Chapter 29 #2
“I could do that.” Aurelius never looks away from Daire like he’s daring him to make another assassination attempt.
“Except, Maximinus has announced the games everywhere, in front of the entire Shadow Court. It confirms our marriage as official. My entire plan to take down this empire depends on my strength. Stopping a spectacle like that, which will delight the nobles, to save an enemy does not look strong.”
“Why did I bloody trust you?” Daire is shaking. “You mean to kill Sin.”
“I don’t.”
I draw my knees up to myself in shock.
Aurelius’ expression is unreadable.
How can I save Lanlin?
Suddenly, my eyes prick with tears.
What the fuck can I do?
“You said that I could choose a wedding gift,” I say, quickly. “The death of those traitors didn’t count, right?”
Aurelius’ brow furrows in confusion. “You know that I would give you anything in the realms.”
Trap set.
I tilt up my chin. “I want Lanlin’s life.”
Aurelius sighs. “I already swore not to take it.”
“Now, I’m asking you to save it.”
Daire twists to me with a flap of his wings. “I was wrong before. You’re the one who should have been born a fae.”
I glow.
Aurelius smartly holds his hands behind his back. “How do you know that I wasn’t intending to save it anyway?”
I arch my brow. “Were you?”
Aurelius had clearly been taken by surprise by Maximinus’ announcement. It had been a cruel trick, a way for his uncle to take his revenge.
I should have known that Maximinus would have worked out how close we all were with Lanlin, Aurelius included.
Sometimes, I don’t think that Aurelius dares admit the strength of his emotions even to himself. If he does, he’s frightened that he will lose not only the other person, but even himself.
I don’t miss the ghost of a smile on his lips. “Now you’ll never know. So, you want one Vampire King as a wedding gift. If I save him like this, then you’ll own his life.”
Daire snorts. “She already does.”
Aurelius’ heavy gaze rests on him. “And for your gift? Let me guess. Cake? A new dagger? Maximinus’ hacked off knot?”
Daire’s shoulders finally relax again. “So, you have been paying attention. Hmm, tempting as all those are, what I want is to train as an assassin for you.”
Aurelius stares at him in shock, before he shakes his head. “No fucking chance.”
Daire gestures at his discarded crown, which is wrapped with his flame veil on the floor; hurt flashes across Aurelius’ face. “I’m no Emperor. I’m a rogue, aye? I know where I will serve best, and that’s standing at your shoulder as your adviser. I should do that as an assassin like Vicious did.”
I wince.
At the mention of Vicious’ name, Aurelius’ expression darkens. He grabs Daire by the front of his robe and shoves him onto his back. Then he kneels on his chest and towers over him.
“Don’t.” I scramble toward them, alarmed.
“You can never replace Vic,” Aurelius snarls.
This time, Daire doesn’t fight back.
“I know,” Daire says, softly. “Just like you can’t replace Ciara or any of my lost featherglass. But the dead are gone. They’re with the Shadow Gods or Devils, and we’re the poor bastards still here, fighting on. Use me for my strengths.”
Aurelius lets go of Daire’s collar, wrapping his hand gently around his neck, as if he can feel the golden threads that bind us.
“By the Shadow Gods, you don’t know what you’re asking.
I wouldn’t be able to protect you. The Guild of Assassins hate fae as much as they hate vampires.
It won’t matter that you’re an apprentice, they won’t make it any easier for you than they are for Lanlin. ”
“When did I ever like things to be easy?”
In frustration, Aurelius tugs with his shadows at the knot on Daire’s sash.
Daire’s robe falls open, exposing him.
“I made you an emperor,” Aurelius growls. “You are rejecting that to become an apprentice.”
Daire’s breathing speeds up. “Who is rejecting you? Am I an emperor, or still your pet without free will to make my own bloody choices?”
“I won’t stop you if you want to be demoted.”
“I am a god.” Daire’s eyes glimmer with ancient rage. “Any position that you grant me is a demotion.”
“This is your choice. Don’t come crying to me to save you too.”
