“Brittney,” Adina calls. “We need meals for five, and then their horses need to be moved to the stables for the night.”
My new acquaintance sends the bartender a brittle smile before whispering through gritted teeth, “And she thinks she’s my boss, even though she’s not.”
Before she can walk away, I impulsively grab her arm. “Thanks for talking to me like, well, like a person. It was really great meeting you.”
Her eyes soften with understanding. “You, too.”
My eyes drop to her stomach. “You gave me hope. The other human women—” I nervously fidget, because I’m not used to prying into someone’s private business.
Thankfully, Brittney saves me from my own awkwardness.
“Yes,” she answers. “Some of them have kids. Most aren’t fated matches. The snatchers choose us based on how much we’ll be missed on Earth, which isn’t much. They go after women who don’t have families, who live in poverty, or who just have a sucky life in general. After being rescued, a lot of girls decide to stay here because it’s better than going back.”
Wow, that’s really sad.
“I’m glad you found happiness,” I tell her honestly.
She beams. “This world takes some getting used to, but it’s awesome once you settle in. And I can’t tell you how happy I am to have someone representing us.”
Us.
She’s talking about humans. She’s talking about me. Having a human queen—it could be a game changer for the people of the Night Realm.
And suddenly, I feel a spark of confidence.
I’m needed here.
Regardless of almost being killed, this trip has had some positive moments. First the gnomes, now—
“Brittney! What’s the hold up?”
Adina’s rude. Can’t she see we’re having a moment here? I cut her a cold glance, and she shuts her mouth so fast I can hear her teeth clack from twenty feet away.
Kirian’s lips curl up with a discreet smirk as he takes a sip of his drink.
A strange satisfaction flows through me. Being queen might not be so bad. Not if I can put someone in their place with just one look.
Sending me one last smile, Brittney heaves out a sigh and walks away.
“Bye.” I wave at her back as she disappears into the kitchen, and the guys join me at the table.
When Brittney returns, she’s balancing heaping plates of food. Each one has a steaming pile of sliced white meat, a mountain of mashed potatoes, and a variety of mixed green vegetables.
I’m practically hopping in my seat by the time my food is placed in front of me.
Ever the faithful servants, Torius and Kai don’t pick up their forks until Kirian does. It’s like they’re waiting for his permission to eat.
Screw that. I’m starving.
Using my hands, I dig in. First, I bite off a piece of the juicy meat, and I hum out a content sound. It tastes like turkey. I want to ask if they have turkey here, but my mouth is full.
Grabbing a utensil, I ungracefully scoop up the mashed potatoes. I notice it has a chunkier texture than what I’m used to. There might be parsnips or other root vegetables in it. Or maybe they just grow weird potatoes here. I don’t care, because it’s perfectly seasoned and it has a pleasant nutty aftertaste.
It isn’t until I’ve made it around to the leafy greens that I realize I’m getting sly looks from Kirian’s friends.
“What?”
“You might want to ask Zella to set you up with some etiquette classes,” Damon says with a laugh. “I haven’t heard chewing like that since I came upon a pack of wild boars attacking a centaur.”
I wrinkle my nose. “That doesn’t help my appetite.”
“Good. Maybe you’ll slow down so the rest of us can enjoy our fine dining experience,” he teases.
“Don’t be a snob,” I say through a lump of what I think is spinach.
“I’m a king. It’s my job to put on airs.”
Kirian clears his throat. “If you two are done flirting, I’d like to finish my dinner so I can go to bed.”
Well, well.
I guess I’m not the only one having trouble controlling my jealousy.
“Sourpuss,” Damon whispers under his breath.
Lowering his hand beneath the table, Kirian squeezes my thigh. It’s possessive and sexy. Just that little gesture makes me want to lick him from head to toe.
Tonight’s gonna be rough.
Kirian
My need for Quinn has reached a tipping point. We’ve never spent this many consecutive hours together. Maybe that’s why my cock is throbbing and my balls feel heavy.
Now that we’ve retired to our room, I have nothing to distract me from the sexual energy in the air.
It vibrates over my skin and makes the hairs on my arms stand.
And it isn’t just coming from me.
Although Quinn seems determined to keep her distance for the sake of the curse, she can’t hide her desire. Her sweet scent is driving me wild, and I’ve never been so compelled to claim something. To take it.
To take her.
All I can think about is getting her naked. I want to bury my face between her thighs, lick her juices, and suck on her clit until she comes.
As Quinn’s feet pad over the wooden floor, I can smell her arousal getting stronger. She just took a bath, but she can’t wash away the pheromones. After she hangs up her ruined dress, she puts her underthings back on.
I smile.
“What are you grinning about?” She sounds suspicious as she approaches the bed, and she has every reason to be.
Before my own bath, the innkeeper asked me if we wanted spare clothing. I declined. I’m nude under the covers, and I stretch my arms, knowing Quinn likes to look.
After all the time we’ve known each other, she still underestimates my abilities. I can tell when she’s staring at me, and she does it a lot. I notice every shift of her head, the fluttering of her eyelashes when she blinks, and every breath aimed my way.
It’s probably wrong of me to seduce her.
I don’t care.
She wants me and I want her. Simple.
When she lifts the blanket
