Page 23 of Brutal Fae King (Dark Faevea King #1)

When I open my eyes, I realize I am in Vicmar’s bedroom. His arms are still around me, and my head is still laid out on his chest. It rises and falls slowly under me as he sleeps, pushing my head up and down. I’m so warm here. Both his wings have folded over my back, and they seem to radiate heat. They’re like warm blankets over my back.

No matter how many blankets I had back home, I never got this warm… it was always too cold outside. Usually, beds in Thawallow were just about warm enough to sleep.

Thawallow… Maribelle…

The thought comes to me suddenly. How unbelievable this all is. A short while ago, I was a peasant human in a forgotten village. Scraping a living from day to day. Barely making ends meet. Nothing in the world mattered aside from Maribelle. Her happiness, her wellbeing, making sure her belly was full, and her shoulders were free from as much of the world’s burden as I could make them.

My own happiness didn’t matter… But now… I’m happy.

And I feel horrible about it. After all, here I am, in a fancy and warm bed in a castle, having spent an amazing night with a king. Is Maribelle suffering whilst I’m lounging around here?

Even if she’s just suffering with Weeping Fever, do I deserve to be happy?

My stomach gives a little turn. I shuffle on my spot, and I see Vicmar’s sleeping face. I’m caught by his beauty—he’s so serene right now. His features, from his sharp nose to his strong jawline and his delicate mouth… It’s as if he’s a statue, masterfully crafted by an expert sculptor. With his dark eyes closed, he looks like an angel. I can’t believe such a tranquil and handsome face could ever have belonged to the “Cruel King”.

Besides, if they think he’s cruel… they should meet his brother.

He's why I’m really here. Vicmar is right—we can’t let that man get his hands on Faevea.

As I sit here, pondering, Vicmar gives a little shuffle and grunt, and his eyes slowly blink open. He looks at me, bleary-eyed, then smiles.

“Good morn, Ebelor,” he murmurs.

I can’t help but return his smile.

“Good morn,” I reply.

He shuffles up to sitting. I lay my head back down on his chest, gazing up at him.

“You were watching me sleep?” he asks, a little teasing edge to the question.

“No!” I giggle. “Well, perhaps I was this time, but I don’t typically.”

“Mm-hm,” he hums, giving me an incredulous grin.

I laugh gently. His hand starts combing through my hair, trailing my locks out and letting them fall from his fingers.

“What were you thinking about?” he asks me.

“Oh… just… how crazy the change has been,” I answer.

Vicmar chuckles.

“That is all so true,” he replies. “The change has been immense. On my part, I was so scared to bring in the lost heir, so very scared she was going to steal my throne, so I did everything in my power to keep her at arm’s length—and yet we have fallen into each other’s arms.” He gives me a little squeeze. “And beds, speaking of it.”

He leans forward and kisses me on the forehead. I giggle for a moment, then look down.

“Is this right?” I ask.

Vicmar frowns.

“What do you mean? What would be wrong with this?”

“I just…I’m here. In your bed, as your queen…” I murmur. “And I’ve left Maribelle behind… Maybe I should have tried harder to get her back.”

Vicmar runs his hand down my hair.

“You haven’t left her behind,” he says. “She has the best healers in the land at her bedside right this moment. She shouldn’t be moved right now in her state, even if you did sneak out to see her.” He smiles kindly at me. “Ebelor, don’t feel guilty.”

A little spark of panic passes through me when I hear him say the G word. It’s something so deep in my core that I’ve never told anyone before; I forgot that I blurted it out to him already.

But he understands. I can see that in his endless, dark eyes. It’s reassuring, but they’re too intense for me to keep his gaze for now. I duck down and nestle myself back into his chest, and his arms curl around me.

“I can’t help it,” I admit, staring at the curtains drawn around his four-poster bed. “It’s all I’ve ever known since our parents died. It’s been my entire life.”

“I know. I know exactly how that feels,” Vicmar sighs under me, his chest raising my head up and then my head dropping down again when he sighs. “It’s hard to break away when it’s all you know.”

I nod. Vicmar gives the lightest laugh.

“Perhaps… that’s why I panicked when I met you,” he says like a confession. “I never wanted to be king; I saw what it did to my parents to rule Faevea. I knew that you would return at some point and reclaim the throne, and… at first, when I was younger, I was looking forward to it. But then I took the crown, started ruling, and it became all I knew. Maybe that’s why I was so harsh on you when you first came—I wouldn’t know what I was if I wasn’t king.”

