AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not the people she had executed… Some of those were good people.”
My eyes squeezed shut for a moment at the pain it had clearly caused her. I’d felt a lot of guilt since I’d convinced Zurie to promote Mareina to Irae, but none so much as now.
“You did what you had to, Mareina. If it hadn’t been you, it would have been someone who didn’t give a shit. And look where it led you. You’re going to take Zurie’s throne. I’m certain that if any one of them knew that their deaths would lead tothis…Towards a free Kingdom ruled byfairleaders… They would choose to do it again…”
Her lips pressed together in a tremulous line, studying my face for the truth in my words. She didn’t look entirely convinced…
One day, I’ll get you to love yourself like I love you.
She sighed heavily, breathing through her emotion.
“So… What do you think the mark means then?”
I gave her a look as though it should be obvious.
“Well, for one… I’m pretty sure if Mors wanted you dead… He wouldn’t tiptoe around it or warn you. I think the best thing you can do is take it literally.Find him.Try going to his temple… Perhaps one of his acolytes would know. At the very least.”
She gradually nodded before burying her face in my chest. I couldn’t resist the temptation to thread my fingers through her hair and bury my face in her neck, where her delicious scent was most potent.
I groaned, heaving a sigh against her, lifting her off the ground as I straightened with her still wrapped in my arms.
Gods, she smells divine.
My eyes popped open as another realization hit me. She didn’t smell likehim.Relief flooded me even as I admonished myself. It would only cause Mareina pain to deny herself hersoulbound.Though… I imagined there would be nothing less than a damn good reason as to why she hadn’t yetconsummatedthings with him… My hackles raised to imagine him treating her with anything less than absolute reverence.
Mareina’s sobs gradually subsided, and Iwilleda handkerchief into her hands.
“Thank you,” she murmured softly before blowing her nose, “I’ll be sure to replace it.”
I huffed a laugh.One hundred yearstogether, and, despite her rough upbringing, she was more courteous and considerate than any of the aristocrats I’d met in my 226 years.
“Either you keep it because you want to keep something of mine with you, or you give it back dirty so I can keep something of yours with me.”
Her reddened gaze leapt to mine in shock, jaw-dropping before it spread into a heart-crushing grin as she tried to stifle a laugh by smacking my arm. “Ewwwwwww!”
I husked a laugh, giving her a challenging look. “It has youressenceon it. I will happily suck the snot off that thing. Gimme.”
I reached for the hand holding the napkin, but she snatched it away, a shocked grin broadening further when she saw how serious I was.
“You wouldn’t dare…”
Ooooh.
I see.
I grinned from ear to ear. “A dare? You dare to dareme?”My laughter rumbled. “Since when did you develop this fetish, you twisted little minx? I mean, I can think of other bodily fluids of yours that I’d have chosen first, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers.”
I leapt towards her, closing my arms around air when she dodged. Excitement blossomed in my chest, broadening our barrier lest we be disturbed.
The grin on her face, still puffy from crying, had my heart swelling with both love and relief.
When fighting on a battlefield, you’d be surprised by the wide variety of bodily fluids that manage to defy gravity and can inadvertently find their way into your mouth. Sweat, blood, bile, saliva, even ventral fluid that one time… Almost all of which came from complete strangers.
If licking Mareina’s snot rag would make her smile, I’d gladly do it. I’d probably get a fucking hard-on from it just because the snot was hers, and I was indeed that fucking twisted.
She widened her stance, ready to pounce in either direction. I feinted left and right, but she saw through both. My cock was getting hard already. Thankfully, my fighting leathers were constricting enough to keep it pinned down against my thigh.
And if her brilliant smile wasn’t anything to go by, the sight of her lengthening fangs certainly were. She was enjoying this just as much as I was.
