Page 57 of Queen of the Crimson Throne (Queen of Blood and Stardust #2)

57

LENNOX

Luka and I were married.

Married.

Holy fucking shit I’m married.

I buried my head in Luka’s shoulder as he continued to spin us around as our friends and family cheered.

When he finally put me down the world still spun around me, but I fixed my gaze on Luka. His smile cracked my chest clear apart.

I no longer cared if my heart was in shattered pieces because I had Luka. Whatever state my heart was in it still had the capability to be loved by him and to care about him so deeply. It was terrifying what my fragmented heart could still feel.

“What are you thinking?” Luka stroked a finger down my cheek.

“I’m thinking I’m happy. And I can’t believe we’re married.” A laugh slipped out of my mouth.

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“I think it’s a good thing.” He draped his arm around my shoulder, placing a kiss on the crown of my head.

“I think it’s a good thing too.”

A while later we found ourselves in one of the formal sitting rooms for a makeshift wedding reception.

Kara and Luciana had scoured the kitchen for some food—coming up with some chocolates and cakes for tomorrow they hoped no one would notice were missing. Meanwhile, Nico arrived with his arms full of sparkling wine, but with no glasses, forcing us to pass them around and sip from the bottle.

After toasting us, Caterina and Endora bid us goodnight—allowing us “younglings” to celebrate to our heart’s desire.

That had been hours ago.

The deserts had been devoured, only half-eaten cakes and crumbs remained next to too many empty bottles.

“Wait!” Kara wobbled slightly as she stood, a half-empty wine bottle in hand. “Luka and Lennox you need to dance.”

I scoffed from where I rested against Luka with his arm around my shoulders. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?” Luka played with the ends of my hair. “It is our wedding night. I think a dance is called for.”

“There’s no music,” I protested.

“I’m on it.” With the snap of Luce’s fingers, soft music filled the room.

Before I could argue further, Luka was standing and offering me his hand. “May I have this dance, wife? ”

I shook my head, smiling slightly. “I don’t have much choice do I?’ I put my hand in his, allowing him to pull me to standing.

“You always have a choice with me, remember?” His hand moved to rest on the small of my back. I looped my arms around his neck, meeting his smile with one of my own.

He pulled me closer, there wasn’t an inch of space between us as we gently swayed to the music. I wrapped my arms tighter around his neck and placed my head on his chest, closing my eyes as I listened to the beat of his heart.

Tomorrow our dance would be watched by prying eyes. We would dance the formal dances, I would have to make sure to remember each step as we moved around the crowded dance floor. But this moment—this dance—this was perfect. This quiet moment with our friends was just for us.

I will forever be grateful for Luka giving me tonight. For giving me the opportunity I thought I had lost.

The soft music faded, I moved my head so I could look at Luka. A smile broke out on his face as the music changed—the soft instrumentals switching to an upbeat tune.

Before I knew what was happening he was spinning me around, leading me in a series of swirls and twirls as I smiled and laughed before he dipped me dramatically and kissed me. I met his lips greedily as I clung to him.

When we finally parted I was panting—my heart beating fast in my chest.

“I’m ready to go back to our room now.”

“I can walk you back to your room if that’s what you want.”

I bit my bottom lip. “I said our room, are you coming with me?”

Luka’s eyes darkened. “Astria’s tits you know I’m coming with you.” I took his hand in mine and led him towards the door.

“Thank you all for a great night,” I called out behind me. “We’ll see you all tomorrow.”

“So which room is our room?” Luka asked as I dragged him through the palace.

I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me, as long as we’re together.”

He pulled me back and spun me until I was facing him. He braced his hands on my hips and pulled me to him. “Look at you being all sentimental.”

“Don’t get used to it, Bloodsucker. ”

“What if I told you it turned me on.” Desire coiled low in my stomach as he pulled me closer so I could feel how turned on he was.

“I’d say you’re a liar.” I pressed my hips against his. “Or that there are a multitude of means I’m aware of that turn you on other than me being sentimental.”

He groaned as I rolled my hips against his. “Keep that up Sweetheart and I’ll take you right here in this hallway.”

“You’re the one that stopped us in the first place.”