“Do you enjoy it?” I ask. “Being king?”

I feel his head turn, and he looks down at me.

“Do you enjoy it?” he asks back. “Taking care of your sister?”

I smile weakly.

“Touche,” I answer.

Vicmar smiles weakly at me. His hand runs up and down my back.

“But you can be happy here,” he says determinedly. “In fact, you will be. I know you’d rather go home, but since you can’t, anything that’ll make you happy you can have, Ebelor. Your sister is well taken care of, and you don’t have that burden anymore.”

“Thank you…” I say, and then the thought starts pressing down on me until I start folding up. My eyes start stinging, and the tears start flowing down my face.

“Ebelor?” he asks.

“Oh, god, it’s so terrible!” I sob. “She’s a burden! I don’t want to think of her as a burden! But… B-but—”

Vicmar leans up in bed and pulls me into a tighter hug than before.

“I love her,” I weep. “I don’t want to think of her as a burden!”

“I know you love her,” he murmurs. “But you’ve given up so much of yourself to take care of her and you’re exhausted. It’s natural.”

I choke another sob. He kisses my hair and then moves back to my ear.

“Once everything’s over and done with, and everything’s safe again, you will be with your sister,” he promises. “But you will never have the burden of taking care of her all by yourself ever again.”

More tears come from me, but they’re happy tears this time.

“Thank you…” I murmur. “You don’t have to do that.”

“No, I do,” he says. “It’s the least I can do.”

His hand rubs up and down my back. But I wriggle away to look at him in the face.

“And what about me?” I ask. “What can I do?”

“Hm?” Vicmar hums, frowning.

I look him in the eye.

“You’re not happy,” I say quietly. “No happier than I was taking care of Maribelle. What can I do to take the burden off you? ”

This time, it’s him who has to avert my gaze from me.

“I don’t know, Ebelor,” he says. “You are the lost heir, so you have the right to rule, but learning how to do it is a different beast altogether. I don’t think it’s the type of thing you can just leap in and help with.”

I nod.

“That’s fair.” Then, I crack a small smile. “How about next time you’re in the war room with the counselors and they’re being stupid, you whisper what you want to say to me, and I’ll scream at them for you? It’ll save your voice a little bit.”

Vicmar starts laughing, throwing back his head as he cackles. He looks so beautiful when he smiles, the dour air about his person completely lifting. After his laugh he looks back to me with a large grin.

“I think… just having you here would help ease my burden,” Vicmar answers. “Having just one person with me that I’m not just the Cruel King to… That would help.”

His hand brushes over my face. I hold onto his hand and lean my face into it.

“I can do that,” I reply.

“Thank you,” he murmurs back.

His gaze changes. It turns desirous, and his eyes move down to my lips. My stomach flickers when I recognize it. His face leans toward mine, and my eyes close. His lips touch mine, and his familiar flavor spreads through my mouth, that earthy musk. My mouth waters and tingles as his soft, wet tongue curls around mine. I gasp lightly in delight. His tongue slowly moves around mine. A sweet chill makes goosebumps prickle my skin. Another pant escapes me, and he reciprocates with a throaty chuckle.

My body starts shuddering with arousal when I hear his pleasure. Sharp tingling crackles up and down me. Our lips unlock—I gasp for breath, and his lips start trailing down my face teasingly, and-

Vicmar flinches. He gives a cry and then a deep chuckle.

“Ow,” he purrs.

“Oh,” I gasp. I lean back and look around and see the sparks dancing around us both. “Sorry. I… didn’t know I was doing that. I’ll make them stop.”

“Wait,” he chuckles. “Don’t. I like them.”

I laugh.

“You like them?” I ask incredulously.

Vicmar gives me a cheeky grin.

“If you can control your powers, let’s find some different uses for them!” he laughs.

I just give a bemused titter of my own. I lean back and clench my fists. The sparking stops.

“You have gotten so much better at those,” Vicmar murmurs.

I keep concentrating and slowly extend one single finger. I have to draw in another calming breath before the sparks begin leaping around my hand.

“Wow,” Vicmar breathes.

I grin a little and tap him on his shoulder. He gives a little yelp—just a little higher pitched than I expected it to be—and then gives a throaty laugh. He gives me such a wicked smile.

“Ow,” he says again, grinning.

I smirk back. I press my finger into his chest again. He gives another yelp. Another shimmer through his body. I press my other, non-electrified hand against his body to feel how he squirms under me.

