MALAKAI
"Such fire," I observe, leaning closer until my lips brush her ear. "Did Asher understand what burns beneath that carefully constructed facade? Or did he only know the parts you allowed him to see?"
"Don't speak his name," she warns, struggling against my shadows. Her scent spikes with old grief and rage.
I grasp her throat—not squeezing, just asserting complete Alpha control. My fangs hover near her unmarked scent gland. "I'll speak whatever fucking name I please. Asher. Does it hurt to hear it? To remember how he died choking on his own blood while I watched the light fade from his eyes? How he whispered your name with his last breath?"
Her response is instant—she spits directly in my face. "I will kill you for that. I will make you suffer as he suffered. I will make you beg."
I wipe the spittle away with deliberate slowness, then smile. "There she is. The real Seraphina Thorne. Not the diplomat's daughter. Not the reluctant bride. The assassin who dreams of my blood on her hands." I lean until our noses nearly touch. "You're exquisite when you stop pretending."
Confusion flickers across her face, warring with fury. "What are you?—"
I silence her with a kiss so brutal it draws blood from us both. She bites down hard on my lower lip, and I laugh against her mouth, the coppery taste mixing between us. My Alpha revels in her violence.
"Still fighting," I approve, pressing my body against hers. "Even now.
My shadows force her to her knees. She glares up, defiance blazing despite her submission. But I can scent the sweet musk of arousal mixing with her anger.
"Is this what you want?" she demands. "To force me to submit? To prove your power over me?"
"What I want," I say, untying my trousers while holding her gaze, "is truth. The third truth, specifically. Why did you save my life when letting me die would have solved all your problems?"
Through our connection, I feel her genuine confusion. "The fated mate bond. If you died violently, I would suffer the same fate."
"A convenient explanation." I free my cock from my clothing. Her eyes fix on it despite herself, pupils dilating. "But not the complete truth. We both know the bond wouldn't have killed you, only caused pain. Try again."
Her breathing quickens, tongue darting out to wet her lips. "I don't know. I just...reacted. I didn't think."
"Interesting. So the trained assassin who plans everything just happened to save her enemy's life without thinking?" I tilt her chin up. "I need more than that, Omega."
"I can't…" Frustration cracks her voice. "I need time. The third truth is complicated."
"Very well. You have until tomorrow for that one. But in exchange, you'll give me something else right now."
"What?" Her eyes remain fixed on my cock with a mixture of hatred and hunger.
"I want you to show me what you feel when I touch you. Stop pretending your Omega doesn't respond to your Alpha even as your mind rejects everything I represent."
"I hate you."
"I know. But hatred and desire aren't mutually exclusive, are they?" I press the head of my cock against her lips. "Open your mouth for me, Seraphina . Not because I force you, but because we both know your Omega wants to taste your Alpha."
She remains frozen, fury and desire battling across her features. I can feel the hunger radiating from her.
My shadows release her completely. "You can leave. Walk out that door right now. I won't stop you. But we both know you won't."
For a long moment, she simply kneels there—proud, deadly Seraphina caught between need and resistance. I feel the exact moment something breaks inside her.
"Why are you doing this to me?" she whispers, anguish in her voice.
"Because I want all of you. Not just your body, but your acknowledgment of what lies between us. The truth you won't admit—that your Omega recognizes your Alpha, bond or no bond."
With deliberate slowness, she parts her lips and takes me into her mouth, golden eyes never leaving mine—defiant even in submission.
The sensation is exquisite. I groan, fingers tightening in her hair as she takes me deeper. "Where did you learn this particular talent?" I ask as she swirls her tongue around the head. "Who taught you to use that clever mouth for more than lies and threats?"
I break off as she hollows her cheeks, sucking hard. "Actually, don't answer that. I'd hate to have to resurrect someone just so I could kill them more slowly."
