Page 17

Chapter sixteen

A strid’s mind swam with pleasure. She struggled to hold her thoughts. The serrated teeth of Dimitri’s death magic gentled to a caress. It overlapped, stroking her until the euphoria left her dizzy.

The stinging pain of his second finger jolted her out of the blissful haze blanketing her mind.

But even then, he’d twisted that pain into pleasure.

.. then ecstasy. Orgasms racked her one after the other and Astrid’s lashes fluttered.

Her head lulled back against his muscular shoulder and his wing tip rocked against her pussy.

The friction on her clit had her coming again.

Astrid tensed, fighting the moan at her lips.

“Clean my wing.”

His deep, accented voice pulled her back to the present. She blinked and the tip of his wing was so close to her mouth she only had to lean forward slightly to touch it. Temper and rage flared within her. She held on to it and turned her head away even as her breaths turned to pants.

“Clean it or I’ll fuck you with it,” Dimitri said, bending the last joint of his wing until the two tapered bones folded against each other. His lips brushed the sensitive point behind her ear as he whispered, “Choose.”

“This isn’t part of our bargain,” Astrid argued. “I’ve given myself to you. Release me and provide what I am owed. I need stationery to write a letter to my cousins.”

His laugh was low and soft, dancing over her shoulder as his stubbled chin scratched her skin. “My cock will be stretching you when I have you. This is foreplay, neva. Now clean my wing or I’ll make a mess of it in your cunt.”

Astrid closed her eyes. She didn’t want his wings touching her—least of all there . She swallowed and leaned into his grip. She’d never tasted herself before. It was a few inches. Nothing, really. She was more concerned with the cleanliness of his wing than the way she tasted.

Her tongue flicked out, licking the roughened bone. It was hard, but not as terrible as she imagined. Her teeth grazed the ridged tip, and he shuddered a groan. She quietly wondered if his wings were sensitive. If he would scream when she sank her teeth into them.

Astrid suppressed the impulse. She’d ruptured his aorta. Her jailor should have lost consciousness and bled out in moments. She should be riding to her cousin’s stronghold.

But she was still here. Trapped as a winged brute’s plaything.

Astrid swallowed her indignation and licked the last bit of her arousal off his wing. She turned toward him over her shoulder and asked, “Are we done?”

“Hardly.”

Dimitri released her throat and flattened his hand between her shoulder blades before shoving her down. His fingers slipped from her and Astrid breathed a sigh of relief. She needed more information before she could lash out at him again. Play into his attention and placate his deranged appetites.

At least he won’t share me , Astrid thought bitterly. Thank the Fates for small mercies.

Astrid jerked as something cold touched her ass.

“Relax, neva,” he murmured as his callused palm traveled down her spine.

She hissed as the chilled metal stretched her. “Is that your fucking sword?”

“Have you already forgotten the feel of my sword?”

Astrid closed her eyes as the inches of metal pressed into her. She’d expected it to hurt but the pain never came. It was odd. Heavy. She was uncomfortably aware of its presence.

“I like you wearing my metal,” he said, wiggling the flared base. Astrid drew a sharp breath, and Dimitri squeezed her ass cheek. “You’ll sleep in this, and I’ll fit you with the next size in the morning.”

He stepped away from her and Astrid sat up. She must have misheard him. He couldn’t truly mean…

“I’m not sleeping with this.”

Dimitri kept his back to her as he closed the tin and placed her phallic torture devices in their velvet pouch. Astrid scrutinized him as he placed his belongings into the top drawer of his nightstand.

“Take it out if you like,” he said calmly. Before she could respond he walked to the bathroom and began washing his hands. ”You’ll take the next size tomorrow regardless,” he called from the sink.

Astrid blinked as her captor got back into bed as though this were a normal night for him. He turned to her and outstretched his wing across her side of the bed. The center black bones were spread wide, offering her an expanse of the leathery membrane.

She’d rather sleep in the snow. “Get your wing away from me.”

The corner of his mouth lifted into a lopsided grin, and he slipped his hand behind his head. His wing rustled the sheets as he retracted it to his side, leaving her portion of the bed bare. “Sleep. When you are chilled you can curl into me.”

He was delusional if he thought she was going to snuggle up to him.

Astrid moved to her side of the bed, laying on the very edge and turning her back to him.

His wing shoved beneath her roughly, abrading her side.

She shoved at the heavy bones, but his leathery wing curved around her and scooped her beside him.

“Get off me,” Astrid snapped, attempting to right herself.

Dimitri’s wing constricted even tighter around her and he began plucking the combs and clips from her hair. “You will wear your hair down from now on,” he said as he removed her second stiletto hidden in her jeweled hair stick.

“I will not,” Astrid said, turning sharply. She pushed herself up and reached for her collection of jewelry.

His wing twisted like a rug under her and shoved her away. Astrid wanted to stab him. The smug bastard opened the top drawer of his nightstand and let her gold embellishments fall into the drawer.

“You will also be waxed and pierced tomorrow morning,” he said, settling onto his back once more.

This male was truly insane. “I’m not going to allow you to mutilate me.”

He chuckled at that and closed his eyes. “Good night, neva.”