Page 51 of Oaths & Vengeance (Realm of Zadrya #1)

Darrow

I stood in a small sitting room, waiting for Aella to pass by from her trip to the privy.

The anticipation was almost more than I could bear.

For the last half hour, I’d had to watch her dance and converse with others.

Some of them had looked upon her with lust in their eyes, which made me seriously contemplate crushing their skulls.

Of course, the king would have undoubtedly frowned upon such a course of action.

Being unable to claim my wife in front of the High Fae Court had taken supreme self-control.

She was far too lovely in that blue dress, especially every time it opened to reveal her luscious bare leg and hip.

While dancing with her, I’d known it would only take one slip of the hand to touch the warm center between her thighs, and it had driven me mad.

At least, until she accused me of purposely keeping her away from Therress so her uncle couldn’t attack my land.

I’d thought I’d gained enough trust from her by now that she wouldn’t come to such a terrible conclusion.

Finally, I heard the soft click of her slippers against the tile. Peeking out, I confirmed it was her. I grabbed her a moment later and pulled her inside, relieved to finally have her all to myself.

“This has to be quick,” she whispered.

I locked the door and set a privacy spell before turning to her. “The king and prince have arranged for special entertainers who will distract your uncle and cousins. I am told they include beautiful males and females who are nude and quite flexible when they dance together.”

It was a pity we were missing it, but I had something else in mind for my wife.

“They didn’t arrange that for us, did they?” she asked, eyes wide .

“No.” I guided her farther into the room. “But they did coordinate the timing with me and instructed the dancers to focus their efforts closest to your family members.”

I stopped us next to a lounge seat, sat, and pulled Aella onto my lap. When she squirmed, I adjusted my hold until she settled. I would reciprocate what she’d done for me at our last meeting.

“Darrow, we can’t…”

“I told you before to call me Dare,” I interrupted, pulling her face close to mine.

Panic tightened her features. “Fine, but we can’t do this here.”

“I don’t think you understand how much I want you right now.

Watching you in that dress as you danced with other men after me nearly drove me wild, especially knowing we still haven’t consummated our marriage,” I said.

My need to stake my claim on her had never been higher, and I would make certain Aella left here fully satisfied by my touch, and my touch alone.

“This is not the place for that,” she argued, though her voice was weak, and she'd begun to relax in my hold.

“Perhaps.” I traced her bottom lip with my thumb. “But there are other things we can do for now, dear wife.”

Before she could protest again, I kissed her. She only hesitated a moment before succumbing to the press of my lips. Our tongues melded together. At first, I did nothing more than seduce her with my mouth until she was completely pliant in my arms.

Then I found that lovely slit in her dress and traced my hand up her calf, along her knee, and onward along her hip.

The soft noises she made told me she enjoyed it.

When I moved toward the space between her legs, she opened them without hesitation.

A feeling of triumph swept over me as I finally took my chance to touch her there for the first time.

I found her drenched. Pressing my fingers to her clit, I began lightly playing with the soft nub.

Her moans intensified, and her thighs parted more, giving me greater access.

I slid my finger downward until I reached her entrance, and then I teased the area all around it, taunting her.

It was nothing she hadn’t done to me the other night.

“Dare, please,” she begged .

Enjoying her squirming, I didn’t immediately give her what she wanted.

Instead, I continued circling her with my fingers while pressing kisses along her neck.

She clutched at my shoulders. Only when she began whimpering incoherently did I give her what she wanted.

First, I inserted one finger and then two, gliding them in and out.

She worked her hips with me, eyes closed as her head fell back, and her riot of blond hair cascaded over my arm where I held her.

While I could bring her to climax this way, it wasn’t my plan.

Using my powers, I resettled her across the lounge while continuing to work her with my fingers. Her eyes opened, green gems full of lust. I opened her dress further so I could get my first full look at what lay between my wife’s legs. Something I’d fantasized about many nights.

She was perfect and glistening. I pulled out my fingers and watched her surprised look as I leaned forward and dipped my head to lick her clit, once, then twice. Nameless ones above—Aella tasted like the sweetest nectar. She lay her head back and gripped the edges of the lounge.

