Page 22 of The Uncrowned King (The Bastard Duology #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Nothing would have happened if Rhi hadn’t been on her side. Each time someone asked Kora if she was sure about her plan, she wanted to say nay . She wasn’t sure about anything anymore, but they were out of options.

Kora had to give it to those at Iron Hall, though. Once a decision was made, they went to work. There wasn’t much to do, thankfully. Yet that meant the time where she would face Derek again drew nearer with each passing moment.

The first time on the cliffs hadn’t gone well. She’d held on to that shred of hope until the very last second. The second time when Derek broke free of the enclosure, she had frozen. If he hadn’t been knocked unconscious by the barrier, he would have gotten her. Everything hinged on this next effort.

Rhi came up beside her and gently nudged Kora to fall into step with her. The Fae glanced at the Kings busy weaving their magic. “I won’t say this in front of anyone else, but I’m worried about the plan.”

“Then why are you helping me?”

Rhi halted, dropping her arm as she smiled ruefully. “Because I know what it feels like to think you might lose the one you love.”

Kora followed her gaze to find it locked on Con. The King of Kings suddenly looked up, and the two shared a silent look. Kora dropped her eyes.

Rhi turned her head to her then. “Besides, I recognized that look in your eyes.”

“What look is that?”

“The one that says you intend to do this whether we’re with you or not,” Rhi answered with a grin. “I’ve worn that look many times, and I’m sure I’ll wear it again.”

Kora returned the smile. “My brother called me reckless.”

“Reckless, rash, impulsive, impetuous. I’ve been called it all.” She shoved her black hair out of her face. “I’m still standing. And so will you be, if I have anything to do about it.”

“Then there are some things you need to know about hellhounds.”

“This is when I should probably tell you that I’ve met another.”

Kora smiled. “Xaneth. Con told me about him.”

“Good. Once Miena and Villette are taken care of, I’ll make sure the two of you meet.”

Tears burned her eyes, but Kora quickly blinked them away. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen another of my kind.”

“He’s never met any other either. It’ll be good for both of you.”

Kora grinned until she looked around her. “But first, Derek.”

“First Derek,” Rhi agreed.

A warm body brushed against Derek’s. He knew her instantly. His arms wrapped around her as her lips brushed his throat. His hand splayed on her back, holding her close as her bare breasts met his chest. Desire wound through him, sending blood straight to his cock.

He captured her lips and kissed her. The feeling of their tongues tangling caused his balls to tighten. He grabbed her hip with one hand and rolled her onto her back. He ground into her, aching to be inside her once more.

This was his mate. He might not be able to recall her name or the features of her face, but he knew her body. He recognized the feel of her, the heat, the soft curves.

Her hands softly skimmed up his back, her nails gently raking over his skin as he kissed along her jaw and down her neck. “Derek.”

Her raspy whisper made his blood heat. An inferno was building. She did that to him. Her and her alone. He cupped her breast, massaging the globe before circling her nipple with his thumb. Her back arched, and her ragged breaths filled the air as she rocked her hips against him. The friction of their bodies was delicious, but it wasn’t nearly enough. He needed all of her. Even if it was only in his dreams.

He moved a hand between their bodies and touched the junction of her thighs. She sucked in a quick breath when his fingers grazed the folds of her sex. He groaned at how wet she was and guided himself to her entrance to slowly enter her.

She pulled his head down for another kiss as he began slowly moving inside her. He briefly opened his eyes and saw dark lashes against her skin. His heart began to beat faster. He was remembering!

Derek ended the kiss and raised up to look at his mate. A bellow of refusal began deep within him when he found himself staring at the hellhound. He shoved her away and came awake in the same instant.

Derek didn’t move for several moments. The thought of touching the hellhound quickly rid his body of any remaining desire. He was disgusted with himself. It repulsed him that he couldn’t get her taste off his tongue. How had her face taken that of his mate’s? It had to be some form of magic. A new torture, most likely.

As he got his dismay and anger under control—and the dream shoved aside—he recalled breaking through the bars to get to the hellhound. Derek looked around for the cage, but it was gone. He slowly sat up and found himself in what looked like an arena. The seating encircled him, and the dome above him was painted to look like the sky.

