Happily Ever Crowned Read online

  Adrik’s full lips twisted upward into a sinfully decadent smile, one that would have drawn my attention in any other situation apart from this one. While my husband was a decent-looking man, Adrik possessed a beauty that surpassed most, and the dimples flashing deep in his cheeks suggested he knew it.

  Power poured from him as he stopped before me, a sinful energy foretelling of disturbing plans to destroy me like the whore he saw me as.

  I will not waver.

  I will not fall.

  “Your gown is covered in blood from those who died tonight. Men I killed for the privilege of your company. Are you sure you want to remain clothed?” Adrik strode over to a wardrobe in his chamber’s corner, his strong strides willing my gaze to follow.

  Bloody or not, I will not bow to his demands.

  “I’m used to being covered in blood. I am married to Necros, after all,” I justified out loud. “I would suggest the issue with clothes is more your own. I’m not a fool; I saw the look on your face when you had blood on your weapon. It was one of pure disgust.” Which was an odd thing for one of Noxia. They were vampires. They lived for blood.

  Adrik appeared directly in front of me, a dressing gown of sheer white silk held in his hand. I jumped like a nervous kitten, not having heard or noticed him moving, and immediately cursed myself for showing weakness.

  “On the contrary, My Queen. As a Prince of Noxia, I adore blood, but mostly of the female variety.” He waved the dressing gown in my face. “Change. I won’t ask you again.”

  I turned my head away from him, a refusal to entertain or acknowledge him and his demanding ways. The hot space between my legs pulsed in response, enjoying the idea of provoking him. For what purpose, I couldn’t say, but it took a valiant effort not to squirm.

  What is wrong with me?

  I can’t enjoy this. Ever.

  He was just as bad as Necros.

  No, worse. He made me feel...

  “Have it your way, then.” Adrik whirled me around and up against the bed. In a single strong tug, he ripped the skirt from my body, the sliced corset falling in its wake and leaving me naked before him. The vibrant fuchsia-toned silks were flung across the floor to land in a heap by the only door in the room.

  Adrenaline surged through my body. How dare he think he could treat me this way? I was a queen -- no, a person -- not a toy. They couldn’t do this to me.

  With my own quick movement, I turned to face the stranger in the room and smacked my hand hard across his face. The sound of flesh meeting flesh was so loud it echoed off the cavernous ceilings. My palm stung like I’d just been whipped.

  Adrik didn’t move, not even a flinch to rub where a red mark had appeared on his strong, stubbled jawline. He just stared at me, his eyes deepening to the hues of the darkest night as mayhem fluttered in them.

  I inhaled deeply, sheer terror running through my body and mixing with the aftermath of my recent orgasm. Every nerve ending jumped to attention, stirring a fire within me I couldn’t seem to cool.

  What is happening to me?

  Am I going insane?

  “You have so little faith in yourself, yet underneath the shadows is a powerful woman,” he advised softly. “Embrace it, use your anger to fuel the fires of your revenge. It’s the only way you’ll get through this.”

  I raised my hand again, shock ricocheting through my body at his words. They were in direct contrast to what every man wanted me to be in this palace. Necros wanted me to be docile, a good fuck, and to produce his heirs. Silence was my greatest virtue to everyone.

  I didn’t understand. Before I had a chance to lash out at him anew, Adrik grabbed me by the neck, his strong hand constricting my breath and pushing me backward onto the bed.

  “There are cameras in this room,” he advised in that same low tone. “He’ll be watching and expecting certain behaviors. I’ll need this to appear real.”

  “What?” None of this made any sense, but as he fumbled with his belt, my confusion flew out the window.

  He’s going to fuck me now.

  Except he only unbuttoned his pants and partially lowered the zipper, his cock remaining hidden behind the silky texture of his suit trousers. He knelt on the bed, pushing me upward with the grip around my throat until my head hit the pillows, and settled between my splayed legs.

  “What are you…?” I trailed off as he released my neck to skim his fingers downward between us, his featherlight touch brushing my breastbone and stomach before slipping into the slickness between my thighs.

