Series: Lords of Rathe Series by Meagan Brandy
Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 93354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
I inhale as Helena’s heels slap against the stone when she moves to where London is seated. The heady scent of candy drifts up my nose. Fear. Goosebumps prickle over my skin. London’s eyes flash with determination, the corner of her mouth twitching a little.
She’s going to play?
Just like that, without a fight?
I lean back in my chair, allowing my bottle to dangle between my fingers as Helena’s fingers wrap around London’s pointed chin, forcing her face up. It does nothing to turn me on, it’s merely a test to myself.
Helena lowers her blood orange lips to London’s, and just as they touch, that same sizzling fire erupts through my veins. I grip the bottle tightly, forcing myself to watch. I’ve fucked a lot over the years. We all have. We hold no sentiment or possession over who we fuck. We’re not human. There’s no such thing as monogamous here, not at least until you find your mate. Which I’ll never find because I’ll never be looking.
I bring the bottle to my mouth to hide my scowl as London’s lips open on Helena’s. Helena’s hands slide down the front of London’s shirt. London parts her legs slightly, moving down farther in her chair as if to break the kiss with Helena, but Helena wasn’t told to stop, so the mage lowers with her.
“Goddamn,” Legend whispers, kicking my foot. “You gonna join in on that, or am I? Because I’m dying to properly taste her.”
The taste of cinnamon fills my mouth as my teeth sink into my cheek, everything inside of me is fighting against what I’m seeing, but I am the one in control. Me.
So I clench my jaw to keep my mouth closed and I spread my knees wider. Helena spots the move from the corner of her eye.
She knows what to do without instruction, and eases London up, her heels hovering above the ground as she’s levitated, likely without her knowledge until she’s coming down on my lap. That she feels and her little gasp goes straight to my cock, so I flex it against her ass, and her fingers press into my jeans, freeing her lips from the stranger they were pressed to.
Her brows crinkle with confusion as she looks from my lap to her chair, and then me. “What—”
Without looking, I grip Silver by the collar, and he leans over, his palm sliding along London’s cheek. When a shiver runs through her, my eyes narrow, and I start to tug her back. To push him away.
My fingers ache, ready to sharpen and tear away what’s mine.
To play with, I mean.
No.
I love to share.
I’m sharing.
Her eyes meet Silver’s, and his swirl as his mouth hooks up, body pressing closer to hers as he shifts beside me.
Her long white hair teases the skin of my arm, so I wrap my fist around it, forcing myself to stare as my best friend’s mouth meets hers.
Her chest lifts, gaze secretly seeking mine from the side as if to make sure this is okay. That this is what I want.
Does she want it?
Anger floods my veins.
Fuck what she wants.
I am in charge here. Fuck do I care what this Giftless girl wants?
I don’t.
Her lips meet his, their mouths opening and Silver’s tongue slides—
A loud explosion shakes the foundation we stand on and flames ignite around the space.
I fall to the ground and move through the broken glass and smoke, crawling to where London landed near my feet. I find her ankles through the smoke and shove her down onto the floor as balls of fire fly through the space. Yelling and sounds of a dragon’s screaming pierce my ears as London’s eyes come to mine when I get her to the ground. She coughs, and seconds pass. None of the bullshit going on around us matters. I hear Creed yelling, Legend trying to pull me up from the ground, and Helena’s screams, but I don’t fucking care. Trapped in a trance with the girl below me, I ignore the chaos around us and the heavy scent of magic.
“Am I dead?” she whispers, snapping me out of my daze.
“Come on.” I pull her up by her arm while keeping us low. The smoke is thick enough for us to cut ninety-five percent of our vision, but I click my fingers in a circle and a portal materializes. Without thinking twice, I step through with her before closing it instantly. The same happens again, only now she knows what to expect. Her little arms and legs wrap around my body. Almost like she trusts me. But she fucking shouldn’t. The white light pops up, and this time, I grip her tightly around her back, holding her up with one hand and landing on my feet in her room. As soon as I’ve shut the portal, the chaos of whatever has erupted on our side is gone and the peace of mundane humanity takes its place. London’s body is limp in my hands, but I can feel her organ that beats within her pulsing against my chest.