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CRAVINGS

Ryther

I would have considered myself a patient person before her. Before the thing inside me changed me. Or maybe simply before fully realizing that this girl is meant to be mine, and seeing her dead on the floor.

Now I'm all cravings, all desire, and all immediate gratification. It's a struggle to restrain myself for so long, but at last I see my chance, just as we leave the council. Darina let the lords rise and exit the room first. When she stands to follow, with Loch, Valdred, and my brother, I join them, and take her wrist at the door.

Loch, nosy puck that he is, lift a questioning brow.

"I'll speak with the queen now, if you don't mind," I quip.

My brother rolls his eyes. "I'm sure much will be discussed."

The smug trio mocks me, but more importantly, they all leave.

Finally .

"What was?—"

My mouth is on her before she manages another word, my hands tugging, pulling at the annoyingly taut fabric, needing it off her. But of course Loch had her wrapped in the kind of gown that takes expert hands to remove, and I don't have the patience for that sort of thing now, so I lift the fabric.

"I've been dying to do thissince you madeValmort submit, you tease. That made me want to do nasty things to you."

"Humiliation does it for you, huh?" she teases.

"Apparently," I chuckle against her throat. "Though I'd say my kink seems to be competence. I've been hard through the entire council session."

"Really?" She seems genuinely surprised. "You seemed so collected. Weren't you mad when I made you get the drinks? We'd discussed it, but it was strange, wasn't it?"

"I don’t care if you make me fetch wine or even sweep the floor so long as you know who will fuck you until you can’t walk," I retort.

Without further ado, I'm pushing her into the table, my pants around my hips, and she's moaning as I shove into her, thrusting hard.

Fuck, she's tight and hot and drenched . My eyes roll in my skull. So, so good.

There's very little art to the way I take her, bent down over the wood, rutting her fast and hard, my hand palming her breasts, pushing the fabric down to get to it.

There's also no violence to it. The hatred directed towards her is absent, in light of everyone else who wishes to hurt her around us. It’s been overridden by my urge to protect her.

I'm starting to understand the Undoing—part of it at least. He's not the All's enemy at all, is he?

"That's it, queenling," I grunt as her walls start to clamp around me. "Come for me. Come with me."

She muffles a groan, and I capture her hands in mine, flattening them on the wooden table.

"Let me hear you," I demand, craving it.

It's hardly wise. We're not alone in this castle, and the lords and ladies aren't fond of our union. But I want her sounds all the same. I want to hear her scream my name.

" Please !"

"Anything. You can have anything."

I circle her to reach her clit, withdrawing my wet cock all the way, only to plunge it back into her tight asshole. I know just how much she loves it there.

Two fingers curving in her cunt, I screw her ass, with increasing speed and force. Neither of us are coherent. My cock dips in her wet holes, two thrusts in the ass, another three in her pussy, and back and forth, until at long last, she's clenching my fingers and soaking me. I come so, so hard inside her ass, running my hands all over her, then hugging her close.

Between labored breaths, she sighs, "Needed that."

I chuckle against her chest. "That makes two of us."

My mouth finds hers again, finally managing an actual kiss, not that all-powerful claim, demanding more.

"You were perfection today. Beautiful and terrifying. They'll love you in time, you know."

She laughs out loud. "That's highly unlikely."

"Not all that much. You're new, and the man from silver was right: our kind doesn't do well with changes. But when they're used to the fact that we have a queen again, they'll love you. More than anyone loved Morrigan at the end."

"Rena will love me?" she teases me.

"You’ve got me there. Maybe not her, or Serila, or Valmort. But almost everyone else."

"I don't need them to love me—I need them to not actively attempt to murder me all the time."

"That would be a start," I say, regretfully straightening her clothes.

The bustier is a little crooked when I'm done, but things could be worse. "There."

I pull my pants up, too.

"We probably reek of sex."

"Who doesn't by one in the morning at a fairy revel?" I roll my eyes. "Besides, you've done your duty for the night. You can retire."

"And you?" she presses.

"I shall do damage control and see if I can spot who actively wants to murder you right this minute, my mate."

Her skin flushes a little. "You haven't called me that before."

No, I haven't.

I clear my throat, feeling a little defensive. "Well, you are."

"Mm. And it's like a wife, right?"

I sigh. "Wives come and go, here especially. The most common contracts of marriage on Ilvaris are valid for a hundred years, then renewable. Matings…they’re for life. And our lives can span for thousands of years."

"Wow."

I force myself to look directly into her eyes, expecting to find signs of reluctance or regrets.I see neither.

"And we didn't even have a party."

She's never not going to surprise me, is she?

"Would you like a party?" I ask.

That’s good isn’t it? It means she sees it as something worth celebrating.

"That would be nice. Except my best friend is on Earth. She can't miss that. And I suppose I should pop by my house at some point. Pack. Tell my boss and my professors I've been abducted by fairies or something."

"You're dithering."

That is most definitely not good.

"Yeah, well, I died and woke up married, for literally ever, to a guy who's not that into it, so yes.” She sighs. “Dithering is all I’ve got."

"Do I not seem into it ?" I press, bringing my thumb to her cheek.

She rolls her eyes. "A guy can want to fuck you without wanting to marry you. I know you did whatever you did to save my life. And I'm grateful, truly." Darina shrugs. "I'm just… frustrated you're stuck with this. With me."

It occurs to me then that we're going to have to talk. Properly talk. But first, I need to think on what I'll say.

For now, I settle for, "My only regret is that you had no choice in the matter. I chose you. I'd choose you again."

Those shifting eyes fix on mine.

When it's apparent she has no response, I take my leave. "I should go first. Wait a minute before you return to your chambers. Do you know how to get there from here or should I send Loch?"

"I remember," she replies.

With a nod, I'm out of there. Somehow, I manage not to scream in frustration.