Chapter 17
Rixon
The sound of Mina’s calm breaths soothed him. He’d long since unshackled her, cleaning her with a damp cloth and curling her against him. She hadn’t woken up from any of it. He’d exhausted her too throughly, edging her, keeping her demon close to the surface.
His heart ached with pride, with love, with awe.
She’d taken everything he’d given her. The pain when he’d fucked her mouth ruthlessly, when he’d pulled her hair, when he’d done things to her that felt rabid and depraved.
Had he really used a dagger on her? Pleasured her cunt with the grip of it? Fuuuck.
It had soothed something inside him, just as he’d expected. She’d given herself over to him completely, putting her trust in him. She’d let him do whatever he wanted, and he had. Now it was time to move past this.
Unless…
No, he didn’t think she’d want to do something like this again. But if she did, he would be here for it. He loved the feel of power it gave him. The sense of control. Loved knowing he could put her in a position and rest assured she wouldn’t disobey him.
The way she’d come on his cock, so hard it nearly hurt, left him bursting with pride. He hadn’t expected a third orgasm, and somehow she’d wrung one out of him. When she’d milked him, he’d seen stars. His little witch—he was so gone for her.
Sighing, he nuzzled deeper against her, relishing in the warmth of her cunt around his cock. He’d missed sleeping this way. Part of him wanted to take her again, to wake her with another orgasm, but he wasn’t sure he could get his body to comply. Especially since he wasn’t hard enough.
Not to mention he was aching with pain—everywhere. The bruises he’d acquired sparring with Herrin were setting in. Mina would insist on healing him in the morning, but until then he gritted his teeth.
She shifted against him, pressing her nose more firmly into his neck. The movement made his teeth clench as her hips unconsciously squirmed, pressing him more deeply inside her.
He took hold of her hips, shifting her slightly to get comfortable, then held them still. His restraint was this close to snapping. She nuzzled him again, then gave a content sight. “Rixon?”
He rumbled at the sound of his name on her lips. “Yes, little witch.”
“Are you…” She tried to move her hips but found the force of his grip too strong. Instead, she clenched around him making him curse low under his breath. “Are you inside me right now?”
“That is generally how we sleep, yes.”
“I…I know, it’s just been a while.” She cleared her throat, then nuzzled him again, this time giving him a love nip.
“Too long, yes.” He’d missed it so fucking much. Her breath came out in a burst. He recognized the sound of her heightening arousal. “Sleep, Mina. I’ll let you fuck me however you wish in the morning.”
She gave a sound of protest, then tried again to squirm out of his grip. He growled, tightening his hold, enough to leave bruises. Not that she would bruise, since her magic healed her. “Sleep,” he said again, knowing she needed it. They both did.
She sighed, the fight going out of her, then settled. A few minutes later, her breaths evened out. He followed her shortly thereafter.
He sat on the throne, Mina straddled on his lap.
Courtiers watched raptly as his lady witch pulled at the ties on his pants.
His cock sprang free, forcing a sigh of relief from him.
She offered a wicked grin before lifting her hips and sliding down onto his shaft.
He groaned, shifting to meet her. She felt so good.
“Does this make you feel powerful?” she whispered in his ear, leaning into him as she began to ride his cock.
Yes. Yes it did. He didn’t care that they had an audience. In fact, that made it more thrilling. Getting fucked by his lady witch on his throne—why hadn’t he done this sooner?!
“Mina,” he groaned, letting his head fall back against the throne. “Fuck.”
“Harder?”
“Yes,” he cried. Already, he could feel his balls tightening, his seed rising. “No, wait.” Her hips slammed down against him, the sound of flesh slapping together ringing out into the quiet hall. He gasped. He was racing toward the crest…racing…almost there—
His eyes flew open just as he cried out, coming violently as his chest rose off the bed. Mina wore a wicked grin, her blackened eyes glittering in the dawn light, her thighs obscenely wide as she rode him expertly, hands gripping her breasts, squeezing and kneading as she moaned.
He jerked inside her, filling her with his seed just as she cried out, head falling back in a silent scream.
He wrapped an arm around her waist, not missing a beat, and used his other for leverage, slamming his hips up into her, helping her chase the end of her orgasm.
The feel of her spasming around his cock almost triggered another as he cried out her name, then buried his face in her breasts, relishing in her scent.
When her body fell still, he collapsed onto his back, blowing out a breath. He must have been tired to not wake until the end.
“Having a good dream?” She braced her hands on his chest, pinning him to the bed.
“Surely you can guess what it was about?”
She pulled her lower lip between her teeth. “Tell me.”
“You, me, and the throne,” he said. Her lips parted. He ran a hand up her side, brushing the underside of her breast with his thumb, testing the weight of it. “Don’t worry, Lady Witch, we’ll make it happen.”
A fist pounded on his door, startling them both.
“What the fuck?!” he growled, loud enough that whoever was out there would hear him all the way in the corridor.
She sighed and lifted off him. He caught sight of his seed dripping down the inside of her thighs.
Was she still taking the tea to guard against pregnancy?
If so, would she stop if he asked? No, if he ordered?
Why did the thought of her pregnant with his child send excitement shooting straight into his chest?
“You’ve got a look on your face,” she said. “What?”
He hesitated, then glanced down at her cunt again. “Just like the look of my seed slicking your thighs.”
