Happily Ever Crowned Read online

  “Not bored,” I finally said, replying to his comment. “I’m thinking.” I wrapped my fist around the woman’s hair as she drew too close to my belt again, and tsked in her ear. “When I’m ready, I’ll ask.”

  She whimpered, her full bottom lip disappearing between little white teeth.

  I almost pitied her. Except I knew she enjoyed this. Almost all succubi did. But if anyone would be feeding tonight, it would be me.

  “Thinking,” Necros repeated, closing his eyes in the epitome of bliss. “Mmm, that’s a dangerous move in this room.”

  Says the man trying to distract me with eager pussy, I thought. “My brother is eager for me to return to Noxia,” I said, deciding to provoke the conversation I knew he desired. “I’m not sure I feel the same way.”

  “Oh?” He didn’t look at me, his expression one of euphoria. However, I sensed his astute awareness. It was written all over his tense form. He tried to act like a male lost to the passion of his females, even went so far as to lace his fingers through the woman’s hair to drive her downward, but I saw through the charade.

  Because I was playing one, too.

  “We didn’t talk for long, as I’d literally just dialed him when your guards approached.” No sense in trying to pretend I’d been in that communications room for longer than a few seconds before they’d arrived. There were cameras everywhere. “Alas, his first words were in regard to my return. And I have no doubt his final ones would have been the same. Apparently, my family misses me.”

  “And you don’t miss them?” he prompted, his curiosity piqued.

  Good. Yes. Let’s focus on my history, remind you who you think I am.

  “I do. But not Noxia. Not my place, anyway. I mean, Grigory’s the heir apparent. And who am I? Just the second child.” I drew my finger across the succubus’s mouth, pretending to be enthralled with the way her tongue peeked out to lick me. “There’s not much left for me there, other than a comfortable life. I’m thinking of exploring the other kingdoms, see what mischief I can find for myself.” I winked at the blonde. She giggled in reply.

  “Is that what you’re doing here?” Necros mused, lifting his head to look at me. “Looking for mischief?”

  There it is—the distrust. I smiled. “Always.” Ignoring him, I nipped at the woman’s neck, hard enough to bleed. She jolted, then sighed as I ran my tongue across the superficial wound, absorbing her tangy essence. I preferred Valora’s, but I needed to do this to gain control of the female on my lap.

  Riian, I thought, finally learning her name with a brief prod into her mind.

  Another lap at the wound gave me access to her emotions: her intrinsic fear of Necros and her gratitude for my presence. Mmm, it seemed not even his harem enjoyed his company. Well, lucky for Riian, I’d be saving her for the evening.

  I took a real bite, drinking from her pulse with a thick pull that satisfied the growing hunger inside me. It also provided me with the depth I required in her mind, one that would allow me to control her with a quick command of a thought.

  She sighed against me, her body succumbing to my vampiric kiss.

  I wasn’t a Son of Noxia but a Son of Shadows. And we were very closely related, both possessing the need for blood to satiate our appetites. Only, my kind required significantly less, and we tended to temporarily inherit the powers of our victims. As Riian wasn’t the first succubus of my acquaintance, I was prepared for her seductive energy and knew exactly how to tame it. But I might just bring it out later for fun with Valora.

  Necros chuckled. “I like you, Adrik.”

  My lips curled against Riian’s and licked the bite marks marring her pale skin. “Does that mean I can stay for a while longer? Continue my brand of mischief?” It was meant as a challenge—did he want to demand I leave, or allow me to stay and determine my motives?

  “Depends on what you’ve been up to.”

  I shrugged. “Training your wife, mostly.” I met his gaze. “She has a problem with authority. Seems to think her title of queen grants her some sort of right over me. We’re still working through it.”

  He regarded me curiously as the women on his lap switched places, the darker-skinned female going to her knees between his splayed thighs. The poor girls were going to be doing this all night at this rate. No wonder Riian felt thankful to be seated on my lap, even if her throat hurt a little from my not-so-pleasant bite.