“Keep talking tough. It’s making me hard.”
I chuckle.
Aurelius lifts his hand away from Daire’s throat, turning his blazing gaze on me.
Instantly, I freeze.
“Something to say, Little Wolf?” He demands icily.
I shake my head.
“Good.” Aurelius crawls across to me, and my mouth dries. “Because I have been imagining our wedding night for too many long years.”
He grabs me by the shoulders, and his pheromones become overwhelming.
My mind becomes hazy.
I collapse back into the bed of rose petals, lost in their sweet scent.
When Aurelius noses along my neck, I bare it. He licks down my throat and up my jaw.
I arch into his touch, purring.
When he teases his fingers along the sash at my waist, I shiver.
Then he slowly undoes the knot, and the sash falls away, displaying my bare body to his view.
“My Empress.” Aurelius dips his head to my breasts, kissing across them in worship.
When he circles my nipple with his tongue, kissing and then biting it gently, I hiss in a breath. My core becomes wet. I try to press my thighs together, but he works between them, pushing my legs wide.
I whine.
Daire crawls around to my head.
He strokes my hair away from my face, leaning down to kiss me.
“I’ve loved you with my whole soul. I wish that you knew how much celebrating today has meant to me.
I would give anything to be able to marry you with the customs of my people.
But this was special too. You’ll be a good Omega and take both your Alphas, aye? ”
Fuck, yeah.
I nod, eagerly.
“Unable to talk already?” Aurelius teases, kissing down my stomach.
He grips my hips, urging my legs even wider.
“Fuck me right fucking now. Both of you. At the same time. It’s m-m-my wedding night,” I manage to get out around my deep purr. “An Omega is allowed to be both impatient and greedy.”
Daire grins. “I did make a deal to serve you, love.”
With the robe hanging off his shoulders, he looks ethereally beautiful.
Aurelius and Daire share a conspiratorial look above me, which is enough to cut off my purr in alarm.
Aurelius draws back, freeing his large cock from beneath the leather strips of his armor.
Daire moves his hand up and down his cock, bringing it to hardness.
Then he taps my cheek. “Open up, love.”
Eagerly, I open my mouth.
He leans forward, resting one hand by my head and using his wings to balance. Then he keeps his gaze intently on mine, as he feeds his cock into my mouth.
I am overwhelmed by the taste and feel of him.
I am not in control, as Daire slowly rides my mouth.
It makes pleasure coil through my Omega nature. My pussy becomes even wetter.
I purr in delight.
Daire’s eyelashes flutter, as the vibrations push him closer to the edge. “Spark, hell…your mouth…don’t stop purring…”
My purr deepens.
Aurelius takes that moment to push his cock inexorably inside my pussy.
My purr becomes even more powerful.
Both men groan at once.
Aurelius reaches over me and grips Daire’s sensitive wings like they are reins. He clutches onto their plumage for balance, as he starts to piston into me.
Daire’s eyes shoot wide in dazed ecstasy.
All three of us are joined in this bed.
Finally, I am bonded. I am crowned Empress, alongside my mates.
I never believed that one Alpha would want me, but now, I have three.
I worship Daire’s cock in joy, despite sensing that the way he is fucking my face is a worship in its own way.
I welcome them into my body, as both vessel and goddess.
Daire is panting, and Aurelius tightens his fingers in our fae’s feathers.
We are being driven closer to coming. We are pulling each other to the edge.
Yet to me one thing…one person…is missing from this nest.
Lanlin is hungry. He is in pain. He is locked in a dungeon, while we celebrate.
He is scheduled to fight and die in the arena for the dragons’ amusement tomorrow.
I shakily raise my wrist to my mouth.
Lanlin, you are my wedding gift. Aurelius will save you tomorrow. Hold on, my darkness.
I bite hard enough to draw blood, sealing my deal with myself. And I feel Lanlin bite back in response.
He has been with me on my wedding night.
Then in the arms of my Alphas, bound together by the golden threads of fate, I come with a scream of pleasure.