Chapter 22
T hree weeks.
It had been three entirely long weeks since I’d seen Draevyn. The distance was clawing at me. He’d be gone for long periods of time. I understood this, but I found myself moping more than coping.
Communication was limited during his training. Whether he thought of me as much as I thought of him had been a mystery. Until one day, Mayana delivered a long, rectangular package to my quarters. “For you,” she’d said, her dark lips lifting in a knowing smirk. I immediately ripped it open when I saw Draevyn’s perfectly crafted writing on the brown parchment wrapped around it. It said, ‘To my surf mate’ and instantly brought a smile to my face.
When I opened the box, a single white marble pen lay surrounded by navy velvet padding. The note inside read:
That first evening, with my new tablet pen in hand, I was like a schoolgirl with the worst kind of crush. I devised a million different messages to send him before I finally settled on, ‘Thank you for the pen. -A.’ I cursed and threw the pen across my fluffy duvet while silently chastising myself for not writing something more heartfelt. I’d decided to step away from the tablet and set it on my nightstand while I buried my face in my hands, not wanting to see his response.
The tablet echoed my words for an entire day until, on the following evening, while sitting in bed with a puffy pillow supporting my back, I noticed that the writing had shifted from white to a vibrant green. My brow dipped as I lifted the tablet from the stand and read the note, ‘You’re welcome. In truth, the pleasure is all mine. I patiently await to see how you’ve been…beyond the gratitude for the pen. -D.’
I had to admire his subtle way of calling me out for my lack of communication after the beautiful note he’d sent. So, I attempted something more. ‘ Everything here is boring without you. The company isn’t as great. ’ I thought long and hard before I wrote the next sentence. ‘ I can’t stop thinking about our last surf session together. ’
There. I’d done it. I’d actually written something more like…well…I don’t know what it was, but it was definitely beyond the perimeters of my comfort zone.
Given how long it took him to respond the first time, I was pleasantly surprised minutes later when the writing on the tablet was replaced by his message in green. ‘ I think of it often. I’m thinking about it now. I must confess, it’s increasingly hard to write and stroke at the same time. ’
The vision of him bare-skinned and stroking his considerable length sent an instant heat to my core. I’d only felt it against me that day, which prompted my reply. ‘ I plan to be the one doing that for you when you return to me. ’
It took nearly a full half an hour before his response appeared. ‘ I definitely wasn’t able to write after that response. The vision of you touching my cock needed my complete attention. I plan to hold you to that promise. Dream of me. -D. ’
And dream of him I did.
The days rolled by with us exchanging messages. Some were far simpler. He’d told me his favorite color is green. He’d promised to send a tablet pen in my favorite color—coral. His mother’s family is Air Fae. His cousin, Jamevyn—also Air Fae—is a Guardian for Airelandia, and they often spar for sport. Other messages were far more flirtatious and had me begging the goddess for his training to finish so he could return to Atlantis.
I attempted to bury myself in my studies—the trade history between the queendoms paled in comparison to the romance books I thoroughly enjoyed. As I sat on a high back chair at the kitchen island, I let loose a heavy sigh and turned the page of the heavy tome. This was my third activity of the day.
My second activity had been forming water spheres and throwing them against the wall. I even practiced forming a wall of water as I lounged in my comfy reading chair. I tried to grow it as tall as the ceiling before it came down, crashing on me. It was why I remained grateful that I’d mastered creating a protective layer over the old tomes that littered my coffee table as my first activity of the day. I feared Myles’s wrath if even a single drop of water managed to land on the ancient texts. I shuddered at the thought.
My studies were becoming easier as time progressed. Dax had begun training me in basic martial arts. Without the excursion of surfing every day, I welcomed it. I wasn’t a ninja by any means, but I did enjoy the art of the fight. Dax was a fantastic instructor.
“Keep this up, and I may steal you for my guard,” he’d teased one day.
I’d tried to steady my breathing. “And do this all day, every day? You’ve lost your mind.”
He shrugged. “Perhaps. But I’ve never been one for politics. At any rate, I’m jesting. There’s no way I’d want anyone else ruling Atlantis.”
