A Throne of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #2)(50)

“That’s so cool. I haven’t heard of anyone else doing that.” I ran my hand across the books. “So in here, where there was no rhyme or reason, she didn’t even have to limit herself by genre. She could just pick at random and had no idea what she would get.”

“Yes, exactly.” He waited a while for me to look them over, trying her method.

“I think I’d rather read the synopsis.”

He laughed. “Me too.”

“Maybe I’ll try her method when I’m indecisive.”

I wandered toward him, my hands behind my back. My breasts popped out. He glanced at them and then did a double take. Hunger flared in his eyes.

“What will you choose for me to read?” I asked.

He shook his head slowly and reached out, cupping a breast. His thumb circled the nipple, and I closed my eyes as pleasure speared through my body. “I won’t pick right now. You need to roam and explore. Pick a few for yourself.”

“So what is the system for checking things out?”

He kissed beside my lips, then on them. “There isn’t one. Not for you. Use this library as your own. I know you’ll treat it with the respect my mother would’ve wanted.” He sucked in my bottom lip and nibbled. “I wanted to show you the library myself because of the secret room. No one else knows about it. Not even the staff. Not anyone left alive, anyway. Keep it closed when you’re not in it. Or when you are, if you’d like. It’s hard to see this corner from the rest of the library, and the books kept here, right outside this room, are the most boring in the kingdom.”

“I’ll read them anyway. One day.”

His smile was sad. He didn’t respond.

I wanted to ask about his past, about his ex-fiancée, but he was already pulling me out of the room and settling me on the lounger.

“Check out the view while I lick your pussy. Or would you like some other means of pleasure?”

He didn’t wait for an answer as he slid his hands up the outsides of my legs, gathering the material with them.

I watched the fabric shimmer as it bunched, revealing more and more of my thighs. He pushed the dress up to my waist and growled when he saw that I wasn’t wearing any panties.

“I need to go to the salon before I wear the panties he made me,” I whispered.

“You don’t, but if you would like to, we can book you into the salon when we have time. How’s that?”

“We?”

“Yes. No one will be touching you but me. I’ll take care of whatever you need.”

He trailed his lips up my inner thigh.

“Spread your legs,” he commanded, and I whimpered as lust came over me.

I did as he said, gasping when his hot mouth went for me immediately. He sucked in my clit and thrust two fingers into my pussy, stroking just right. I arched into him, moving my hips in rhythm with his fingers, with the suction of his mouth. I gripped the lounger, no staying power at all. I hadn’t been self-pleasuring in the evenings. It had been some time since I’d felt something this good in a place so intimate.

I groaned his name. Pushed up to his mouth. My body tensed, so tight. So hot. Right there—

The climax tore through me. I shouted his name, vibrating in bliss. He licked up my middle, tasting my release, and then pushed up, his knee between mine, his kiss on my lips. I tasted myself on him and threw an arm around his neck.

“My turn,” I murmured against his lips.

“I wish. I have to go. The demon king’s creatures must’ve been released by now. You can stay here for another hour, at the most, then head up to the tower. No one is supposed to use the library for their sexual adventures, but the parameters I’ve set are often overlooked when I’m gone. I don’t want a demon to find you here. Not until we can start some long overdue combat training.”

I snuck in another kiss with a smile. “Awesome. I badly need it.”

“Yes. I am aware.” He gave me another kiss before parting. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Just an hour, okay? I’m trusting you.”

He really should’ve known better than to trust a bookworm in a library.



Two hours later, I sat at the edge of the lounger, ready to close the book and walk upstairs. A small pile of volumes sat at my feet, one for every mood. One of them was about frogs. Frogs. But it was colorful and eye-catching, and I’d leafed through it and decided I wanted to know more. I had two books for heavy reading, plus one adventure story I was reading at a lightning pace because it was so good. There was also a picture book for children about shifters in my pile. I figured that would help me learn about my people, about myself, and then I could go on a deeper research mission.

I finished a paragraph, and then decided I’d just as soon finish the chapter before I closed it and went upstairs. I would’ve gone up sooner, but the lounge was so comfortable, the library so beautiful, and the little reading nook was nice and cozy. I had every reason to believe it would become my favorite place in all the world very, very soon.

Voices bled through the images dancing in my head. I ignored them, flipping a page. They got louder, and then a woman laughed in a seductive way.

I turned my head a little to maybe look and see what was happening, but the villain had a knife to the hero’s throat, and it just wasn’t a great time to clue into reality.