  “Don’t let them break you, Valora,” he whispered, his lips near mine.

  “Adrik,” I breathed, conflicted as his thumb unerringly found my already sensitive nub and circled it. This wasn’t what I expected, wasn’t what we were supposed to do, but the entire time, he kept his ardent gaze on me, drawing me into the danger he possessed inside him.

  Who is this man? What does he want from me?

  And why am I not fighting him?

  His hips circled against me, providing further friction where I needed it.

  He wasn’t taking me with his cock?

  He wasn’t taking any pleasure for himself?

  “There you are, little bird,” he murmured against my jaw, his lips tasting my skin. “Use that fire, that pain, that anger. Memorize it. Cultivate it. Sharpen it. Because it’s the fury that will keep you alive.”

  “Who are you?” I whimpered as my body ignited in another powerful orgasm, this one more intense than the last. “Why me?”

  “Because you’re everything I need.” Adrik pushed himself hard against me and grunted low and feral like he’d just reached his own climax. But it was fake.

  For a split second, the mask Prince Adrik wore slipped and the real male beneath gazed down at me. One underlined in an energy unlike any I’d ever felt.

  True power.

  Too much power for a prince.

  I traced my fingers across his face, memorizing the handsome lines and wondering at his true intent. He allowed it, his dark eyes holding mine, granting me that glimpse into his spirit that screamed of the forbidden.

  “Sleep,” he whispered, an unworldly shadow of strength wrapping around that solitary command that seemed to draw darkness over my vision. “Dream, My Queen.”

  And I did.

  Of a new world, one ruled not by Necros but by Adrik.

  With me at his side.

  Such a strange turn of events, one I couldn’t quite follow, but it seemed accentuated by light and life. Pure vigor—happiness, even—blossoming flowers, and euphoria all around.

  A fantasy, one not of my own making but that of a stranger looming in the corner, searching my mind for weaknesses. I felt him there, prying into my psyche, using me, exploring my inner sanctuary, learning every nuance of my being.

  What are you doing? I wondered. What’s happening to me?

  “Shh,” a warm voice murmured, fingers brushing over my jaw, his lips at my neck. “You’re safe, little bird.”

  Safe? I nearly laughed. I’ve never been safe.

  “You could be, with me…” Something sharp pierced my skin, washed away into a sea of bliss I didn’t understand.

  My eyes fought to open, my mind rejecting in disbelief, but still my limbs remained quiet, my naked body encased in a wave of hot, sexy male. I moaned, unsure of his intentions, experiencing sensations I didn’t comprehend, ecstasy radiating from my lips.

  He was playing my body. Mastering me. Even in my sleep. All for what?

  Necros, I thought, recalling what Adrik said about the cameras.

  None of it made sense -- this tranquility, the groans, the overall feeling of insanity clouding my judgment and vision.

  And yet, I found myself floating in the waves of rapture, my soul swimming in a sea of contentment.

  You’re in my mind, I whispered.

  “I am,” Adrik replied, his palm against my breast. “But not your body.”

  I don’t understand.

  “I’m
protecting you.” His lips were against my ear, the weight of his strength harsh on top of my own. “I’m giving him what he wants to see.”

  Who?

  “You know who,” he replied, his teeth skimming my throat. “Rest, Valora. You’re going to need it to survive.”

  Wisps of that shadowy energy whirled around me, taking me under into a place of solace. I sighed, content for perhaps the first time in my life while miraculously aware that a foreign presence had put me here. One I shouldn’t trust.

  I stirred, bewildered, only to be pushed back down by a strength surpassing my own. A cry tore from my throat, frustrated at losing control over my own mind while my body quivered in delightful confusion.

  Adrik, I whispered, tasting his name, memorizing it.

  “I’m still here, little bird,” he vowed, his voice deep and hypnotic. “You can rest.”

  How? I barely knew him, didn’t trust him, couldn’t move…

  “Shh,” he cooed. “It’s nearly morning now.”

  What? How was that even possible?

