Page 63 of Queen Isabella

Except, she wasn’t about to violate their laws and actually start a war. Her people had done enough damage to the Vorto.

Oh god!

Isa had no clue how to process any of this, so she tugged Bellator’s head down and planted her lips on his. She’d wanted to do this since they survived the volcano. As she frantically kissed him, she soaked up the warmth, vanilla scent, and sheer strength of her big sweet teddy bear. He pushed up her wrap skirt and prodded at the entrance to her vagina. Isa didn’t care that she wasn’t exactly ready for the big guy. She needed him while she still had the chance. With a deep moan she sank down on Bellator’s thick cock, arching her hips so her clit grazed against his muscular abdomen.

“Isa,” he groaned into her mouth.

His strong hands clutched her ass, slowing her descent, so she only took him one throbbing inch at a time. She never imagined being stretched this way, feeling so full she might break. But that’s what her beautiful hive did, they filled her in more ways than one.

“I need you, Bellator,” she insisted, desperation threading her voice, needing all of him right now.

With a rumble, Bellator tugged her off his cock. She was disappointed until he flipped her onto her stomach and came down on her back.

“And I need you, my beautiful precious distraction.”

He clapped his hand over her mouth so her cries didn’t distract the others, then slammed his cock into her needy pussy, burying it to the hilt. She strained against him, loving the sweet agony of his possession as he pistoned in and out of her body. Isa orgasmed the instant Bellator slammed home, but the knots on his cock rubbing rapidly over her G-spot had her swiftly peaking again. Isa keened into Bellator’s palm as she detonated, but he didn’t tire, simply kept thrusting, driving her deeper into euphoria. She needed this—this feeling of oneness, since tomorrow it might all change.

Chapter 17

The Conlatus

Isabella

They left the hive before dawn to make it to the border in time. Her alphas hardly slept and were still healing, but insisted on carrying her the whole way down. She was currently Artifex’s burden. They claimed it was dark and she’d trip on the rocky path, but with three moons it wasn’t that dark. Her hive genuinely enjoyed carrying her. Isa had never been pampered so much in her life, probably not even as a baby. This morning, though, they’d hovered especially close. Isa gently caressed Artifex’s neck as she held onto him. She didn’t mind, she was feeling clingy, too.

The entourage broke through the trees at the base of the mountain and a stunning view instantly greeted them.

“Oh, that’s gorgeous,” Isa wistfully sighed as she admired the sun peeking over the horizon.

The sunrise was wondrous. Every shade of the rainbow was painted across the sky. There was something about it that seemed to whisper a secret, like when Phara watched the soaring birds and chose not to end his life. It was just a shame thatthe anxiety about the impending contest was overshadowing the monumental sight.

“It is.” Artifex squeezed her and smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

She smiled back at Artifex as she rubbed his shoulder. It probably wasn’t her greatest smile, either, but she gave it her best, or at least the best she could muster at the moment. Artifex’s somber mood was understandable. He had to be tired and worried; she certainly was. She dozed in stints last night, rousing each time her ‘cuddling’ partner changed. And each time, her men were still strategizing at the table. She wasn’t complaining, though, far from it. The sex had been intense, but the quiet aftermath would stick with her the longest. Bellator kissed her shoulder as they spooned, Phara purred as she lay curled in his arms, and Artifex stroked her hair while she dozed on his chest. The whole time, even as the men slept, they whispered words of affection. The poignant sweetness of it threatened to make her cry again. It all seemed too much like a goodbye and she felt helpless, utterly useless to do anything about it. At least with the missile she’d played her part.

Nope. Nope. Nope.Isa rubbed her eyes, forcing back her tears. The last thing she wanted was her men thinking she didn’t have faith in them by acting like they’d already lost. She would put on a happy face and her men would kick ass!

Isa looked past Bellator, who was protectively walking in the lead, and focused on the prairie. There was a yellow structure about fifty yards ahead.

“Is that where we’re going?” She shaded her eyes against the sun to get a better look.

“Aye,” Phara answered, his jaw stiffening.

He wasn’t the only one in their entourage whose demeanor changed at the sight of it, not that they’d been chipper on the trek here.

“And the Nemus aim to impress,” Artifex huffed, his voice tinged with disgust and a smidgeon of jealousy.

On closer inspection, the building was an awning, beautifully decorated with vegetation, resembling a trellis. The canopy was made of branches from a broad-leafed tree with lemony yellow foliage. Along the rafters and down the posts supporting the ceiling were vines covered in ruby red flowers. It was gorgeous…and obviously recently built by the Nemus, the reason Artifex was aggravated.

She was about to tell Artifex that given the time to prepare, he’d come up with something much nicer, but then she noticed the Nemus standing beneath the fancy awning. The Nemus looked like her hive except their skin was an entirely different color. They had camouflage-like spots, ranging from yellow to red. Just like yesterday when the Nemus snuck up on them in the woods, their coloring let them blend in with the flowered canopy.

Artifex paused about twenty yards away. “I need to put you down, if you are all right with that.”

She nodded and he set her on the ground. As Artifex joined Phara and Bellator up front, the legionnaires that made up their entourage protectively surrounded her. Invicta, Bellator’s second in command, nodded to her as he glued himself to her left side, while Militus flanked her right. She smiled appreciatively at the duo and rubbed their arms. She felt safe; nearly the entire hive had come to this competition. Although, it seemed the Nemus had brought their whole hive, too, so they were equally matched.

“We have come as promised to resolve our differences in theConlatus,” Phara addressed the Nemus as the trio approached the tent.

So it begins.Isa pulled in a deep bracing breath.

---