Ruling Atlantis. Me. It still caused my nerves to jump. I’d also heard what he didn’t say that day; he’d rather have me than Melysah and the council ruling over Atlantis. I couldn’t disagree with him. Melysah had her lap dog, Kane, following me everywhere. Granted, he wasn’t assigned to me, so that was a plus. But the look the male gave me every time we crossed paths made me desperate to get away from him. I didn’t like Kane Ruema. Not one bit. I could still feel his creepy gaze in my mind, the storm-gray eyes that tracked me everywhere, and I couldn’t suppress the shiver.
A knock sounded at the door.
Probably Mayana again .
That was the other…thing…that was different. Mayana—goddess love her—was very diligent at her job. She was my shadow everywhere I went. While I appreciated her dedication to keeping me safe, there was only one Guardian I wanted at my side.
The door flung open. “Just leave me alone, please.” The door slammed shut a second later, my entire body jolting.
I immediately hopped off my seat at the sound of Reneah’s voice and beheld the anger that lit her features. “What’s going on?”
Reneah blew out a breath. “You’ve been assigned a new guard.”
Panic swelled inside me, and my nails dug into my palms. “Please tell me it isn’t Kane.”
“I’d be lying to you if I did.”
“But where is Mayana?”
Reneah winced. “She’s in heat, I’m afraid.”
I went rigidly still. “What do you mean by ‘in heat?’”
Her brow furrowed. “Has no one explained female Fae menstrual cycles to you?”
“Um. No. Do they need to be explained?” I asked, crossing my arms over my middle.
“Well, yes,” her lips lifted in a smirk, “especially if you plan to take a certain hunky commander to your bed.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Does everyone know my business?”
“No, but I’m your chambermaid and friend, so I do notice everything. Not to worry. I only divulged that tidbit to Aurelio, who also knows, by the way. Your secret is safe with us,” she assured, her dirty blonde brow wagging.
I waved a hand in the air. “You were saying something about menstrual cycles?”
“Oh. Right. So, females only menstruate every ten years. When they do, they let out certain…eh… pheromones that drive the males wild. If a female is unmated, it can get a little intense, especially if the attention is unwanted. So, some females—like Mayana—choose to reside in the solitary colony until it passes. Some females decide to give in to the baser primal instincts and take a male or a few to their bed since the fertility rates are so low amongst the Fae.”
That was news to me. I rested my chin on my hand as I tried to recall my first menstrual cycle and…
“Holy shit.”
Reneah’s brown eyes went wide. “What happened?”
“Nothing. I just remembered my first cycle.” I shook my head. “It was nearly nine years ago. It was one of those rare times when Mom was home and not on a work trip. I remember running into her room at the first sight of blood, and she immediately sent my father away.”
“Presumably to reassign the other Guardians in the area, if I had to guess. Your parents would be immune to the heat, thank the goddess,” Reneah provided.
I gripped the back of my neck. “But what about the pills?”
Reneah tilted her head, tiny dirty blonde strands falling forward and framing her angular face. “What pills?”
I immediately raced for my bedroom, sifting through the drawer of my nightstand until I retrieved the case containing my birth control. Mom had provided them just after my first menstrual cycle, claiming they stopped the bleeding altogether and kept me safe from getting pregnant. I told Reneah as much when I handed them to her, where she stood in the middle of the brightly lit living room. She gave me a withering smile and handed them back to me. “I’m afraid these are just sugar pills.”
I stared at the metal container, the circular pills almost smiling up at me and laughing for believing a ruse. “But why would she do that?”
“Because in order for you to believe you were human, you’d have to have a regular period like the human women in the Above World do.” She reached out and gave my upper arm a gentle squeeze. “I wouldn’t hold it against your mother. She was just trying to do what was best.”
My head dipped in a nod, but it still hurt to know she’d lied to me. “So, I can’t get pregnant?”
“Yes, you can.” Reneah took my hand and guided me to the chairs by the window. I slid into the seat, thankful to be off my shaky legs. “It’s just not as easy as it is with humans. You’ll get your cycle every ten years. And when you go into heat—like Mayana has—you and your bondmate will seclude yourselves for days on end, making love until the frenzy passes. And hopefully, create a little faeling. But I wouldn’t get too discouraged if it doesn’t happen the first time. It may take a few tries. You and your mate will have a long life of trying, long after I’m gone from this world. But hopefully, the goddess will give you a little faeling for me to spoil before I’m gone.”
