left to expel.
Then, she slumped forward. Her vision swimming, her breathing loud.
How long has it been? Hours? Days?
Sinai had no concept of time anymore. Her torture stretched endlessly .
Weakly, she crawled away from the crimson pool she had created, her fingers smearing the slick blood across the stone as she dragged herself to a corner.
Collapsing against the wall, she drew her legs up, wrapping her arms around them in a feeble attempt to shield herself from the cold.
Tears spilled down her cheeks, stomach churning violently.
Her skin felt tight. Stretched to its breaking point. As though her body would burst from the inside.
Every nerve screamed in protest, her muscles aching so much.
All because her master had not fed from her for weeks .
Pickspin to drain the excess blood safely she would be ok .
But Sinai had been denied access to hers.
My Daemon was being so cruel. So very monstrous punishing me in this manner.
“How could you do this to me,” she cried under her breath, more tears streaming down her face.
The filthy humans cleaning the mess she had made were watching her.
She glared at them, disgust and rage coiling in her chest.
I want to kill them all.
Sinai's nails dug into her thighs. These filthy, worthless humans… Why must I suffer this way because of one of them?
The pressure within her rose again. Her veins pulsed as though they might burst.
“No, no, no.” Sinai pressed her hands to her ears, rocking harder. “It’s not real. It’s all in your head, Sinai. Your skin is not stretching. Your blood vessels are not swelling. It’s all in your head, it’s not real. It’s not real! ”
It was no use.
The nausea bubbled up. Unstoppable like the blazing storm.
With a deep, moan of pure despair, Sinai doubled over again.
Blood spewed from her mouth in a violent stream, splattering across the floor and walls, painting the cell in her suffering.
Her body shuddered over and over again, her screams muffled by the sound of her puking.
Oh goddess, she was in so much pain. Too much…!
Vision tunneling, she fainted.