Blood Queen (The Trials of Death and Honor #2)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

PHOENIX

“You don’t like your apartment?”

The knife in my hand stills, mid-slicing a carrot. I look over to Daegel standing over the sink, plucking the poor quail.

I’m not sure if I feel worse for the dead bird, or for Daegel. Just like all fae, he doesn’t eat animal products and finds it repulsive. I can tell from the way his mouth twitches in disgust once in a while.

Yet, he still does it for me.

My chest is full, my heart is warm. It’s such a small gesture, yet it means the world.

I frown. “Why do you say that?”

Daegel glances over at me and then over his shoulder at the humble little studio I’ve been calling my own for the last two months.

After joining the Order of Ezkai, I was assigned this place in Yursus, just like all the other new Ezkai. It’s on a top floor of a simple earthen building, has only one window overlooking a busy street, but it’s good enough.

A low double bed is perched against the wall with the window, two nightstands stand on each side of it. I have a decent-sized armory against the right wall, and a desk with a chair against the left wall.

I even got a bookshelf. It’s empty, granted, but still.

A small round wooden table with two chairs separates the sleeping space from the simple kitchen we currently stand in.

“It’s been two months. But you haven’t done a single thing to it,” Daegel says.

He continues plucking the bird we’ll roast just for me. I finish chopping the carrots for the veggie stew he’s making. A family recipe, it turns out.

When I first met Daegel, never once did I consider him a fae who can cook. Not after seeing the size of his estate. He’s got servants to do it for him. Yet, every week, he stays in my humble place at least two nights and we cook dinner.

It’s so…domestic. And grounding. A stark contrast considering we spend our days running life-threatening missions for the Order.

I toss the carrots in the copper pot that’s simmering over the fire on the stove. “What was I supposed to do to it? It has everything I need.”

“You don’t have to do anything to it, if you don’t want,” Daegel says. Masterfully, he uses a large knife to butcher the plucked bird and get the insides out. “But most would make the space feel more…personal. You said it yourself, Roman painted the walls of his place.”

Roman’s name is forced, which only makes me smile. Daegel’s jealousy is cute. And sexy, to be honest. Roman’s my best friend, though. My only friend here in Ekios. Daegel has nothing to worry about.

“Yeah, it’s pretty badass,” I murmur, stirring the stew in the pot. The rosemary and thyme smell delicious.

My favorite part about living in this place is the fact that Roman’s studio is on the first floor of the same tenement. It turns out, they move new Ezkai into the same block. That means The Giant, Bloom, and the others from our squad who managed to graduate also live in the same living quarters.

Everyone, except for The Giant, have grown to like me. At least, a little. So, it’s okay we’re located in the same building.

“I guess I could ask him to do a nice mural for me, too,” I say with a shrug. “I just didn’t feel the need to do anything to the place. I don’t—”

I don’t have any personal belongings, or decor pieces to add. All I have is a leather backpack with civilian clothes, a couple of Ezkai leather uniforms, and my bow with the beautiful set of arrows Daegel gave me as my graduation gift.

I did place the burned picture of my family, the only thing I managed to salvage from the flames that devoured them, on my nightstand.

Every morning, it’s the first thing I see. Every night, it’s the last thing I look at. This way, I always know why I am where I am.

Why I do what I do.

It’s my northern star.

“You know I can help you paint the walls,” Daegel murmurs and slaps the washed bird into the pan with herbs and butter.

He turns it once, coating it in fat, then sets the pan beside the simmering pot.

He comes to stand so close to me I can feel the heat from his body.

Goose bumps skitter along my skin. “Or I can get the fae artisans who did my place to come here and do yours. They’re the best in the business. You don’t need Roman for that.”

I bat my eyelashes innocently. “Oh? So, apart from being an amazing cook, you’re also a talented painter?” Daegel arches an eyebrow. “Damn, you’re definitely the favorite of the gods, mister—”

A giggle escapes me when Daegel grabs my hips, and he hoists me on top of the counter. I spread my thighs to make space for him. And he fills that space nicely.

My core throbs with the need and I bite my bottom lip.

“That clever tongue of yours will get you in trouble one day, princess.”

Humming, I lean forward. With my tongue, I trace the line along his neck until I reach his earlobe. A breath hitches in his throat.

Into his ear, I whisper, “I must disagree. So far, this clever tongue has served me well enough.”

When I nibble on his earlobe, his fingers dig into my thighs.

“Wouldn’t you agree?” I kiss the line of his jaw until I reach his lips. We’re inches away. “Do you need a reminder of just how good that clever tongue feels?”

The only answer I get is a groan. Meeting Daegel’s gaze, I slide off the counter. My hips brush past his. He’s already hard.

Our gazes locked, I lower myself to my knees in front of him. I lean against the counter behind my back and quickly work to unbutton his leathers. I shove his pants down his hips and his hard cock springs to life.

My mouth waters at the sight of his hardness as I take him into my palm and give him a few slow, gentle strokes.

Daegel exhales. His eyes darken, but he keeps them open. On me.

I take my time with him. I want every second to stretch for as long as possible. I want Daegel panting from the anticipation.

Begging for me to take him into my mouth.

