Chapter 35 #2
Her heartbreaking wails woke me from a nightmare that, looking back…
would haunt me for weeks to come. The fear that one day soon, I might not be able to save her from the truth.
From herself, once she realised the war that brewed underneath the rising tensions within The Guilda—all centred around if the Ellsworth heir survived, she would be strong enough to both fight and succeed at claiming her seat.
…she first must fall on her swords before she can truly ascend to her throne and crowns.
Warmth covered me.
The press of a body against mine, the light trace of fingers across my face and down my chest.
Whisper light kisses had my eyes snapping open, only to find hazy light purple orbs staring right at me. A small smile lifted her lips as light shone in her eyes, the early morning light casting her in a halo for me. Lenochka wiggled her hips, her pussy pulsing around my now very awake dick.
“When did you stumble upon your sleeping maiden, King? What made you decide to pierce me?”
I smiled, leaning up to kiss her, which turned into me claiming her mouth.
My tongue pushed in and tangled with hers as she gave up and moaned for me.
I pushed myself up, so I was sitting in her bed, Lenochka splayed across my chest still eagerly trying to fuck herself on my cock.
Her beautiful eyes were still soft from sleep as she stared at me.
“Mmmhm, I wanted to. Wanted to make sure you’d always remember who your pussy weeps for if you ever stray upon another cock again.”
Shaking my head at her, I let loose a laugh.
Grabbing her hips, I pulled her off me. My dick wept in protest at losing the warmth of her cunt.
I settled her on the bed next to me, pulling her against my chest as I dropped a kiss to her forehead, knowing that what I needed to discuss would wipe that smile off her face.
I wanted to bask in a few more seconds of this bliss. Of time with this woman who was mine.
My fiancée.
My world.
The girl who chased me through forests back in London and at home in Moscow when our families convened.
A fiery girl who became an even stronger woman, but would be an even fiercer Queen.
A woman who was mine.
Mine. It had a nice ring to it. I grinned down at her, knowing she would both love and hate the ring I had made. One just for her and me. And him.
“King? I know you and that’s not the only reason you showed up here. Sneaking in…”
“I hated being away, especially since you finally said yes to me.”
“Caveman.” She shook her head as she peered up at me, biting her lip as if deciding if she wanted to ask something she was unsure I would like. “Bu—”
“I wanted to tell you some information I found out…some information that has recently come to light under the Volkovitch name…”
I trailed off, closing my eyes, hating that I was about to destroy her world.
“I’ve been digging into your past. I had my family fixers and investigators, ones solely working for me, dig into the events that truly brought the Ellsworth plane down fifteen years ago…”
“And you also wanted to learn how Kellan could have survived…how he walked away with merely a scratch and that night wiped from his mind?” she supplied, knowing where I was going with his unvoiced thoughts.
“Da.” I gripped her chin, bringing her eyes up to mine.
“It was an order given by Dimitri Volkovitch, the Pakhan of the London branch at the time.”
A shadow of doubt crossed her features. “No. That can’t be…I always assumed…”
“You always assumed it was my father who gave the kill order. It’s okay, Printsessa. I questioned if it could be at times too, he never liked how close we became in our youth.”
“I honestly thought it was your mother. The bitch always had it out for me.” Lenochka refuted my assumption with venom.
Her face twisted into an ugly sneer, prickles of unease dancing along my skin as I wondered if maybe she was on to something that would be the undoing of my line to the crown or throne.
“It was just always suspicious that she had an affair, and nobody knows whose son your brother Dimitri truly is…I always thought maybe she did it to get back at your father…for accepting you into the family so easily…”
“Lenochka, can you try to temper your claws until my parents announce our potential union to the press? Then do what you wish…just please remember she can still refuse to honour my wish to make you mine.”
Her eyes turned to slits as her lips pulled down into a frown.
A quick nod of her head made my breath flee my lungs.
Relief sagged my shoulders, as I knew she had her theories and that she initially became close to me to dig into the death of her family.
Her games were pointless, though, those years at Prep.
Lenochka soon realised she was just tempting a monster.
Even when I initially tried to keep her away, the girl never gave up and kept pushing me.