I feel powerful, and I have never felt power like this before. I brush my hand down his chest, taking my electrified finger away for a moment.

“M-my stomach!” he begs. “Please!”

I grin widely.

“I don’t know,” I murmur slowly. “Maybe I’ll do that, maybe I won’t.”

Vicmar looks at me, chest heaving and dark eyes sparkling in excitement.

“What?!” he gasps.

“It’s not up to you, is it?” I ask, a smirk twisting my lips.

“ Oh, you’re so cruel!” he laughs breathlessly.

I giggle back and send another wave of sparks over his chest. Both his wings give a sharp beat as he writhes under my palm.

“Hm…” I purr, lifting my finger toward them. “The wings, though…”

“No, no!” He laughs, but it’s playful. He’s still grinning.

I touch on one of his wings. Both of them snap forward. One of them hits me with its bony ridge and I give a playful yelp.

“Hey!”

“Sorry!” he says. “But I told you not to!”

I grin and finally touch the sparking finger to his abs like he asked. Vicmar gives a guttural moan, and his muscles stiffen under my hand. The wings around me close in—suddenly, I’m held by the wings as tightly as his arms embraced me earlier. I’m cocooned in warm, golden wings. I laugh and try to move, but I’m fully enclosed. I give a little wriggle, a little squirm, but I’m fully enclosed.

I don’t mind. I feel so utterly comfortable here. It’s as cozy as a mini home away from home. And Vicmar’s right here. He smiles at me softly as he pulls himself into me. Vicmar chuckles lightly, and his lips touch my neck. I arch into him, and his hands grab my hip.

His strong jaw runs along my neck as his soft mouth moves to my ear.

“Stay here,” he purrs. “Stay with me. Be My Queen. I know you have to for now, but there may come a time when you don’t have to.” His chest presses into me harder. “Stay with me then, too.”

I smile.

“Yes,” I murmur. “Of course I’ll stay.”

He gives a happy little laugh. Another soft kiss on my neck sends tingles down my skin.

Vicmar puts some pressure on me and leans on me until I fold backward. He’s still kissing me so very softly as his hands drape over the inside of my thighs. My legs wrap around his waist eagerly, and he slides in. A sharp snap of arousal cracks up my spine from where he strokes inside me. It was so untouched until him, and now my body welcomes him with shuddering anticipation. His groan rattles in my ear, and a shiver runs through me in response.

This time is different. He’s softer. He pulls me closer, and I am just wrapped up in him—arms, wings, legs. His hot breath fans out over my chest, tickling my nipples. Vicmar sits up, pulling me up onto his lap. It changes how he fills me—different, but still gets me gasping in sweet pleasure, shuddering through me with every thrust. He’s so strong; he holds me on him like I weigh nothing. I can barely hold myself up—I feel like I’m melting on his lap, just collapsing as the encroaching orgasm piles up inside me. My eyes roll up into my head.

O-oh, yes! Yes!

It's coming. I’m almost there—just… a little more…

“P-please! Fa-faster!” I’m begging.

A growling laugh escapes him. His hands grip me harder, one pinching into the light amount of fat on my hips. The other moves between my shoulders and grips me hard there, too.

He goes faster. The pleasure swells even more inside me. It’s filling my chest—I can’t breathe. My head falls back as I moan. My eyes have rolled back in my head. A light growl escapes him.

It's… building… building…

The orgasm bursts inside me. There’s a flash behind my eyes. I hear myself scream, and Vicmar cries out. I feel it vibrate through his chest as he leans against mine.

We hold for a moment, the aftermath sending trembles through me. After that, he moves his head to my shoulder. Keeping me close, he starts to lie down on his back. I end up on top of him, my legs resting on either side of his hips. He just lets me sit on top of there—it’s truly like I weigh nothing to him; he’s so strong.

As we lay back down, he lets me go—mostly. He combs his fingers through my hair and looks at me… lovingly. Yes, that’s the word. There’s a rich depth of love in there. When his lips part, my heart soars.

“Ebelor…”

I know what he’s going to say!

Vicmar just shakes his head a little and closes his mouth again. He smiles at me and then starts again.

“Thank you for staying here,” he says. “It truly means a lot to me.”

“Oh. Yes, no problem,” I reply.

He frowns a little.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I snuggle down onto his chest. His arms wind around me. “Everything’s perfect. ”

Vicmar just sighs contentedly underneath me. I nestle into his warm chest.

Maybe that’s just his way of saying it…