Dark, page 8
“Understood,” I breathed as he gripped himself and lined up with my entrance. In one powerful thrust, he speared into me, and I was so deliciously filled with him. His hands gripped my hips as he pounded into me from the edge of the bed, and I fisted the sheets to hold myself in place.
“Your breasts look so good bouncing up and down as I fuck you,” he growled, quickening his pace. He hiked one of my legs up toward his shoulder, deepening the angle and sending tingles across my body as my walls began fluttering around him.
“Ruslan,” I moaned his name as he ground his hips against mine, filling every inch of me. His free hand dropped to my swollen clit, rubbing it in a circle to match his hips, and I was so close to coming already. The thread that tied us together hummed excitedly as the tension building in my core ratcheted up to the point of snapping.
He growled his approval when I ground against him. “Come all over my cock, mate. I want to hear you scream my name as you fall apart.”
Mate.
At that word, my body exploded, and stars filled my vision. Ruslan’s strong hands caught my back as I arched off the bed, and he drove his hips up and into me, mercilessly pounding through my orgasm. The world went black around me, and there was nothing but the feel of him inside and around me.
“Fuck, Izidora, I love you,” he ground out, his hips jerking as he released inside me.
My chest heaved, and my eyes fluttered into focus, colliding with his smoky gray ones. I loved Ruslan with every part of me, and yet I couldn’t give him everything he wanted. Not yet. I needed to be certain, especially after my dream, that I was making the right choice.
But was I selfless enough to save the world if that meant choosing the male I loved less?
I had promised Kazimir time alone, and I hoped that would light the path I was supposed to take.
Reaching up a hand to stroke Ruslan’s face, I said, “I love you, Ruslan. You make me feel alive.”
He pinned my hand beneath his, leaning into it. “Let’s get you some food before you start getting grumpy.”
“Hey! I do not get grumpy,” I protested, a grin spreading across my face, even as he pulled out of me.
“Yes, you do, especially with how hard you train.” Ruslan strode to the bathroom, returning with a wet cloth and running it over my body to clean me. Then he tossed it aside and held out his hand to me. “Come,” he said, and I took it, allowing him to pull me off the bed and lead me to the wardrobe, where he pulled out clothes and began dressing me.
I playfully swatted at his hands but allowed him to continue because his careful attention caused my body to hum in the most delicious way.
It was so nice to be taken care of.
Surprisingly, Ruslan and I were not the last to arrive in the dining room with a view that overlooked all of Radence. When the Night Fae spilled into it, nearly half an hour after we did, all but High Lord Kaztar and his wife, Domi, looked like they’d rather be dead than attending breakfast. Liliana’s makeup was smudged and smeared under her eyes, giving her the appearance of a raccoon, while Endre pressed a cool glass of water to his forehead. Kazimir, Viktor, and Vadim were equally as disheveled, though Vadim wore a smug grin as he shoveled greasy food into his mouth.
Anton and Slavian sauntered toward them, offering Vadim a high-five before sticking around to chat. Slavian couldn’t tear his eyes away from Liliana, who gave him more attention than I thought she would. I elbowed Ruslan in the ribs, jerking my head in their direction. “I’m guessing Anton and Slavian had something to do with why they look like drowned rats?”
He snorted, popping a pastry into his mouth and chewing. “I’d wager they are the cause of it.”
I caught Liliana’s attention, and she excused herself before dragging over to our table and plopping in the chair across from me. “I feel like I could die,” she moaned from where her head was buried in her arms. “Can you please put out the lights?”
I shoved my glass of water in her direction. “Drink this, it will help.”
She picked her head up enough to pull the water in her direction and tilted the glass to her lips. Little rivers spilled over the sides and onto the table, coating her chin along the way. Once she finished it, some color returned to her cheeks. “Why do you look so chipper?” She dried her face, then tucked her chocolate brown hair behind her pointed ear as she regarded me, a slight upturn of her lips betraying her suspicions.
“I got a good night’s sleep,” I lied, a grin tugging at my mouth.
