my hips, digging his thumbs into the bone as his budding erection brushed against my soft spot. His lips were rough and commanding, his hands strong as they dug into my skin, holding me tightly. Then he pulled back, breathing heavily. “Fuck, Blayde, why don’t you ever follow instructions?”
“Because I don’t want to.” I nipped his lips. “Besides, plans change sometimes. And don’t think that you kissing me is going to make me forget about saving the unicorn.”
“I wasn’t,” he growled out. “What I was trying to tell you before you interrupted me,” he paused, giving me a dark stare that made goosebumps break out across the back of my neck, “was that I can get you into that line. Enough that we’re past the guards anyways. Once we get to the front, you focus on getting the bracelet,” I opened my mouth to argue with him but he continued on, ignoring my next interruption, “and I’ll focus on saving the unicorn.”
I stared at him for a moment, my mouth hanging open as his words washed over me.
He gave me an amused look. “Is that okay with you, Mark Bearer?”
I snapped my mouth shut. “Don’t call me that.”
He grinned, leaning down to murmur against my lips. “I’ll call you what I please, little Mark Bearer.”
I started to argue with him but he brushed past me, a grin still curling up one side of his lips in a half smile. Gripping my hand, he pulled me out from the behind the bushes, and he strode confidently down towards the courtyard. We passed by the mass of demons still prostrated before the Queen, then towards the line of the heartless demons waiting for a cup of the unicorn blood.
Bodies shifted as we passed, eyes moving up to follow me down the path. They’d held a slight interest in me before when I was with Nix but they’d mostly seen me as eye candy on his arm. Now that I was with Rhys, who I assumed wasn’t usually seen courting around women, plus the fact that I was with both men, now had their interest really peaked.
I felt brushes of power as the demons surrounding us tried to use their magic against me. Just as before, I knew some wanted to see beyond my glamour. I flicked my own magic out, counteracting their spells so that not only would they be unable to see beyond my glamour but also any other protective measures I felt necessary.
I trusted these demons as much as I trusted Tuddle with a new fish. I’d be gone in a second if I let them get their magic on me.
Rhys didn’t go to the back of the line. No, he marched straight up to the front of the line, and nerves made my palms sweaty as we passed the long row of elite-born demons, all staring at us. When we reached the front, he pushed the demon at the front of the line with red skin and long, black horns out of the way. I gasped and Rhys gave me a firm look so I straightened, sticking my nose up in the air like Holley the Bitch used to do in high school. To my surprise, the demon didn’t get angry or push Rhys back. Instead, he stumbled backwards in submissiveness, bowing his head towards Rhys. “Excuse me, my lord. I didn’t mean to get in your way.”
I bit my tongue to keep from showing the shock on my face and Rhys didn’t bother to answer him. Instead, he turned to face Queen Zara and, still holding my hand, pulled me down to the ground, just as everyone had done. I quickly fell to my knees, prostrating before her.
“My Queen,” Rhys breathed out, a reverent tone to his voice, muffled by his face pressed to the stones, and I mirrored exactly what he did. The courtyard was deathly silent as everyone waited with bated breath for her reaction.
The pavers under my face were cold and hard but it was nothing compared to the absolute icy sensation coming from the woman staring down at us. Anxiety made my stomach clench, filling my chest and causing panic to choke up my throat, making it hard to breathe. For a moment, I had the insane idea to jump up, grab that flaming sword she’d used earlier, and stab her in the face with it.
I squeezed my eyes shut, tampering down on the crazy going on inside my head. You’ll end up dead,