*Isla*Alpha King Maddox is on top of me, and even though I’m terrified, the more he touches me, the more I want to be touched.His warm mouth latches on to mine, his tongue probing deeper and deeper. The taste of wine and something else, something bitter, glides over my tongue as his twirls around mine. I am afraid to touch him, so my fingers intertwine with the bedsheets as I try to stabilize myself. He’s kissing me so deeply, I’m growing dizzy and breathless.Finally, he releases my mouth, and his lips slide over my neck. I find myself arching my back, leaning into him, the ache between my legs growing with every touch of his fingers against the thing fabric of my nightdress as he continues to thumb my erect nipple.I can feel his erection against my belly, and the urge to spread my legs for him is undeniable, but I can’t at the moment because of the way he is lying on top of me. He is a mass of muscle, heavy and solid, and I couldn’t free myself if I tried.Not that I want to try.
*Isla*I am sitting at my table in my room, eating lunch, trying to get what happened the night before out of my head while Poppy talks about life at the castle and hangs up new clothes she’s gotten for me in my closet. I try to pay attention to her, but mostly I am lost in thought as I eat my salad.At least I have enough to eat while I am here. I don’t know how long I’ll be at the castle, but that’s something.“Really, though, Mrs. W. was the worst. You know, she wasn’t ever even married? They always call the heads of house staffs missus even if they’ve never been touched by a man. Really, what man would want to touch her? I mean other than to knock the shit out of her like Beta Seth did.” She laughs, and I laugh, too, even though I wasn’t really listening to what she said.Once her words catch up to me, I stop laughing. I didn’t like it when the Beta had that woman beaten in front of me, even if it was on my behalf.She continues on, and I try to listen, but I am thinking about Kin
*Isla*The days pass slowly, and for a few, I don’t see King Maddox at all. I am beginning to think he has forgotten about my existence. I wonder how long it might take for him to realize he has a guest in his castle—or am I a prisoner—sitting in a room, withering away?Of course, Poppy brings me food and keeps me company quite often. Sometimes I am alone. I have books and the window. I like to look outside at the gardens. Sometimes, a gardener will be out there working, making the plants beautiful.Some might think it is boring, and to some extent it is, but it’s nice not to have to work all the time.I miss my family so terribly, though. I wish I could call them or otherwise receive word of how they are doing. I have no way of knowing what Alpha Earnest told them. For all I know, my parents might think I am dead.Thinking of my mother missing me, of her assuming the worst, makes my heart heavy.I sleep a lot, too. I find myself nodding off in the chair by the window with a book or I
*Maddox* This is a mistake…. I can’t help but think perhaps I should not have arranged to take Isla out on a date. After all, I haven’t dated anyone in… years. Not since Rebecca and I were first introduced. That was almost ten years ago. At the time, we’d just discovered we were fated mates, and I was so excited to get to know her. She was gorgeous, and I wanted so very much to touch her in every way possible. But Rebecca was a lady, and she had a reputation to maintain. I had to bide my time with her, waiting until we were engaged before we ever even kissed. We married a few months after we established our mated bond. After that… everything changed. Rebecca was a wild woman in the bedroom, completely inhibited in every way. The woman I had been dating and the creature I encountered in the bedroom seemed like polar opposites, and I was shocked with all of the positions and kinky toys she wanted to try. Personally, I preferred two or three positions that Rebecca thought were bori
*Isla*“Would you like to dance?” the king had asked me.I’d looked from his intoxicating eyes to his outstretched hand, and my first thoughts had been of my two left feed.Even back home, when I was dancing at school dances with boys of little consequence, I was the most ungraceful person in the building.He is a king and has likely danced with all sorts of beautiful, graceful women over the years.I would make a fool of myself!So I said, “No.”I see his face falter slightly and inhale deeply, wishing I had the words to explain.“I, uh… don’t know how,” I stammer.“Oh,” he says, grinning at me. “I see. Well, that’s no problem, Isla.”I love the way my name sounds when it rings from his lips. Like I am an unexplored territory in paradise….“It isn’t a problem?” I ask him, feeling my cheeks redden.He shakes his head and reaches for my hand, gently guiding me from my chair. “I can lead you.”“Oh, but I….”He cuts me off. “Don’t worry. It’s just the two of us.”I don’t tell him that is
*Maddox*“Zabrina, why are you all covered in blood?” I ask again as I stare at Alpha Jordan’s daughter. Her yellow dress is covered in the red, sticky substance, as are her hands. It’s smeared all the way up her arms and even on her chin. “Are you injured?”She shakes her head, “No, King Maddox. It’s not me… it’s… the maid!”I let out a sigh of relief that it’s not Zabrina who is bleeding profusely, not because I care so much about her but because I don’t want to have to explain to Alpha Jordan or any of his friends that his daughter was grievously injured while she was in my home.I’ve already sent for help using the mind-link, and as I hear footsteps approaching from behind me, I know that it’s Seth.Reluctantly, I turn to Isla. She is even more pale than usual, and her bottom lip is trembling as he sapphire eyes stare in abject horror at the bloody monster in front of us.I really f*cking hate Zabrina right now. “Isla, dear, I’m going to have to let Beta Seth walk you back to your
