LOGINThe order spread with delay, as if it needed to cross an invisible resistance before being accepted. One by one, the barrels of the weapons began to lower. Some soldiers exchanged quick glances before obeying, others simply gave in, as if that were the only possible way out within a scene that had already slipped out of control.
Behind me, the murmur returned. It was not full relief. Not yet. It was the beginning of it, mixed with the fear that everything could change again at any seco
Melany didn’t belong in that place. She didn’t belong to me, no matter how much Ravok disagreed. The longer she remained in Verisure or Atheon, the more dangerous everything would become—especially for her. Because all the danger my enemies could pose was a risk, but the danger I posed was even greater. I was a beast.A demon.I released a quiet breath, irritated with myself, and looked away from the reflection in the glass. After three hundred years, I was worried about what Sorvane might do to a woman. Outside, the wind struck the penthouse windows, strong enough to make the distant lights flicker for an instant.Behind me, Melany moved in her sleep. A small movement, but enough to make me look back immediately.My mind suddenly became heavy.A violent pressure appeared behind my eyes as though something were trying to break through my skull from within, squeezing nerves, bones, thoughts. The glass partially slipped from my hand before I caught it again, my fingers closing far too
I pressed my thighs together because his arousal mirrored mine. The more he lost himself in his own pleasure, the more I felt myself throb between my legs.His eyes were fixed on me, watching half of his cock disappear inside my mouth. I could even say that I was ready to feel him come on my tongue. Meanwhile, the water continued splashing over us, and the steam made our vision increasingly impaired.The heat of the steam seemed to fuse our bodies together within that dense mist, transforming the bathroom into a private universe where only the sound of the water and the rhythm of his breathing existed. The tension in Ravok’s body was palpable; I could feel his cock vibrating against my tongue.My hands didn’t stop, alternating between firm strokes and the possessive grip he desired so much. Every time I took him completely, the sound escaping his throat became rawer, more unguarded. He was no longer the man in control. He was someone surrendered to the sensation I dictated.I tilted m
Even so, my hands obeyed no limits. I slid my fingers over his chest, feeling the firm texture beneath his heated skin, following the path of the water running in uneven streams, warm against my fingers. The damp scent of the steam blended with his, making the air heavy to breathe.My skin prickled when I felt every subtle contraction beneath my touch, as though my contact awakened something that expanded beyond the surface. He smiled—slowly, almost imperceptibly—before taking hold of my hands. His fingers wrapped firmly around mine, pressing them against his own body and deliberately maintaining the contact. His heat contrasted with the water that insisted on falling between us, and the sound of the splashing intensified.“Is there something here you want?” His tone suddenly became rough.I stepped closer until our bodies touched again. And when his cock touched my stomach, his hands loosened. The way his eyes seemed black rather than green aroused me. I was responsible for that reac
Valassan held my gaze for a few seconds after that in silence, as though he were evaluating something he had not yet completely decided. Around us, the square continued filling as the sun disappeared behind Atheon’s walls. Lanterns began to be lit one by one, spreading golden light across the tents and reflecting in the crystal glasses stacked on the tables.The music finally began near the central square.Violins.“Are you leaving as soon as the festival ends?” he asked.I looked toward the vats being prepared farther ahead before answering. “That was the plan.”“Was?”“It depends on whether Atheon has more to offer besides wine and serious men.”This time, he truly smiled. Small, restrained, but enough to transform his face completely for an instant. It made him seem less distant. Less like a royal adviser.“Stay.”I slowly turned my face toward him as though genuine surprise had struck me. “Stay?”“For a few more days.” Valassan rested one hand behind his back as he watched the act
The metallic sound of the elevator arriving cut through the penthouse like a shock of reality. Ravok stopped immediately. His breathing remained heavy against my skin, too hot, too uneven, as he stayed bent over me for a second that seemed long enough for me to realize the state we were in. Then the elevator chimed again.Ravok muttered a curse through his teeth before finally pulling away.The cold struck my skin the instant his mouth left my breast, and I immediately crossed my arms over my body in a useless attempt to cover myself. My breathing was still far too short as I tried to organize my thoughts, but Ravok was already leaving.Disheveled.His partially open shirt clung to his body, his hair was tousled, and his expression still carried that dangerous intensity from seconds earlier.He ran a hand over his face once, taking a deep breath before walking toward the elevator area, where the doors were already open. There was only a small dark note resting on the metal floor.I w
I opened my mouth immediately, too offended to think before answering, but nothing came out.Ravok took another step toward me, and now there was so little space between us that I had to tilt my head slightly to hold his gaze.“You can hate me.” His voice came low against my skin, firm enough to capture my full attention. “You can give me poison to drink again. I. Will. Drink it.”My heart pounded.Ravok’s fingers closed around my arms before I could respond, and the next instant, he pulled me toward him with ease, making me lose my balance. The mattress sank beneath my body when he threw me onto the bed, the impact knocking the air from my lungs in a short breath.“Ravok...”He climbed on top of me before I could finish.His body settled between my legs, heavy and warm, trapping me without truly needing to use force. One hand remained firm against the side of my waist while the other supported his weight beside my head.Even covered in mud, Ravok still had that scent that was impossi
My fingers tightened around the edge of my apron. I wanted to tell him that Victoria had done this. I wanted to say I had made his breakfast with one good hand because no one else would. But people like me did not explain things to people like him. Dominic pointed at the floor. “Now you made a mes
Melany's POVCrack!The heel came down on my palm, and pain shot up my arm so fast that my breath caught in my throat. My knees hit the kitchen floor a second later. The tiles were cold and greasy under my skin, and for a moment all I could do was curl my fingers against them and try not to make a
“I did not bewitch anyone.”“Then what are you hiding?”Before I understood what she meant, her hand went to my dress. I tried to pull away, but two girls caught my arms from behind. Victoria searched me with rough, angry movements, and when her fingers closed around the chain beneath my collar, my
My face burned. With my left hand, I carefully pulled the fabric away from his side. His skin was warm under my fingers, and the muscles of his stomach tightened when I touched him. I had never been this close to a man like this. Not unless someone was dragging me, hitting me, or throwing me aside.







