witches. She loved every second of it. No doubt putting on a show for her husband lying in the next room. Everything is a game to my queen and she is the fucking best at it.
She returns with a black felt cloth, obviously wrapped around something heavy as she struggles before laying it on the bottom of the bed. Sitting up slowly, I let the sheet pool at my hips and her eyes dart down and she licks her lips, the image sending a bolt of disgust through me, making me scrunch up my nose even as I lean forward and open the present. I learned the hard way what turning my nose up at her would do.
Inside are two beautiful dadao swords. The pummels gold with threads tied around, my ancestors’ symbols painted there. The steel is strong and sure, and when I run my finger down one of the edges it cuts through my skin like butter, something no weapon should be able to do.
“Do you like them? I got them from one of your kind. He didn't want to part with them, called them heirlooms of his forgotten people, but he had no choice.” She claps like it's the greatest thing in the world that she just told me about the slaughter of one of my kind, like that was a gift to me. I nod in agreement, I learned to just agree, even as the control chafes against me. “You are supposed to say ‘yes, my queen.’ Now, kiss me in thanks. Show me exactly how gratefully you are for your presents,” she orders, her chest already rising and falling faster in desire as her lips part on a pant. Dropping the sword carefully, I wrap them back up before sitting up on my knees, the sheet leaving me completely bare as I move before her, grab her hair, and pull it tight. The pain makes her eyes widen as a needy moan slips out. Oh yes, my queen likes my hate and punishment. She drinks it up and tonight, I am going to show her exactly how fucking much I hate her. How her touch makes my skin crawl even as her magic forced me to do her bidding.
These swords have stood with me through it all. Through the rise and fall of kingdoms, through the slaughter of my people. They have tasted blood throughout the centuries, my queen’s, my enemies’, innocents’. All in the name of staying alive, and they will taste it yet again if anyone touches what is mine. I fought like a beast when it was ordered—imagine what I will do when it comes to something I love.
First light hits the road behind me as I leave civilisation once again and head into the trees. The vision of my mate, Dawn, has only made me more determined than ever to find her. Her beauty was without compare, but it was the spirit, the determination in her gaze as she held mine that keeps running through my head. Even as a child, people bowed their eyes to me. I have a feeling she never will, and the thought excites me and challenges my dragon. He wants to know what it would take for her to kneel at my feet. I want to kneel at hers. Partners. Equals.
That is what we will be, when I find her at least. I can almost feel the danger closing in, circling her. Drawn to her like I am. Her strength, her unique tasting power, calling to us all until we are with her. Until they eat her up and destroy her. Not that I will ever let them, they will never touch her again. She has been hurt too much for any one lifetime.
My fists clench when I recall what she told me of her life, but I know it hasn't broken her. In fact, it only seems to have made her stronger.
Walking through the trees, I let nature soothe me until I step out onto the hill. The sun chasing me at my back and warming my skin, but never touching the darkness that is a pit inside me. Where the souls of the lost and the damned reside.
I wonder what her soul would taste like, would she give it all to me? Would she stare into the darkness in my heart and accept it? I hope so, because I am not giving her any other choice.
Letting the change run through me, the pain pulls