Page 13 of Vengeance and Fire

“Not so high and mighty now, are we?” he tsks, looking at me like he’s won some grand prize. My magic climbs up inside of me as my anger rises at the sight of him. He is the cause of so much pain. The pain of his own flesh and blood. My thoughts turn to Dravyn and the haunted look on his face after years and years of torment. His own son. Then, I think of Thana’s mates. His oppression of women. His attempted destruction of his own people. Sick, twisted, and power hungry.

He reaches his hand out to grab my arm and I let the full force of my power explode out of me. I may not be able to kill Maurelle, I hate to admit that she’s stronger, but if I can take another player off the board, another person standing in my daughter’s and Cordelia’s way, then I will. Thaddeus screams as I whisper one word, “Contundito!”With only one intention. To kill. My open hand hits the middle of his chest, while the other closes in a tight fist. I can hear the crack of his sternum as he goes flying through the air. His bloodcurdling screams follow his ascent, and I watch in almost slow motion as his body flies over the crowd. His Barons break rank and all run after their leader. I don’t know where he will land, but I know what I’ve just done to him, and he’s as good as gone.

“You FOOL!” Maurelle screams. I don’t reply. I raise my outstretched arms out to the side in welcome as a blast of bright white light barrels towards me.

“It means that we prepare to die, Maddox. It means we prepare to die.”Thana’s last words are all I hear as the world goes black.

CHAPTEREIGHT

CORDELIA

How long have I been a queen? I’ve lost count of the days, hours, minutes, and everything else that marks the passage of time. My body is on automatic pilot as I try to learn the ins and outs of the role that has made my reality of being queen all consuming.

I play with the delicate chain around my wrist, not the first time in the past few days where I wanted to say fuck it all and seek the comfort and conversation of my mother. I wonder what she is up to. We haven’t received any news from Celestia since Torin reached out to Maddox, letting them both know that Dravyn and I are both alive and as well as we could be. My intuition never steers me wrong. Their silence means something, I know it. I hope that whatever it is, they will reach out soon and hope they are OK.

Maybe this is what Twyla meant when she said things would be different when we were Realms apart. To be honest, even with the worrying feeling in the back on my mind, my duties as queen has superseded it all. From the moment I landed on the steps of the palace, it’s been nothing but decisions to be made and tasks to be done. I am determined to make as much as I can right for my people. If it is within my power to make their lives better, then I am going to do that.

For the past two days I’ve barely thought about anything but my plans to restore theBarren Lands, and to make the palace ready for its new residents. I can’t live in something so big and lavish when there are women and children literally living on a volcano. How anyone could decide to leave even prisoners there was inhumane in my opinion. I am sure whatever queen passed the law had her reasons, but it is time for change. I am the change.

I’ve kept myself busy, and thanks to Gale’s mother giving me a lecture on delegating, I finally relented and split the tasks between us.I need to be prepared;I keep playing it on a loop in my mind. It’s my new mantra, because I will be damned if I am caught by surprise ever again. I can’t think about Maurelle. I don’t want to think about what her next steps could be or what fresh horrors she will conjure up for some unsuspecting persons.What if she goes toEarth? What if she approaches the Shifters before I can get a chance? Contemplating these matters, I barely hear my name being called.Looking up I barely miss the swing of the sword as I duck out of the way, tripping over my feet and falling on my ass. Well, this is going great.

“Cordelia, you can’t check out like that,” Adrian says from the sidelines as Gale stands above me, his chest is bare and his muscles flex as he holds out his hand for me to take. I shield my eyes from the sun as I watch the sweat roll down his skin.

“Where did you go just now?” Gale quirks an eyebrow at me knowingly as I continue my perusal of his body. Well, I think my libido is definitely back and in full swing. Hello fluttering pussy lips. Shaking myself out of my thoughts I focus on the sword in my hands, it seems to ground me a bit and help me find my center.