My gaze drifted between her eyes, and I caught the slight pain there. “I don’t want to think of you as gone from this world.”
She reached across the way and patted my hand. “Then let’s not think of it.” Reneah glanced behind, a mischievous smile emerging on her face.
“Uh-oh. What is that smile about?”
She rose from her chair. “I’ve thought of a plan. I’ll be back in a few.” She whirled toward the door, and it was nearly half an hour before she returned, her short legs making rapid strides across the living room as the sparkling purple sequence of her spaghetti strap dress rode up her thighs. “You better get your ass off that chair if you want to escape that asshole Guardian and have a little fun tonight.”
I leapt from my chair and dropped my text on the side table. “Um, you look hot. And where are we going?”
“That is privileged information,” she said with a wicked grin. “Come. And hurry.”
“Do I need anything?”
She grabbed my hand, her brown eyes positively gleaming with impish delight. “Nope. Just yourself. Hurry. My accomplice is waiting.”
Reneah dragged me out of my quarters and into the hallway, checking both ways before dashing down the stairs. I was surprised when our hurried steps carried us to Myles and Aurelio’s floor. Reneah gave a soft knock on the door. It swung open to a grinning Aurelio. “I see you have the goods.”
“I do, Master Accomplice.”
Aurelio shut the door behind us. “Perfect!”
“Just what are you two up to?” I asked, unable to hold the chuckle that bubbled up inside me.
“We’re tired of you moping,” Reneah said. “And studying. And then moping some more.”
“And then studying some more,” Aurelio remarked with a dramatic roll of his amber eyes.
“And more moping. It hasn’t failed our notice that this all came about when a certain commander was assigned to the outposts for training.”
“If I didn’t know any better,” Aurelio cut in, “I’d say this happened for one of two reasons.” He held up his perfectly manicured pointer finger. “Either one, you are sad because your commander is not guarding you or,” he added his middle finger, “you prefer your commander to any Guardian assigned to you.”
“Or both,” Reneah remarked.
I felt my cheeks flame. “Um…isn’t that same thing?”
Aurelio’s eyes went wide. “Oooooh. She’s got it bad.”
“Real bad,” Reneah agreed.
“Say no more, our dear future Queen. We have exactly the type of distraction you need after weeks and weeks—”
“And weeks of moping and studying and moping.” Reneah grabbed my upper arms. “We’re sneaking out and going out on the town.”
“But won’t Kane come looking for me?”
Reneah and Aurelio shared a look before Aurelio spoke, “I’m sure he’ll be fine for a while.”
My brow rose to my hairline. “What did you all do to him?”
“Nothing,” they said simultaneously.
Aurelio clapped his hands together, his signature gold bangles clanking together. “Now, if anyone asks, we can tell them I was teaching you an essential skill this evening.” Reneah rushed into the bedroom.
I shifted on my feet. “And…that is?”
“I’m teaching you to glamour properly.” He waved a hand over me. “We’ll need to change your hair color for sure. How does going blonde sound?”
Reneah bounded into the room with a deep, red dress and a smile a mile wide. The dress didn’t reach anywhere past mid-thigh.
“What is that ?”
“ That is the dress you’ll be wearing tonight.”
I chuckled and tilted my head, eyeing the spaghetti straps and tight-fitting material. It wasn’t the worst dress in the world. “Where in the world are we going?”
Aurelio’s brows wagged. “We’re going to your first Atlantian night club.”
Reneah practically jumped up and down. “We’re going dancing!”
“And not just any dancing at any club. We’re going to your first foam party at Muse!”
I reared back. “Foam party?”
“That’s correct,” Reneah confirmed. “Now, let’s get you in this dress and get out of here before someone suspects you’ve been smuggled out of the palace.”
With that, Aurelio and Reneah did what they do best: pamper and preen. Within no time, the three of us stood in front of a floor-length mirror doing final checks on our outfits. Aurelio whirled around, checking out his ass in his skinny black jeans—his hot pink tank top clung to him like a second skin revealing an impressive set of washboard abs. “Oh, yes. I’m ready for all the foam.”
