Queen of Myth and Monsters (Adrian X Isolde, #2)(71)

“It is never that,” he said. “You know it is not that.”

“I am well enough,” I said. “The only way you will hurt me now is to refuse me.”

It was not a lie.

He watched me a moment, not so much hesitant as he was discerning.

I rose onto my toes and pressed a kiss to his jaw, running my tongue and teeth along the column of his neck, nipping at his skin, sucking it into my mouth. He hooked a hand at the base of my skull and let me explore. I felt his control slipping. The tighter his fingers twisted into my hair, the harder he grew beneath my hand.

Finally, he broke and forced my lips to his, his other hand going to my breast, squeezing. I gasped, and he thrust his tongue between my lips, guiding me until the wall was at my back. There, his mouth explored me the same way I’d explored him, and I shivered beneath his touch.

I moved my hands around his neck, and Adrian’s shifted to my ass, his arousal pressed flat against my lower stomach.

“What do you consider making love?” Adrian asked.

“Anything with you,” I said.

He gave a strangled sigh and kissed me, holding me tight to him before turning me toward the wall. I planted my hands against it as Adrian lifted my skirts. His hand dipped between my thighs, his fingers sinking into my heat.

“Fuck,” I breathed, my head falling back.

Adrian touched my breast with his free hand and kissed my neck, fingers moving inside me. Then he knelt, and his mouth was on me. I thought I might collapse from the pleasure.

“Adrian—” I warned, my legs shaking.

He rose to his feet and dragged me to him, my back to his chest, speaking against my ear. “Bedroom. Now.”

He released me, and I turned to him, my body warm and lust-filled. I kissed him, sucking his bottom lip into my mouth before hurrying for our room. I walked ahead of him, teasing as I reached behind me to loosen the ties of my dress. Once we were behind closed doors, Adrian shoved my gown down and gripped the neckline of my linen chemise, tearing it in two before his mouth was on mine again. He pushed into me until the backs of my legs hit the bed and I sat.

He shoved off his overcoat and pulled his tunic over his head while I unbuttoned his pants. Once he was naked, I took his cock into my hand and kissed down his length before closing my mouth over his crown, sucking and licking. He groaned over me, gathering my hair into his hands while I coaxed beads of come from him.

At some point, he decided it was enough because he took my head between his hands and kissed me, moving me to my back, settling between my thighs. There was a wicked glint in his eyes as he taunted me with soft and slow kisses down my body and the sensitive skin between my legs. I twisted and arched beneath him, desperate for his mouth, the fullness of his fingers, anything that would free this pressure he had erected inside me.

When his tongue touched me again, I nearly came, but the relief was short-lived as he began once more, his fingers and mouth demanding my desperate participation. I curled my hands into the bedding, into Adrian’s hair, dug my heels into the mattress, ground my hips harder into his face. I wanted him deeper, wanted the release I could feel coming. My body had grown too taut, the strain was too much—all it took was his consistent pace and I came undone—but it was far harsher than that. It was a complete break. A sudden rush that drained my body of all my energy. Suddenly, I did not have the ability to hold myself up—not even my legs. They fell open, knees on the bed, shameless.

Adrian did not mind as he stretched out over my body, a smug smile on his face. He kissed me languidly, our bodies radiating heat together.

“I like to make you sing, Sparrow,” he said, reaching between us, guiding himself to my entrance, but instead of shoving inside me like I wanted him to, he let the head of his cock slide through my wet heat. The choice gave life to my limbs once more, and I wrapped my legs around him, heels digging into his ass. I drew him in until I felt his balls rest against me.

We both moaned, foreheads touching, lips hovering.

“I love this,” I said, reveling in the weight of his body upon me, the feel of him inside me. “I love you.”

I could not see his expression—we were too close—but all that mattered were his words. “All the stars in the sky, Sparrow.”

He kissed me hard and began to move, alternating between shallow and deeper thrusts. Each thrust took my breath away and only gave a fraction of it back. I let my hands run down his scarred back, corded with muscle, and focused wholly on every part of him that touched every part of me until the tension in our bodies tangled. I held on, releasing it only when Adrian came.





Twenty-One





Isolde

The next morning, I woke determined to summon Ravena and bind her magic—but with Ana still asleep, I needed help.

I found Lothian and Zann in the library. They were behind the round desk on the first floor. Lothian leaned against the counter, a book opened in front of him, while Zann stood close, his arms braced on either side of his vassal.

They both looked up when I entered, and Zann pushed away from Lothian.

“My queen,” they said in unison, bowing as best they could with the desk in the way.

“We are relieved to see you so well,” said Lothian.

I could only manage a quick, half-hearted smile.

“I require your assistance,” I said. “Would you follow me?”