A Kingdom of Flame and Fury (The Four Kingdoms Book 1) Read online

  I drew in a sharp breath as he filled me with one thrust.

  “Come on me, baby.”

  He bucked into me roughly. I cupped my hands around his neck, pulling his mouth to mine again as I matched his thrusts with my own. We were panting together as we built. I screamed for him, cried for him, toppling over my peak as he came with me. It was an explosion of colors as our bodies moved together, riding the wave of our orgasms.

  He claimed my mouth again with his tongue, moving it hungrily. I felt the sweat from his forehead against mine. I had fucked a lot of men, but nothing ever came close to this. He made it seem like all the others had done it completely wrong. I had no idea pleasure like this could ever exist.

  When he broke our kiss, it was only to whisper against my mouth, “We taste so fucking good together.”

  And he was right. We were our own flavor of candy.

  Exhaustion suddenly washed over me and I responded with a sleepy grin. My bed was just through that door beneath us and if I wanted to, I could show him. But he was rolling to his side and pulling me with him until I was safely tucked against his chest, his strong arm curling around my body.

  “The moon has nothing on you, baby,” he muttered against my ear and gently kissed my temple.

  The softness of his voice and warmth from his body against mine made my eyelids droop heavily with sleep. “Baby, baby, baby,” I whispered sleepily to him, a little delirious from the unfamiliar feeling of desire. More than desire.

  The raspiness of his chuckle was the last thing I heard before the world around us faded away.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Zeke

  ☽✧

  Raven slept beside me, her small frame slicked with sweat from our activities. I expelled a soft breath from my nose, a grin lifting a corner of my mouth as I replayed the memory in my mind. My fingertips brushed gently up and down her arm, hearing her sigh in her sleep. My sweet girl, who always had so many conflicting emotions filtering in and out of her, was in a deep, peaceful sleep.

  We had moved fast, but there wasn't another choice once I saw her. I needed her. I needed her now, even while she slept in my arms. But, I had the chance to sift through her memories and needed to take it. I wanted to try and find the answer as to why Mira wanted her in Reales so much.

  I pushed into the depths of her mind, slowly filtering through year by year. There was so much angst. I stopped on a particular memory of her curled into a ball against what I assumed was her door, knees up to her chest, tears streaking down her face.

  She looked young, maybe sixteen, and she was overcome with agony, looking toward a small door hidden in the wall. I cocked my head, trying to push deeper in. I tensed as Cade pushed through the door, coming to her and sliding down to sit beside her. He wrapped my very small love in his arms, trying to calm her tears. ‘Let me show you something,’ he told her.

  She looked up at him, so doe-eyed.

  I moved ahead in the memory to see them exiting through a door… in here. There was a hidden door in here that led her in and out of the castle. The trips to Arthur’s made sense. She had a way to sneak in and out.

  In the memory, Cade took her by the hand and they ran in pitch black through the village and to the harbor where he encouraged her to swim. She laughed, breathy noises coming from her as the tears continued to fall down her face. He picked her up and ran with her to the water, jumping off the dock with her in his arms.

  They had been friends for a long time then. That was why they were so comfortable together. That would explain why he seemed so possessive over her.

  I left the memory and continued pushing backward in time. I stopped at another, where she looked to be around ten, hiding under a bed in a small room. There was a knocking on a door and the sound of men’s voices echoed against her walls.

  I wrapped my hand around her wrist as I felt her fear as an older woman came into her room, leaning down to her and wiping tears from her face. This woman loved her, but I still sensed Raven’s hesitancy to move. Sadness had clung to her skin for her entire life. I could taste its thickness on my tongue. The woman encouraged Raven to stand and my heart warmed at the sight of her as a child. Those big green eyes seemed too large for her face.

  Another familiar pair of green eyes flashed through my own mind and I blinked once, twice. I had seen eyes like hers before.

  The men who stood at her cottage door were royal guards. They were beckoning her forward to follow them.