Reneah’s dirty blonde curls that reached her shoulders bobbed as she adjusted her dress. “Let’s hope this thing doesn’t ride up too much throughout the night.”
“And if it does, perhaps someone can remove the cobwebs that have been collecting there,” Aurelio teased.
Reneah swatted his upper arm. “Oh, stop. Not all of us can have a hot male at our beck and call.”
“Well, you could,” Aurelio replied with a smirk.
Reneah gave him a pointed look and resumed her final check.
I appeared relatively the same, but it was my hair that stood out in stark contrast. It was pale blonde. “Well, how did I do?” I questioned. I didn’t know how I managed to learn so fast, but my glamour seemed to have held after a few attempts. I only hoped it would hold throughout the night.
“You look marvelous, darling,” he complimented from behind me, beaming with pride. “I’m impressed you managed to learn so quickly. They’ll never be able to tell it’s you.” Aurelio checked his watch. “Time to move. Our chariot awaits.”
We exited the door and moved silently down the halls, pausing every now and then so Aurelio could check the corridors. Within minutes, we were at a palace side door I’d never been through before. When the door swung open, Braeliah perched on top of her canoa in the canal that sat parallel to the outer wall.
We all hopped onto the canoa with Reneah faux whispering to Braeliah, “Greetings, getaway accomplice.”
Braeliah glanced at us over her shoulder. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m simply transporting you and your…blondie friend out for a night on the town,” she said with a wink. With a flick of her wrist, we were off.
I’d like to tell you that Muse was just like any other club in the Above World. But what I witnessed made my cheeks burn aflame as I squeezed through the crowd sandwiched between Reneah and Aurelio. Sure, there was foam. Seafoam.
And lots and lots of nakedness.
Several dark alcoves ran along the perimeter, with Fae forms barely hidden and moving on plush red-colored bedding behind sheer curtains. On the dance floor, multiple hands, arms, and legs wrapped around various wet, bare-skinned bodies as they moved to the rhythm, the foam barely concealing anything at all.
Aurelio cut through the crowd—the foam gathering on his shoulders as he strode for the roped-off dais as dark as any of the alcoves. He addressed a very tall, broad male who resembled a bouncer with scales in lieu of a black suit standing at the base of the stairs. As he let us through, I didn’t miss the curious once-over he gave me as I passed him.
Reneah pulled me onto the bench seats that lined the cornered-off lounge. At least, the exclusivity of our V.I.P. area would pass Draevyn’s approval…if he could look past the fact that we did, in fact, sneak out of the palace to come to Muse. My gaze traveled across the room, every detail leaving me in awe. Water sculptures moved fluidly in different shapes—one shaped like a Water Fae dancing to the music in the air above the crowd appeared vividly real. Another water sculpture traveled around the room as it morphed into different sea animal shapes.
“It’s incredible, isn’t it?” Reneah said in a raised voice that carried over the pounding of the music.
I didn’t need a mirror to know my mouth was hanging open as I said, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
A Fae female approached our table carrying a serving tray with practiced ease—her black hair cut in a pixie style that complimented her severe cheekbones. She cast a bright smile at Aurelio. “Aury!”
“Nina!” He leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on both of her cheeks in greeting. “It’s been so long.”
“Too long. I hear you’ve been rather busy with the new arrival. How is the new Queen? Is she less on her high horse than the last one?”
Well, that was an interesting tidbit. I’d never once considered that Mom might be viewed in a negative light. Up until this moment, I’d only heard high praises for Queen Neleah.
He flitted a hand in the air. “Oh, our future Queen is extraordinary, to be sure. And a vast improvement in the fun arena.” He glanced over his shoulder and gave me a wink. I couldn’t stop my grin.
“Well, I’m glad to hear it,” the server replied. She glanced around at the rest of us with a welcoming smile. “So, what will it be for you all?”
Reneah clapped her hands together. “How about we start the table with three Dirty Water Faetinis?”
My forehead scrunched. “Dirty Water Faetinis? What in the world is that?”
“That is the house specialty,” Aurelio beamed.
