Page 32 of City of Promise and Light (Mates of Gods and Fae #1)

Ambrose

M y eyes flicked to Samian, watching him leave before returning to the female in front of me, annoyance flooding my veins.

He was becoming a stain that would not disappear no matter how hard I sought to remove him.

Taking a deep breath, I angled my head, sliding my gaze along every part of the female’s body as she shifted, showing off every curve, her eyes hungry for attention.

She was one of Arianna’s inbred followers, always wanting everything that Arianna had, though never daring to cross her for it.

If I remembered correctly, her name was Ciera.

Or Cyra? Or maybe it was Cressa, though it didn’t really matter to me.

Ciera’s face flushed into a beautiful pink as I gave her a wicked smile, gesturing for her to come closer. Giggling, she quickly made her way to me, forgetting all about the angry outburst she had just witnessed. Stupid girl, this Cyra. It was a wonder that Arianna put up with her all these years.

Deciding to stick with Cyra, I slowly took her in from head to toe.

Her muted auburn hair was styled so that half of her long hair cascaded down her back, gently curling at the end—a not-so-subtle attempt at mirroring Arianna’s style.

The other half was braided and pinned, forming a crown.

Her olive eyes gleamed at my perusal as she shifted ever so slightly, the low-cut of her dress leaving nothing to the imagination.

Her breasts weren’t as full as I liked, but that wasn’t my focus for tonight.

My tryst with Sybil left my cock so hard and stiff that even my clash with Samian didn’t douse the heat she had ignited within me.

I didn’t expect it—the pleasure I felt when I wrangled those soft moans from her lips.

I could just imagine that pretty mouth of hers wrapped around me as I slammed into the back of her throat.

My cock twitched that the thought. Oh, how I looked forward to more lessons with her.

Cutting my gaze back to Cyra’s wide, innocent eyes, my smile sharpened, and I pushed my magic into her, making her breath hitch at the desire that threaded through her.

Stepping close to her, I ran a finger across her chest, moving her hair behind her.

Cyra quietly moaned, arching her back at my touch.

I pushed more magic into her and her breath quickened as I hummed my approval.

It was all too easy—taking hold of her emotions, twisting them to my needs.

I walked her backward out of the study, and she gasped when her back hit the wooden shelves.

Stuck between me and the bookcase, I pressed my cock into her stomach, letting her feel its hard length.

She giggled again, but that laugh soon turned into a whimper when I ground against her.

Bracing herself on her toes, Cyra leaned forward, attempting a kiss, but I wasn’t going to allow that to happen.

Roughly grabbing her by her hair, I pulled her head back, making her hiss in pain. Her hands tightly gripped my shirt, and I tutted in a reprimanding tone. “None of that, sweet girl,” I murmured .

Tonight was not for affection or fondness, at least not with her. No, this dalliance was to stop the ache that was consuming me.

Quickly spinning her around, I pushed Cyra against the bookcase, letting her hands settle on the shelf.

Books fell to the floor as I undid my pants, groaning in relief as my cock sprang free.

Leaning over, Cyra gasped as I grabbed the edge of her tight, silky dress, ripping it so that I could spread her legs further apart.

I laughed, low and deep, when I breathed in the lust that dripped from her.

She liked the roughness. Probably dreamed about it.

Wrapping my hand around my cock, I fisted myself before grasping onto Cyra’s hip, dragging the tip along her pussy, reveling in the feel of her slickness.

Wasting no time, Cyra cried out as I seated myself in one quick thrust, only pausing for a moment to let her adjust to the fullness.

I moaned at the silky warmth that clenched tightly around me.

Still holding her hip against me, I twisted her hair around my other hand, pulling it, forcing her back to arch.

Cyra moaned at the new angle, and I slowly pulled out to my tip, letting her squirm beneath me before roughly thrusting back into her.

This time, I did not pause. Setting a brutal pace, I pumped into her as she cried, wailed, and moaned.

Her voice echoed through the library. Pushing my magic into her, I amplified that pleasure, making her so sensitive that goosebumps pebbled along her skin as she pushed back into me, meeting my every move.

Thrusting deeper and faster, movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention.

Without stopping—not even slowing—I looked at the feminine figure standing in the hall.

Arianna stood there as still as a statue, horror and grief paling her beautiful face.

The sight of it loosened a wild, primal urge in me.

My eyes darkened as I pumped in and out, my balls tightening, my breathing becoming rough and unsteady.

Holding her stare, I saw tears begin to fall down that elegant face as Cyra’s cries and moans grew louder and more fervent.

Just the sight of Arianna so crestfallen seemed to electrify me, my blood heating, making my movements feral.

Cyra screamed out, her cunt clenching my cock as she came.

I pulled her against me, going deeper when pleasure erupted from me.

Yelling out, I closed my eyes, finally breaking eye contact with Arianna while I rode out wave after wave of pleasure.

Spilling the last of my seed, I slowly pulled out, grabbing Cyra’s torn dress to clean myself.

“You bitch ,” Arianna roared, her face a teary mess.

Gasping, Cyra whipped her head around to Arianna, her face paling when she saw Arianna standing there, seething. A crimson glow began to snake along Arianna’s veins as she fought to keep her flame under control.

“I think you’d better run along, sweetheart,” I whispered, a hint of amusement coloring my tone as I fixed myself.

Looking up at me like a frightened little doe, Cyra grabbed the torn part of her dress, quickly departing, giving Arianna a wide berth as she went, leaving Arianna and me alone in the library.

A quiet laugh rumbled through me when I looked back at Arianna, and I casually made my way to her. That crimson glow still made its way down her arms and into her hands. Stopping in front of her, I twisted my lips up in a casual, lazy smirk.