She wasn’t ready for children yet, and telling her he wanted them—when they were in no position for it, yet—would only frighten her.
Besides, what would it mean for the thing living inside her.
Would she give birth to demon babies? Did he even care if she did?
They’d be hers, and his, and that was all that mattered to him.
The fist came again, accompanied by, “Your Majesty.”
He shot up from the bed and stalked through the bedchamber, out into the living quarters.
Throwing the door open, caring little that he was naked and covered in Mina’s slick arousal, he growled at the male standing there.
“How dare you summon me in my chambers like I’m a fucking dog, Ralston. You’d better have a good reason—”
“Carth has assembled the might of their entire military on our borders.”
He froze, then blinked.
“I warned you that pulling our troops back put us at risk. Now we’ve got war on our doorstep and not enough to defend ourselves.” General Ralston grunted, looking him up and down. “While you’re busy fucking your lady witch, the rest of us are—”
He roared and lunged, reaching with one hand for the nearest blade—thanks to the guards outside his door—while grabbing Ralston by the throat and slamming him against the opposite wall.
He pressed the tip of the blade to the male’s heart.
He should have done this a long time ago, when the general first threatened Mina’s life.
The guards on either side of his door remained motionless.
He looked the general in the eye, tightening his hold, and said, “What I chose to do in my own time is my own business.”
Mina appeared in the doorway, a robe clutched around her. “General Ralston.” She blinked, quickly hiding her surprise. She hadn’t yet crossed paths with the male and for that, he was grateful. “Did I make a mistake in leaving you alive? Do we have you to thank for Rixon’s recent assignation, too?”
“Believe me, Lady Witch, if I wanted him dead, I had plenty of opportunities.” Mina’s brow lifted. “What good would it do, besides dooming our kingdom? I know what lies beneath the palace. I know about the portal, and that he’s the only thing keeping it closed.”
He shared a look with Mina before turning back to Ralston. “And what else do you know?”
“Nothing much beyond that. Just that it requires royal blood.”
He huffed, giving the general a rough shove before releasing him. He turned to the guard, returning his sword. To Ralston he said, “Tell me about Carth.”
The general gave a pointed look at his nakedness. He didn’t budge. Finally, Ralston sighed. “I received word from our spies early this morning. Some one hundred thousand troops camped at the base of Cardosa Gap.”
“The territory at the base of the gap belongs to Raeria,” Mina said, looking between them.
“Precisely.” The general sighed. “I’ve already sent word to our units, but it looks as if war is imminent.”
“I don’t understand. Carth agreed to stand down. Weiss is here taking orders and drumming up business for Nebrine repellers.”
“You cannot be this naive—” Ralston growled.
“Don’t insult him,” Mina hissed, black taking over her eyes. Ralston glanced in her direction, studied the change in her, then dismissed it, turning back to him. It wasn’t the first time he’d witnessed this in her.
“This is the witches’ doing,” said Ralston. “They demanded your precious lady witch, and when they didn’t receive her, they left. Surely you didn’t think they would leave it at that.”
“I am flattered you believe me powerful enough to start a war.”
“You gave them a reason—”
“Enough!” Rixon roared. “Enough.”
Both Mina and Ralston stared daggers at each other, breathing harder than necessary.
“None of this is her doing. You already feared an attack in retaliation from Carth. If the witches are assisting them, we have bigger problems. Let’s address the matter at hand, rather than place blame where it doesn’t belong.”
Ralston straightened, adjusting the lapels of his military coat. “Yes. Fine. We await you at your earliest convenience in the council chamber, Your Majesty.” With that, he strode off.
Rixon lingered in the hallway a moment longer, before striding into his chambers. Mina closed the door behind them. Now that the general was gone, the news fully sank in.
“Perhaps it was Weiss all along.”
“What are you talking about?” He frowned at her.
“The assassination attempt. If Carth was planning this attack from the beginning, Weiss is here under false pretenses. He simply wants to weaken the kingdom to prepare for a Carth takeover.”
He blew out a breath, running a hand over his face. “Perhaps you are right.”
“Here, let me heal you. You can’t meet with your council looking like this.”
Some of the bruises already looked purple.
He blew out a breath and gave a curt nod, straightening his shoulders.
Mina’s hands on his body were like a balm.
She fussed over each bruise, healing them until no evidence remained.
When that was finished, she took his hand and led him to the bathing chamber.
They slipped into the hot water together, their sighs of delight mingling.
“Last night—”
“Don’t.” She shot him a glare.
“You don’t even know what I was going to say,” he huffed, lifting his brows.
“It’s probably something along the lines of you worrying that you overdid it, or frightened me, or hurt me.”
She was right. He grumbled, sinking lower into the hot water, letting it ease his tense muscles. He should have been more panicked about the news of Carth, but instead, his thoughts kept going back to Mina.
“I liked what we did, Rixon. I even liked that it made me angry when you ignored me, because it heightened my emotions. When I came, I came hard.”
He growled, pulling her onto his lap. “How hard, Lady Witch?”
“Hard enough to see stars. To pass out afterward.”
“Uh-huh. And I noticed you came on the first stroke, too.” Her eyes heated, pupils expanding. She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. He pulled it free with his thumb, running the pad over it. “Just like a good girl.”
“I love being your good little witch,” she breathed, inching closer until their lips brushed. Until they were sharing the same air. Then she kissed him, letting her tongue linger over his.