“And they’re fantastic,” Nina endorsed enthusiastically. “Three of those coming right up.”
I narrowed my eyes at both of them as she strolled away. “I don’t know if I like the sound of this.”
Reneah playfully slapped my knee. “Oh, come on. Live a little. You’re in the best company, and no one even knows who you are. You look smoking hot, and you haven’t had a single moment in Atlantis to be anything other than the future Queen. Enjoy this!”
“She’s right, Ash,” Aurelio remarked as he plopped down on Reneah’s other side. “Be unapologetically you tonight. There are no Fire Fae here to harm you, no royal duties to tend to. No one even knows that you’re you. So, let’s dance and have fun. Ah! There’s Nina with our drinks.”
Nina gracefully strode before us and placed the drinks on the low table before issuing a wink and proceeding to the next table. Aurelio held his faetini up. “To the future Queen, may everyone see her as brilliantly as Reneah and I do.”
“Absolutely,” Reneah agreed.
Our glasses clanked together as I smiled, taking a sip. I moaned as the most magnificent martini—or faetini—ever to touch my lips traveled down my throat. The light hints of strawberry and cucumber graced my taste buds and went down like water. I pondered whether it was wise to drink too many of these, but quickly dashed that thought away when the liquid began coursing through my veins. A sense of warmth spread throughout my chest, and my limbs dropped in relaxation. “You all are truly the best. And I wouldn’t make it without the both of you.”
“Well, you would, but it would be dreadfully boring,” he said as he took another sip.
As the night progressed, the faetinis kept coming—each of us drinking our fair share—until Reneah and Aurelio finally dragged me out on the dance floor. I’d never heard club music like the kind that pumped through the room. It was almost as if a spell had been cast and possessed my body until I could do nothing but move. There wasn’t an inch between me and the next person. Everyone danced and swayed as if under the same spell. It was joyous. Freeing. And touch? Touch felt incredible. Hands moved over arms and skin, without being violating in any way—almost as if each touch and caress were a way to honor the other person’s body.
When Reneah dragged me back to our table for a quick break, I reveled in the throb of my red-heeled feet. “Ugh, I haven’t danced like that in so long.”
Reneah’s eyes suddenly went wide as they scanned my face. She leaned into my ear. “Your glamour is slipping a bit.”
That sent a jolt of shock to my stomach. If anyone recognized me, the night would be over sooner than I wanted it to. Worse, someone from the Akani could recognize me, which put my friends at risk. And I wouldn’t have that.
Aurelio stood a foot away chatting with a group of Fae when Reneah grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled. When he wheeled around, she pointed at me, and his amber eyes widened. He came to stand in front of me, blocking me from view as he bent down. “I believe someone has had a few too many faetinis to hold their glamour. Can you remember what I taught you?”
My head was a little fuzzy, but I remembered. “Imagine the change. Will it to happen.”
He nodded. “That’s right. Do that again. Come on now.”
I blew out a breath, imagining the pale hair and slightly paler skin, and felt the glamour pull taut over my head. “Is that better?”
Aurelio straightened with a smile. “Much.”
I breathed a sigh of relief, reaching for my glass to take a cooling sip. Crisis averted. I swayed to the beat in my seat, and Reneah grabbed my hand once again. “Let’s go back out there.”
We squeezed through the crowd, venturing back onto the dance floor. The euphoria grew with each beat, causing my hips to sway and my neck to loll. The sea foam fell from above, cascading down my bare skin and sinfully red dress, and I tipped my head back, letting it soak my too-blonde hair. I danced without a care in the realm. I was amongst my people for the first time, soaking up their energy and being one with the Fae. All the various states of undress bothered me less and less as I danced the night away.
It wasn’t until a pair of very strong arms snaked their way around my waist that I gave pause. I knew those arms. I dreamed of them often. His muscular chest pressed into my back as he swayed with me. I tipped my head back on his shoulder, my eyes finally meeting his green ones after weeks of separation. “How?” I asked in his ear.
Draevyn nudged his nose against my face, bringing his lips to my ear, “Your glamour slipped.” His teeth gently nipped my lobe. “But there is nowhere I won’t find you, no matter what glamour you use. You can change your hair any color, but nothing can glamour the curve of an ass I’ve shamelessly studied and memorized.” His tongue darted out and sinfully licked along my neck, causing my breath to hitch. “You’ve been naughty, Princess.”
