Page 14

“Luke! What are you doing?” Kylo says in a hushed, nervous tone behind me.

“Shh. Go.” I jerk my head toward the direction the guards went.

He doesn’t move.

Typical.

He would never leave me. He would knowingly die with me before he ever left me. Fool. Brave, but foolish.

The wyvern’s gaze softens as she studies me. Her feral rage has faded—this one is different. I dare to take a step closer. When she doesn’t react, I extend my hand, brushing my fingers against her cool, granite-like scales. The wyvern snarls in response, so I yank my hand back; freezing in place.

Shit.

I may have just made a grave mistake.

It brings its head closer to me, mere inches away. I swallow, my throat bobbing as I do. My mouth feels like sand as sweat continues to drip off my brow. Cautiously, I reach a hand up to pet it. Surprisingly, the massive creature doesn’t move as my hand meets its scales once more.

“I won’t hurt your baby, but you need to take it and leave.” I continue to pet the wyvern. Magnificent.

The wyvern steps closer and lowers its head to the ground like it is inviting me onto it. I look over and notice my guards have completely receded at this point. I can’t see them. I look over to Kylo, his eyes wide, mouth gaping, and he is shaking his head at me, letting me know he thinks this is a bad idea.

Is it a bad idea? Absolutely. Am I still going to do this? Also, absolutely. I have never been one to back down from something because it’s dangerous. I grin, widely. “Head back down, tell them it’s done and that we killed them. Set that bush on fire so they think we burned their bodies.”

Kylo mumbles some curses.

I jump on the wyvern’s back, and it takes off in the opposite direction of my men.

“Luke!”

Kylo’s fading voice is the last thing I hear as I soar off into the night on the massive wyvern’s back. I hold tightly to the spikes protruding from its muscular back, so I don’t fly off. There is something so serene about being lost in the darkness of the night’s sky and the clouds. The wind is so fierce, my eyes are tearing, and yet I love every second of it.

I’ve never known peace like this. The inky blackness of night swallows us whole, and for the first time, I feel truly free from life’s burdens. I wish this moment never had to end.

My door clicks shut,and I hear Cora enter as I am reading at my desk. I don’t even bother looking up from my book. I knew it was her. My shadows sensed her. Cora knows I hate anyone being in my room. She comes up behind me. Feeling her hot breath on the back of my neck, I groan, as she plants a soft kiss to it. Closing my eyes, I breathe in deeply. She brings her arms around me and plants her hands on my chest. Within seconds, I have her off me and pin her to the wall, with her back to me. I hold her there with my shadows.

I brush her black hair off her face and shoulder as I push my hardening length into her backside. She is always such a horny little thing. I hate that she is in my room, and she knows I hate for my chest to be touched. This makes two strikes against her. However, I start to undo my pants anyways because I’ve had a hard day and need some relief.

“Lukene?” she says in a huff, and I begin to kiss down her shoulder.

“Yes?” I say, breathy, pushing into her more.

“Let me touch you.”

And… strike three. I stop unbuckling my pants, releasing her from my shadows. My hardening cock now completely flaccid. “Leave.” My tone is cold and unyielding as I step back from her and gesture to my door. “Now, Cora. I am not in the mood.”

I can see all the many unspoken words she wishes to say as she looks at me with her bright gray eyes. However, she knows better, which is why she lets out a huff as she stomps out of my room, slamming the door behind her.

I head over to my bed that’s draped in luxurious black cloth. Flopping onto it, I release a loud sigh before grabbing the necklace that is tucked under my tunic; close to my heart. My mother’s necklace. This tiny black stone, wrapped in silver twine, is all I had left of her. It always brings me a small bit of comfort.

Cora is an ambitious woman. She knows what she wants and tries to take it. She is the daughter of a duke but wants to be more. She is beautiful, I’ll give her that. However, I have no interest in marrying, ever. Love is for the weak, and I am anything but. She is good for when I need a release, but nothing more. She craves power and my attention. I plan on giving her neither.

She knows I hate my chest being touched, yet she is always pushing, which is why I always fuck her from behind. A cringe rattles through me just thinking about her hand on my chest. I try not to think too much about it, but when my chest is touched, I can’t help but see the face that has taken and ruined my youthful innocence. A shiver runs down my spine. No, I don’t want to think of what was done to me when I was a child.

Anger.

I cling to my anger like I always do.

Cora.