Page 52 of City of Promise and Light (Mates of Gods and Fae #1)

Ambrose

I leaned against the damp wall, watching Arianna direct the guards on how to dispose of that rat, Arbus.

I kept my face blank, but I was on edge.

He had infiltrated my guards so well, blending in so seamlessly that he almost got away with it.

If it weren’t for his inability to shield his emotions when I passed the group of guards standing at the palace entrance three days ago, he would have gone unnoticed.

Fear and paranoia came off him so strongly that I nearly choked.

His face had paled as soon as our eyes met, but no matter how much I pushed on those fears, magnifying them until it was all he felt, that pest never broke.

Though he may not have confessed, we both knew he was a part of that infestation.

Arianna stalked back to me after finishing giving out her directions, her face glowing with pride at how the day turned out.

As promised, Sybil was mine and now I could begin my plans to become the official king of the upper realm.

My blood warmed at the thought. I had been imagining this moment—imagining Cassia’s reign finally coming to an end.

It was just the start, though. I wouldn’t stop until that vile Seelie Court fell with her.

Is she really yours, though?

That whispering voice, sounding both old and young, beautiful and terrible, had me silently snarling.

The bargain had worked; the bands wrapped around Sybil’s wrists were proof of that.

But that sliver of unmarred skin made me wonder if she was wholly mine.

Seeing her fight against my commands—that was something that shouldn’t have happened.

That ’ s because she ’ s not truly yours to command.

A cold, delicate hand ran softly down my face, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I snarled, my hand abruptly snatched the wrist and pulling it away.

Arianna’s eyes widened in shock, gasping at the sudden, hard movement.

Realizing my mistake, I softened my face, pulling her against me, giving her a devious, wicked little smile.

I still had my part to play to ensure she would continue helping me.

“Shall we make our way back to my office, my queen?” I purred.

Arianna’s smile matched mine as she leaned into me, pressing her soft lips against mine. Nipping my bottom lip, she laughed softly. “I thought you’d never ask,” she murmured, her eyes glazing with need.

I took a step, her hands tightening on my chest, shifting through the shadows until the world snapped into place and we stood behind my desk.

Our lips crashed together, and Arianna moaned into my mouth.

My hands glided up her body and I pushed her into the marbled wall behind her, swallowing her throaty laugh.

My hands moved slowly down to her hips, all the way behind her thighs.

Hoisting her up, I let her legs wrap tightly around my waist. Her uniform was still covered in dirt from Lowbrook, but I ignored her grimy appearance, grinding my swollen length against her center.

“What will happen next, my king?” Arianna breathed as I kissed my way down her neck.

“Next,” I growled, biting the soft part of her neck. She let out a little noise while I licked the pain away. “I am going to fuck you as a reward for being a good girl.”

Arianna’s lips curled into a smile of pure sin, humming her approval.

The icy fire of her hooded eyes pierced into mine, and our lips met in a bruising kiss.

Groaning, I deepened that kiss, my tongue stroking hers as I walked us to the couch.

Falling into the leather seat, Arianna straddled me, gasping at my hard cock pressing against her.

“Well,” I taunted, raising an eyebrow.

Breathless, Arianna leaned back, flushing while she took her sweet time undoing each button of her jacket until it fell to the floor. The silky camisole underneath left nothing to the imagination. The dark pink of her nipples showed through the dainty fabric.

Arianna arched while I leaned forward, her head falling back when I nipped the peaked bud, sucking it into my mouth.

Arianna made a small, throaty noise, but before I could move to her other breast, she pushed me away.

I growled, narrowing my eyes at her, but she bit her bottom lip, hooking her finger around the strap of her camisole, sliding it down her shoulder.

I chuckled softly, following her direction, letting my finger drift across her chest until I reached the other strap, pulling it down her arm.

The silky chemise fell to her waist, leaving her bare.

I throbbed against her, caressing the sides of her breasts while she watched.

Her lust swirled around me, and I breathed it in, letting it pull me closer to her.

A knock at my door halted me. “What?” I growled, irritation at the interruption souring my mood. Arianna rolled her eyes, lacing her hands around my neck, waiting.

“We received an urgent message,” a guard squeaked.

Arianna huffed and pulled her camisole back into place.

She moved off my lap, slipping back into her jacket.

After straightening herself, she walked to the door, swinging it open for the guard.

Sweat dripped down his blanched face, his breathing heavy.

Whether it was from nerves or exertion, I couldn’t tell.

I stood, my lips curling with disapproval, and walked to the bar, pouring myself a glass of whiskey. The guard rushed in, bowing low while I took a sip, hoping the burn would quell my frustration.

“Well, go ahead,” I snapped. “Tell me the message—quickly.”

“Ms. Hart was seen running from the palace. She’s no longer in Volmire. We have our soldiers looking for her, but we haven’t found her yet.”

My knuckles turned white around my glass, and the guard went rigid. Taking a deep breath, I calmly set the glass down. I looked at him, angling my head. I could hear the audible swallow and feel the tangible terror wafting off him.