I turned in his arms and found his aquamarine eyes swirling with lust. “And what are you going to do about it?” I challenged.
Draevyn’s rough hands skated over my hips, suds of seafoam gathering on his arms. He brought his soft lips close to mine. “Come with me.”
He intertwined our hands and pulled me through the crowd. I cast a glance behind me, and Reneah and Aurelio were nowhere to be found. They likely saw him coming a mile away. Traitors . But I couldn’t bring myself to care. The energy rolling off of Draevyn felt like desire, passion, and outright knee-dropping lust combined. My feet fluttered in my stilettos in an effort to keep up with him as I followed him out onto the street before Muse.
He dragged me into an alleyway, and I felt the glamour he cast over us a second before his mouth was on mine. Warm. Demanding. Seeking. He pushed me against the wall, his fingers threading through my barely blonde hair. I could scarcely breathe as I drank him in—all the tension from the long weeks without him snapping something inside me. I clawed at his back as he let loose a delicious masculine groan against my mouth. I couldn’t get enough of him.
Draevyn pulled back. “Remove that glamour off your hair,” he demanded. “I need to see you.”
I quickly dropped my glamour. He leaned in and nuzzled my damp, dark strands, inhaling deeply. “Yes. I’ve missed that smell. I’ve missed you.” His hands gripped my ass and pulled me against him. His hard, thick length dug into my stomach, and a moan escaped my lips.
“And I missed you,” I breathed.
A serious expression crested his features. “But you have been very, very naughty.”
I bit my lip. “You mentioned that.”
His fingers threaded through my hair at the nape of my neck. He tugged just enough to bring my gaze up to him. “The entire guard is out looking for you. And your accomplices.”
A playful smirk lifted my lips. “Who says there were accomplices?”
“Don’t be cute. You know there are dangers out here. Genuine ones.”
I lifted my shoulder. “Again, what are you going to do about it?”
He groaned in a way that had me clenching my thighs together, adding to the ache that had been building since his arms snaked around me on the dance floor. “I will punish you. Thoroughly.”
“Somehow, that doesn’t sound like a punishment at all,” I whispered.
Draevyn's tongue darted out and traced the seam of my lips before my mouth parted for him, his kiss hungry. Demanding. His rough hand brushed up my thigh and underneath my dress to exactly where I wanted him. He pulled the thin fabric of my red lace thong to the side and slipped his fingers between my slick folds, wet and drenched with my desire. “Already wet for your punishment, I see.” My head tipped back against the wall, and my mouth fell open when he swirled his skillful fingers against my swollen clit—my hips jerking against him in response.
But I wouldn’t be the only one receiving pleasure.
Not tonight.
I swung him with all my might against the wall, his eyes widening in amusement. “Let me show how I like to be punished.” I dropped to my knees before him, the coarse ground biting into my knees. He leaned his bare back against the wall, his hooded gaze watching me trace a finger over the seam of his cock pocket, my eyes begging for permission. When the seam parted, he bit his lip as his glorious cock sprung free in front of me. His manhood was glorious, all length and girth. My tongue darted out, licking around his hot, smooth crown.
“Ash,” he hissed through his teeth.
“I’m ready for my punishment, Commander,” I hummed against his skin. His eyes never left mine as I took him into my mouth, the tip reaching for the back of my throat as I began moving him in and out in a steady rhythm. His hands splayed against the wall behind him as he breathed in deep, quick breaths. His hips reluctantly pitched forward at first, but as I pulled back and swirled my tongue along the entire length, his restrain snapped.
There was something erotic about watching this man lose control. He was like a newly discovered addiction.
And I was the addict.
Draevyn grabbed the back of my head and pumped frantically in and out, my mouth straining to take in the depth of him. My need to please him had me gagging around his enormous cock, but I was determined to bring him to pleasure.
“I want you to feel yourself, Asherah,” he gritted between clenched teeth. “I want you to come and moan around my cock as I come.”