  ‘Come with us,’ one man said to her, coaxing her out of the cottage. ‘Your life is about to change.’

  I was thrown out of the memory, falling back even farther. I was unwelcome there; her pain didn’t want me to see it.

  I followed her as a child while she walked alone at night. Why was she alone? She ducked in and out of buildings, pointing her finger at boys who ran past while chasing other little girls. The boys grabbed their faces and rubbed their eyes, blinking furiously while Raven giggled.

  I smiled. She still sounded the same.

  We were at the festival. She shooed the little girls who were being chased as they watched their chasers struggle to gather their vision back. What had she done to them? I knew she could burn, but they weren’t burnt.

  I peered farther back into the dark behind her. A male form watched her. She was alone, but he never advanced. When he took a step toward the light, I realized it was the king. Raven started skipping away and he just smiled, following her until she was safely in her cottage.

  Why did he have such an interest in her?

  I dove deeper, trying to find how she was tied to Mira. What Mira could possibly want with this kind creature asleep in my arms.

  She moaned softly in her sleep and I froze, not wanting to disrupt her. She could feel my presence in her mind. Give me a little more time, I begged silently.

  I waited for another moment. She sank lower against me. I was hard against her lower back, but I had to push through. And she needed sleep.

  I gently pressed on, filtering until I saw her as a baby. My hair stood on end. I had seen her before. She was embedded in my own memories. That black hair, those green eyes. John brought us to the castle when I was a boy to show me the new princess. The Princess of Reales. It was Raven.

  Raven was Mira’s sister.

  I tried to draw in breaths, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to wake her, but a weight settled against my chest. I squeezed my eyes shut, plowing through her mind until I saw Mira, clapping her hands joyfully as Queen Celestina handed a baby to her.

  Baby Raven cooed as she tried to touch her sister’s face and Mira giggled. I had never seen Mira happy. Did she want Raven back because of their bloodline? Why had she waited so long?

  I looked through more memories, needing more of Mira. I settled on one that was blurry, but Mira was hiding under a bed. Raven was screaming and tears wet my eyes at her pain. Her mother was crying, holding Raven tightly to her chest.

  ‘Please let me have her,’ I heard a man say.

  I blinked my eyes, trying to focus on who it was. My forehead creased as his face came into view. King Leonidas.

  ‘Celestina, please. She can reign over Seolia.’ There was anguish in his words as they tumbled out of his mouth.

  Celestina shook her head, stepping away from Leonidas. ‘She is the key, Leonidas. Don’t you see?’ Celestina spoke through her sobs. ‘We can control all four kingdoms with her. Rudolf has a nephew. They can marry. He’s a prince.’

  Me. She was talking about me. She wanted us to marry, incite a war over the kingdoms.

  ‘She’s my heir, Celestina. Not Rudolf’s. You have another daughter.’ Leonidas was trying to reason with her, but I felt her anger brewing and she raised her palm toward Leonidas. Something black began to trickle from her fingers and then pain. I felt so much pain from Raven as her mother crumpled with her still cradled. Leonidas reached for Raven, trying to shush her tears. Mira remained still under the bed, covering her mouth in silent sobs. She had witnes
sed her mother murdered by Leonidas and saw him steal Raven away.

  Golden strands began to escape Celestina’s body and wrapped around Raven, pushing into her skin. The golden strands slowly turned gray, and then black. Leonidas tried to pull Raven away, but they followed her, sinking deep into her chest. She was gasping, screaming, her green eyes widening. She inherited her mother’s magic… and her sadness. All her darkness, her fury, it lived within Raven. That was why her anger was so loud.

  Mira wanted that. She wanted Raven to continue with Celestina’s plan. She wanted me to propose and bring her back madly in love with me, to where she couldn’t stand the thought of us parting.

  Mira wanted a war. She wanted to avenge her mother and control Seolia. She wanted all four kingdoms under her control, just like Celestina did.

  I forged a few days ahead in her memories, watching as Leonidas handed a baby Raven to another man, begging him to keep her safe.

