I swallowed my fear, forcing myself to remain steady. Lannan had the bite to back up his actions, and he was all about humiliating others.
With breathless lips close to mine, he slid his hand from my chin down my throat, his fingers trailing around the side of my neck, making me shiver despite myself.
"Cicely, listen to me," he whispered. "You do not belong to Geoffrey. You will never belong to Geoffrey, even if I have to kill you and turn you myself, so don't bother considering his offer. If I find out he's touched you, I'll drain you dry. You're my toy, and I don't share my favorites."
I thought of protesting but stopped. I'd seen this side of Lannan, and I knew what he was capable of when he flew into a rage.
His lips almost on mine, he said, "And Lainule is right. Forget your Fae Prince. You've lost him. Join my stable. While Regina is my Queen, you will be the first among my bloodwhores."
"I am no bloodwhore." I didn't try to break free—that would spur him on—but slowly, I tried to ease my head away.
But Lannan had other ideas. His arm was suddenly around my waist and his lips were on mine. I could feel him rigid and hard against me. He slid his tongue inside my mouth.
A warm sensation began to rise through my body as the euphoria of his kiss filtered through every cell. I realized that I had melted; I was pressing against him, wet and warm and aching for release. Furious, I pulled back, pushed his mouth away from mine.
Lannan arched his eyebrows. Grabbing my wrist, he twisted until I was gritting my teeth. "Don't ever push me away again, girl. Not if you value what life you have left." Once again, he fastened his lips on mine and ravished me with his tongue, his hands gripping my butt, wandering over my body, stirring heat. I let out a moan, angry and fearful, as my hunger for him grew.
As he broke away, holding me by the back of the head, forcing me to look him in the eye, my cheeks grew hot as I tried to stanch the tears aching to flow.
"Damn you . . . damn you. I hate you. I hate your touch and your icy hands. If I could, I'd stake you right here." I knew I was playing on dangerous ground, but I couldn't help it.
But Lannan merely laughed. "I like it when you resist. I want you even more when you try to squirm away. It thrills me to know you've creamed your panties when you don't want to come. Anticipation is so good for the soul. I promise you this, Cicely: Next bloodletting, I'm going to fuck you so hard and long with my fangs that you'll beg for my cock. I'm going to have you down on your knees begging me to ream your wet little pussy."
And then, he shoved me back. I stumbled against the sofa as he turned away. "You can go now. Sleep well, and have sweet dreams, my pet."
I ran out of the house to find Rhia and Leo waiting for me. They took one look at my face and led me back to the car where Leo climbed behind the wheel. Rhia held me in the backseat as I cried all the way back home.
Chapter 3
I was standing in the pale light of twilight, at the edge of the Golden Wood, naked, but I couldn't seem to feel the cold. I ran my fingers lightly over my wolf, closing my eyes. The tattoo was complex: a vine that wound itself up my left thigh, then crossed my lower stomach, ending near my ribs beneath my right arm. Silver roses and violet skulls dappled the vine, and right above my navel, a wolf gazed into the world through brilliant emerald eyes. Grieve . . . my wolf was connected to Grieve, and through it, I could feel my Fae Prince, when he was hurting or angry.
"Where are you? What are you thinking? Are you missing me?" I whispered, closing my eyes. I didn't consciously send the message down the slipstream, but the words swept out of my mouth and caught themselves lightly on a hook of wind, gusting along the currents of air playing past me.
As I slowly brought my left hand up, my fingers lightly brushing my breast, I caught my breath. And then, I felt hands on me and gasped, but as my eyes flew open, it was not Lannan touching me—but my perilous Grieve.
His gleaming black eyes sparkled with stars, stark against the platinum shag that fell to his shoulders. He gazed into my soul, the scents of cinnamon and freshly turned earth enveloping him. His white kimono with delicate indigo patterns embroidered on the silken material rustled as he touched me.
"Grieve, is it really you?" I whispered, pressing against him.
He said nothing but pulled me in, his lips touching my own. I breathed in his scent, reveling in the feeling of being in his arms again, wanting to stay here forever. Grieve, regardless of his nature, was my other half—my soul mate. My love. He murmured softly as he fisted my hair and slid his hands over my body.
"Cicely." His voice was sultry and I melted into his embrace. "My own Cicely." One hand rose to stroke my breast and I bared my neck, aching for the needle-sharp sting of his teeth. It was so different than when Lannan bit me—this I enjoyed, reveled in.
As he lowered his lips to my neck and gently slid through the flesh, I gasped again, sliding into the dream-filled ecstasy that his bloodletting brought to me. My body raced with heat, the blood pumping through my veins as he gently licked it from the wound on my throat. He circled my waist with his left hand as his right slid down, across my stomach to between my thighs.
My wolf whimpered and I let out a long sob as he gently circled my clit with a feather-light touch, claiming me as he stoked my fires. All thoughts of Lannan and his perverted whims faded into the background, becoming white noise, as my hands sought out Grieve's chest and I slid down that olive skin. Grieve claimed me with his kiss, stoking my fires, sliding between my legs to carry me away from fear and pain. Another few inches and I held Grieve in hand, his rigid desire throbbing against my palm. He slid both hands under my butt and lifted me up, pressing me back against a mossy tree as he thrust himself inside me, so deep that he touched my core.
The moss on the tree itched against my back, but it protected me from the bark as Grieve drove himself into me. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he freed one hand to stroke me again, his flesh soft and warm and living against me.
"I missed you so much," I whispered. "I love you so much."
"I miss you, too. I can't stand that Myst holds my chain. Every time she demands my attendance, I want to attack her, to destroy her, but I can't. She is too powerful. I don't even think the gods themselves can strike her down."
"Myst can't have you—you're mine. We belong together. We've always belonged together. I won't lose you again."
"I'll never give in, never give her the satisfaction of thinking she can let down her guard near me. You're mine, Cicely Waters . . . I will be with you forever, or die in the attempt."
And then, a gust of wind swept past, chilling me to the bone.