Page 62 of Cruelest Kiss and Fairest Blood (Tales So Wicked #2)
The weight of those words sinks into me like another dose of poison. “Do not touch me.”
His fingertips stop where they’ve traveled down to my waist. “You’re going to put up a fight?”
I jerk forward, testing my restraints once more. “I’ll kill you if you touch me.”
Cassius smiles. “Good. I love it when they fight. It makes me so…” He rubs a hand over the front of his pants. “Hard.”
His fingers skate across my thigh. My anxiety rises, blooming in my chest like an all-consuming algae, stealing the oxygen from a pond and trapping its residents in an airless grave. “Get away from me. Go back to your sister, you fucking freak.”
“Oh Lenore, by the time I’m done with you, you’re going to wish you’d stayed dead all those times we tried to kill you.”
A chill blasts through my veins. “What do you mean ‘all those times’?”
He sits back on the bed, a delighted look on his face. “Fascinating isn’t it. I failed to ensure you drank from your chalice during the engagement toast. Your poor husband-to-be had to die all alone. Things would have been far simpler if you had died then and there.”
“You killed King Hoff?” Why had Harrow let me believe it was him? Or had I always just assumed he was responsible?
He rolls his eyes. “He was in the way. That night, I underestimated your stubbornness. You didn’t drink the toast. Such a missed opportunity.
I tried several times after that. You could have drunk from my flask when you pulled me into your room that night.
That batch was even more potent. Just a few drops.
I couldn’t force it down your throat. You had to consume it by choice.
An irritating little detail of the spell.
When you denied my offer, I knew I would need to get more creative. ”
Rage comes over me. He had been trying all those times and I had no clue.
“Running away after I killed your mother made for the perfect convenience. I gained your trust, fed you the soup, and just like that you ingested enough poison to take down a small army.”
“My mother? You bastard?—”
“Don’t interrupt, Princess. Where are your manners?
” He stuffs the edge of the blanket in my mouth.
The fabric presses so far back that I repeatedly gag.
“You look good like this. I should have tied you up and gagged you when I fucked you senseless that day in the cabin. You have no idea how freeing it was to drop my mask. When you begged me to break you, I saw your mask slip too. You’re as lost as my sister and I. ”
My cheeks flame with the memory. I let him… no, I begged him to… and now that I know who he really is, the memories are so much worse.
“I could have knocked you up then and there. I might have. But the poison I fed you after was strong enough to kill anything. Including my seed.”
He traces a lazy figure eight across my lower abdomen.
My muscles flatten, trying to pull away from his touch.
I hadn’t even thought of how our sex would affect my future.
I could have let this asshole impregnate me.
God, have I even been present these past few weeks or just walking in some skeletal human shell?
Every ounce of intelligence I’ve always prided myself on has been worthless.
I should have seen through Cassius. Instead, I was desperate for his attention.
I treated him like a lifeline, a way to escape the anguish I felt over my arranged marriage and suppressive lifestyle.
It was only too easy for this monster to take root in my life. He fucked me, hurt me, fed me, poisoned me. I was none the wiser. I’ve never been so utterly disgusted with myself.
“Imagine my shock and surprise when you walked back into the castle completely unscathed. Where were you all those days? Dead in the woods? Slowly rotting from the poison? It doesn’t matter now. That’s when Cat and I knew there was something different about you.”
Leaning forward, he lays a hand on my scar again. “Resurrection. What a rarity.” His voice is filled with awe. “And what a fucking inconvenience.”
I thrust my tongue forward, working to push the gag free from my mouth. His words are too much for me to take lying down.
“Your magic could rival Catreena’s. I’m sure you can guess how much she likes that.
Did you know she tried to kill you over a dozen ways while you were under the poison’s spell?
Burned you, beheaded you, buried you alive.
By the morning you were always back on that stone pedestal looking the picture of health.
I thought my sister was going to rip her hair out. ”
My jaw shifts side to side, tongue pushing, fighting to get this fucking blanket out of my mouth.
“The nobles refused to give Cat full claim over the throne as long as you were alive. And since we couldn’t convince them of your death… Well, eventually we had to wake you up.”
Working my jaw until it burns, I push the fabric out. “With true love’s kiss?” I regret the words instantly.
Cassius stares at me before bursting with laughter.
He laughs and laughs, face turning red, tears tracking down his pale cheeks.
He sighs, smiling to himself. “Oh, you are even more naive than I thought. Yes, Lenore, true love’s kiss .
That, and the antidote I slipped in my mouth before I kissed you.
But the people ate it up. I’ll admit, your followers are more loyal than any of the other kingdoms we’ve overthrown.
Catreena wanted to kill them all and be done with it.
She’s a violent thing. Her need to inflict pain and drown in the blood of the innocent grows stronger each day.
She’s shared too much magic with her demon.
It loves death . Killing has always been her solution.
I’m the more humane of the two of us. I’ve managed to convince her that you need the people on your side to rule successfully, and the people needed a show. So one big kiss…”
He leans down, gripping my chin and pressing his lips to mine. The kiss makes me gag.
“Get off me!”
Cassius only chuckles and dots a smaller kiss on the tip of my nose.
“… and their beloved princess was revived. You should have seen the way they cried, thanking God for your return. They’re all idiots but what can you do?
We need them and they need us. Besides, when you wipe out the townsfolk too fast it leaves the kingdom in ruin and I am not looking to move on so soon. ”
If they’re idiots, then I’m the queen of the fools.
I feel more foolish with every passing second.
I fell for Cassius’s charms so easily. I should have seen the darkness under his handsome deception.
I felt it that day in the cabin and ignored it.
I ignored every sign, every tell. Tears of pain and embarrassment brim my eyes. I believed he might really love me.
“I’ve never been able to have children with Cat.
” I wasn’t expecting him to say that. There’s a genuine sadness behind his words.
“Not for lack of trying. The price of magic is steep but I suppose it’s for the best. Don’t think she’ll take it easy on you when your belly grows round with my son.
She’ll retaliate. I need to take advantage of your beautiful body before she disfigures you. Jealousy makes her do ugly things.”
Cassius rises and unbuckles his belt.
No, fucking no . I can’t do this. I won’t bear this monster’s heirs.
“I can’t have children either,” I quickly say. “Like you said, magic has a price. I resurrected myself and I… had to trade my… ability to get pregnant. Like your sister. It would be a waste of your time.”
Cassius smirks and lowers his trousers. “No one likes a compulsive liar, Lenore.”
Someone knocks on my bedroom door. I turn toward the sound, a beacon of hope lighting in my chest. “Hel?—”
Cassius smashes his palm over my mouth. “We’re busy. Leave,” he calls to whoever is at the door.
“Apologies, sir, but the queen requests your presence as a matter of great urgency.”
The shaky voice of a guard elicits a groan of annoyance from Cassius. “She’s always trying to ruin my fun.” Rising, he buttons his trousers and strides toward the door.
“Someone will save me. There are those still loyal to my family. Gestin?—”
“Why do you think your brave captain of the guard has not come to rescue you by now? Think about it.”
Dread drapes across my skin like spider’s web. “What did you do to him?”
Cassius winks and strides toward the door. Giving me one final look over his shoulder, he adds, “Stay put. I’ll be back for you.”