  Warm lips brushed my own, fingers drawing through my hair, my body pressed against hot steel. He’d lost his clothes at some point.

  No.

  Just his shirt and pants.

  His boxers remained.

  My mind drifted in and out of comprehension, the world not one I understood. Never in my life had I felt so intimately connected to someone—a man I didn’t know.

  This is wrong.

  “I know,” he agreed. “And for that I’m very sorry.”

  Why are you doing this to me?

  “To help you.”

  I don’t understand.

  “I know,” he repeated, his mouth against my temple. “But one day you will.”

  Who are you?

  “Ah, now you are traveling the right path, little bird. Keep wondering. Keep searching. You’ll find me eventually.”

  That’s not helpful.

  His chuckle seeped into my skin, rousing my heartbeat and scattering goose bumps down my arms and legs. Dark energy crawled over me, traversing my veins and mingling with my very soul. I sucked in a breath, shocked by the penetration and dulled at the same time.

  A tear slid from my eye, one caught by his tongue.

  And then I stilled, the warmth slowly leaving a coldness in its wake.

  Ice slithered across my skin.

  Loneliness blossomed in my heart.

  Adrik?

  No reply.

  My eyes finally opened, the sun peeking through the curtains off to the side. Morning.

  I blinked, uncertain, only to find myself very alone with no signs of Adrik. Merely the hint of his masculine aftershave, a minty essence that seemed to be ingrained into my skin.

  I swallowed and stretched, feeling oddly rejuvenated.

  What did you do to me? I wondered, blissed out of my mind. Was it all just a dream?

  No response.

  No sign of life.

  Just me lying in my own bed now, wearing the white dressing gown Adrik had selected for me the night before.

  A blood-red rose rested on my nightstand, beneath it a note.

  See you soon, little bird.

  —A

  Coffee—the drink of the gods.

  Or so they said.

  I sipped from my mug and waited for Grigory to appear, our meeting place set well in advance of last night’s battle. He was late, as per usual.

  With a sigh, I closed my eyes and tracked my new quarry through the shadow essence.

  Valora.

  So beautiful with a spirit underlined in kindness. She’d slept soundly in my arms beneath the sheets while I put on a show for her husband and manipulated his expectations. All the while, I’d twined our souls together on a plane he could never reach, ensuring I could find her at a moment’s notice. Even now I sensed her standing in her rooms of the palace, confused and cold, my name at the forefront of her thoughts. She also worried about her broken lady’s maid, something about encouraging the family physician to fix her.

  So much strength tied to a lifetime of being called weak. It would not be an easy barrier for me to break, but she needed to recognize her inner energy or all of this would be for naught.

  Poor darling Valora.

  It was oddly difficult leaving her in her own bed this morning, but I had no other choice. My evening was done. Her fate set. All I could do was cloak her in a protective shield, one not even she could feel. It would embolden her for the tasks to come, allow her to lean on my strength in moments of severe need, and call to me if her soul was at risk of leaving hell.

  Not part of my original plan.

  But it had happened nonetheless.

  And fortunately, her husband didn’t notice a thing, even commended me for forcing her cooperation. He referred to it as a new approach that he hadn’t considered—one underlined in degradation.

  “Forcing her to enjoy it is such a beautiful thing,” he’d said.

  Sick bastard.

  I forced myself to swallow more of my coffee and focused on the late afternoon surroundings. One day away and I already missed the place I considered home. Violet hues painted the streets of Noxia, so different from the reds and vibrant colors of Caluçon. I much preferred this, where shadows lurked and allowed me to play.

  What would Valora think? I wondered. Ah, what does it matter? She won’t live long enough to ever see this place.

  “You smell of pliant female,” Grigory said in greeting as he slid into the empty chair beside me. “Sweet and satisfied.”

  My lips curled, having sensed his approach just seconds before he arrived. “That she is. Very satisfied.” Valora had called out my name several times throughout the evening, her body succumbing to my touch as I played a role for the camera above. Never once did I seek my own satisfaction, only hers as I led her through the dream world. Necros would assume I fucked her all night, but all I really did was invade her mind.

