Page 205 of The Forbidden Dragon King
Daire’s eyes light up, however, before he passes me the mask of himself, while fixing the golden one of me over his own face. His bow lips remain revealed mockingly underneath. “How about tonight you play the villain, and I get to be the Shadow Dragon King? Will you call meboss?” He slinks closer, and I stiffen, clutching his mask tightly in my hand. He seductively whispers, “Kneel for me?”
“In your dreams.”
“You’re lucky that you don’t know what my dreams are.”
I can guess, at least, if he has the same nightmares as I do about the battles we’ve fought against each other.
There is a strange beauty to him in my mask, as he leans closer.
Mesmerized, I reach to touch the wooden face that is my face and yet isn’t. “I should make you always wear this, my Masked Fae. You could stand strong at my side in court as a masked adviser. A Shadow King, like me but not me. A symbol of my power. It would intimidate theother Council members. And this…” I tap the mask. “…would be a constant reminder that you serve me.”
“A fae never breaks a deal.” Daire’s eyes are piercing. “I’ll forever serve you.”
“But they are good at looking for loopholes.”
“You’re learning. Also, possessive.”
Freya reaches to grip my chin. She kisses me, unexpected and breathtaking.
When she draws back, I clutch my arms around her and allow myself to feel the joy of having my Omega in my arms after weeks of desperate yearning, weeks of near feral desperation.
My rut is almost here. It burns beneath my skin.
“I love you.” I kiss her temple. “I love you, my Omega.”
Freya’s pheromones settle around me, a balm to my own.
She takes my hand that is holding the mask of the Shadow Fae King who I conquered, destroyed, and dragged back in shackles as a pet. Then she pushes the mask up to my own face.
She kisses me again. “I love you too.”
I stare through the eyes of my mask at Daire, who is wearing my skin.
I shiver.
All of a sudden, the “The Night of the Shadows” music breaks out. Another tradition at the height of the carnival that I have only been able to watch from the windows of the palace every previous year.
Pipes, drums, and rattles rise in stirring music, whilesingers chant in a fevered pitch that leads the crowd to start to dance as one.
Freya and Daire both laugh and grab my hand.
I shake my head.
I don’t dance like this. It’s tempting the darkness inside me. My emotions are overspilling. I’m becoming fevered as well.
Sweat drips into my eyes.
But I’m Daire now. A fae.
Tonight, I’m going tofeel.
Feel and dance and fucking celebrate with my people.
“Come on.” Freya snatches Daire by the hand.
Then united, the three of us dance to the music.
It’s seeping into my bones and blood. I’m caught in its hold, Freya’s hazel eyes, and Daire’s firm wings.