“As much as I’d love to fuck you against this wall right now, the plans I have for you tonight are not happening here.”

I shrieked as he hauled me up, my world turning upside down as he threw me over his shoulder.

“Luka! Put me down this instant.” I railed against his back with my fist, which only earned me a slight smack on my ass.

“You prick!”

“C'mon, Lennox, I know you like it when I spank you.” He swatted at me again, the motion sending desire straight to my core.

I bit my lip, not willing to give in at this moment.

“That’s what I thought.”

I pinched his behind instead which only earned me a dark chuckle that I felt down to my bones.

How many months had it been since we’d been together?

Too many.

It wasn’t until the door to my bedchamber clicked shut behind us that Luka finally deposited me on the bed.

I glared at him as his eyes roamed up and down my body hungrily.

“You are so incredibly beautiful, do you know that?”

I said nothing, my chest heaving and he continued to look his fill. My skin burned under his gaze. Everywhere it traveled I felt it upon my skin.

Finally, he approached me. His hand tangled in my hair as he pulled me towards him until our foreheads rested against one another.

“I love you, Lennox,” he whispered in the space where our breath mingled.

I love you too . The words lingered on the tip of my tongue. This was all happening so fast. I had never been in love before, but these feelings I felt towards Luka, had to be love. What else could they be? But I wasn’t ready to take the last leap yet. I needed to make sure what I was feeling was true. I wouldn’t hurt him again if I could prevent it.

“I—”

“You don’t have to say anything back. I just want you to know.”

I fisted the fabric of his shirt. “I’ve never felt like this with anyone else.”

“It’s terrifying isn’t it.”

I nodded against his forehead.

“Take all the time you need, Lennox. I’ll still be here when you’re ready.” He kissed my forehead.

I closed my eyes as his lips moved to my temple, my ear, my neck.

Lower and lower his lips moved until he reached the fabric of my dress.

He bunched the fabric at my waist. “Lift up.”

I obliged, lifting my hips so he could remove the garment, leaving me in nothing but red lace undergarments.

His gaze heated. “Please tell me you picked this color for me.” He grabbed my thighs and pulled me towards him.

I smirked. “You may have been on my mind when I picked them out.” He groaned and pressed his head against my stomach.

“Dangerous devious creature.” He nipped at my stomach with his fangs.

“Are you going to feed from me tonight?”

“If that’s what you want, I might be able to oblige.” My blood heated. “Perhaps I’ll try biting you somewhere else tonight. Maybe here?” He scraped his fangs along my inner thigh, and I whimpered.

He smirked as he rose up, grazing his knuckles over the fabric of my undergarment covering my center. “Or maybe here. This seems like it might be a sensitive area.”

His fingers moved again, dancing up my collarbone until his finger caressed up and down the delicate skin of my neck, over my thrumming pulse.

“We both know how much you love it when I bite you here.” His tongue lapped at the skin where his fingers had been before his mouth clamped down and he sucked hard.

“But I might like to mark a different part of you tonight.”

He moved back down my body. His hands skating across my thighs as he spread my legs apart farther—making room for himself as he kneeled between them.

“What if I start here?” My hips jolted off the bed at the feel of his knuckles dragging across my center through the lace. “You like that, hmm?”

I nodded, not being able to form words as desire overwhelmed my senses.

“Luka, please,” I whimpered as he continued to stroke me through my undergarment, his thumb pressing into the soaked fabric.

“Please what?” His finger stilled its movement.

“Please touch me.”

“I am touching you.” His fingers dusted over my core.

“Bastard,” I swore. “More, I need more.”

He tisked. “Who knew my wife was so needy.” My wife, his use of those two words caused my pulse to pick up.

“As much as I’d love to tease you until you were begging for my touch, it is our wedding night.” His hands gripped the sides of my panties and he pulled them down my legs.

“Just this once I’ll give in.” He kissed the inside of my thigh. “But don’t forget Lennox, next time I will make you beg. ”

His lips clamped on my center and he sucked on the bundle of nerves, his chuckle vibrating against my heated skin as I squirmed beneath him.