“Did Anton and Slavian drag you to Steel?” Ruslan asked, bracing his elbows on the table as he leaned into our conversation.
“That they did,” she groaned, but there wasn’t an ounce of regret in her tone.
“Steel?” I stopped my contraceptive tea just before my lips, looking to Ruslan for an explanation.
“It is an establishment that I own. A Félvér club, if you will. Anton and Slavian are my best customers,” he shrugged noncommittally.
“What Ruslan is not telling you is that it is one of the most incredible experiences of your life. You should join us next time.” Liliana’s eyes glittered with mischief, and my heart leaped at the thought of all the mayhem I’d been promised she and I could cause.
Before either Ruslan or myself could respond, a tug around my middle jerked my eyes up to meet a pair of deep emerald ones. Kazimir stood just behind Liliana, hands clasped behind his back and waiting to be invited to speak. Ruslan tensed beside me, and I automatically grabbed his hand, stroking the back of it with my thumb in an attempt to calm us both. Kazimir still exuded that oily presence, though it was tempered compared to the previous day.
“Izidora, I believe last night we agreed upon an outing today. I’d love for you to accompany me on a ride through the city.”
Liliana whipped her head around, apparently just noticing Kazimir had joined us. He kept his gaze trained on me with a ferocity that was remarkable considering the rage that rolled off Ruslan. He squeezed my hand beneath the table, and I pushed soothing emotions in his direction, turning his anxiety and anger into calm.
“I’ll send for my mount to be saddled,” I replied.
“No need, our horses are already prepared to go. I will be waiting for you to finish breakfast.” He sketched a quick bow and retreated to the safety of the Night Fae before Ruslan could object.
The male beside me cracked his neck and huffed a breath before his lips found my ear. “Leaving you alone with him will be hard for me, and I will suffer through it because you deserve the space you need to make your decision. I will spend the rest of my life making up for my mistakes, but please, please protect yourself, sprite. You are so much stronger than you used to be. Don’t forget that.”
I turned to face him, letting him see the adoration I had for him. “You’ve taught me well. I will keep my talents hidden until absolutely necessary.” After all, Kazimir had been the first to call me an insidious bloom, and that was a motto I’d imprinted on my soul. I’d told Kazimir that I had changed, but he did not need to know the details of my newfound power. That power was what would protect me against these much larger males, and I planned on hoarding the knowledge of it like it was my greatest treasure.
Liliana wisely kept her attention on her nails as we spoke, only looking up once Ruslan cleared his throat. “Will you be participating in the archery competition this afternoon, Lady Liliana?”
“Absolutely. And you can call me Liliana, no need for fancy titles between friends, right?” She flashed him a disarming smile.
“Liliana, it is. Now,” Ruslan pushed back from the table, looking down at me, “I must attend to my kingly duties. I’ll see you before the archery competition, sprite.” He planted a light kiss on the top of my head and darted from the room. My body sank with his absence, but as I reached my magic out to feel his emotions, I grasped that he needed to put some distance between himself and me as I prepared to go off on my own with Kazimir.
“Izidora, we’ve got so much to catch up on, but I know you need to get this conversation with Kazimir out of the way. We can gossip later, maybe even with Domi and Immonen. You’re going to love them,” she grinned.
“I seriously cannot wait. I need to hear more about this life-changing experience you had at Steel,” I teased.
“But before you go, tell me… do you love him?” I knew she meant Ruslan.
“Yes,” I breathed, closing my eyes for a moment before confessing the secret that had plagued me since I heard it. “But both Kazimir and Ruslan are my mates.”
“Shut the fuck up,” she gasped. “You get two mates?”
I shook my head, my dreamlike encounter returning in full force. “I have to choose, and soon.”
Her mouth popped open into an O. “Shit, Izidora. We definitely have to talk more about this later, with fewer ears around.” She glanced around the room at all the Fae and Félvér in attendance.
“Please. I need advice,” I begged, reaching my hand across the table and placing it on hers. Maybe with Liliana’s help, I could reason out which male was the right choice.