I wasted no time with his command. I gripped the base of his thick erection firmly with one hand as my other hand reached between my thighs, landing on my throbbing core—my fingers moving frantically over my sensitive nub, issuing the release I knew was on the brink. Within seconds I was moaning around his cock, the vibrations tickling my lips and my eyes watering as he pounded with abandon into my mouth.
Draevyn grunted his release, the sound echoing off the alley walls and causing another wave of pleasure to crest through me. I swallowed every last bit of his release as the warm cum shot down my throat. When his hips slowly rolled to a stop, I gave him one last lick around his swollen head. He lifted me under my arms, his mouth crashing into me, licking, tasting each salty remnant of himself on my lips. He slowly leaned against the wall and gently wiped the wetness around my mouth with his thick thumb. “You are exquisite, my Queen.”
I rose on my toes and kissed his lips softly. “The feeling is mutual.”
The warm skin of his chest pressed against my cheek as he held me against him. We said nothing for a few minutes as we came down from the energy born from our reunion. His hand drifted lazily up and down my back in a soothing motion. “Remind me to thank Aurelio for this dress.”
“Who said Aurelio was involved?”
“Pfft. Oh, please.”
“I won’t snitch.”
“Hmph.”
“Well, isn’t this the most intimate scene?” a voice called beside us. I lifted my head, and my heart kicked up. Kane Ruema stood at the head of the alleyway appraising us—his deep brown eyes roaming over our intimate embrace. Draevyn pushed us off the wall, placing himself in front of me. I realized, then, that our glamour must have slipped.
“Kane,” Draevyn replied in a cold tone.
Kane prowled forward with an evil smirk on his face. “Well, knowing our future Queen is safe puts me at ease.” He glared directly at Draevyn. “Not as much at ease as you both seem to be.” His nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. “Smells like a lot of ease.”
Draevyn lurched forward, but I held him back. “As you can see, I am alive and well.”
Kane’s brows rose. “Very well, from the blush on your face,” his gaze dropped to my legs, “and the red skin of your knees.”
“That’s enough, Ruema.”
Kane held his hands in the air, laughing. “Hey man, I’m not judging.” His eyes shifted back to me, roaming over my body in a way that made me cringe. “If I had the chance with the Queen, I’d take it. She’s damn fine.”
I couldn’t stop Draevyn’s forward momentum as his fist met Kane’s face. I pulled him back with all my might. “Stop it.”
Kane shook his head and straightened, wiping a thumb across his lip where Draevyn made contact and glancing down at the blood that decorated his skin. “I’m sure Dax would love to hear about this. I know for certain Mely would.” He stepped backward, holding his gaze on Draevyn and then flicking it to me. “You two enjoy your night. I’ll let the guards know you’re safe.” He twirled around and casually strode down the street.
Draevyn shook out his hand. “Fucking asshole.”
I sighed. “Yes, well, that asshole is going straight to Melysah.”
“It doesn’t matter. He was planning on doing that anyway, whether I hit him or not.” He cupped my face with his good hand. “Hey, don’t let him ruin an excellent evening.”
The corner of my mouth twitched upward. “I thought I was in trouble.”
“Oh. You still are. But I can tell by how happy you looked in the club that this was a good night. And whether I agree or disagree with jeopardizing your life, I can’t fault you for wanting to have a good time, even though I would have preferred that you take a guard.”
“Mayana is in the solitary colony.”
Draevyn’s lips rounded in an ‘o’.
I breathed out a sigh. “You’re not in any trouble…about us?”
Oh, the smile that came across his face could melt icebergs. “No. I’m not. I anticipated others finding out about us at one point or another. Better sooner so everyone can get used to it. The only thing that might change is my assignment as your guard.”
I reared back. “I don’t want that to change.”
“Neither do I, but I don’t know if Dax can stop the reassignment if Melysah keeps insisting. I plan to do everything in my power to stop it.” He claimed my hand in his. “But let’s not worry about that now. We need to get back to the palace.”
As Draevyn and I strolled down the streets of Borike’n toward the Shingu, a distinct feeling of unease crept into my mind. Kane’s assignment during Draevyn’s absence had to be strategic, and Melysah may very well be ahead of a game I wasn’t aware we were playing.