I just stare at him. Doesn’t he already have a Queen? What does he mean by “protect” me?
“A King can
have as many Queens as he wants,” he says, reading my thoughts. “I would make you mine, and I would worship you. We can make this prophecy come true together. Just you and me. I will keep the others from you, if you would say you would be my Queen.”
I balk at the idea and shake my head again, still not having found my voice.
“Very well,” he sighs. “This is the way it has to be then.” He rises to his knees. I can see the enormous bulge and I gulp as he finishes undoing the laces and he springs free. My eyes widen in shock at the sheer size of him. Oh, gods, this is going to hurt. I’m not ready for him and it is going to hurt like Hell. He sees me looking at him. “I tried to get you ready,” he says almost apologetically, before he grabs my hips and lifts me to him. “I wanted you ready for me, but we are running out of time.” His cock twitches as it touches me, and he gently forces himself into me. I tense up as I can feel the burn as he tears me as well. I cry out and the tears flow freely now. I hate showing this weakness, but he has me beaten. He lowers my hips as he pushes himself further into me and lowers himself onto me, bracing his weight on his elbows. He goes slowly at first, but as soon as I have folded around him, he groans and shoves harder and deeper. I clench my jaw and bite my tongue, trying not to make any more noise. He closes his eyes and fists his hands into my hair. He kisses me, forcing his tongue into my mouth as he thrusts harder and harder into me. It hurts and I want to shuffle under him to get him to fit more comfortably, but I know that will only encourage him, so I stay completely still. He stops kissing me and opens his eyes. “Look at me,” he demands softly.
I tear my eyes away from the ceiling where I had been staring to look into his eyes. They are just like Sebastian’s and it makes me weep even harder.
“Don’t be sad, sweet girl,” he whispers, as he kisses my tears away. “You are doing your duty. You are helping to create a miracle child. You will be revered and honored and loved.”
I swallow loudly but stay silent as he speeds up. He is breathing heavily, and I know he is getting close. A few more thrusts and he closes his eyes and with a soft cry against my lips, he comes. It lasts for several moments and all I want is to be as far away from here as is possible. He rides me through the last of his orgasm and drops his forehead to mine. He breathes out and then in and pulls away. He adjusts his clothes and lets my wrists go free with another flick of his hand.
He clears his throat and says quietly, “I’ll leave you to clean up before I send Thrace to you. A word of advice though, girl. Don’t let his boyish looks fool you. He is brutal and sadistic, and you would do well to go along with it and don’t fight him.” He purses his lips and adds softly, “Just say you will be mine and we can avoid this.”
“No!” I yell at him, finding my voice, and with that he leaves me staring open-mouthed at him. What the fuck is he saying that he is sending Thrace to me? I curl up in a ball on the bed and cry. Why does this always happen to me? As far as rapes go, it wasn’t bad. The gods know I have endured worse. He tried to be gentle, but why? I don’t understand what he meant about the amendment.
I can feel the wetness of him between my thighs and it gets me on my feet and into the bathroom. I stare at the shower and hesitate. I don’t want to go in there now, especially if Thrace is on his way up here to have a go with me as well. I need to get cleaned up, dressed, and I need to go and find Drake and hope that he will protect me. I grab a washcloth off the basin and run it under the warm tap and soap up. I run it between my legs, and I hear the door go again. Shit. Thrace already? I am so fucked.
“Livvie?” Sebastian voice calls to me, and the flood of relief makes me go light-headed.
“Seb,” I call out weakly and he is at my side instantly, sensing my anxiety.
“What is it?” he asks and then just stares at me, naked and with the handprint burns on my arms and legs. I try to cover up, but he pulls my hands away. “What the fuck?” he asks before his eyes go cold as marble. “Thrace,” he growls and turns to leave.
“No,” I grab his hand. “No, Seb, it wasn’t Thrace, it was…”
He waits for my answer, but I can’t say it.
“Who then? Anders?” he asks.
I shake my head. “No, it was…Ael-Aelfric,” I stammer and then cringe from the wave of power that radiates off him.
“My father did this to you?” he asks calmly, in deep contrast to the tense set of his shoulders and jaw.
I nod. “I’m sorry, Sebastian. I don’t know why. He said something about an amendment. I don’t understand.”
His face falls and he runs his hand over his face. “Don’t be sorry, Princess,” he says to me, crushing me to him in a protective embrace. “This is not your fault. I should have told you. You could have been better prepared.”
“Told me what?” I ask, my voice muffled in his shirtfront.
“My father’s Seer has added an amendment to the prophecy. It is not necessarily me that is your Chosen one anymore, it is any in line for King, or King,” he says with a sigh.
“What?” I ask in disbelief. “How is that even possible?”
“I don’t know, little one. I asked the same question myself. Apparently, it is to do with my ‘status,’” he says bitterly.
I rest my head on his chest again, now it is all starting to make sense what Aelfric said. I have to get out of here. I am not hanging around here like some kind of ride they get to jump on and bang until I get pregnant. No fucking way.
“I will have his head for this,” Sebastian says, stroking my back.
I feel a crack go across my back and it makes my knees buckle. It was like being whipped by someone with enormous strength and it brings tears to my eyes.
“Princess?” Sebastian asks, as he catches me before I fall to my knees. “What is it?”
“My back,” I choke out before I grip his hand tightly as the wave of pain subsides.