Arianna trembled, her eyes blazing with rage and heartbreak. The sight was so resplendent. Raising her hand, she swiftly brought it down, striking my face. My cheek burned and my amusement instantly morphed into something more dangerous .

“You fucking bastard,” she snarled, her ivory skin burning from the flame inside struggling to break free.

When she reached up to slap me again, I gripped her wrist with one hand and her throat with the other, pulling her forward. Baring my teeth, I growled, “For your well-being, you will not do that again.”

“Fuck you, Ambrose,” she hissed, attempting to wrestle out of my grip.

My hand tightened on her wrist, twisting it, causing her to suck in a painful breath.

Her icy glare cut through me and my cock twitched at the sight.

I loved seeing her so…breakable. So delicate.

So fragile . Leaning down, I captured her lips with mine.

Arianna struggled to push me away, but my tongue forced her lips to open, parting them so I could deepen our kiss.

Arianna grunted before biting down on my tongue. A harsh breath left me, my mouth filling with a metallic taste. Snarling, I tightened my hold on her throat, cutting off her air.

“You fucking bitch,” I spat. “Do that again and it will be the last thing you ever do.” Incensed, I pulled her in close as she struggled for air, her soft, pale skin beginning to purple. “Do I make myself clear?” I asked, low and vicious.

Arianna nodded, gagging a mumbled response, tears flowing freely down her face. Squeezing her throat slightly tighter, I pushed her away from me, letting her fall to the floor. I watched her then, gasping and coughing, my lips curling back in disgust at her petulance.

Cocking my head to the side, I crouched down and roughly caught her cheeks, forcing her face to meet mine. She whimpered at the awkward angle, and I breathed in her fear—her desperation. “Once you’ve composed yourself, let’s take this lovely chat to my office. There are things we need to discuss. ”

I let go of her face, letting it fall to the floor. Standing, I stepped over her trembling body, leaving her to cry softly.

I sat in my office, flipping through one desperate request after another for food and medicine from the outer villages, each sounding more wretched than the last. With my patience beginning to fray, I looked at the time.

Thirty minutes had passed while I waited for Arianna, and my tolerance was growing thin.

My plans for Sybil were not progressing as quickly as I’d like, and that cursed inbred, Samian, was trying his damnedest to make Sybil wary of me.

That little chit, Arianna, and her dramatics weren’t helping matters either.

I slammed the documents on my desk just as a timid knock sounded at my door. “Enter,” I growled, annoyance seeping through my calm exterior.

This day was quickly growing troublesome for me.

I should be relishing in Sybil’s desperate need for love.

I should be making her succumb to my every desire, making her writhe beneath my touch, leaving her begging for more.

I should be with her now, twisting that desperation, making it grow so strong that she would easily give in to me, grateful for any morsel of affection I’d grant her, until I had her so lost and desolate that she would willingly grant me control of her power.

Instead, I was here, having to deal with a little frightened twit while I tried to put a restraint on my ever-growing contempt.

Opening the door, Arianna crept inside, her eyes red and swollen, refusing to meet my glare. Her slender neck had already started to bruise from our little tête-à-tête .

“Have we composed ourselves, Arianna dear?” I asked, my voice laced with venom.

Arianna still stood by the door and nodded, fear wafting off her in giant waves.

Gesturing to the chair in front of my desk, Arianna quickly sat down, clasping her hands together on her lap, attempting to hide how they trembled.

Once settled, she dared a glance in my direction, catching how I still watched her before looking down again and curling into herself.

“Good,” I said, leaning back into my chair. “We need to talk about our plan for Sybil. It’s not progressing as fast as I would like it to.”

Arianna paled, her body going rigid. “I haven’t seen much of her lately. Samian has been taking her straight to the library for her studies,” she explained, her voice wavering.

Raising my hand to silence her, Arianna swallowed thickly, her throat bobbing as her chest began rising and falling quickly.

I could feel the panic growing in her. “I don’t care for excuses, Arianna,” I said flatly.

“I have decided that she will accompany you and Ezra on your next excursion at the end of the week. She will also join you tomorrow during your training in the afternoon. I want you to use that time to pressure her, to make her feel defeated and unable to control her magic by the time she visits Lowbrook. I need her to be terrified of it. Once she is at Lowbrook, you will make her lose control by any means necessary. She must be broken by the time she returns to the palace. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes,” Arianna stammered. “What would you like for me to do?”

Releasing a quick exhale, I slowly stood and made my way to Arianna.

Sitting on the arm of the chair, Arianna flinched as I gently ran my hand through her hair before gripping it, pulling her head back so our eyes could meet.

Arianna shuddered a breath, her eyes glistening with fear.

“Are you incapable of making a plan, Arianna?” I lowered my voice to a deadly tone.

“Do I need to find someone else that can get the job done? Someone more capable of being my queen?”

“I can do it,” Arianna pleaded. “I’m sorry. I can do it, I swear. When we return from Lowbrook, Sybil will be yours. I promise. She will be yours.”

I studied her, her breath becoming unsteady.

I leaned down, softly placing my lips against her head before letting go of her hair.

Arianna took a quivering breath while I stood and made my way back to my desk.

Sitting, I waved her off, her presence grating on my nerves.

Arianna shot up from her chair, rushing toward the door, blinking back her tears.

“Arianna?” I asked calmly before she could open the door. “Make sure you fulfill your promise or don’t bother coming back. Understood?”

Arianna inhaled sharply as I picked up a document from my desk to read through. Softly confirming that she understood, she opened the door, letting it gently close behind her as she left.