“The w-way you’re looking at me…” Emeriel squirmed, shifting her weight from foot to foot.She stood before him now, waiting for him to tell her how he wanted her. And her cheeks had flushed an utterly endearing shade of red.“And how is that?” Daemonikai drawled, though he already knew. Gods, he knew.“Like you would…” she faltered, lowering her gaze. “Like you’re imagining being... in-inside me.”“Huh. That is startlingly accurate.”He watched as the flush deepened, spreading down her throat and over her collarbone. “Oh.” She stared at her feet. Or tried to. He held back a smile and rose to his feet, loving the way her chin tilted up to find his face. “I will teach you how to bloodfeed in the ways of old.”Her lips parted in a soft breath as he reached for her, unfastening the ties of her gown with a gentleness that belied his lust. Bare, he guided her to the center of the room.“Kneel.”She lowered herself to the floor. He circled her slowly, letting his eyes roam over the curve of
These visuals... Hell on a train, they weren’t good for him. Heaven on a blade.Her smile was dreamy and sweet. “I pretend it’s his fingers, and it feels really good to get them inside and imagine it’s him.”Daemonikai swore under his breath.This was cruelty. Pure, unvarnished cruelty.And it was glorious.Pleasure trickled down his spine as his throbbing cock got friction, rubbing against her side. When had his hips begun to move?“And his dick…” she giggled, covering her mouth like she’d said something scandalous. “That word is funny. Dick. Dick. Dick.”He let out a sound that might’ve been a growl. “What about his dick?” He needed to hear the rest.“Oh, it feels… A. M. A. Z. I. N. G.” She spelled the word out slowly, her closed eyes flapping as though she could see the image clear in her mind. “It’s the only one I’ve had, you know. His dick. But ohhh, even I know it’s one of a kind.”Daemonikai cursed again, this time in a low, rough voice. He was going to come. Right there. Just
PRINCESS EMERIEL.Emeriel wouldn’t go so far as to say she was avoiding her beloved. But if one were to put it that way… well, there was little she could do to deny it.She was beyond mortified. Embarrassed didn’t begin to cover it. Chagrined… that, and so much more.The things she had said. The things she had done in the early morning hours.As soon as she’d woken that afternoon, the memories had been merciless, striking her and bludgeoning her. She had wanted nothing more than for the ground to open and swallow her whole.But, of course, the ground had done no such thing, because her luck was dreadful.So she had done the next best thing. She had quickly freshened up and all but fled to the plantations, spending the remainder of the day there. She kept herself busy inspecting crops, checking for pests, issuing instructions to the workers. But her mind…Her mind was on her highly unladylike behavior. On the whorish things she had said. Words that belonged in the shadowed corners of a
Before she could make sense of that, his mouth was on hers. The kiss was slow at first—a reverent taking of her lips. But as his mouth moved over hers, it deepened, becoming thorough. Her eyes slipped shut, her arms finding their way around his neck. Their tongues danced, beautiful in their intensity, amazing in their feel. Strokes of pleasure and pent-up desire.By the time he pulled back, Emeriel was breathless, dizzy with yearning. That was when she felt it—a heat at her back. A presence.A hand settled on her waist.Blinking through her daze, Emeriel turned her head. Behind her stood a taller figure, and it took her a moment to focus.“Mistress Alviara…” she breathed, surprised.“Hello, human princess.” The courtesan gave her a warm smile. “We meet again.”Emeriel hoped to the Light-gods she returned the smile, though questions whirled in her mind. Why was she here?She had met the most sought-after courtesan in Urai only once, two years ago, when a female had entered an unexpecte
He was in front of her before the last syllable left her lips. Towering, crowding her, surrounding her. She breathed him in, feeling a deep sense of longing… not just in her heart, but in her feminine core. Rising on her toes, she kissed him first. She poured her craving and desperation into it. The kiss was fast and a little clumsy, but so full of need.And within heartbeats, he was kissing her back. He devoured her, and she drowned in it.Emeriel would never grow tired of his kisses—never lose her addiction to the feel of his mouth, the taste of him, the way his lips moved against hers as though she was all he had ever hungered for.Cool silk sheets met her back, he lowered next to her, lying by her side, his kisses trailing over her skin. His mouth moved along her throat, down the delicate line of her neck, and lower still… until his lips found her breast and he took her nipple into his mouth.Emeriel cried, arching into him. Her fingers threaded into his hair, holding him to her.