“Stars, I forgot how sweet you taste.” His hands gripped my thighs, spreading me further as he feasted. His tongue lapped at me greedily—stroking up and down my center before returning and sucking on my clit. Every stroke worked me higher and higher into a frenzy.

“Not yet,” Luka commanded.

My hips bucked off the mattress as two of his fingers plunged into me. He twisted his fingers inside me and I moaned. In and out his fingers pumped as his mouth continued to suck at my clit.

“Please,” I whimpered. Desire coiled tightly at the base of my spine. Higher and higher it crested. Luka removed his fingers and I whimpered at the loss.

I jolted as his fangs scraped over my clit.

Holy fuck—he wasn’t going to?—

Pain and pleasure erupted as Luka’s fangs pierced the bundle of nerves.

I screamed and his hand splayed across my stomach to keep me in place as he took the first pull of my blood.

Another scream tore from my throat—the pain and the pleasure were too much. Stars danced at the back of my vision as the room around me blurred.

Desire burned hotter with every pull of my blood.

He gripped my ass to pull me closer as he drank.

My fingers fisted in his hair; I pulled at the strands as he continued to drink—pressing his mouth closer.

“Luka!” I screamed as my pleasure erupted. My legs locked around his head as his mouth continued to feast. I couldn’t even tell if he was still drinking from me any more—the amount of pleasure was too much.

Finally, as the waves of pleasure subsided, Luka removed his mouth from me, wiping the remains of my desire mixed with my blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

“That was—” I panted.

“I know.” He smiled—a smile full of male cockiness.

“Prick.” I dragged my eyes over him. “You’re still wearing far too much clothing.” I quickly discarded his shirt.

I dragged my hands up and down his sculpted torso, my fingers running over every ridge and dip of his muscles.

“My turn.” I pushed him to lay on the bed before clamoring for the buttons of his pants.

My mouth watered at the sight of his cock as it sprung free.

I stroked him a few times with my hand—earning a rough groan from him. I gave him no warning before I took his cock in my mouth.

“Fuck,” he hissed, his hips bucking off the bed.

I ran my tongue up the underside of his cock as I tried to take him deeper. Choking as his length hit the back of my throat.

“Keep that up Sweetheart and I’m going to come in your pretty little mouth.”

I removed my mouth from him with a pop. “Do it,” I challenged.

His eyes sparkled. “Do you mean that?” I nodded.

“You want me to fuck that wicked mouth of yours?” Heat pooled deep in my stomach at his words. “I need you to say it, Lennox.”

“Yes,” I breathed. “I want you to fuck my mouth.”

He groaned and layed back on the bed. “Then get to it, Your Majesty.”

I closed my mouth over him again, taking him inch by inch into my mouth until he hit the back of my throat.

Luka’s hand found my hair, wrapping his fingers in the strands and pressing me forward—forcing his cock further down my throat. I choked, but he held me there.

Tears formed in my eyes before he finally let me go, but it was only for a second before he started fucking my throat in earnest.

His hips jutted up in time with his hand forcing me forward at a brutal pace as I choked on his cock.

My body burned with desire. I snaked my hand between my thighs, needing to find release of my own.

“Is choking on my cock making you wet?”

I murmured a yes around his cock.

“Good. I want you to come with me. Touch yourself so you’ll come while my cum is spurting down your throat.”

I strummed at my clit as his cock hit the back of my throat again and again. “Fuck Lennox, your mouth feels so good around my cock. Are you ready to come with me?”

I whimpered around his length as my climax traveled up my spine.

“Good.”

I picked up the pace of my fingers as Luka continued to thrust.

He came with a groan, the sound sending me over the edge with him.

My screams were muffled by his cock as I sucked every last drop of his release until I finally removed my mouth.

“Such a good fucking girl.” Luka stroked my hair. I shivered under his words and his soft touch.

I crawled up his body until my lips could meet his. “I need you inside me,” I spoke against his lips.

“I thought you’d never ask.” I straddled him, my knees on either side of his thighs. I took his cock in my hand—already hard despite coming down my throat. I positioned him at my entrance before notching him inside me an inch.

I moaned at the first feeling of him. His grip on my hips tightened—I knew he was trying his best to restrain himself from seating himself inside me in one brutal thrust of his hips.

