Kingdom of the Feared (Kingdom of the Wicked, #3)(58)

“This gown might be one of the hexed objects we haven’t located yet.” His mouth kicked up at the edges. “It’s certainly got me spellbound. Though I think it’s just you, my lady.”

I glanced at my dress, fighting a grin. I adored when Wrath flirted with me. It was a welcome distraction, a bit of light to balance the dark.

A sharp knock drew our attention. Any hint of sensuality or lightheartedness vanished from Wrath’s face. In its place was the hard, unforgiving mask of the strongest prince of Hell. Here was the demon whose power was so overwhelming it altered the entire realm. “Enter.”

An older demon hurried in and bowed respectfully low. He wore a suit that reminded me of butlers in my favorite romance novels. “The emissary’s party just left the stables, your majesty.”

“Alert Anir and the others. I want them here now.” Wrath held his arm out to me, so formal and full of manners. “Come, my lady. Let’s prepare ourselves for our guests.”

“Unwelcome though they may be.”

“Indeed.” Wrath’s grin was wolfish.

I placed my hand in the crook of his arm, and we made our way to the thrones. Even feeling safe in our own House of Sin, nerves still had my pulse pounding. An unfortunate thing considering who we were about to entertain.

Wrath helped me up the stairs, then brought his lips to the shell of my ear, his warm breath causing a delightful shiver to dance along my spine. “Breathe. Or the emissary will walk in on me doing everything in my power to get your heart pounding for more pleasant reasons.”

To follow his seductive statement with action, he kissed the pulse point at my throat, his tongue flicking over it lightly as he scraped his teeth against my skin. His hands… those cursed, incredible things, drifted along the swell of my breasts, down my silhouette until he playfully squeezed my bottom, promising to do exactly what he’d said.

I abruptly sat on my throne, earning a deep chuckle from Wrath. I was well and truly distracted as I fought the temptation to have him kneel before me, his head between my thighs, as the vampire entered our domain and the demon’s tongue entered me.

Wrath’s eyes flared—he’d sensed my arousal and likely felt the emotions I was struggling with. Goddess curse him for being so impossible to resist; this was not the time to be thinking of a tryst. Or submitting to desire.

I gave him a slight shake of my head. “Behave. The emissary will arrive soon.”

“I have no idea what you mean, my lady.” The look he gave me was a mixture of pure male smugness and feigned innocence. “I’m simply admiring my fierce wife.”

He sat on his throne and once again adopted that icy demeanor. I wouldn’t wish to be on the receiving end of that look. It promised unending cruelty. Anir and Fauna entered the chamber, followed by several other demons I didn’t recognize, all wearing their finery.

Most demons—both male and female—often stood with confidence, but something about the way these courtiers moved made me think they weren’t simply lords and ladies of House Wrath. I’d wager anything these were soldiers.

I gave my husband a sideways look. He was prepared to fight. I was unsure if it was simply a precaution or if it was an offensive move. There hadn’t been much time for us to get ready, and he’d left the bedchamber to meet with Anir and his top soldiers before I’d finished getting dressed. I had no clue what his scheme was, but I was certain he had one.

Wrath caught my eye and flashed a quick, devious grin. “Always have an arrow nocked and ready to fire if you invite an enemy in.”

“Perhaps I can help with the fire portion.” I summoned burning flowers and allowed them to hover over the dais. The heat from the fire quickly turned sweltering.

A few of the soldiers tensed but held their ground. Unbidden, I recalled what Fauna said when I’d first met her—about how some soldiers had laughed when one high-ranking officer wished to remove my still-beating heart and serve it to them. My fury slowly burned away other emotions as I turned my attention on the demons in the room. It was not a conscious choice to submit to my wrath, but I didn’t fight it immediately, either. Were any of those demons who wished to harm me present now?

One thought and I could destroy them all. Send them screaming as their flesh melted from their bones. I could exact vengeance on them all and—

A soft, feminine laugh broke the spell. I let my magic go and blinked at our guests. I hadn’t heard them announced, and I struggled to catch my breath without being obvious.

“Blade.” Wrath seemed unimpressed as he addressed the emissary, purchasing me precious seconds to regain my senses. I wished I could lean over and kiss him, but I settled my attention on the two figures approaching us, adopting a look of cool boredom I’d seen Envy use.

Blade, a striking vampire—with chiseled features and tousled chestnut hair—quickly raked his gaze over me, pausing on the necklace with lethal berries, before turning his attention on Wrath, his expression impossible to decipher. His eyes were a deep crimson bordering on black framed with a thick fringe of lashes. He looked like trouble. But more in a defiant rebel way, not the subtle danger Wrath possessed when he chose to become someone’s problem.

I barely spared Blade a second glance as I took in his companion, the female who’d laughed. She looked like a warrior queen, though I didn’t see any weapons strapped to her. Which meant she was a weapon more deadly than any steel blade she could carry.