She covered my hand with her other, holding a soft smile on her face. “I promise. Now, go to Kazimir. I think I know what he has planned for you.”
I drained the last of my tea, the taste not entirely pleasant, especially as I was reminded that only Ruslan ever offered it to me. The chair scraped against the ground as I pushed back, leaving Liliana to pick at the food left on my plate. Kazimir rose to meet me in the middle of the space, and I left a healthy distance between us, turning for the open doors and striding into the main hall of Ryza Citadel.
“You look lovely this morning, Izidora,” Kazimir said from beside me.
I wore the fur-lined boots Ruslan had gifted me, and I was grateful I’d also grabbed the matching cloak before we left our apartment in the spire. The diamond at my throat caught the light of the mid-morning sun as we entered the courtyard, and despite a brisk breeze blowing through it, I remained warm wrapped in the white fur. “Thank you, Kazimir. You’ve looked better.” My tone was light and teasing, like we’d used to play with one another, but his emerald eyes flashed with a darkness I’d never seen before.
“I’ve felt better.” His tone was flatter than I’d ever heard it, and I began to wonder why he bothered asking me to join him if he wasn’t going to show me the same warmth he had after rescuing me from the cave.
Did he even care about me then?
We walked in tense silence toward the stables. I was unsure what to say to the male who had rescued me, showed me the first bits of this big beautiful world we lived in, but who I now held so much doubt about. Flinging my unanswered questions at him so soon would not do either of us any favors, especially as his attention sent shivers of two kinds down my spine.
“I have a surprise for you,” Kazimir said before we rounded the corner, breaking our silence.
“Oh?” was all I managed as my stomach turned over.
“Look forward,” he commanded.
I straightened my gaze to find Fek saddled and ready to go, his long black mane falling over his eyes, front foot stamping and breath fogging in the morning air. Beside him was Mistik, her dapple gray coat gleaming in the morning sun.
“Mistik!” I bounded forward, the mare’s eyes lighting up as I approached. She released an excited neigh and surged forward, catching her groom off guard as she trotted toward me. He stretched for the rope attached to her bridle and missed as Mistik raced straight toward me, all else forgotten. Through blurred vision, I stroked the mare’s silky nose, blowing in her nostrils as we reacquainted.
“Liliana rode her here just for you,” Kazimir murmured from behind me, and I was too filled with joy for his presence to startle me. Swiping at my eyes, I planted a kiss on her nose, then faced the male I loved first.
“Thank you for bringing her to me,” I whispered, voice thick with unshed tears. Learning to ride her, in addition to the mare’s freely-given affection when I needed it most, had been exactly what I needed in the weeks following my exit from the cave and entrance into a world I’d never known.
“Shall we ride?” Kazimir offered, striding toward Fek and holding out an apple slice for him.
I wanted nothing more than to be back in Mistik’s saddle. “Yes. I can show you around the city, and maybe we can stop at one of my favorite markets,” I suggested, hauling myself up and over the mare I loved so dearly.
“Lead the way,” Kazimir said, mounting Fek and spurring him alongside Mistik.
As we exited the stables, we passed Savich, a Bear Shifter Félvér, and his mounted regiment returning from their patrol. I nodded to him, and he shot me a lazy grin before it fell away when he noticed my company. Then, he offered me a look that said ‘be careful’ and continued riding.
Kazimir and I would not truly be alone on our trip through Radence.
“You know him?” Kazimir asked when we were out of earshot, a hint of disdain in his voice.
“Yes, he is one of my friends here in the Iron Realm,” I stated. “He’s Félvér – those of us with mixed blood. There are a lot of Félvér about, if you haven’t noticed.”
Our horses’ hooves clopped against the stone path as we descended the hill away from Ryza. “I learned a thing or two about Félvér yesterday,” Kazimir gritted out.
