Dexar grins at the couple, his gaze lifting to where his own mate stands close by. She winks at him, and that grin widens, filled with promise.
The fire burns behind them, and within moments, Dexar has thrown Beth over the fire and into her mate’s arms.
What would it be like to have a female of my own? I reach for Vivian’s hand before I can stop myself, and she glances at me, her eyes widening slightly in surprise before she smiles at me and returns her attention to the mating ceremony.
I have long known that I must eventually take a mate. But unlike my parents with their love match, I have no desire to risk losing a true mate to the traitors that are aiming for my throne. My mate would be targeted by those who would never want to risk another heir in line for the throne, and any match must be with a female who will be willing to take that risk and be rewarded accordingly.
Likely one of the sycophants in my court who will be happy to sit on the throne, even if it means it’s the last thing they do.
I have no illusions about my ability to protect a female. My parents thought they were well protected, and my father trusted his guards to keep my mother and me safe.
Vivian squeezes my hand, and I glance at her. She’s frowning slightly, and I realize I’ve tightened my hand on hers.
I raise it, pressing my lips to her wrist in apology.
Javir, the boy the couple treat as a son, stands next to Zarix, his shoulders straight. He hands two gold bands to Zarix, who takes them, his words loud and clear as he keeps his gaze on Beth’s face.
“My brave female. I have made these bands to represent our bond. Strong, true, and never to be broken. Will you accept them?”
“I will.”
Beth repeats the words, and I raise my eyebrows as she ties her own bands onto Zarix’s wrists.
Zarix doesn’t hesitate. Within moments, Beth is in his arms, his mouth on hers.
The rest of the night passes in a blur of food, music, and noptri. Vivian is quiet, something obviously on her mind, but I don’t ask what she is thinking.
I’m not sure I want to know.
Vivian
I wake to warm hands on my body, and I stretch languidly, a sound almost like a purr leaving my throat.
My eyes open and meet dark, fathomless blue. My breath catches in my throat, and I raise my hands, burying them in Arix’s dark hair.
Beautiful man.
He smiles down at me, but the smile is sad. For whatever reason, it hurts something in my chest to see sadness on his face, and I grin up at him mischievously.
“Well, Your Majesty, you have me right where you want me. Now what are you going to do with me?”
His grin is a dark promise, and I shiver.
Deft fingers begin undoing the dress I fell asleep in, and I sigh as one of his hands moves down to my breast, playing with my nipple until it’s hard and aching.
I let out a strangled moan, and he pushes the furs away, his eyes burning as he helps me out of my dress. When my chest is bared for him, he lowers his mouth, closing it over my nipple, lightly running his teeth over it until I’m squirming against him.
He laughs and moves to my other beast, sucking at my nipple until it’s throbbing and I’m pleading with him between breathless gasps.
I hold his head against me, and he growls as I pull at his hair. His mouth is hot as he kisses his way up my neck until it finally slants over mine, his lips demanding, his need clear.
I open my mouth, moaning at the taste of him. This man, who was always supposed to be a casual fling, tastes like sin and hope.
He reaches down and pushes my legs apart impatiently, and I run my hands over his bare chest, enjoying the way he tenses against me. My fingers dance over the bumps and ridges of his abdomen, his muscles flexing as I move my hand lower.
He catches my wrist with a laugh. “I don’t think so.”
His mouth moves lower again, and my thighs clench as his tongue is suddenly probing me, licking, sucking, and tormenting me.
This man enjoys making me go out of my mind with lust, and a strangled sob leaves my throat as one hand moves beneath my butt, lifting me so he can bury his tongue even deeper. He moves up, flicking at my clit, and his finger joins the party, thrusting into me as he nibbles at my clit.
I dissolve around him, my hands scrambling across his shoulders, nails digging into his skin. His low growl tells me he enjoys that, and I arch with desperate need as he finally moves between my legs, his mouth covering mine.
I moan against his lips as he thrusts into me, my nails raking down his back. He moves deeper, angling my hips until he hits that spot that drives me wild.
I clench around him. “Faster.”
His grin is wicked as he slows down instead, grinding against my clit with every thrust. He pulls back until he almost leaves me completely but then slams into me, making me shudder in bliss.
My eyes drift closed, and I force them open, finding his gaze on my face.
“Again,” I order him, and he smiles, but I can see from the tension on his face that he’s barely holding on to his control.
“You’re not in charge here, lovely.”
I scowl, but he does something with his hips that makes me gasp and clench around him. That makes him growl, so I do it again, and again.
He moves then. Long, deep strokes that drive me insane while he gazes down at me, his eyes shuttered.
Even now, we
