Page 110 of Beneath a Shattered Sky
I don’t think she understands how deep that truth is. Several millennia of boring living tends to strip away the significance of almost anything besides the basic needs—fucking and killing.
Now, I want to fuck her and kill her enemies.
The little lines bracketing her tempting lips ease slightly. “And this… is why you haven’t taken me since my fever?”
Oops, she noticed. She wasn’t supposed to notice! I glance to the others again, waiting for one of them to interrupt, to inject some good old-fashioned seelie sensibility into the conversation.
Alas, the nosy bastards choosenowto keep their heads down. Why couldn’t they do that when I wanted to take her on a date to Hangman’s Row?
Rose cocks her head to one side, those too-perceptive eyes seeing too much.
“You’re afraid,” she whispers.
Nope. Nope, nope, nope.
“That would be ludicrous.”
Jaro finally comes to my rescue a second time. “What do you remember from your fever?”
Ohhh, that blush is lethal. I use my grip on her hair to stop her from hiding her face, delighting in the way the colour stains her cheeks and darkens her eyes.
“Some of it is a bit of a blur,” she admits softly. “But not… not the start. Not everything.”
“Your fever loosens inhibitions.” Jaro quietly comes up behind her. “What you enjoyed then might not necessarily be what you prefer now. It also relaxes you, making your body receptive to harsher-than-usual treatment.”
“What he means to say, pet,” I murmur. “Is that, unless you want to be turned around and fucked hard against a tree in front of everyone here…”
“I’m not opposed.”
My jaw snaps shut. I’m pretty sure that the dullahan’s brain implodes.
Rose huffs out a little impatient sigh. “You all keep acting like I’m made of glass. Yes, I was a virgin before I met you, and yes, my fever did rush things a little, but you’ve yet to do anything I don’t like. I’m not going to break.” A gentle pause. “Although, I’ll admit, perhaps we can work up to sex in front of dozens of redcaps.” Another pause, followed by a tiny, derisive little scoff. “Then again, if we miraculously do manage to defeat Elatha… I’ll probably say yes.”
Jaro chooses that moment to choke on his own spit, and Bree’s wings rustle with concern.
“What?” Rose turns guileless eyes on them both. “I mean, once he’s dead, that’s it, right? If the Fomorians become our allies, surely there won’t be any huge battles for Lore to… enjoy me after? So he should have the chance…”
Oh. My hat sags.
She’s only agreeing because she thinks I’ll miss it if she doesn’t… That’s far from the enthusiasm I was hoping for.
“There are always more battles,” I reassure her. “The fae live too long for peace. And if there’s a lull… there’s always an opportune murder or a little friendly torture.”
Minor courts war with one another for territory all the time, and the other royals are content to let them, given that it keeps any of the lords getting too powerful and becoming a challenger. It’s a rather boring way to rule, in my humble opinion. Cressidick never agreed, though.
The autumn queen likes to watch the weak suffer whatever bloody demise Danu has chosen for them.
Leaning in close once more, I take a huge breath of Rose’s sweet floral scent and grin. “But if you want to celebrate your victory like that, pet, I’m more than happy to oblige.”
My lips rub up the soft, slender column of her neck, and her breath hitches in response.
I’ll admit, I was prepared to wait centuries, but now that she’s brought it up…
“And if you change your mind, that’s fine, too,” Jaro adds. “No one expects you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
Duh. Why does he always have to waste time stating the obvious? Maybe I should stab him to shut him up…
Nah. I’d have to let go of Rose for that.
