Chapter 11 #2
Consequently, at the council meeting in which character witnesses had been called forth to testify on my behalf, she’d been the loudest opponent to me having a place in Mistvale’s court.
But as it’d been the other times we’d visited Nathaniel, I never saw her, so my nerves calmed when we made it safely to the receiving room without any run-ins with the elderly female.
“I shall fetch Lordling Ryderdim.” The staff bowed, then left Kole and me alone.
I clasped my hands behind my back as Kole’s heartbeat filled my ears with its lovely melody.
Trying to distract myself, I began to wander around the room.
Beautiful artwork decorated the walls, and a ticking clock hung near the window.
I perched myself on the sofa’s armrest as Kole stood near the wall.
At his back, the pommel of his sword looked menacing in such a quaint atmosphere.
“Do you ever get tired of carrying that?” I asked him pleasantly and waved to his weapon.
“My sword? No.”
I smiled impishly, and it struck me that my good mood from my conversation with Ree was still flowing wonderfully rampant inside me.
Kole’s nostrils flared, and his attention shifted to the door a second before it opened, and Nathaniel traipsed into the room.
“Princess Primelle, how lovely to see you.” Nathaniel wore tan breeches and a black sweater. The top’s shade matched his hair color, and his brown eyes were particularly bright.
I rose from the sofa, and the young lordling immediately embraced me. A hiss came from Kole, but just as fast, Nathaniel pulled back.
“Stars, you’re freezing. Let me call the staff so they can stoke the fire.”
I put more distance between us, cursing myself that I hadn’t been more careful. “No, please. No need. I’m fine.”
“But you’re—”
“It’s all right.” Plastering a smile to my face, I added, “And we won’t be here long. We’ve only come by to see if you’ve heard from your colleague in Ironcrest.”
His eyes lit up, and thankfully, he didn’t comment further on my temperature.
Yet his damned heartbeat was singing to me, and between him and Kole, my vampire urges were returning with a vengeance.
Arousal began to fill my core just as Nathaniel said, “I did actually. I received his documents via courier this morning. I was going to send word to you, but now that you’re here, I won’t have to. ” He winked. “Let me go fetch them.”
He glided from the chambers and returned a minute later. In his hand was a folder containing parchment.
Nathaniel gestured to the folder. “My colleague didn’t send the originals, stating he didn’t want them out of his possession, but he did send copies of everything.”
Anticipation oozed through me, and I followed him to a table near the window, Kole doing the same. The warrior’s aura warmed my back, and his scent filled my head. Another round of lust shot through me, and the lowest of moans escaped me.
Kole sucked in his breath, and Nathaniel inclined his head.
Embarrassment flooded me as I had no doubt both had detected my body’s reaction, given the sound I’d just made. Stars, Primelle, get control of yourself!
Thankfully, other than a cheeky glance my way, Nathaniel didn’t say anything, and I did my best to concentrate as he spread out the parchment in front of us.
“He copied several passages from multiple archives.” Nathaniel pointed at the neat wording written on the sheets. “He said these are his most thorough findings, and he sent a few portraits of the vampires he’s met.”
My focus flew over the sheets, then I glanced out the window at the setting sun. It would take too long to read it all here. “May I take this with me?”
Nathaniel nodded. “Of course. Feel free to keep it for as long as you like.”
He shuffled the parchment back into the folder and handed it over, and I made sure to keep my fingers away from his so we didn’t touch again.
I gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you so much for your help. And please, let me know if I can ever return the favor.”
He bowed, then said flirtatiously, “As long as you dance with me first at the next ball, I shall call us even.”
Kole gave him a side-eye, and the warrior’s hand slipped to my waist. “We should head back, Princess. It’s getting late.”
Hearing him growl Princess so close to my ear made a shiver run through me, and Nathaniel’s attention dipped to where the warrior was touching me.
An image came to my mind of Kole taking me from behind while I drank from Nathaniel’s neck, and the lordling fondled my breasts. Lust instantly flooded my core. Vampiric lust.
Stars.
I rooted my feet to the spot, but my attention drifted to Nathaniel’s neck, to the strong pulse visible above his sweater. I wonder what he tastes like.
I stepped forward and ran a finger suggestively along Nathaniel’s arm. The second I became aware of my actions, I froze. Did I really just do that?
Given that Kole’s breath hitched behind me, I guessed that I had.
But before I could retreat or disappear in a mistphase, Nathaniel’s eyes widened with interest, and a slow smile curved his lips. “Well, now this is interesting.”
He closed the distance between us, ignoring Kole completely, and placed his hand on my waist too.
Both of them were now touching me, and feeling their large hands flooded me with so much lust that my underthings immediately grew moist.
Nathaniel and Kole inhaled simultaneously.
I sucked in a breath just as a growl of warning rumbled in Kole’s chest. It vaguely registered in my mind that while my uncle’s potion could hide my vampiric stench and emotions, it couldn’t hide the scent that slickened my thighs, and Nathaniel’s heartbeat was right in front of me.
It was calling to me. Owning me.
His pulse fluttered, and my focus zeroed in on his neck, and all concerns over my arousal began to melt away.
Blood. His decadent blood was right in front of me. I could taste him. Drink from him. Fuck him. More moisture flooded my underthings.
A sensual smile lifted Nathaniel’s lips, and he inhaled again, his eyes darkening.
Another low moan left me, and the need curling inside me rose as I stared at his mouth. I licked my lips and pulled my lower one into my mouth.
Nathaniel’s gaze heated with blatant want, and I gave him a teasing smile.
Kole’s fingers dug into my waist more, and a part of my mind buzzed, warning signs going off that I’d promised Kole not to flirt with the lordling, yet I was directly in Nathaniel’s space, giving him all the signs that I wanted him.
“You know, Prim,” Nathaniel said, his voice dropping, “there’s no reason you need to return to the palace right now. You could stay here to read the findings? I’m sure your warrior wouldn’t mind standing watch in the hall while we peruse them together.”
Kole’s fingers turned into talons on my waist, and he pulled me back, hauling me away from the lordling and out of his space. Burning anger filled his aura, clouding around me. “The princess can’t stay,” he said sharply.
Nathaniel gave him a scathing look. “I believe that’s her choice to make, and given how she’s acting toward me and not you, I believe she may like that very much.”
Nathaniel’s comment pierced through my vampiric lust, breaking the haze of bloodlust that was beginning to consume me.
I lurched away from the two of them and gripped the folder tightly. But the distance didn’t stop the need pounding through me. My core felt swollen and achy. I wanted their cocks. Both of them.
Goddess, what’s wrong with me?
Hands shaking, I tried to cool my ardor, tried to stop the images from flooding my mind of taking both males at once, but my body felt on fire, and Nathaniel was positively grinning at me, as though he knew what I was thinking, that I wanted him to bend me over right here.
“Kole’s right,” I said in a rush. I took another step away and ran a shaky hand through my hair. “We should head back. It may sound silly, but I have a curfew, ever since the maze’s attack. Thank you again for helping.”
Jaw tightening, Kole gripped my hand. His grasp was hot and hard, and the aura coming off him was brimming with so many conflicting emotions I didn’t even know how to begin deciphering them.
“I’ll mistphase us out. No need to ring for your servant to escort us,” he said roughly.
Before Nathaniel could respond, Kole’s magic wrapped around me, and we disappeared.