She scratched at her shoulder as we entered her chamber.
The broken tray and spilled food had been cleaned up. But the slitted black dress she’d arrived in lay in a pile on the bed along with a black pair of leather pants and a tight-fitting shirt.
“Wow!” She picked up her dress, turning it over. “You even fixed the tear from the leminax’s claws.”
It pleased me more than I should admit that she was excited about a simple mend and launder. “Mrs. Browning did the wash while Mr. Browning is a miracle worker with thread and needle. And I had her copy your pattern on the other items as well, so you’d be able to carry weapons as you are used to when we rescue Simeon.”
“Really?” She did a quick examination of the other clothing and nodded. “Then I will have to thank them when I see them again.”
“They would accept a gift of milk and honey more so than mere words.”
“And it has pockets too?” She sounded amazed. “My dress didn’t have those on the outside like this.”
“Mrs. Browning added those all on her own. Something about women love clothes with pockets.”
Her face took on an odd expression.
“What is it?” I asked, wondering if I had done something to disturb her.
She shook her head. “Nothing. Give me a minute to change and I’ll be ready to go.”
“Of course. Let me know if there is anything you need.”
Her face scrunched up in pain and she gasped.
“What is it?” I stepped closer.
“I-I don’t know. Probably nothing.” She clawed at her back. “I think I must have gotten something on me that I’m allergic to. My skin is itching like crazy.”
“Let me take a look.” I expected her to refuse.
Instead, she hauled her hair up and turned her back to me. Crimson lines from her nails covered her shoulder and half of her back. I blinked, not quite believing what this meant.
“When did this start?”
“Is it that bad? Fuck, is this some weird Fae bug that is going to hatch out of me?” She glanced over her shoulder at me.
“What?” Her words stumped me for a moment, then I smiled. “No, this is nothing like that.”
“Okay, good. I’m sure some Benadryl will fix me right up then.”
“Did this happen when you were with Darrius?” I’d already smelled the musk of their lovemaking on her. “When he had sex with you?”
“I don’t think so, it was after.” She glanced away as though expecting me to be upset.
“It does not bother me that you were with Darrius.”
She turned, dropping her hands as she stared at me. “No? I’d think you’d be possessive and jealous.”
“We are raised to give the queen pleasure and protection. It is normal for our kind to share a woman. Multiple husbands mean a better chance of the queen conceiving and having her needs fulfilled.”
I traced my hand across her shoulder, above where her scratch marks lay. Her skin quivered under my touch. How to tell her what this meant wasn’t going to be easy.
When she leaned forward, I found myself delaying telling her. The proof was right there on her flesh, but until it manifested completely, she wouldn’t believe it anyway. Might even try to kill me again for even mentioning it.
Suddenly, the air between us morphed into sexual heat. Her sharp inhale of breath told me she felt it too.
She undid her dress, keeping her gaze on mine. The material slid off her shoulders and pooled at her feet. My breaths hitched in my throat as she unhooked her bra, then turned to face me. Her nipples were hard jewels wanting to be touched, to be sucked.
“Avery,” I managed to croak out. Gods she was exquisite.
“Shhh.” She laid her finger over my mouth. “Please. I need this. I don’t know why or understand it. But when I think about you inside me, the burning itch across my shoulder goes away.”
Without another word, she climbed on top of the bed, laying on her back. My dick sprang to life. I wanted to ask her if she was sure. If she wanted to wait and think this through since before she came here, she hated me. Wanted to kill me and all my kind.
She eased her underwear off, teasing herself with one hand and pinching her nipple with the other.
Her arousal was so heady that I sank to my knees before her.
I licked her folds as she stroked herself. Wetness coating my tongue and driving me mad. I sucked and licked, cherishing her moans of pleasure and her sweet taste.
She bucked against my face. Then I held onto her hips, lifting her.
I stood, rubbing my dick across her wet tightness. Slowly, I sank deeper and deeper until every inch of my erection was buried in her tight pussy. I pulled out and she moaned, then slammed back inside her. She ground her sex against me, writhing on the bed.
I rubbed her nipples as I drove into her again and again. When she yanked my hand up to her throat and pressed, I let out a guttural growl.
“You are mine,” I said between clenched teeth.
“Yes, yes, oh god.” She pressed her hands against my chest. “Oh fuck, I’ve wanted you to do this since the moment I saw you. Please, Malcolm.”
She arched her back and I leaned over her, sucking a nipple into my mouth. I held her down by her throat and pumped in and out, harder and faster.
Her power and strength rippled under my fingertips. I wanted to explore every inch of her. This beauty beneath me who gave me herself. Avery slid her hands upward, digging her fingers into my hair. I let her nipple go with a pop and she squirmed underneath me.
“Don’t move like that.” I was going to lose my load in her in seconds.
“Like this?” she asked in a husky voice doing exactly what I told her not to do.
I leaned over her, making my thrusts shallower and kissed her lips. Tasting her tongue as I ground in and out of her.
Our kiss turned scorching hot, yet I couldn’t get enough of her. I didn’t think I ever would. I could make love to her every day, every hour and still yearn for her.
“Malcolm.” She stilled beneath me.
Her pussy tightening, spasming. She was exquisite and I was intoxicated by her pleasure-hazed eyes and her sex tightened around me.
“Fuck,” I breathed out.
She hiked her legs around me, drawing me in deeper. I pounded her, keeping the right amount of pressure on her throat. Enough to make her feel I was in charge, but not so much I hurt or choked her.
As we moved, her boobs bounced, tantalizing me. I wanted to taste them again, except it took all my effort not to cum just yet.
Sweat trickled down my back as our bodies made slapping sounds with each thrust. I rolled my thumb across her clit, and she screamed in pleasure.
I bellowed my response as my climax released like a rocket inside her. Keeping my hand on her throat, I leaned forward brushing my lips across hers.
Spent, I rolled over, bringing her with me. She sighed contentedly against me. Fuck, she’d hate me when I told her the truth about what was happening to her.
I’d been right that she was our queen. Darrius claiming her as ours had started the manifestation process and mine now was the second part.
We only needed Simeon to claim her to make the transformation complete. There was no going back to her normal life.
She wasn’t human. Probably never had been—at least not half—the part of her that had stirred to life being in our presence.
She hated Fae, but soon there would be no denying that she was one too. She was our queen.
She murmured in her sleep, and I wrapped my arms tighter around her.
I hoped when she found out the truth, she didn’t order our immediate executions.