“Wraith kings of the past like his father, yes. But not this one. He’d have suspected something of you if you tried.”
She frowned, her gaze wandering over my chest before it lifted to my eyes again.
“And what of beast fae? Do you have concubines?”
Uncrossing my arms, I stepped close to her, lifting a strand of her magnificently red hair. “Why, Jessamine. Are you interested in applying for the job?”
“Of course not,” she snapped, though she did not back up or knock my hand away. “I merely would like to know what kind of clan I’m being protected by. What kind of lord is in charge.”
Letting the strand fall from my claw, I brushed two of my knuckles up the column of her slender throat, an intimate gesture I couldn’t stop myself from doing.
“I am a beast fae lord, female. I enjoy the taste of cunt on my tongue and the feel of my cock in a tight sheath as much as any male.”
The green of her eyes was swallowed by black as her pupils dilated, her heart rate speeding up, her breath coming quicker from her partly open mouth. A mouth I longed to taste and fill, I suddenly realized with shock.
“You are very…blunt.”
“Beast fae don’t play with words like the fae in your father’s court. Being direct is the most efficient way of communicating.” I was mesmerized by the slope of her cheeks, the seeming softnessof her skin, the brightness of her eyes. “So I will tell you directly that I do not collect a harem. Females become angry and jealous. I only take one at a time.”
I let my knuckles slide to the base of her throat then along her shoulder to the fur-lined edge of her gown.
“I like the way this dress looks on you,” I admitted, biting my tongue before I told her I’d rather see what it looked like on the floor of my tent.
She finally stepped away, breaking our contact, dropping her gaze to the ground. “W-will you put me to work in the camp?” she asked, voice quivering. “I would like to be of some use to the clan.”
My entire body was hard, my sole being entranced, and she hadn’t used one drop of her magick on me. I was afraid that if she did, she could overpower me too easily.
I couldn’t allow myself to be weakened by anyone, least of all a skald fae female. Clearing my throat, I stepped around her, trying to knock myself out of the stupor she put me in without even trying.
“You are correct. You must be of use while you’re here. Follow me.”
I marched out of the tent. Already, many of the work and residential shelters were being taken down.
“We leave today?” she asked, hurrying to keep up with me.
“Tomorrow.” I slowed my gait, leading her to Tessa and Bezaliel’s sleeping tent which was near my own. “You can help Tessa breakdown her family shelter. With the babe, this is more difficult for her, though she will refuse to admit it.”
Bezaliel’s woman was a stubborn female. As if to prove my point, I found her with Saralyn strapped to her back, leaning over and digging out one of the corner spikes of her shelter by herself. The bundles of bed furs and storage baskets were already bound and stacked outside of the shelter.
“Tessa,” I called.
She stood and wiped the back of her hand across a sweaty brow.
“I’ve brought you help.”
The sprite that doted on Tessa and the babe fluttered around her and settled on Tessa’s left shoulder.
“Hallizel, this is our new friend Jessamine,” Tessa told the sprite.
I tensed at Tessa calling her ourfriend, but I suppose if we were protecting her, that is what she was. She certainly wasn’t a clan member.
The blue-winged sprite flitted toward us and hovered in front of Jessamine. “Hello, new friend. You have bright colors. You look like a sprite.”
Jessamine laughed, the sound making my belly twist. “I suppose I do. But I am a skald fae.”
“I have never met one of those before.” Hallizel had followed our clan around since I was a boy. It didn’t surprise me that she’d never met a skald fae.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Jessamine extended her hand.
