Page 65 of His Stolen Queen
I swallowed hard, recalling that moment in my life. It was a happy day; I wasn't going to deny that. But it was also sullied with sadness.
"The night before…before…I dreamed of you. I woke up in the middle of the night sobbing and completely inconsolable. I felt such deep sorrow, such profound loss. I remember the memory now, of what I dreamed. I was so happy to see you, as I always was."
I lifted my hand to stroke his cheek as my mind took me back to that poignant moment. "But you were sad. You told me it was too late…and then everything around me collapsed. Your Kingdom, it all turned to dust. You walked away, and I was unable to follow you. And that was the last dream I had of you."
Until recently, when they started up again.
"That is exactly what I felt. Once the smog of fury passed, I recalled how you felt in my vision. You were sad and lonely. Confused and conflicted. I knew then that you did not wish to bemarried, not really. You did not understand it, but you missed me. You needed me."
"Yes," I whispered, my heart twisting painfully. "I did."
"Who am I?"
"Acheron…"
He slid his hand into my hair, tightening the strands in his fist.
"Who. Am. I?"
My breath stilled, eyes shimmering. "You are Acheron. My mate. My King."
Chapter 26
Alice
In the blink of an eye, Acheron had me back in our rooms. My skin felt flushed against the cool satin sheets as I surveyed Acheron with nervous anticipation.
We had not been sharing a room since I arrived here. Acheron rarely required sleep, although I recalled in my visions that he usually lounged with me if I was tired. But he hadn't come near me at night when I slept, and it had nothing to do with his sleep patterns. The temptation to seduce me was too strong for him. I felt it every time his nostrils flared and his eyes darkened. His fists would curl inwards, and he'd mutter a string of curse words before storming away, looking to blow off steam of the violent kind.
And, truthfully, it was becoming harder and harder to resist him. One crook of his long finger would have me whimpering in need. And one flash of his naked torso, like he was giving to me now, would have me yanking down my panties and throwing all my morals out the window.
I licked my lips as his shirt was hastily shoved off his shoulders. My mouth watered as my gaze trailed down the expanse of smooth, golden skin. Ripped, taut flesh and perfect-looking muscles. He was the definition of a literal Greek god.
My lascivious thoughts were still on his divine abs and biceps that I completely missed him shoving down his trousers. It wasn't until his sizable erection bobbed into view that I sucked in my breath.
"Acheron!" I gasped like an outraged little Victorian lady. Red climbed my chest and cheeks as I tried but failed not to stare at his large cock. It was magnificent. It stood tall and proud, and…huge. Oh, dear god, it was huge.
Instead of feeling apprehensive, a small pool of wetness gathered on my panties, and my groin tingled with need.
"You'll learn soon enough that nudity is not something to be ashamed of here."
I lifted a brow and recalled that, in my visions, he was highly protective of my body parts. Even though I never encountered another being in those dreams, I still remembered how Acheron growled every time I asked him whether we could fuck in the courtyard. Or in the fields.
"No one is allowed to see your pleasure but me."
I opened my mouth to argue but then he reached out and clasped my ankle, pulling me closer with a yelp. One minute I was wearing a simple yellow-and-white sundress, and the next I was completely nude—the flimsy material carelessly ripped off me and tossed aside.
Long fingers traveled up my calf muscles, and I hissed as I felt something sharp. Nails. His normally blunt fingernails had extended, the tips curved inwards to form sharp claws. A tiny smear of blood formed from the small scrape he had drawn. It was deliberately done, and I knew he didn't have to press toohard to do some serious damage to human flesh; so I knew it took restraint for him to gentle his movements.
With my chest heaving and his black eyes never leaving mine, I watched him bend his dark head and slowly lick up my blood. I moaned as his tongue followed the long drip from the end to the source of the wound. He laved at the small graze, his moans of pleasure vibrating through my body.
I could feel that tongue deep in my core, and my own answering moans were ripped from my throat. My head fell back in pleasure as I felt those licks as if they were directly on my clit.
God, if this was what it felt like from him just licking my calf, then I couldn't wait until I felt it directly on my pussy.
"It will feel a hundred times more intense," he growled, his voice distorted.
I glanced up at him through glazed eyes. His face swam in front of me before my pleasure-induced gaze focused on his features. His eyes were still black, but a small ridge had formed above his brows, altering his appearance. The rim around his pupils was tinged with red, and I knew that redness would spread the more blood he drank.
