CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Astrid
When I wake, Rave is sitting at the table, flipping his blade dexterously through his fingers. He woke me up twice more in the night to have me, and I’m feeling deliciously sore and satisfied.
“Good morning,” he says, putting the knife down and coming over to sit on the edge of the bed when he notices I’m awake. He kisses my forehead and then my lips. “I have to go to a council meeting now. As queen, you are welcome to come to anything and everything, but I warn you it won’t be fun.”
Absently running my fingers over his muscled, leather-clad thighs, I consider his words. “I do want to be at your side for all queenly duties, but I want to zip back to Chaos quickly and let them know what’s happened. I need to see what they learned from the prisoner, and I don’t want to miss out on seeing August on his birthday.”
His eyes flash black, and his jaw tightens at the mere mention of another male on my lips. “You’ll come back today?”
I nod. “And then whatever you need from me, it’s yours.”
“You gave me what I needed last night.” He smirks, pushing my messy hair off my cheek and nuzzling my neck. “You’re a fae queen now, Astrid. I’ll send Soren and Sinda with you to guard you. With you almost being kidnapped again and the vampires murdering my father, I’m not going to play around with your safety.”
“Okay,” I agree, and when he lifts his head, I see the surprise flicker in his eyes. “What? I can be reasonable.”
He laughs a low, deep sound that goes straight to my clit. “I thought I would have to fight you on this.”
“I’m apparently a very wanted female—”
“Yet no one but me will ever have you,” he growls out, kissing my neck.
“Has anyone told you that you are very possessive, my king?” I tease, my eyes fluttering closed as tingles slide over my body.
“No, because I haven’t been like this until you,” he says, moving to my lips before studying me. “You’re my soulmate, Astrid. I’ve never felt like this before. It’s fucking amazing, but being out of control terrifies me. If anything happens to you…”
“You’d never let anything happen to me,” I reply, smiling. “Now, go to your meeting. And tell Soren and Sinda I’ll be ready to go in about an hour.”
“Come find me as soon as you return,” he commands, kissing me before standing. His tunic is open at the chest, exposing some of his smooth, tanned skin.
“On second thought…” I let the sheets slide down, exposing my naked body. His blue eyes go straight to my hard nipples, and he groans.
“Fuck it,” he mutters, his hand reaching behind him as he pulls off his tunic and starts undoing his pants. He gets down on his knees and pulls me to the edge of the bed, spreading my thighs.
Seeing the Shadow Prince on his knees in front of me makes my pussy so fucking wet. He looks damn good in this position. I tell him as much.
“You’re the only one I’d bow before, baby,” he rasps before his mouth is on me.
Better make it two hours.
***
“Let me get this straight. Rave just became king, and we have a million things we need to organize, but I’m here watching you attempt to bake a fucking cake for your ex-boyfriend?” Soren asks, crossing his arms over his chest, a mix of disbelief and amusement written all over his handsome face.
“He’s not my ex,” I grumble, smiling as I taste a bit of the icing. It’s perfect. “And it’s a tradition, okay? I’ve dragged August into this new world with me, and the least I can do is celebrate his birthday.”
“He’s now a royal guard surrounded by wealth and women. I’d say you did him a favor.” He smirks, absently tracing the scar across his neck. “Although he had you to himself before, so I assume it depends on what one considers wealth.”
“And now he has women like the stunning Witch Queen in his bed,” I reply, raising my brows. “You’re right. I did him a favor.”
Soren’s gray eyes darken. “August fucked Pandora?”
“Yeah, I think it’s over now, though. I’m a little behind on all the gossip in our friendship group these days,” I admit, grinning at the finished vanilla cake with strawberry frosting. I stick the candles in and light them. “Come on, let’s go find August.”
I move past Sinda, who is guarding the door to the kitchens. “It’s ready.”
“It looks incredible.” He beams, his green eyes lighting up as he follows next to me. He told me he’s never been to the Incubus Kingdom before, and seeing him take in every little detail like a kid in a candy shop makes me happy.
August smiles widely when he opens his bedroom door, his eyes widening as he takes in the two hulking guards behind me.
“Happy birthday,” I say in a sing-song voice.
“Thank you, my queen,” he replies, his lips twitching. “I didn’t expect you to show up today with everything going on.”
I step inside, Soren and Sinda guarding the door. “I couldn’t miss your birthday, you know that.”
Placing the cake on the table in the corner of his bedroom, he sits down and closes his eyes as he makes a wish before blowing out the candles. I pull out the seat next to him and join him, smirking when I realize I didn’t bring a knife, plates, or spoons to eat the cake. Pulling out my ruby dagger from the sheath at my ankle, August laughs as I cut a piece with it and hand it over to him.
“Thank you,” he says, taking a big bite. “It’s perfect, Star.”
There’s a knock at the door, and then in steps Bane, Axe, and Kai.
“Cake?” I ask.
Soren and Sinda join us, too, and I cut them messy pieces of cake with my blade. I feel Bane watching me as I lick the icing off my fingers, but I pretend not to notice. He rests his hand on my shoulder, and a quick vision hits me.
Bane and I laughing together, a beautiful woman sitting on his other side.
She’s laughing too.
“What are we going to do with you, Astrid,” she asks, smirking.
Bane kisses her temple, holding her close.
“Are you okay?” Bane asks me, pulling me back to the present. “Rion is still in the dungeon. We managed to get some information from him, but getting him to talk hasn’t been easy.”
“I’m fine,” I reply, smiling up at him. Aside from the fact that my seer gift is nothing but a means to matchmaking fated mates.
“Hands off our queen, Bane,” Soren growls, his gray eyes narrowed to slits.
Bane scowls but removes his hand.
And it’s then I realize that in my vision, Bane was wearing a crown.