I took my time exploring and savoring her, pleased at how she responded so readily to everything I did to her.

I’d handle Aella gently for tonight because something lurked in her gaze that told me she needed tenderness more than roughness.

We could save the other for later, but satisfaction filled me at her complete surrender to my ministrations despite her earlier anger.

Sensing her pleasure building, I pressed my fingers inside her once more as I continued to lick and suck. She lifted her hips, giving me better access, and I took advantage. I noted every place she responded with a pleasure-filled cry, memorizing each for future use.

No man would touch her again except me, but I would do my best to satisfy her in every way possible.

I was shocked at how much the need for that drove me.

When I first proposed wedding each other, we hadn’t kissed, and it all seemed more straightforward.

Our marriage would be one of convenience.

I soon realized there was nothing simple with her.

She was mine, and with every moment we spent together, I would make that clearer .

My father had warned me about what would happen with my mate.

He’d said he knew he was endearing his wife to him, making her fall madly in love when he could not return the sentiment.

Still, he couldn’t help himself. He’d desperately wanted her bound, heart and soul, yet all he could offer in return was his protection and passion.

She wasn’t happy once she realized her husband was cold toward her outside of bed after he owned her completely.

I wished I could resist repeating that mistake with Aella, but I was no saint, and my control with her was limited.

As her pleasure built, I worked my fingers inside her faster and lapped at her sensitive nub as she screamed her release. I worked to keep it going until she collapsed, panting.

“Dare, I…that was…” she stumbled over her words as she looked at me with sated passion. Then she opened her thighs wider in the sexiest move I’d ever seen. “You need release, too.”

Dear nameless ones, she tempted me like no other. I wanted nothing more than to plunge my engorged cock inside her right now.

“No.” I reluctantly closed her legs and pulled her skirt over them. “If we do that, our scents will fully mix, and everyone will know it.”

Fae noses could be quite sensitive about some things, and the powerful aroma of sex was one of them.

I would thoroughly wash my face and rinse my mouth before returning to the ball, but at least she had little of me on her.

Nothing would make me happier than to take her, though.

I’d triumphed with another step in the right direction tonight—she’d finally offered her whole body.

“Of course,” she said, sitting up with a blush. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Tightness filled my chest. Aella had been so beautiful and passionate that I wished I didn’t have to return her to her uncle. She appeared fine, but occasionally, while she’d danced, I’d noted a flash of discomfort in her gaze. Something was wrong, even if I couldn’t see it.

“Did your uncle hurt you?” I asked, leaning over to cup her cheek.

She hesitated, gaze dropping. “He…he slapped me when I refused to tell him where I’d been. Twice, actually, but I’m fine. It didn’t hurt too much. ”

Something told me she lied about the severity.

I dropped my arm and clenched my fists, wishing I could run into the ballroom and kill him right now.

The curse he laid on Aella would be gone with his death, but it would be considered an unprovoked murder.

Since her uncle didn’t know about our marriage, I couldn’t use his abuse of my wife as a valid excuse.

When I arrived at the palace earlier, the king had made it very clear that I must not start trouble, no matter what we discovered—even if Aella had been harmed.

If I did so, he’d reveal our marriage to make my punishment lighter, but I would still have to serve time in the royal prison.

It was in a remote location up north in Hartoll where they’d force me to spend years of my life alone with my magic suppressed and no contact with the outside world.

Then, my Unseelie brother would surely hear about Aella’s channeling powers while I couldn’t protect her. He would likely want to kill her or steal her for himself. Neither was a palatable option. For now, she was safer with her uncle, appearing to have no ties to me, like it or not.

“Send word if you need me for anything,” I said, forcing her head up so she looked at me again. There was misery in her gaze. She usually hid those emotions, but I’d gotten closer to her tonight in every way. “I’ll do whatever I can.”

“Okay,” she said.

I pulled her into my arms and kissed her deeply one last time, unsure how long it would be before I could call on her again. It wasn't easy to let her go when my need to claim her was still so strong. Perhaps next time we would have a chance.

Withdrawing from her, I stood. “Take care, Aella.”

Then, I walked away.