“Are you okay?” Alviara whispered, with a thread of honest concern.“Oh yes,” Emeriel removed her arm from her eyes, sounding hoarse and dazed “More than okay.” Renewed. Reborn.“That’s great to hear.”Her beloved pulled away, rose and leaned in, hands braced on either side of her. He looked half-crazed with desire.“Now, take him in your hand,” Alviara’s voice urged in a sultry order.Emeriel bent forward as much as her rounded belly allowed, wrapping her fingers around the thick, pulsing length of him. Warm, alive, throbbing with need.She stroked him once. Twice. Watching his eyes darken, jaw tighten. Breath drag through clenched teeth.And in that moment, Emeriel understood. This night wasn’t just about erasing pain, making her feel safe, or ensuring she wasn’t alone. It wasn’t even about Alviara’s guidance, her encouragement, her presence. It was about this.Making her see that even with all his power, all his strength, she held all the reins that mattered.She stroked him again,
Emeriel was crying now, but laughing too, the sound a mess of both.Her male did not care. He kissed her all over her face, frantic and unrestrained. “I can feel you,” he murmured between kisses.“I c-can feel you too,” she choked out, her hands roaming, trying to touch him wherever she could reach.“Your scent… Ukrae, your fucking scent…” His sniffing grew loud, frantic, crazed. Rubbing his nose and mouth along her neck, her shoulder, her breasts. “I knew you smelled good, incredible, but now—gods, the seven gods—your scent is amplified. What the—”He growled, then purred, vibrating against her as his phallus stiffened once again, hard and hot behind her.“I need to have you again. I can’t… gods!” One strong hand lifted her leg as he lined himself up again, and with a jerky thrust, he was inside her once more.She gasped, nuzzling her head against his chest. The feeling... it was out of this world. Beyond words and comprehension.“I’m too deep,” he rumbled, holding her tightly. “Do y
ZAIPERThe dark room burst open as the female barged in. "Until when will you mourn his death!?"Zaiper glared at her, shielding his eyes. “Shut the damn door. That light hurts.”She slammed it shut with force. “We are running for our lives every single night, and yet you refuse to pull yourself out of this daze you’ve sunk into! Yes, I understand your loss—but your life is on the line, Zaiper! Get your head together!”He was seated at the foot of a rickety, filthy bed, lazily sipping from a goblet of blood.“We need to get to shelter as fast as possible,” Sinai said, pacing. “At the rate we’re being hunted, we will be caught.”Silence answered her.Her gaze flicked to the goblet he held. His men had slaughtered enough humans to fill casks, and with the supplies from his vampire allies, his blood reserves would last years. No wonder he was toying with it like it was fine ale, drowning in self-pity rather than replenishing strength.“Zaiper! Are you even listening to me!?”“Mm?” He bar
“Please stop saying these things to him,” Lord Vladya groaned. “He’s smiling like a thief who just got promoted to head guard. He might forget why we’re here.”Daemonikai smacked him upside the head. “Shut it.” But he was still grinning ear to ear.The healer hid her smile behind a cough. So, the rumors were true. The quickest way to find favor with the Grand King… was to speak kindly of his queen. Or better yet—earn her favor directly.It warmed her to see them this way. Whole. Strong. Hearty. Happy.“Now, let’s return to the original matter. What can you do for us, old healer?” King Daemonikai asked.“I’ll begin work immediately on the herbs. I’m certain something like it exists. Our people have simply never had reason to search for it. I’ll start gathering ingredients, reviewing ancestral scrolls, and see what I can develop. With luck, I’ll have good news for you soon.”“That’s excellent,” Daemonikai said, nodding with satisfaction.The healer turned to Lord Vladya. “And you, Secon
“Can I open my eyes now?” she asked softly.“Not yet.” Vladya raised his hands to cover hers, even though a blindfold already shielded her eyes—just to be sure.He was... nervous. His belly felt tight inside, his hands clammy. He wanted to impress her. Wanted Aekeira to love the surprise.Gently, he guided her forward. Step by step, deeper into the cave until they reached the center. Moving in front of her, he withdrew his hands, and untied the blindfold.He stepped back, waiting.She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the soft glow, then gasped.Vladya tried to see the space through her eyes. The rough cave walls had been transformed. Smooth panels of polished wood lined the interior, holding candle sconces bathing the space in a warm, golden light. A plush woolen rug stretched across the floor. In one corner, a large, canopied bed stood dressed in roses. Across from it a long table, elegantly set with a feast laid, and two chairs facing one another.Her mouth parted as she took it in. “
She gasped as he flicked her clit, over and over again, building tension. Soon she was wiggling, twitching, hips shifting restlessly, seeking more.Daemonikai was burning, yet his mouth never left her breast. Arousal pounded through him, but beneath it—deeper, hungrier—was peace. There was something sacred, yet utterly obscene about this, in how her breast felt against his tongue, the rich rush down his throat, and the soft sounds she made.“Mmm.” His eyes slitted shut as time dissolved. Her moans grew louder, hips grinding against his thigh, but he didn’t relent. Not until her back arched and she came with a cry, her pussy fluttering around nothing.He switched breasts, sealing his lips around the other nipple, drinking her in as his fingers resumed their torment—circling her clit just enough to tease, never enough to satisfy.She squirmed, sobbing, her slick painting his thighs. “Daemon… please. Please.”He ignored her. Not yet.Only when the flow dwindled to drops, then drained int