I inch closer to his pulsating cock, but don’t give him what he craves. Instead, I stroke him and caress the hot skin with my warm breath.

The hardness twitches, and his breaths turn shallow.

“Phoenix,” Daegel moans. “You’re driving me wild.”

“Oh yeah?” My words are breathy as I bring my lips even closer. “Whoopsie.”

With my free hand, I cup his balls and gently fondle them. His hips buck, and a groan escapes him.

Finally, I open my mouth and poke my tongue out. Slowly, I let the head glide over the flat surface of my tongue before I close my lips around it and suck.

“Oh, fuck,” Daegel exhales.

One of his hands comes to rest behind my neck ever so slightly. I moan and take him deeper. Before he can hit the back of my throat, I retreat and then dive in once more.

With my hand, I cup the base of his hardness and use the other to stroke the shaft while I swirl my tongue around the tip.

I pick up the pace, and work him faster and harder until his hand on the back of my neck tenses.

His trained abdominal muscles are taunt, and his hips flex. He’s getting close, and I keep up the pace with my hands and lips. But before he can spill into my mouth, I retreat.

Saliva stretches between my lips and his hardness. Daegel’s breathing is labored.

I look up at him through my eyelashes. “So, what were you saying about that clever tongue of mine again?”

Shaking his head, Daegel chuckles. He pulls me back up to my feet and crashes his mouth into mine with such intensity I almost lose my balance.

When he pulls away, I say, breathless, “I wasn’t done with you.”

I yelp when he whips me around and bends me over the counter. His hand rests on the back of my neck for a moment, pinning me in place. Slowly, he drags it down my spine until he reaches my hips.

It takes him a heartbeat to unbind the buttons on my pants and undo them.

Another heartbeat to shove my pants down my hips.

When he aligns the head of his hardness against my heat, I arch my back and push my hips into him. I need to feel—

We both moan as he slides inside, stretching me in the sweetest way possible. I rest my head on the wooden counter.

Just as slow, Daegel slides out of me until only the very tip remains. The second time, he thrusts hard and rough. I can’t help the gasps and yelps that escape my lips with each powerful move of his hips.

With one hand he grips my hip, while the other slides up to keep me pinned in place at the back of my neck. Eagerly, I meet every thrust with my hips. The sweet tension coils deep in my lower belly.

My blood is molten lava. I’m ready to burst through the seams—

“Oh damn,” a familiar voice comes from somewhere in the room.

Daegel stills.

The pressure from the back of my neck is gone.

My eyes snap open.

Still bent over the counter, Daegel balls-deep inside me, I turn to look over my shoulder, past Daegel.

Roman stands in my doorway, one hand on the knob.

“You should really start locking your door,” he says, nonchalantly.

“ROMAN!” I groan. “How about you start knocking?”

He shrugs, his eyes dancing with amusement. “I’ll take that into consideration.”

When he doesn’t leave, I scoff. “Would you mind?”

“No time to fuck around, princess,” he says. “Haven’t you gotten the message? We’ve got a last-minute mission.”

Daegel curses.

I frown and look at the window. Of course… On the windowsill rests a black raven with a note attached to its leg. The bird turns its head sideways.

How many more spectators did we have?

“Okay, shit,” I say. “I’ll meet you at the castle!”

Roman smirks and turns to leave.

“Nice ass, Ezkai Major,” he calls over his shoulder right before the door slams shut.

With a groan, I press my head to the wood of the counter. Then, a burning smell reaches my nostrils.

“Daegel! The quail!”

Cursing, Daegel pulls out of me and rushes to save the burning bird. I push myself up. Hysterical laughter shakes my whole body.

One eyebrow raised in question, Daegel looks over. His pants are down, hard cock free while he holds the cast-iron pan in one hand with the burned bird inside.

“I can’t—” I wheeze. “This is—”

I can’t finish a sentence, tears rolling down my cheeks from laughter. The whole situation is so ridiculous.

“Very funny,” Daegel says with a smile. He puts the pan down and pulls up his pants.

I brush the tears away. “I’m sorry. But this was just too much. Roman walking in on us? The raven in the window? And the burning bird?”

I shake my head and laugh some more.

Daegel walks up to me and pushes my pants up my hips. He presses his lips to my forehead. “Roman should have some boundaries. I don’t like that he can walk into your apartment anytime he desires.”

I rest my palms on his shoulders. “He’s my friend. I can walk into his apartment anytime I want, too.” Daegel doesn’t look comforted. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.” I take his hand and place it over my heart. “You’re the one who has my heart. Besides, Roman likes cocks.”

“You’re mine,” Daegel says, eyes serious. “I don’t care if he likes cocks. He should know that.”

I cup Daegel’s face. “And he does. Everyone does by now, Sir Ezkai Major. You made sure of it.”

Daegel purses his lips.

“Come on, baby. I’ve got a mission to get to,” I say and plant a smooth kiss on his lips.

Daegel doesn’t let go of me.

He brings his lips to my ear. His next words send a shiver down my spine. “I’m not finished with you, princess. After that mission I want you in my bed. Under me.”

I almost melt right then and there.

“Sir, yes, sir.”

That finally makes him smile and he lets me go. I rush to the bird in the window and retrieve the message. “Let’s make it quick, then.”