  ‘She can’t come to the castle yet,’ he said, kissing her forehead over and over. ‘They’ll know it was me. Find someone for her, someone who will take care of her until I can safely move her home.’

  He handed Raven to this man who returned to his own cottage, yelling to his wife about a baby and needing to find a home for her. Somewhere that no one would ask questions, never seek her out. Hidden deep within the cottage, I saw a little blond boy with blue eyes, watching intently and staring at the baby in his mother’s arms. Cade. He saw everything. Was that why they were so close?

  I gasped as I pulled out of the deepest depths of her mind, panting as all the new information coursed through my brain.

  Mira wanted to use Raven. She was going to use the connection in their blood to manipulate Raven into agreeing to marry me and invade Perosan and Thoya. She was going to bind our kingdoms for all eternity, showing the power we hold as one. Any children we bore would be heirs to both thrones.

  No one would ever rise against us, because our army in Reales was too great, too vast. That was why Mira made me commander. She wanted me to train them for this plan. She waited until Rudolf was dying to throw her plan into action, sending me to Raven as soon as she could.

  But she couldn’t anticipate that I would fall in love with her — that I would find my flame that burned through every universe. And now I was a complacent piece in a war that was brewing.

  This was why John wouldn’t tell me what was going on. Jeanine wasn’t part of the original plan to bind the kingdoms. There was another reason why Mira wanted her in Seolia, telling everyone about Raven’s magic, but what was it? I needed to talk to John. He needed to see that my allegiance was to Raven and not Mira. None of this explained why he chose to come here all those years ago, though.

  A tear fell down my cheek. I couldn’t keep going with this. I would have to end it with her, but how? She was on my mind every second. Any time we were apart, it felt as if I may slip away. How could I leave her?

  I looked down at her still peacefully sleeping against my chest and another tear fell. I couldn’t hurt her. I couldn’t make her believe that I didn't want her. It would make her hate me. Maybe she needed to in order to keep her kingdom safe.

  I needed a plan.

  Returning with her as my fiancée needed to remain the goal. Otherwise, Mira would make my mother and Luca suffer for it. Luca would love Raven. They both laughed like the world wasn’t dark. I couldn’t risk them now, or all the torturing I did would have been for nothing. Selling my soul wouldn’t have been necessary.

  I would sell it for Raven. But, leaving her seemed like my only option. I leaned down to press my lips gently to her temple. I had just found her. I waited a lifetime for her and she was in my arms, falling in love with me. I could sense it on her. She could feel our connection.

  What could I do? How could I help her?

  The answer was very obvious, prickling my skin. Cade.

  Their dance at the banquet crushed me. She was leaning into him and he was desperate for her. I had to push them together. She would have to choose him. They had been friends for a long time and I hadn’t been with her long enough for her to choose me over him.

  My heart broke at the idea of another man touching her, loving her, feeling her delicate skin. I shook my head. I couldn’t.

  She exhaled softly and I pressed another kiss to her temple. But I had to. For her, I had to. I couldn’t let her fall so deep in love with me that she would contemplate agreeing to Mira’s plan.

  Mira wanted to use her. I needed to find out how much Raven knew about her past. It hadn’t seemed like she was aware of where she came from or that she had any family left. Mira was going to prey on her weakness and I couldn’t let her. I had to make Raven hate me.

  “I have to become your villain, baby,” I whispered as my voice broke. But I would stay. I would continue to watch her. I wasn’t expected home for at least three months, and I couldn’t leave her yet. I would invade her dreams, pull at her memories so she could begin to connect the dots herself. I would plant doubt in her mind about Mira’s intentions, so when they met, she would already be on edge. She’d suspect something before she had all of the information.

  My anguished love. I have to break your heart.

  I would need to take my time. She wouldn’t run to Cade if I abandoned her right away. I would find Jeanine tomorrow, have her meet me somewhere with Cade. I’d bring Raven and let the envy she experienced at seeing him with someone else free itself.