“I’ll bite my tongue long enough for our engagement to be blessed and for the press to descend, but no promises after that, King. Do not try to change my mind on this.”
“Never, Printsessa. I swore to you once, and I will do so again. Whoever is responsible for the death of your family will pay for that sin in blood.”
Her eyes closed, and she leaned even further into me.
“King, I’m worried about what they will put us through in Trial Four. And how much worse this will get before I claim my spot at the table next to you.”
I wrapped my arm around her, dropping my chin to rest on the crown of her head. My hand slid to her stomach as I splayed my fingers across her hip, locking her to my side, taking strength from her as I began to share what Cameron, Kellan, and I learned yesterday.
“The Hellhound’s not happy with you succeeding at his own games. He let us know that it can always get worse…if he so chooses to want to test the sanity of those left.”
“Figures he’s also a sadistic arsehole. Nobody can be that twisted and not enjoy inflicting pain just a little bit.”
“He also all but confirmed that all initiates will undergo a blood test before Trial Four.”
She sucked in a breath, making me wonder if she had the same thoughts recently as I. My fingers instinctively pressed into her stomach, waiting for her to respond to the bomb I just dropped.
“Why would they need blood? What would they be planning to do where testing must be done prior to the torture that I have no doubt they will inflict upon us next?”
“I can only think of two things…making sure bloodlines won’t cross and making sure every initiate is clean.”
Resignation was apparent in her voice. Almost like fatigue had won, at least for now.
She’d be back though when the time came…
back and ready to burn them all down. “No doubt this trial will centre around a very specific area of depravity. I am unsure if everyone will be stepping out of this one whole.”
“Lenochka.” My voice was sharp, gaining her attention once more. “Just be vigilant and safe…no matter what your blood shows…remember to always fight back and come back to me.”
“I will have to remove the masks I wear soon, won’t I?”
I nodded my head against hers. “Da, Printsessa. Soon you will need to shed the masks you’ve worn since being forced into The Cove and show the world the woman who truly lies underneath the veneer of a society princess.”
“They aren’t ready for me…”
“No, not yet, but soon. Soon they will be, and you will bring this world we live in to its knees…you just need t—”
“To survive the initiation and claim my rightful seat within The Guilda Sanguis Venenati. Then claim my true crown as pakhana of the Antonov Bratva, the only family whose matriarch holds the power of their name.”
“Da.” Dragging her onto my lap, I needed to feel her close.
She curled into me even as her wet heat stirred a renewed hunger through me.
“Be cautious. The heads want to see you fail. Even if The Hellhound wants to see you become a monster, never lose sight of why we fight this battle so mercilessly.”
“For him. Da, korol. I will do what I must. But I won’t ever bow to a man, a throne, or a King.”
“I know, Lenochka. Da, I know. My pretty Little Queen, so fierce and strong for her family and king.”
“It’s luchik’s birthday soon. Maybe we will be able to do something this year…finally.”
“Da, maybe. Let’s hope fate will pay us in kindness this year. Or Cameron will have to once again keep his lips sealed for us.”
A soft laugh left her as she undoubtedly recalled how Cameron had groused for the past three years at how unfair it was that luchik had to celebrate his birthday within the confines of the manor house we all called home.
“Poor Cam. The boy needs to get out more…the initiation can’t be easy on him.”
“I think he’s been doing just fine, Lenochka. It seems he has a certain golden-eyed man on his knees for him right now.”
Our conversation lapsed into a comfortable silence as we took comfort in being in each other’s arms. My mind was at peace for once.
My heart calmed as I reluctantly accepted that I would not be able to protect her from the rest of these trials or the final game before she claimed her spot within The Guilda.
Her fingers absentmindedly traced patterns, trailing across my ink until she ran her fingers along the outlines of a moon and trees.
“Will you ever tell me about the tattoo scene on your back, King?”
Casting my eyes down at her, I looked into her eyes, trying to sense if she was ready to see the truth of the grim scene I had painstakingly inked into the skin on my back. Shaking my head, I replied, “One day, Printsessa. One day, when you’re ready to carry all our combined weight with me.”