*Isla*That was certainly not what I was expecting!After a lovely dinner and dancing with the handsome king, he had invited me back to his room so that we could get to know one another better.I had fully expected this to be the night when I began to fulfill my duties.Now, I am back in my own bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the mirror above the dresser across from me, trying to process what I’ve just seen.What the hell happened to Zabrina?All I know is that she said something about the maid. But I don’t know what she’s talking about.From the looks of all of that blood, I’m imagining that someone had to have been hurt pretty badly.Poppy opens the door between our rooms and walks out slowly, peeking around the door like she’s afraid the king is in here and she’s interrupting something.“Hi,” I say to her in a solemn voice. I’m not sure why I’m so upset. It’s not as if I wanted to breed with the king anyway. I need to remember that. The longer I can put that off
*Maddox*I run down the hallway, frantic, my eyes wide with terror as I pray to the Moon Goddess above that my own stupidity hasn’t cost me again.How could I have been so stupid? To have gone back to my room thinking that there was no one else Zabrina would want to kill!Once again, I feel like my own idiocy has cost me dearly.I can only pray that the girl is all right, and the Moon Goddess and I haven’t exactly been on speaking terms these last few years since Rebecca’s… untimely death.My shoes slide on the slick floor in the hallway as I try to round the corner, and as I lose traction, I look down to see that it’s not just the shiny marble surface that has made me lose control, the floor is wet as well,Smears of red paint the floor like an angry finger painter, a child who was allowed to stay up too late before visiting the art center, perhaps one that had far too much sugar.The red streams around the corner into the next hallway as well, making my footing even more precarious.
Brie“What about us?” My voice hangs in the air between us. The room goes so quiet and still I can feel the Asteria gliding back into open water, the rocky, uneven bounce of sailing through the shallows finally settling. I wait for him to tell me to come with him. I wait, and wait, my heart squeezing with each second that passes, but I already know he won’t. His eyes already paint his answer clearly. He’s sacrificing the family he was given–the family he loves that loves him in return. He’s not going to ask me to make the same mistake. My body slumps against the weight of it, like I’m being dragged underwater, unable to fight the current. I’m exhausted. I’m in pain–physical and emotional pain, like my heart is being plucked from my chest and tossed into the ocean to drown. I promised myself, long ago, that I’d never beg and plead on my knees to be loved. I would simply accept my fate. I knew my worth to the world the moment I was old enough for the tabloids to start questioning m
BrieOne second, I’m standing, my feet firmly planted on the floorboards of the uppermost deck, and the next, I’m flying through the air with Sawyer, our bodies colliding with the railing and then bursting through it, the wood splintering painfully across my back and spine. Logan shouts my name, but his voice drowns out, nothing more than a flicker of breath against the sound of the incoming ships trying to burst through the wall of fire so close to us I can feel the heat on my skin. I’m… dangling. My legs are slack, my arms burn and stretch, and my head… aches, hurting so fiercely I can barely open my eyes. A sharp, heady, metallic taste fills my mouth. I try to breathe in, but the scent of blood is so heavy it makes my stomach roll with nausea. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.“Someone grab her! Help them!” Logan shouts, his voice lined with desperation and utter rage. My arms go numb, but my belly slides against the side of the ship as I’m dragged upward, and only when I’m rough
Brie“Logan!” I fly out of bed as the boat tilts dramatically, several books, a pair of boots, and a hairbrush sliding across the floorboards as I dart toward the closet and snatch a pair of pants from a hanger. Logan hastily buttons his shirt, turning his head from side to side trying to locate the boots that just flew to the opposite side of the room. I pull on the pants and grab the first shirt my fingers graze–a men’s shirt, but it doesn’t matter. Logan rushes to the far side of the room for his boots, pulling one of them on, cursing under his breath while the purple lights continue speeding in our direction. “Logan,” I hiss, tossing his other boot at him. “Why are you getting dressed?” he asks, pointing to the bed. “Stay here–”“No, I’m not going to stay here.” I growl, shrugging the shirt over my shoulders and doing my best to button it with trembling fingers. Echoes of pleasure still thrum through my body, mingling with the adrenaline now pumping through my veins. “I’m going