That night, Daemonikai slept, and saw them.Standing at the river’s edge were his sons—Myka and Alvin. But unlike in the past, they weren’t sad. Their eyes no longer carried the weight of guilt or sorrow.No, his sons were smiling, waving at him.Daemonikai ran from the opposite shore, water parting in soft ripples as he crossed, and when he reached them, he pulled them both into a tight embrace.“Father…” Alvin whispered hoarsely. “I’m sorry.”“For what?” Daemonikai pulled back, his hands firm on Alvin’s face, forcing his boy to meet his eyes. “It was never your fault, and I’m sorry you left the world believing it was.”He turned to Myka. “I’m sorry I told you to protect everyone else. I should’ve told you to save yourself first. Maybe then, you’d still be—”“It’s alright, Father,” Myka interrupted with a smile. “I don’t regret protecting Mother. Or our people. I’m a protector, just like you, and I’m proud of that.”Behind them, a crowd began to form. His people were watching from a
GRAND KING DAEMONIKAIZaiper's screams rolled down the dungeon corridor, bouncing off walls as Daemonikai sawed through his leg with a cutlass—whistling a slow, melodic tune. Blood sprayed, splashing onto Daemonikai’s robes, forming a growing puddle.“This blade’s gone dull,” he said conversationally, examining the edge. “Get me the dagger.”A guard handed it to him from the wall of instruments, so much polished steel behind them.Daemonikai discarded the cutlass with a soft clatter and resumed with the dagger, slicing deep into muscle and tendon, never missing a beat in his whistle.“Please! AHhhhhhh!” Zaiper howled. An animal sound, born of unbearable pain.Daemonikai sawed clean through until the leg detached entirely. He lifted it, holding it up like a prized relic.“I hope you don’t mind if I keep this,” he said casually, inspecting the severed limb. “It’s a clean slice. Unfortunately for you, it won’t regenerate—considering I’ve taken the entire limb. You’ll have to forgive me.
••••••Three Weeks Later PRINCESS EMERIEL“By the power vested in me as Grand King of this court, and in the presence of these witnesses, I hereby declare all Bonds of Human Enslavement broken. From this day forward, you are no longer the property of Urekai but allies. Free people under the protection and respect of this kingdom.”The court was overflowing. Humans filled every space, trailing from the dais down the carpeted aisle, pouring out the doors, spilling into the hallway beyond. Every human in Urai was present.At the front of it all, Emeriel stood tall beside her king, heart brimming with emotion. Her gaze drifted across the sea of faces, landing on her sister. Aekeira was smiling through tears. Just like so many others.Grand King Daemonikai continued, voice firm but warm. “I have already sent word to the twelve human kingdoms, informing their kings that the humans here are no longer captives, but allies of Urai. From this moment, no harm shall befall you—not by royal decre
GRAND KING DAEMONIKAIDaemonikai delayed just outside the dungeon corridor until he heard Zaiper’s first blood-curdling scream. Only then did he walk away from the dungeon hallway. He soon stopped hearing them. Almost a regret.He had instructed the guards to move Zaiper to the deepest, most fortified cell to keep his torture from disrupting the tranquility of the Citadel. But now, for the first time, he wondered about the wisdom of it.Reaching his bedchamber, the scene greeting him caused him to pause.There on the couch, Emeriel sat in sleep's soft embrace, holding their son, Daesovxscar, against her chest. His small mouth had slipped from her breast, milk dotting the taut, dark nipple still exposed to the cool air. Her arms held him close, even in sleep.Daemonikai’s mouth went dry.He was not a male to steal his youngling’s food—he had never done so before—but in the past few days, the thought had settled into his mind like an unsealed scroll. It was all he thought about.“Your H
“Yes,” the male continued coolly. “Vladya feels whole now. The male you always mocked for being cursed, then took away his bondmate. But she returned to him, not merely as a lover who may be compatible with him, but as his fated mate.” Daemonikai’s lips twitched. “Then there’s you. Hanging here like a carcass in my dungeon. With a dead lover, no heir, no legacy. No throne.”Zaiper’s scream tore from deep within his soul. “DON’T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HIM!”“Who? Oh you mean the dead lover?” Daemonikai smirked, adding with a drawl. “I never did tell you, did I? Just how good it felt to kill him.”Zapier struggled even harder. One leg jerked so hard, causing the chain to snap taut, nearly dislocating him, but Zaiper didn’t care, writhing and snarling like a feral.“His spine snapping in two as it struck my knees… that sound... it stayed with me for months. It had a better tone than even the harp.”“Fuck you, Daemonikai! I’ll fucking kill you!” Zaiper was out of control, spitting rage with
“You’ve no idea how fun it was. Playing you like a puppet, note by note, from the sidelines, with you none the wiser. It was... exquisite.” His grin was unrepentant. “But don’t blame me too much, Daemonikai. The real culprit was your pride. You believed yourself invincible. Too strong to be touched, too feared to be challenged. And because of that arrogance, you gave someone like me the perfect opening.”He let out a wheezing cough of amusement. “The Dragaxlovs have always sought the throne, but the Naelzharoth was too powerful. My grandfather shared with me that it was his lifelong dream to sit on the First Throne, yet every minor scheme he attempted to wrest it from your grandfather failed. He was a coward, you see, just like the rest of them.” Zaiper sighed. “Even at a hundred, I knew I was different from those spineless relics. I knew I would achieve great things, and I knew you would assist me. Your casual dismissal, that prideful superiority… always a Naelzharoth, viewing the re