He was letting me have control of this moment. It was always been a balance of control between the two of us .

I slid myself down another inch—allowing myself a moment to accommodate myself to his size as he stretched me.

“Lennox,” Luka warned as I squirmed slightly.

“Patience.”

“I’m about out of patience,” he growled, his grip on my hips tightening.

I slammed down without warning, his cock seated fully inside me as our hips met.

“Fuck.” We moaned in unison.

“You feel so fucking good, Lennox.”

I moved on his cock in a slow languid motion. I could see in his eyes my pace was killing him. It was taking all his restraint not to take control of the movements, but he continued to allow me.

His fingers tangled in my hair at the back of my neck. He used his grip to tilt my head back, pushing my breasts towards him.

His tongue flicked out at one of my peaked nipples before his mouth descended on my flesh. He continued his ministrations on my breasts as I continued to ride him slowly. Taking my pleasure from him as I wanted it. I swiveled my hips—as he nipped at my breasts with his fangs.

I slowly increased the pace of my hips as he nipped at my nipple—causing a slight moan to slip from my lips.

“Goddess, I love the sounds you make,” he murmured against my skin.

His fang scraped against my other nipple and I moaned again.

“If those are the sounds you make when I only graze your nipples I wonder what would happen if I bit them.”

I stopped my movement, tilting my head to meet his gaze. “You wouldn’t.”

His eyes sparked with the challenge. “You know I would.”

I slid myself all the way off his cock until only the tip remained. I met his gaze as I slammed back down with a violent thrust.

“Do that again.” My breath hitched as I slowly moved back up, his cock slipping from me inch by inch as his tongue flicked over my hardened peak.

When only the tip remained he moved his hands back to my hips.

“Ready?”

I held my breath and nodded.

In one brutal move, he slammed me back on his cock at the same time his fangs pierced my breast.

I screamed as he moved me back up only to slam me back down as he took the first pull of my blood.

I threw my head back in ecstasy as he continued the motion over and over again until I felt like I was no longer connected to my body. His thrusts were violent—hitting deep inside me. It was too much—it was all too much. My release crashed over me like a tidal wave.

He licked at my nipple again as he removed his fangs, licking at the skin he had pierced as he continued to thrust his hips up into me, searching for his own release.

As my soul came floating back to my body I leaned forward and kissed him, biting at his lower lip as our sweat-coated bodies stuck to one another as he continued to move inside me.

He came with a groan—our bodies continuing to move in slow languid movements as I tangled my hands in his hair and kissed him.

Eventually, we both came back down, our breathing labored—I could still feel the rapid beat of his heart under mine. Slowly I slipped off of him, my body heavy with exhaustion as I found a place next to his side.

Our limbs were still intertwined—we were a mess, but I didn’t care.

My eyelids were heavy with a haze of lust and exhaustion. Luka pulled up the blanket around us and I moved in closer to him. Slowly our breath evened out as we both drifted towards sleep.

This was never how I imagined this would go. I had never let myself think what it might look like if I let Luka in again. If I let myself accept this marriage wasn’t any arranged marriage—that it was an arranged marriage to Luka. To my friend. To someone I care so deeply for. I never let myself think about what it might look like to be happy in this marriage with him. I was too preoccupied with trying to protect myself.

What did this mean for us? What would our future look like? Would he move to the Star Court? Would we have children one day? Did I want children? Did Luka want children?

“Stop.” Luka’s voice pulled me back to reality as he smoothed his hand through my hair.

“I can hear you overthinking. I can feel you tensing.”

I sighed. “There’s so much we haven’t figured out yet.”

“I know, but we don’t have to decide all that now. We have time.”

Time. We have time.

We have our whole lives in front of us. The idea was terrifying and thrilling at the same time. I had a whole life with Luka to look forward to that had yet to be decided.

“We will figure it out,” I repeated. Some of the tension left my body.

I listened to the rise and fall of his chest as sleep crept in.

“Thank you.” I didn’t know if he was sleeping yet. I hoped he was still awake. “Thank you for giving me time.”

“I would have waited countless decades for this time with you.”

I was too afraid to say it, but I would have waited countless decades for him too.