  “I’m surprised you feel that way, what with your mother being the supreme authority in your kingdom.” He wrapped his arm around the female, pulling her to sit astride his lap and on top of the woman’s head below. “Please yourself for me, whore.”

  “Yes, My Lord,” she whispered, her hand disappearing between her thighs.

  A real man would take care of her himself. But Necros knew nothing about feminine pleasure, as was evidenced by his wife.

  He leaned to the side to better see me, ignoring the show going on before him.

  What a prick.

  “Does Lux know you feel queens are beneath your station?” he asked, arching one bushy auburn brow.

  I smirked. “Not all queens,” I corrected. “Just yours.”

  Both his eyebrows lifted at that proclamation. “Should I be offended?”

  “Hardly,” I scoffed. “I mean, surely you’ve noticed there’s nothing special about her. Aside from her beauty, of course. But it seems the galaxies only gifted her with looks, no real power. She’s as ordinary as a gremlin demon.” I tilted my head. “Isn’t that why you opted to have her trained? A woman of her stature and appeal is meant for the bedroom, but only if she knows how to behave.”

  Fuck, I hated myself a little. But I needed him to believe me ignorant as to her true nature.

  And from the glimmer in his irises, he did.

  “I think there’s more to her than she allows us to see,” he admitted, surprising me. “It’s why I thought these games would, perhaps, awaken her.”

  “Like a dormant power?” I asked, scratching the stubble dotting my jaw. I’d forgotten to shave earlier before sparring with Valora.

  He lifted a shoulder. “I mean, it’s just a theory. But I thought if I scared her enough, she might, I don’t know, unlock an ability and fight for herself.”

  I snorted. “Oh, she tries to fight—with words.”

  “Which are useless.”

  “Indeed,” I agreed. Unless she pairs them with angelfire, in which case, good luck to you. “She never feels afraid to me. Just pissed off.”

  His responding grin radiated evil. “She felt fear last week.”

  “Perhaps, but was it for her life?” I asked, idly wondering how far he’d take this conversation, how much he would reveal. “I mean, the men you chose to train her are harming her, yes. But it’s all for sexual gratification. She knows that. So while she might fear the pain, does she truly fear for her life? Enough to fight?”

  He rubbed his chin, considering, while the female atop him began to mewl. Necros knocked her to the ground with a flick of his wrist, causing her to cry out. “Shut up,” he snapped. Then looked at me again as if he hadn’t just assaulted a female on the edge of an orgasm.

  And this was what Valora had lived with all these years? Fuck.

  “You bring up an intriguing point, one I hadn’t considered.” He sounded quite pleased, if a bit mystified. “She doesn’t feel the need to fight because she knows she’s not in danger.”

  Oh, she wants to fight, I thought. She wants to kill you all. “I’m still not convinced she harbors a power beyond that of her mouth around a cock,” I said, feigning disinterest. “Just my observation.”

  “Mmm,” he murmured, not listening to me at all. And not because of the female trying tirelessly to suck him off.

  I pretended to ignore him, my focus shifting to Riian. A trickle of blood from my bite had trailed down to her collarbone. I lapped it up, earning me a purr from the succubus. Her desire blossomed in my senses, telling me how starved she was for attention. Necros didn’t know
how to treat any of his females, it seemed.

  Or perhaps he just didn’t care.

  “You will keep my wife occupied for a few more days,” Necros decided, shocking me for the first time tonight. “While I orchestrate something—a surprise of sorts—for next week.” He finally looked at me again. “I’d lock her in her rooms, but she wanders into the gardens from there, and I’d prefer her to remain broken on your floor. It’ll keep her weak.”

  “Of course,” I replied. “Shall I continue training her?”

  He lifted a shoulder. “Fuck her all you want. It’s not like I’m getting much joy from her these days.” He glanced at the female curled on the floor. “Why have you stopped pleasing yourself?” he demanded.

  She immediately continued her ministrations, her posture stiff and unyielding.

