Solano sighs but waves away a guard who’s begun to creep closer.
“Probably because your friend King Sigrid called them back across the border.” Tristano catches the knife again.
“You dare accuse the night king of—”
“I’m accusingyou, Varan.” Tristano says it with ease, as if he’s discussing nothing more than the perennially sunny weather. “You’re the one standing here running your mouth.”
“I speak for the members of this realm.” He steps away from Tristano, all the same. “And I’m here to humbly ask the king to do something about these incursions on our sovereign lands.”
“If you’re done peacocking, Lord Varan, we’d all like to finish our dinner.” Brock’s tone is soaked in disdain and coated with a fine layer of irritation. “Your theatrics are, of course, appreciated, but better saved for the stage. Maybe the king’s players will let you audition for their next production.”
Some nobles laugh, and Varan turns toward them, as if marking their names on a list.
“Ponce,” Charen stage-whispers.
Varan whirls. “Don’t you dare speak to me like I’m beneath you. You and your king and his whore sitting there like—”
Solano is on his feet before I can even squeak out my surprise. “You will hold your tongue, Varan. I’ve allowed you to spread your venom, and now you’re done.” He pushes me behind him as his voice rises to thunderous levels. “Unless you intend to challenge me for the crown again, in which case I’ve been looking forward to running you through and sending you to the Spires where you belong.”
I peek around Solano. Real fear passes over Varan’s face, and he backs a few steps away. I can see why—Solano’s fiery crown is back, the golden flames forming a filigree of gold atop his head.
Varan glances at Tristano, who has somehow flanked him, the knife glinting through his fingers. Charen holds a void of darkness in his palm, the black seeming to pull the light of the sun inside it, swallowing it down.
It occurs to me that Solano had quite a bit of patience with Varan, but when he was done, he wasdone, and his trusted warriors were on alert the entire time. No one can touch the sun king, not unless they get close to him.
Varan bows. “My apologies. I simply got carried away with my desire to protect the realm.”
“We know what’s carried you away. Unbridled ambition.” Brock motions to keep the guards back.
“I allow you to stay at court, but continue to test my patience, and I will revisit that decision.” Solano waves a hand at Varan. “Begone.”
“My lord.” Varan bows again, but when he stands, he shoots the king an acid look before turning on his heel and leaving the room. The nobles seem to take a collective breath, then fall into their conversations once again as Solano grabs my hand and leads me from the room. The three males—Brock, Tristano, and Charen—start to follow us, but Solano gives them one look that stops them.
He pulls me into an empty antechamber, and once the door shuts, he pins me against the wall and kisses me with a fire that singes my soul.
16
Solano
Ihold her wrists and take her mouth, delving my tongue into her velvety softness and licking at her secrets. She answers, her body heating, the scent from between her thighs spiraling around us as our mouths join again and again, our tongues in a match and our bodies on fire.
The things she does to me. I thought I’d lose my mind when I saw her speaking to the changeling librarian. And when she sat on my lap? Ancestors, I wanted to put her on the table and delve into her wet flesh with my tongue as my astonished nobles looked on. This sort of need has never lighted my veins, not even when I was a young fae with a keen sense for females. But my nightling draws it out of me with ease, each word from her lips a jewel, each touch of her skin a gift.
She moans, and I swallow the sound as my fangs lengthen even more. That urge to mark her nearly overwhelms me, and I pull back to try and tamp it down. But she follows, her body arching off the wall where I have her wrists pinned, and her mouth yearning for mine. I can’t deny her, so I give her everything, kissing her hard and sliding my knee between her thighs.
When she rocks her hips against me, I curse in the Old Language and move my knee higher, bracing against her hot cunt as she rocks harder, creating a friction that makes my cock ache. Her hips move faster as I slide one hand to her breast and squeeze it, then flick the hard nipple with my thumb. Her gasp is delicious as she grips my bicep and squeezes, her tiny fingernails digging into the fabric of my shirt.
Her scent hits me again, and the feral wakes, shaking free of its slumber and stalking through my breast, its hunger matching mine. When she moans again, I break and drop to my knees.
“What are you—” She squeaks when I slide my hands up her dress.
“Giving you what you need.” I use my fangs to shred her wet panties, then delve my tongue inside her hot slit.
Her hands go to my hair, clenching the strands as I suck and lick her secret places, drenching myself in her taste. When she tries to spread for me, I clench her thighs together, torturing her with my tongue and rubbing that little nub that makes her moan and tremble. I could eat her sweet cunt for hours, enjoying it like the ripest of peaches.
“Solano,” she breathes as I reach up and yank her dress down. Her pale breasts are round, the tips slightly upturned, and the nipples a perfect dusky rose. Rising, I take one in my mouth as I slide a hand between her thighs and push one finger inside her.
She grips my shoulders, her body trembling as I suck her nipple, then switch to the other. Adding another finger, I stretch her tight cunt, each plunge inside her sending a wave of heat to my cock. That’s what should be inside her right now, but the vow holds me back, so I give her what I can. And soon, I’ll give her everything and more.