Derek slowly got to his feet and turned in a circle. He used his enhanced senses to scan every inch, looking for anyone. He had nearly turned all the way around when he saw movement. Of all the people he’d thought would come to face him, it hadn’t been the hellhound.

She walked out of a doorway with her head held high. She was dressed in all black, her dark hair falling free. Her gaze didn’t move from him. She walked with purpose, her steps unhurried and confident.

No cage held him now. Nothing would stop him from ending her life. He glanced behind her, waiting for the Kings to file out, but there was only her. Derek immediately shifted. He grinned at the jolt she couldn’t suppress. By the time he finished with her, she would be doing more than trembling.

The hellhound came to a stop and craned her neck to look up at him. “This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” she asked, her arms out wide. “It’s just you and me. What are you waiting for?”

It would be easy to kill her. He could exhale fire before she knew what was happening. It would engulf her, but it also meant a quick end. He was death, and he had come for her, but it would be slow and agonizing. He wanted her begging for him to end her life. Not that he would grant it. She hadn’t considered the innocent lives she’d taken when she destroyed the eggs. And the Kings hadn’t deemed his mate’s life worth anything.

But he did.

This arena was inside somewhere, likely a place the Kings guarded. After their united front at Cairnkeep, he didn’t believe for one instant that they would leave her to face him alone. They were here somewhere, waiting to make their entrance. He wanted them to come. He didn’t care about living. How could he with all the grief?

Derek let out a roar filled with wrath and anguish—and the promise of death. The hellhound didn’t cover her ears. She closed her eyes as the sound blasted her hair back. Then she looked at him.

“After such a display earlier, breaking through the bars, that is all th?—”

He batted her away with his hand. Her words were cut off as she tumbled through the air and landed with a bone-jarring crunch against the wall that lined the arena. Derek feared he might have broken her neck when she didn’t stir. Finally, she moved her leg, curling in on herself. She coughed and pushed up onto her hands. Her head lifted, and she swung her deep brown eyes to him. She didn’t mask her pain, or maybe she couldn’t.

Good. He was just getting started.

Shite, that hurt. Kora had known goading Derek would get a reaction, she only wished she had thought about what he might do. He hadn’t tried to douse her with dragon fire. That had to mean something, didn’t it? Unless he wanted her to suffer. The madness she saw in his red eyes confirmed that fear. Her body was healing, but it wouldn’t mend fast enough to stay ahead of him.

Or even remain alive.

Kora had known there was a chance Derek would kill her and wait for her to come back before repeating it all over again. She had made Rhi and the others promise not to interfere unless Derek used fire. Not that she expected them to reach her in time. She had fought hard against death when she stood against Miena and Villette, and she wanted to live, but if giving her life meant Derek’s freedom, then she would do it.

She got to her feet, holding her left arm against her broken rib. “I guess we’re done talking then.”

Her eardrum ruptured on his next roar. Blood trickled from her ear onto her cheek. Strands of hair stuck to the warm fluid. She kept her eyes on him to guess his next attack. He was massive and couldn’t move as quickly as she did.

So, when he nimbly lunged at her in the next breath, it took her by surprise. Kora tried to step out of the way, but his reach was extensive. His talons raked her back as she spun. A cry of pain escaped as she tumbled forward onto her hands and knees.

He didn’t wait for her to get to her feet this time. He tossed her into the air once more, knocking the breath from her. The ground and ceiling twirled so fast she didn’t know which way was up. She didn’t know how to right herself or even if she could. Then it didn’t matter because she slammed into the ground. Dust wafted up around her. She opened her mouth for a breath and inhaled a mouthful, making her cough, which sent pain shooting through her body.

Another rib was broken. Maybe several of them. Three fingers on her right hand were out of joint, and given how one of them was bent at an odd angle, it was likely broken. Blood poured into her eye from a cut on her head. She couldn’t stay down, though. She had to get up and face him.

Somehow, she got to her feet, only to realize that she couldn’t put any weight on her left foot because it had snapped at the ankle. Kora kept her balance on her right and looked at Derek again.

He was playing with her—and enjoying every second.