  Necros sighed, shaking his head. “All of you are fucking useless.” He tugged the female off his cock and tossed her to the side. “I need a walk.” He stood, fixed his pants, and made to leave, then turned back to me. “Feel free to use them as you like. I won’t be back tonight.”

  “Can I take them to my rooms?” I asked, not wanting to stay here where cameras would capture my every move. “Perhaps Valora will learn a thing or two from watching us all?”

  The king seemed to consider, then smiled. “Yes. I think she’d enjoy that very much.”

  “Your hospitality is astoundingly gracious, My Lord,” I said, bowing my head. “Thank you.”

  “Of course.” He was already lost to his own thoughts again, his face clouding over in contemplation. “Enjoy your evening, Prince of Noxia.”

  “Oh, I will.” I took in the females before me and allowed my vampiric senses to take over, just in case he studied my face later in the films.

  He left us then.

  Not caring at all that I might feed and kill one of his harem members.

  I made a show of tasting each of them for the cameras, taking their blood into my system to better control their minds. It would make the rest of the evening so much easier.

  “Come, ladies,” I cooed, leading the trio with a thick strand of lust looped around their essences. “Let’s retire, shall we?”

  I paced the room for the thousandth time, debating if I should just return to my own rooms or wait for Adrik to return.

  From what? I thought with a laugh. A fuck party with my husband?

  Ugh, Adrik still hadn’t opened our link. I had no idea what to think. What if Necros realized we’d been working together? What if we hadn’t gotten away with this at all and Necros had led Adrik away to his slaughter?

  No. He’s stronger than that.

  And he’d reach out to me then.

  Right?

  I shook my head on a growl, irritated with myself just as much as with Adrik. It was ludicrous, really, to be upset. We were not promised to one another. Had never once discussed a relationship.

  Because we couldn’t have one.

  Because I was already married.

  “This is insane,” I whispered, dragging my fingers through my freshly washed hair. “Absolute madness.”

  I couldn’t be upset with Adrik. Not when we owed each other nothing. Not when I’d just sucked my husband off in front of him only hours ago. Who was I to be upset with Adrik for engaging in similar activities, under Necros’s command, with another female?

  And even without my husband’s order, Adrik could do whomever and whatever he wanted.

  I had no claims on him.

  I just, well, sort of wanted to.

  Which was wrong.

  Very, very wrong.

  Giggles came from the hallway, causing me to still midstep. And then the door opened to reveal Adrik with not one, not two, but three naked demonesses. He laughed as he ushered them inside, his expression one I wanted to slap off his handsome face and also see once more.

  He shut the door and locked it without looking at me, cooing something to the triad of females.

  They started toward the bed, only to change course toward the sitting area after a few steps. One appeared to be limping, her arm cradled against her belly.

  “There,” Adrik murmured, situating two of them on the couch together. “Indulge in each other as I know you crave.” The limping one he took into his arms and placed on the chair beside them, his palm running over her side. “Rest, Lithiana. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

  “Yes, My Prince,” she replied, drawing her nail across his lips before closing her eyes in a deep slumber.

  I watched in a mixture of shock and horror.

  But rather than join the two females on the couch—who were now eagerly making out with one another—he backed away slowly and slid the doors closed between the rooms.

  Then he finally looked at me. “Necros thinks I’m giving you a lesson in sex with other women.”

  My lips opened, closed, and opened again, but no sound escaped. What was I to say to that?

  I missed you, he whispered into my mind, the caress of words a stroke against my senses that snapped me out of my stupor.

  “You cut me off!” I snapped, not meaning to yell, but damn it, I didn’t approve. “To what? Fuck another woman?” Oh, that was not supposed to fly out of my mouth, either. But now that we were here… “Or did she just suck you off? No, wait, there’s three of them. Maybe they took turns?” I clapped my hand over my mouth, needing to stop this idiocy from escaping.

  Except Adrik’s response was to laugh.

  Which had my palm leaving my face and cracking across his.