His tone bothered me, but I said nothing as I fell into the sway of Mistik’s stride. The sun caressed my face, bathing me in what little warmth it had to offer on the bitterly cold day, melting the remnants of the past few days’ snows from the cobbled streets of Radence. “The market we’re going to has a sweet shop that I adore,” I offered by way of conversation when we reached the bottom of the hill and turned onto the main thoroughfare.
“Are cinnamon rolls still your favorite treat?” Kazimir asked wryly.
“They are.” I allowed my lips to lift in a smile.
How could a few months apart put so much distance between us?
The doubts in my mind lay between us like an ocean trench, and I knew if I didn’t voice my questions soon, I’d never move forward with Kazimir.
“So, Izidora, tell me what you’ve been doing during your time in the Iron Realm,” Kazimir said politely, and I welcomed his attempt at conversation.
As we navigated the capital’s bustling streets, I told him of my physical training, magic training – leaving out the most important details of my empath powers – and how I’d grown to love the Félvér, as each of them was unique and they all had backgrounds that fascinated me. He remained silent, and when minutes passed without a response from him, I wondered if he’d listened at all.
The colorful market appeared after our next turn, and my shoulders slackened in relief. A hitching post stood just outside it, with a few other horses already tethered and waiting for their masters. I dismounted and tied Mistik at the end, leaving room for Fek.
The market was crowded, and we had to weave through Fae laden with goods as we traveled the path to the sweet shop. A bell rang as we pushed through the door, and the baker looked up from his work. “Princess Izidora, how lovely to see you again.” His golden eyes narrowed over my shoulder for a fraction of a moment before returning to me. “What can I get for you today?”
I approached the glass container blocking the treats from being snatched without payment. “What would you like, Kazimir?” I called over my shoulder. He pressed forward, joining me at the display, and my body simultaneously heated and chilled at his proximity.
“We’ll take some fresh cinnamon buns,” he hummed, his hand skimming up my arm.
“Coming right up. Feel free to sit, and I’ll bring them to you.” The baker motioned us away with a sweep of his hand.
My breath hitched as Kazimir flattened his palm on my lower back and led me to a table in the corner of the small shop, adjacent to the large window overlooking the market square. My skin was alight beneath my cloak where he had touched me, and I drew a slow breath as I settled in the seat with my back to the wall. Kazimir sat across from me, that oiliness gone from his aura, and I saw the male I fell in love with staring back at me, his lips stretched in a smile. “Remember when we stopped in a baker’s shop much like this one on the road to Vaenor?”
The memory leaped to the front of my mind, the smell of baking cinnamon triggering a vivid recollection. Kazimir and I had sat on a bench in a very similar square and eaten them together. He had swiped a bit of icing from my face, and I had sucked it off his finger. My cheeks now flamed because that moment had held the promise of more as tension built between us. “I do.”
“You looked so beautiful that day. The sun was starting to put color on your cheeks, and you had started opening up to us more. We’d answered a nearly endless stream of questions about the world around us, and yet you always wanted more. You bested me in a stick fight that day, and if I had to guess, it was because of those cinnamon rolls,” he laughed.
“Who needs magic when you have the power of cinnamon rolls?” I joked, feeling a bit of tension melt from my chest as we shared memories.
“Your magic is nothing short of incredible. How is your flying?” he asked.
The baker appeared with a tray of steaming buns dripping white frosting over the sides, and my mouth watered as he placed them between Kazimir and me. “Thank you,” I grinned at him, and the baker flashed me a wink before disappearing behind the counter.
“Flying is much better. The strength training I’ve been doing with Ruslan has helped tremendously.” I plucked a sticky bun from the tray, my fingers immediately coated in gooey frosting, and took a large bite, moaning as the flavors melted over my tongue.
Kazimir’s eyes darkened, sending a shiver down my spine, as he watched me pull the treat away from my lips. “Good,” he mumbled, reaching a finger to stop a line of frosting tumbling down my chin. I froze as he swiped at it, leaving his finger dangling between us with an unasked request. I swallowed down my food, breath catching as I debated my next move.
Do I lick it off and keep this peace between us, or do I show my suspicion of him and risk that sinister aura returning?
