Destiny. Grace Goodwin
Elder Clerics Marna, Forge and Severil want updates about the queen in person. Since Princess Faith announced the queen had been kidnapped—and not just missing—they want answers. They are demanding I set up an audience with Princess Trinity for them.”
“Doesn’t Elder Cleric Forge live in Corseran?”
“Yes, and if she’s coming from that great a distance, then you know the trip is not an idle one. Having the queen missing was one thing, but knowing she’s been kidnapped and at someone’s mercy is another. It goes against every principle of the clerics. I want answers and I don’t care what you have to do to get them. I must give the triad something. They are militant and unforgiving in the wilder regions. They won’t be satisfied until we have answers. And neither will I.”
Damn. The old woman’s tone was hard and unforgiving, full of rage. In one breath, she spoke of the principles of being a cleric. Peaceful and full of reverence for the crown. Eons of protection and honor, and in the next, carte blanche to do whatever was necessary to learn the truth, even violence. And yet, I was reassured. She was one of the good guys.
“I’ll kill them all if I have to,” came the male’s reply, confirming they would not remain passive to find their queen, or at least answers.
But kill who? I wasn’t sure. But his tone held no mercy and I could respect that. More danger.
My pulse skyrocketed. Excited. My pussy fluttered, and I held back the orgasm with a force of will. Big. Hard. Cock.
Nix shifted. His cock slid deeper. Opened me up. Wide.
Fuck.
Too late. I came. My body lost control, draining Nix dry in every way I could. Skin on skin, taking his energy, his heat. His seed pumped into me and he threw his hand over my mouth again to muffle the small sound I hadn’t realized I was making. We were insane. Hard core insane to be fucking like this. Coming like this. Who came from just standing still? No thrusting, rubbing, moving?
After a few minutes that felt like hours, the elder and her guard left. Turning off the light and locking the door behind her. We were safe.
I kissed Nix again, thanking him the only way I could at the moment, with slow, deep kisses. Gentle kisses. Thank you kisses. I felt almost… human again. Sexy. And the fact that the energy pouring off his body and into mine was like a drug didn’t hurt either. I could do this for hours. Hell, for days. But I knew what he was going to do. He was going to insist I go with him so he could keep me ‘safe’ and feed my Ardor again.
I’d come three times and he hadn’t even tried. I could only imagine what he could do to me if we weren’t interrupted and had a bed. If he was this skilled just wielding his big cock, what could he do with his hands… or mouth? My pussy clenched at the thought. But, I felt better. Cooler, calmer. My mind was clearer. Yeah, I was thinking about Nix’s head between my thighs and his tongue on my clit, but I wasn’t feeling the Ardor haze I’d been in for days.
Well, this hot sex fix would be enough to keep my body under control for a while, and safe was a word I had no interest in, not with my mother still missing and Lord Wyse dead. Not after hearing the elder mention someone important was kept in Optimus Cell Level C. I had no idea where that was, but I was going to find out. And find Mom.
“I need to get dressed, Nix. We can’t stay here.”
“Agreed.” Slowly, he pulled out of my body and set me on my feet. We both moaned when he slid free, my pussy grasping after him like a greedy little bitch. I mentally told her to get herself together—that Nix wasn’t that hot. But as he stepped back I got a good look at those pecs and abs peeking at me through his open shirt, at that big, hard cock—glistening with cum and my arousal—still straining forward as if it was reaching for me. Chiseled jaw. Dark eyes. Silky hair I loved to pull. Not that hot?
Oh, hell yes he was.
And if I were being completely honest with myself, I loved his alpha male, chest pounding, mine-mine-mine business, too.
Talk about messed up in the head. I didn’t need a man. Didn’t want a man. Not for more than hot sex, anyway. I did not need a man trying to run my life, telling me what to do, trying to keep me safe. No. No fucking way. And Nix had proved he was all for doing that. He wanted me safe and secure and eating chocolate bon-bons and giving my sisters pedicures, while the men went out and saved the world. As if.
I had to get out of here. And if I crawled out the window and down those vines he’d be right on my tail. Which meant that was not an option. I needed another way out of here, a way he couldn’t follow.
I pulled on my black cleric’s uniform as quickly as I could, ignoring the sensual glide of the smooth black pants over my thighs and hips. My skin was sensitive. Too sensitive. Worse than it had been before. But at least my pussy was temporarily satisfied—albeit dripping with his seed—and my body didn’t feel weak and lethargic. I had probably pushed the Ardor thing too far. I’d have to be careful in the future and not let it get that bad.
But then, that’s what the royal consort was for. All I’d have to do was sneak into the palace, ask Trinity for a hookup, get my fix, and sneak back out. That would be the easy thing to do. No strings. No complications. No expectations or Neanderthal claims on my person.
But the thought of another male touching me made me nauseated. And if that was Nix’s fault, I might have to strangle him later. Being dependent on a man was not my thing. Not now. Not ever.
“I’ll check the door and make sure it’s locked.” I moved away before he could answer, using my speed to my advantage when he reached for me. If he kissed me—hell, if he even touched me—I’d never want to leave this stupid room.
Once I reached the door, I held perfectly still and listened. My new ability was uncanny, and I felt like a bat, but that didn’t stop me from using it to my advantage. I listened for footsteps and tried not to imagine what was going on in the other room as the rustle of Nix’s clothing sent all kinds of naughty images into my mind. I didn’t want his pants closed or his shirt covering that meaty man chest. The only thing that should be covering all that magnificent male was me.
Terrible damn timing. That’s what this was.
Once I was sure no one else was outside the door, or even on this floor, I slipped into the hallway, leaving Nix behind.
4
Destiny
I heard his quick footsteps toward the closed door and his nearly silent cursing. He could not follow. Too many patrols on the lower levels of the building. He was not a cleric. Not one of us. Well, I wasn’t really one either, but after all this time in hiding, pretending to be one, I felt like I’d earned the title. Besides, he had no uniform and would stand out—not only because he looked like a sex god on long, muscled legs, but he was dressed like a queen’s guardsman.
I moved like a shadow and slipped into another room within seconds, the door unlocked. It closed behind me without so much as a whisper of sound.
Crazy caveman. Despite the risks of not leaving the way he snuck in, through the window and down the trellis, I heard him open the elder’s door and step into the hallway. Too late. I was gone. Twenty doors on this floor alone. He’d have to check them all if he wanted to find me, and I was already through a servant’s small side door in the adjoining room. He could either take his chances with the patrols that came randomly on the lower floors, or escape out the window and back down the vines.
Not my problem. Nix was a big boy… all over. He let himself in. He could let himself out, too.
With a grin, I disappeared into the shadows to make my way back to my quarters. I’d rather risk being caught here than try to get away from the possessive