Series: Lords of Rathe Series by Meagan Brandy
Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 98580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
We shove through the second it opens enough, falling to the grass.
When we look back at the wall, it’s already sealed, the beast left crying on the other side.
I fall to my back, Zeke beside me, and we look up into the dark skies. After a moment, I turn my head and we look to each other at the same time. Our skin bruised and bloody, soaking wet from the golden pond.
Laughter bubbles from my chest as we both burst out laughing, rolling onto our sides as it takes us over.
A menacing growl rattles behind us and I freeze, worried we let the beast in, but when I snap my head up over my shoulder, the air seizes in my lungs for a very different reason.
Knight Deveraux, the future fucking King, stands behind us, shirtless, bloody and completely enraged.
Shit.
I scamper to my feet, just as he reaches me.
“It was my idea,” I rush out.
Knight’s hand shoots out, wrapping around my neck. He slams me into the wall, and I cry out as my shoulder is forced back into place from the impact.
“Well, this position is familiar, isn’t it?” I spit, remembering how he grabbed me at the diner.
His body shakes as he gazes down at me. “Why are you—”
He cuts off short, his nostrils flaring, but then my wrist is in his free one. He glares at the small cut, but then he brings it to his nose, inhaling, and while his eyes close for a split second, they fly open in the next.
His pupils blow wide, rage whirling within him as his chest begins to rumble. It’s as if a caged animal lives inside it, begging to be freed so it can eat me alive.
I shrink at the sound, and I hate it, but it’s deeper than my will. Something inside me submits to him in that moment, some weird future King, all mightily powerful asshole type shit, I’m sure.
“String him up,” Knight rumbles, eyes holding strong on me.
“Fuck,” Zeke chokes, and when I look over Knight’s shoulder, I find his brothers have joined us, all also shirtless and covered in blood that must not be theirs.
Not sure who makes it happen, but Zeke is lifted into the air, legs and arms stretched out wide like he’s being fucking crucified.
“His bones are broken! You're going to hurt—”
“Shut the fuck up!” Knight screams into my face, his spit spraying along my skin, and his hold on my neck tightens.
Anger floods my veins and I fight against him.
His eyes flicker with shock as he steps back slightly, hand falling from my neck. I’m dropped with a heavy thud.
I cough, rubbing at my throat. When my head lifts to glare at him, I find his eyes narrowed on me, a hint of shock painted across his expression, but it’s gone a moment later and the rage is right back. He approaches again, pressing his chest into mine, forcing my head to tip back all the way to keep my eyes locked with his even though he’s a fucking giant compared to me.
With his body pressed this close to mine, my mind plays tricks on me, whispering, yes, keep him there. That this is where I want him, right fucking here against me.
It's so strong the fury begins to die on its own and it's replaced with a heavy need, one that not only pulses in my veins, but between my legs. My eyes fall to the smears on his chest and the sudden urge to lick him clean slams into me.
His chuckle is all knowing and snaps me out of it.
“You gave him what belongs to me?”
Uh... “What?”
He bares his teeth, lifting my sliced palm between us.
Wait. “My blood?” I ask, confused.
He opens his mouth to bark at me, but Creed clamps a hand on his shoulder and after a moment, Knight steps back.
Creed gets in my space. “What he means is you are on this courtship. Because of that, every part of you belongs to him.” Creed tries to explain, but it’s not a line of truth. I can sense his lie.
It smells sour in the air around us.
“But he was going to d—”
“London,” Zeke cuts me off, and we look at one another.
That only pisses Knight off further.
Giant fucking claws descend from his fingertips, and I stiffen, watching wide-eyed as he walks over to Zeke and slices him from wrist to armpit in both arms before I can even blink.
I gasp, darting forward, but Sinner bumps his chest with mine, glaring down at me. “Bad little doll. Stay.”
“What the hell are you doing?” I shout, looking around and noticing others have come out of the building to see what’s going on.
“Watch your fucking mouth,” Sinner hisses quietly, calling my eyes back to his. “You do not question your future King. Do you understand?” His threat is menacing.