“W-we believe she might have gone into the dark forest,” he stammered.

“Continue your search for her,” I said calmly. “Tell me the moment she returns to the palace.”

The guard bowed and rushed out of the office. The sound of the closing door echoed through the room, the silence ringing loudly in my ears. My body felt as if it was vibrating.

“Isn’t she supposed to be bound to your will?” Arianna finally asked, keeping her voice and her face blank. But I could feel it, the curiosity, the doubt.

I gritted my teeth. “Yes,” I said flatly.

She ’ s not completely bound, though, is she ?

I inhaled sharply at that fucking voice and its useless words. Picking up my glass, I hurled it against the wall, letting the glass shatter and the whiskey drip to the floor, my breathing coming too fast.

To Arianna’s credit, she did not flinch at my loss of control. Instead, she closed the distance between us, capturing my face in her hands, forcing me to meet her eyes. The temperature of the room dropped as I glared at her, though my rage wasn’t toward her.

I knew from the moment I saw those bands around her wrists that something wasn’t right with the bargain.

That fucking sliver of skin mocked me, gloating with proof that the bargain didn’t fully pull her under my control.

And that blasted voice taunted me at every moment with my failure.

Of all the bargains I’ve made, none resulted in anything like this.

No bargain had ever been incomplete in such a way.

No bargain ever came with this haunting voice, whispering of how she was not wholly mine.

I heard it as soon as Sybil spoke the last words of our bargain.

That ancient voice telling me Sybil wasn’t completely under my control.

I ignored it, pushing it to the back of my mind.

But I commanded Sybil to return and stay in her room, and with her gone, it was something I could no longer ignore.

“Tell me,” Arianna said softly, carefully reading the emotions reflecting in my gaze.

“Tell you what?” I growled, baring my teeth at her. The thought of having this weakness bared to her made my blood turn to ice.

“Something happened,” she pressed. “You know it and I know it. I saw you. I saw your hesitation when you finished the bargain. Something happened.”

“I don’t know what happened,” I confessed, pulling out of her hands, turning to face my desk. I leaned against it, my hands gripping the edge of the wood. “Sybil’s bands aren’t fully connected. She said everything, word for word, but both bands are disconnected.”

“Which means she can fight against your command.” A statement, not a question. I nodded, my shoulders shaking with rage. Arianna came behind me, wrapping her arms around my stomach. “Then we will control her in a different way.”

I turned in her arms and faced her, my head cocked as I waited for her to continue.

A cunning smile played on her swollen lips, and she backed away, walking to the bar and pouring out two drinks.

She returned, handing me a glass while she took a sip of the brown whiskey.

I watched her every move, my patience waning.

“Well, my queen,” I drawled. “Are you going to keep me in suspense?”

She let out a sultry laugh. She leaned into me, placing her drink on the desk behind me. “If you can’t fully control her with the bargain,” Arianna purred, “control her with fear.”

“With fear,” I repeated quietly.

I stifled a smile. Though the bargain should have put her completely under my control, fear was always a good second choice.

You could do many things under the guise of fear.

Excitement bubbled in my chest, my blood heating at the thought of Sybil cowering from me while I bent her to my will, feeding on every dread, every terror.

The thought of her begging and pleading, the icy fear that I would draw from her, making it grow until all Sybil would see is the darkness, made me so hard that I ached.

I set my glass down, another laugh rumbling through me. “Control her with fear—what a beautiful idea, my love.”

I slid my hand up her arm to the back of her neck, pulling her to me, our mouths crashing together.

Her lips parted, allowing my tongue to sweep in and caress hers.

She moaned while I removed her jacket, pushing it off her.

I caressed those full breasts of hers and walked her back to the couch until my legs hit the edge of the leather seat.

She smiled against my lips, unbuttoning my pants, letting them fall, freeing my cock.

Pushing me down to the leather cushions, she slipped out of her own clothes, kneading her breasts, teasing me with every move.

I gripped my cock, pumping as I watched her hand glide down her stomach, all the way to her center, my breath heavy.

Unwilling to wait any longer, I grabbed her hips, pulling her to me.

She straddled me, rubbing her slick folds against my cock.

I groaned, breathing in her hunger. I leaned forward, eager to taste her when she shoved me back, hard.

I grunted from the force, but she gripped my cock, lining me to her entrance and sinking onto me, letting me fill her so deeply.

I sighed at the feel of her silky warmth clenching around me.

Arianna panted, her head tilted back as she rode me fast and hard, using me to satisfy her every desire.

Guiding her hips, I ground against her, pushing myself deeper, indulging her every need.

I circled a finger around Arianna’s clit, pushing her closer to the edge, her mewling growing louder and wilder.

Pinching her clit, she cried out as I swelled inside of her, our ecstasy ripping through us.

I let her ride out wave after wave of pleasure, pulling her close, our lips coming together in a bruising kiss, until she was fully sated.

Leaning my forehead against hers, we breathed heavily, trying to calm our racing hearts.

“We’ll start the moment she returns.”