“I got distracted, I started thinking about time, then Twyla and Maddox.” I sigh. “Shall I continue down the rabbit hole that are my thoughts, worries, and stresses? There is a lot going on up here.” I point to my head, feeling a bit foolish that I had been caught basically daydreaming in the middle of the training field behind the palace. I place my hand in his, his strong fingers grip my own as he hauls me to my feet until my body is flush with his. One side of my sword is flat against Gale’s smooth light brown skin and is crushed between us. Gale’s sword is pressed against my ass, his other arm wraps around me tight. The metal digs into my flesh, sending a titillating thrill of excitement through me. Well, I didn’t think I was into knife play but maybe—

“Hey, both of you need to focus!” Adrian shouts again. Gale clears his throat and steps away from me, but my eyes instantly track the bulge in his pants, the flare of his nostrils and the dilation of his lust filled eyes.Focus, Cordelia,I tell myself, definitely putting a pin in that to return to later.

“Remember that you asked for this, baby. If this is too much—”

“It’s fine, Adrian. I have a lot on my mind, I got lost in my thoughts,” I say raising my hand and brushing it off with a huff and an eye roll.

“Do you think your enemies will care?” Adrian approaches me slowly and I know my blasé attitude has pissed him off. My angry mate has fire in his eyes, and I am sorry, not sorry, to have upset him.

“Oh, my enemies would love for me to be nice and distracted,” I snap back. “I get it Adrian!” I throw my hands up in frustration because I know he’s right. Again, I don’t know where the aggravation is coming from, but maybe I need the distraction of a fight; anything other than the thoughts that are wearing me down.

“You want to learn to fight, then learn how to fight. Cordelia, you need to focus. When you are out here with that sword in your hands, that needs to be your priority,” Adrian is growling by the time he finishes what he’s saying and gets into my face. He’s concerned, angry, and frustrated, but I know it’s not all directed at me.

“He’s not wrong, gorgeous. I would never, ever, hurt you, but that could have easily been an unavoidable accident,” Gale says, as he leans against a large steel framed structure that I am sure was made for Dragons to train with. His sword tucked under his arm, arms crossed over his chest, and looking so fucking cocksure that my frustration gets the better of me.

“Fine. Maybe I’ll rely on my magic instead. At least I can work on that alone. Forgive me for feeling like I have the weight of a thousand-pound elephant on my shoulders. Yes, I got distracted. I am worried. I want to do what everyone expects me to do. I don’t want to let these people, no, my people, down. I don’t need to be preached to about life and death. I’ve seen enough of that lately.” I turn and walk away from them both and toss the sword on the ground. It makes a clanging sound as it settles. The silence that follows, I should turn and apologize, I know it, but I can be stubborn sometimes.

“Cordelia Drake, stop!” Adrian shouts after me. I stop. I can’t turn around because I am sure they are both angry that I attempted to storm off. I don’t turn around because I want to—

“If you need to be fucked, say so.” Adrian’s voice is a seductive purr, and I instantly squeeze my legs together, trying to fight my own horny ass body. I don’t respond to him at first. I’m too shocked by what he has said and how he said it. I take a deep breath, blowing it out loud, trying to compose myself. My face heats up, and it’s not because it’s hot outside. I scoff, putting my hands on my hips.

“I don’t want to be—”

“If you need to work off some steam in a different way, I will gladly oblige.” Gale lays his sword down on the ground, and saunters over slowly. Abs on display, a sexy ass smirk on his face, and the pièce de résistance of that goddamn dimple has me wiping the corner of my mouth. There may have been a bit of drool when I move my hand away. They both approach me. I hold my hands up in surrender, and back away from their hungry predatorial gazes.

“I thought I told you to stop, beautiful.” Adrian reaches me first, grabbing my arms he yanks me forward. I don’t get a chance to protest as we collide and his lips slam into mine, swallowing my words. The kiss is punishing, deep and penetrating, like he is sucking my heart and soul from my body. I sigh, and I feel myself relax, the intensity of the kiss sends delicious flutters deep down in my belly.

“Do you like the way Adrian devours your mouth, gorgeous? I think you like us being rough with you. You like it when we claim you over and over again, don’t you?” Gale asks as he sandwiches me between him and Adrian, his hard cock grinds into my ass as he grazes my bare shoulder with his teeth.

“Gorgeous, I’m not talking to hear myself speak, answer the question.” Gale slaps my ass hard, causing me to pull away from Adrian. His eyes are wild, pupils blown, cock hard, and eagerly seeking out my soaking wet pussy. Well, I destroyed these yoga pants.

“Yes!” I shout, already breathing hard. My lips are tingling from the loss of Adrian’s lips on mine.

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