Page 27 of Kiss the Filthiest King

“Was I supposed to hide it?”

She shakes her head, turning to the girl, but she’s already left the bed, lifted her pants and run for it. “Rachel!”

“So, that was her name,” I muse, tilting my head.

“I can’t believe you did that.”

“I can sadly believe you’d leave her in a position where anyone could. You’re that reckless.”

Darina moves to go after the mortal, but I grab her wrist. “Oh, I don’t think so. I’m not even nearly done with you yet.”

13

BEFORE THE STORM

Darina

I could be furious, and I suppose a part of me is, but it’s not nearly as much as logic dictates.

In truth? Ryther was making a point that both Rachel and I needed to see, hear, experience firsthand. I’ve had my first taste of Ilvaris at Junis’s hand. I thought I knew how this game worked; I thought warning Rachel never to thank anyone would be enough. But he’s shown us both he—and his kind—don’t need permission to take what they want from a mortal. His voice went deep and delicious and overwhelming. To me, it was just hot; but I saw Rachel’s eyes go glassy, unfocused, and then she obeyed.

My sister could have fallen headfirst into the next Junis. In a way, she did. She’ll likely always remember this moment as a nightmare.

I know better.

Junisbeatme. He forced me to take his cock in my mouth, fucking my throat until I couldn’t breathe and beat me some more. Ryther was thoroughly uninterested in touching Rachel. He barely even looked at her. It was only a warning; one I wish I’d been given.

Now, I know she’s in even more danger than I would have thought, and she’s seen a glimpse of what this world can be like. He’s right, I should send her away—or at the very least, take measures to protect her, if there are some to take.

I want to go to her, hug her, reassure her, tell her all will be well, but Ryther doesn’t even let me get off the bed, pinning me back down again, and then his cock is pushing right back home.

I don’t try very hard to get away after that.

He feels so good, fucking me deeper, harder than ever before, making my core, my very essence tremble with need. And being fucked into madness like this does something else, undoing the tight knot of fury that has clogged my mind since I awoke. Smothering it. It’s not gone, but it’s out of air, calm for a time.

And in truth? I know my sister. Rachel needs a minute. I would in her shoes, too. When she’s done having a good cry in a dark room, she’ll want to shout at me, tell me Ryther is a monster, and I’ll have to do my best not to tell her that while that may be true, he was doing her a favor by opening her eyes. No amount of warnings would have worked as much as showing her what this world is like. How mortals are treated here.

She’s going to hate Ryther, for sure. But, well…the chances are, she was always going to in any case. Now at least she has a reason.

Ryther’s less violent this time around, either because he, too, is calmer, or because we’re no longer fighting over Rachel. He lets go of my throat and kisses it. I run my hands over his shoulders, and only dig my nails into his skin a bit. I come while looking into those endless, gorgeous eyes, and finding part of myself in their depths, and he floods my Insides all over again. We’re both filthy and panting, and honestly? Already up for more.

“I am considerably less furious,” I admit between heavy breaths.

He snorts derisively, letting his frame falls right on top of me. “Likewise. But the anger was concerning nonetheless.” Ryther runs his finger, now soft, to the sensitive skin of my neck. “As are these.”

I shrug. “I’m fine. You’d be surprised how many people like a little choking.”

Apparently, I’m one of them.

He’s right though. I was justsofurious at him for his monstrous betrayal, and yet…Ryther has never once betrayed me. He’s been on my side from the moment he grabbed me from the floor where Valdred was about to shove his cock into me until now.

These weren’tmyfeelings at all, but they threatened to consume me. I would have attacked. Iwantedto.

“The good news is, we apparently know how to deal with it.”

In one smooth movement, he’s rolled himself back up on top of me and slid my leg over his shoulder.

Yes.

---