  “Oh!” I jumped backward, holding my wrist, mortified. “I… I…” What is wrong with me? He’d done nothing wrong. Just brought three willing females back to his nest.

  Where I waited for him.

  “I should go.” Maybe I’d ruined his plans for the night. I didn’t know. Couldn’t allow myself to consider it. I just needed to—

  Adrik grabbed my hip and tugged me forward, his lips landing on mine. I flinched at the stench of female perfume all over his face and skin but sighed as his tongue slid into my mouth.

  Because he tasted like my Adrik.

  Not of another woman.

  And I loved the way he kissed me.

  My arms wrapped around his neck as he lifted me into the air and walked me backward to the bed. I put on a show, but other than bite them, I did nothing, he whispered into my mind, laying me down on the mattress. “I like you jealous, Valora,” he mused, crawling over me.

  “Jealous?” I repeated. “I’m not jealous.”

  “You are very jealous,” he teased, nipping at my jaw. “But it’s okay. Because I felt the same about you and Necros. It took everything inside me not to rip his head off while he…” The words were cut off on a growl as he kissed me again, this time harder, with a hint of possession underlying his touch.

  I liked it.

  Especially the way his palm circled my throat, holding me in place as he devoured my mouth. His other hand remained on my hip, pushing me into the bed as he settled between my splayed thighs.

  “I love you in my clothes,” he said, running his lips across my cheek to my neck. “It’s so fucking sexy.”

  I warmed beneath him, pleased at the compliment, then stilled as his lips brushed my pulse. “Adrik…” He’d never really bitten me before, not while I was coherent.

  “Do you know how I’m controlling them?” His voice whispered across my skin, making my heart race. “Because I bit them, Valora. It’s how I access and control the minds of others. But you’re different.”

  “How?” I breathed, hypnotized by his words and his touch. “Why am I different?”

  “I let you inside my mind. I let you hear me.” His canines skimmed my throat, sending shivers down my arms. “It’s a very intimate experience, having you in my head. I had to block you out to concentrate earlier. And it hurt to do so.”

  His lips closed around my throbbing pulse, sucking lightly, his tongue tracing the rhythm pounding beneath my skin.

  My
fingers threaded through his hair, urging him to taste me again. To bite me. To allow me to feel his power.

  “I need to replace them,” he murmured. “Their blood still coats my throat when all I desire is yours.”

  “Then do it,” I replied. “Bite me.”

  His teeth pierced my neck, the puncture deep and true. I groaned beneath the strange sensation, my blood heating and cooling simultaneously as he took a harsh pull from my vein.

  If the stars had a taste, it would be you, Valora. His words were sharp in my mind, his hunger palpable.

  It should have terrified me, but the moment felt so right. So erotic. Even while screams of pleasure came from the other room as the women on the couch reached a crescendo in their passion.

  One is a succubus who hasn’t fed in a month, he advised. And the other is a demon who prefers females to men. Your husband is a sick fuck.

  I know.

  We will kill him.

  I know, I repeated, arching into him as he sucked once more, guiding my life essence into his mouth and down his own throat. My thighs tightened around his legs, my core beginning to ache with a need only Adrik could satisfy. But he sighed into my neck instead, his teeth replaced by his tongue as he sealed the wounds with some sort of shadow magic.

  “Necros is planning something,” he said, going to his elbows on either side of my head. “I think he means to hurt you, Valora. Badly.”

  I gazed up at him. “What do you mean?” And why is he bringing this up now?

  “Because we need to discuss it before I grow distracted,” he replied, hearing my thought and punctuating his words with a soft thrust of his hardness against my dampening center. “Necros orchestrated this sick and twisted game to break you, thinking that you might respond to the torment with your gifts.”

  My blood began to cool. “I did.”

  “I know, but he doesn’t know that. And I rather stupidly pointed out that while sexual games may evoke fear, it’s not the same kind of fear as a near-death situation. I’d meant it as a deterrent, to try to end his erotic insanity, but I think I awoke a new idea instead.” He had the good grace to grimace. “I just don’t know what.”