  But she didn’t want him. I knew she didn’t. I felt no lust from her when they were together. He was her comfort, where she felt safe. And so much had been taken from her that she didn’t want to lose him, too.

  I could be her comfort. I hoped to be one day.

  But, I knew Cade wanted her desperately. With me out of the picture, he could finally make his move.

  I cringed at the image of them together, her body moving on his like it moved on mine. Could I do this? I peered down at her again, running my fingers through her hair and wrapped my arm tighter around her waist.

  Her envy. It was one of the first emotions to bubble over. I’d have to use that to my advantage, make her believe there was someone else for me. It was only days ago that I fucked Jeanine for information. That did leave it open for interpretation.

  I needed to break her slowly. It needed to hurt.

  I was determined to keep her safe. I would do anything to keep her out of Mira’s clutches. I’d stay away for a few weeks, give her a chance to move on before I began to plant doubt.

  Please don’t fall in love with him, I pleaded with her. Please forgive me for the hell I would unleash on your soul.

  I kissed her temple one last time and closed my eyes, pushing into her mind again. I pulled from a memory that was deep within and cast it forward, letting it become her dream.

  I needed to start while I had her, because soon, I’d have to sneak around to see her.

  Dream with me, my love.

  ☽༓☾

  I held her hand and led her through the dark forest of Reales. I glanced back at her, my gaze heavy with adoration and lust. If I couldn’t show her that I loved her in reality anymore, I could show her in our dreams. She opened her mouth to speak, but I pushed my finger against her mouth, urging her to stay silent.

  I led her into a clearing where there was a small pond. She took a step forward, but stopped when she heard a voice. An angelic voice. Soothing. She sought out the sound, wanting to know where it was coming from.

  She stopped again, her head tilting at a woman far away from us, with wavy black hair like hers. She was holding something in her arms as she swayed and sang. A coo. A cry and a shush. Her mother turned to us, holding a baby Raven in her arms.

  I came up behind her, wrapping my hands around her waist as we watched together. Raven hummed the melody and I smiled. Celestina’s eyes rose to meet hers. “I knew you’d find me one day,” she said.

  ☽༓☾

  My eyes widened. I scattered the memory, pulling us fr
om it. I hadn’t expected Celestina to find us. If I kept Raven in a dream too long, she’d want to stay and I couldn’t lose her in the realm of her memories. No matter what I felt, no matter how much I wanted to stay in there with her, I would have to pull us out.

  I didn’t know how deep Celestina’s magic was and if she could somehow keep Raven there, even as a ghost. I felt how much she wanted to touch Raven. I would need to keep dreams with Celestina few and far between. A love between a mother and a daughter was deep. Even with my abilities, I wasn’t sure I could overcome it if I had to.

  I lowered my head, resting it against the fluff of her hair and breathed her in. My favorite scent was now jasmine and pears. Her hand wrapped around my fingers that were on her waist. Even in her sleep, she wanted me. She trusted me.

  Self-loathing settled on my skin. Some villains were born, but I would be made. I would be her devil to keep her protected.

  “I love you,” I whispered against her hair.

  She hummed that melody in her sleep.

  I would be her hell. But until then, she was snug in my arms.

  I exhaled softly, pulling her closer to me.

  Until then, she was mine.

  I fell asleep to the memories of us in lifetimes before.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Raven

  ☽✧

  I was awakened by sounds of voices far off in the distance. My eyes fluttered open slowly at the sound, squinting at the broken rays of sunlight trying to push through the cracks in the wood. Scattered images flitted through my brain from a dream. I arched my back to stretch and froze when I felt a body behind mine. Lifting my head, I turned slightly and the memory came rushing back to me. Sleep. I’d slept soundly, for the first time in days, and with a warm body next to me.

  Zeke was breathing deeply. I hadn’t disturbed him yet with my wiggling. Moving cautiously, I rolled over until we were face to face. All of our nights had been spent in the dark and I hadn’t had a chance to study him in the sunlight.