LoganMy knees bite into the floorboards, but I don’t feel a Goddess damned thing except my tongue sliding through Brie’s wetness. The taste of her is… my undoing. I might regret this in the morning. There will be consequences for this, of that I’m sure. We both know this can’t happen. I am stronger than this–I was stronger than this–able to shut any feeling down the moment it tried to flicker to life, but Brie has this otherworldly effect on me that I can’t shake. I’ve given up trying. She whimpers and trembles as my tongue draws lazy circles over her clit. Her thighs flex while she grips the sheets, her eyes squeezed shut as she chases a feeling I know she’s experiencing for the first time. A sense of pride swells in my chest knowing it’s me between her legs. It’s my face she’s squeezing between her soft, supple thighs. It’s me kneeling for her, a queen in her own right. There’s so much I want to do to her. So much I could show her, make her feel, but she’s… new at this. And I’m
BrieI take a step away from Logan, then another, until my back hits the wall just outside of the bathroom. The room blurs, the soft cream fabrics and dark wood turning dreamlike and hazy. We could be anywhere–any kingdom–any room or darkened forest, and I wouldn’t know it because right now it’s just me and him, and I’m utterly, wholly exposed. I’m sure my family and those others who know me well would say I’m a complicated person. They’d be right. Below the surface, beyond my mask of resilience, I’m like ice, and within that icy fortress is something akin to fear. No one has been able to penetrate those walls. Not even Maeve. But Logan is looking right through me, shoving those walls down, clawing at them until they topple and shatter. “If you don’t feel the same,” he says, his tone softening, “I… I understand. I know our situation is complicated, Brie, I get it. I have an… obligation to return to Emberfyll, and you–”“I regret it.” My voice shakes, but my gaze stays locked on hi
BrieI can’t be your friend. I lean my forehead against the railing, closing my eyes as I dangle my legs through the rails. What feels like fathoms below me, the ocean stretches toward the milky light of the last minutes of what had been the most spectacular sunset I’d ever seen in my life. Stars flicker into view overhead, nestled against a blanket of deep orange and crimson, and behind me, I listen to Sawyer and Logan pouring over a map spread out on a table bolted to the floor just beside the helm–the massive wheel used to steer a ship only a pirate would have. Logan doesn’t want to believe we have, in fact, been thrust through time and now sail the open seas in the company of pirates. In his rational defense, I haven’t seen a single person with a peg leg, a parrot, or an eye-patch, so he’s probably right. It’s a fun thought, though. I kick my legs, my bare toes chilled by the wind whipping into the sails as we practically fly over the water. I like this better than the yacht.
LoganSunlight pours over the deck of the Asteria, glinting off the sails. I watch the Artemis drift past, Alex waving from the upper deck before fading into the bright glare of the sun. I grip the railing, closing my eyes for a moment and taking a much needed breath that catches in my throat the second footsteps sound on the stairs nearby. Sawyer grunts softly as he reaches the top of the steps and turns in my direction, squinting against the sun but smiling as he says, “You settled in?”I nod, biting back that breath I desperately needed and all the other feelings threatening to make themselves known the next time I see Brie, which is hopefully several hours from now after I’ve had a chance to cool off. “The Asteria’s the oldest and slowest,” Sawyer says under his breath, joining me at the railing. “But she’s a solid ship. A good girl. My favorite of the fleet, actually.”“Why aren’t you captaining her, then?”He grins and shrugs. “The same reason I’m not on the Artemis with Alex.
MaeveThe hallowed halls of the palace in Moonrise are quiet and somber. Normally, light would spill through the ancient stained glass windows lining the foyer, casting sunlight that made the golden walls gleam, but today everything is dark. Gray. Lifeless. Rain thunders across the glass ceiling, echoing down hallways usually alive with conversation and bodies bustling from room to room. Now, my only company is my shadow, and even that’s trying to curl away, just as worn and empty as I feel. It’s been nearly a week since we lost Brie. I couldn’t stay in Maatua for another second waiting for news.I walk up the grand staircase, wearing a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers, a far cry from the sweeping, luxurious gowns of silk I normally dress in when visiting my future home.Yes, one day all of this will be mine. I’ve known it–felt it in my bones since I was just a little girl. I will be queen. Soon. Three years from now, I’ll stand on the balcony and wave down at the people of Moonrise–of a
BrieAt first, I feel nothing but his mouth on mine. He inhales, but otherwise, is still as stone. The tension between us is so thick I could drown in it, and I wouldn’t bother saving myself by coming up for air.I pull away just a touch–just enough to take a shuddering breath. Maybe this was a mistake. I’m not sure what I was thinking kissing him back, but… here I am, wondering when he’s going to start laughing at me.Logan’s nose brushes mine as he closes his eyes. His hands drift to my waist, and my eyes flutter closed as his grip tightens. He takes a step toward me, then another, until I’m forced back, until my shoulders hit the wall. Time moves in slow motion as his lips brush the corner of my mouth, and he groans.Logan presses me to the wall and kisses me hard enough to steal my breath away. I rise on my toes to meet him, my lips parting as I try to suck in another breath, but his