  Which, I supposed, was worse than rape. Except it wouldn’t have been possible without her acquiescence. Whether she realized it or not, Valora had granted me access and allowed me to stay. Hell, she’d fucking encouraged me to take over, to push her into a realm of relaxation.

  The burden of the world lay across that woman’s shoulders.

  All I did was carry a bit of it for her while she slept.

  “He gave you the first night,” Grigory inferred, lifting his hand to signal the waitress. “And you wrapped her in the shadows.”

  “I may have indulged my stronger half, yes.”

  He smirked and ordered a blood-laced coffee from the young demoness. She preened at the twinkle in his gaze before flouncing off to fulfill his order.

  “It’s not even noon and you’re flirting,” I marveled.

  “I didn’t spend the night fucking a queen.”

  I snorted. “Neither did I.” Which had been far more difficult than I anticipated. “He doesn’t even please her,” I added, irritated. “The poor thing thought I was trying to kill her with my touch.”

  Grigory shrugged. “Necros has always believed those beneath him are meant to serve, not to be served.”

  “Yes, well, she deserves better.”

  “Does she?” He arched an ebony brow. “Don’t you plan to use her in a far worse manner than her husband? By destroying her soul?”

  The words rolled over me as I finished my cup, Valora’s life energy humming through my veins. I’d bitten her last night. Not that she’d remember it or feel it today. But it’d bound us together in an intimate manner, one I planned to exploit later. For now, I would use it to keep her as safe as I could.

  “She’s never been encouraged to live,” I said slowly. “I intend to rectify that.”

  “By fucking her?”

  I shrugged. “By introducing her to a state of existence she’s unaccustomed to.”

  “Only to rip it all away when you take her spirit,” he mused, his eyebrows dancing. “How charming.”

  �
��Are you here to piss me off?” I wondered flatly. “Because you’re doing a fabulous job of it.”

  “No, I’m here to remind you of your purpose and make sure you don’t get caught up in your feelings.”

  I scoffed at that. “When have I ever allowed emotions to rule my decisions?”

  “When you bound yourself to a married queen in the shadows under the guise of getting to know her better?” he suggested.

  “I want her alive, jackass.” Nothing more. Nothing less.

  A taunt lingered in his gaze. “Or perhaps you want her.”

  “Seriously, you’re pissing me off.” It was a warning. One he ignored.

  “Good. Because it was a reckless and stupid thing to do.”

  “It protects her, Grigory,” I argued. “You don’t know what some of those men have planned for her.”

  “Oh, I can imagine what they want to do to that delicate little morsel, but you’re not her savior. You’re her conqueror.”

  “Tying her to me strengthens my ability to seduce her.”

  “If you require shadow magic to fuck a woman, then I overestimated you.” His scowl twisted into a grin as his drink approached, leaving me glowering at him. When the waitress attempted to flirt with him, I allowed my glare to shift to her and sent her running back to the kitchen. “I can see why you’re having difficulties,” he murmured, completely unfazed by the lethality simmering beneath my skin.

  “Any other insults you’d like to throw my way before I kick your ass?” I asked, my voice deceptively soft.

  “Listen to yourself getting all bent out of shape in defending a decision we both know was a mistake.” He leaned forward, his forearms on his thick thighs. “What happens when Necros catches wind of the shadow magic thriving in his female’s veins?”

  “You assume he actually pays enough attention to her to notice.”

  “And you assume he doesn’t.”

  I shook my head and drew my fingers through my hair. “You weren’t there last night, G. He barely notices her, hardly even stands her. And he won’t be around her most nights to pick up the trace. All he cares about is having a hole to fuck, not what’s beneath the skin. And he’s so focused on breaking her that he won’t notice the layer of protection thickening her blood. You wouldn’t even notice if you didn’t bait me into revealing it.” Because that was what all this had been. He smelled her blood on me and jumped to a conclusion I acknowledged only out of friendship. “No one will notice.”