Chapter 41: forty-one

Olivia

The woman’s decapitated body continued to bleed out, a pool of crimson spreading on the ground. I should have screamed, but instead, my gaze was drawn to the markings on my skin, slowly fading away.

The sword should have pierced my hand, left a mark at least. But it shattered on impact. What was happening to me? What was I turning into?

“Everyone, out!” Atticus’s command echoed in the silent room, his tone sharp and commanding. The vampires didn’t hesitate, leaping to their feet and rushing for the door as if the room was ablaze.

“You all clean up this mess,” he ordered, his gaze fixed on the guard who had just decapitated the woman. The vampire guard, however, remained unmoving.

“We answer only to our king and our ~queen~,” the guard retorted.

Atticus exhaled sharply through his nose, shooting the guard a glare.

“Ensure every vampire that isn’t supposed to be here has left. Dispose of this trash. Tomorrow, the real work begins,” Cole commanded. Without a moment’s hesitation, the guards scattered.

Cole’s hand gently gripped my forearm, guiding me out of the room. His body was rigid, his expression tense.

“Is your father upset because he’s no longer king?” I asked, my voice small and uncertain.

He sighed. “No, little dove, he was hoping today would go smoothly.”

The journey to our bedroom seemed shorter than it was. My fingers fumbled with the clasp on my robes until it finally unhooked, sliding off my shoulders and pooling on the floor.

My nerves heightened as I reached for the crystal tiara, fearful of what might happen with the slightest touch. But before my fingers could even graze it, Cole had already snatched it from my head, tossing it onto a chair. It bounced on the velvet cushions but remained unscathed.

Cole stood behind me, his hands gliding up and down my arms. A shiver ran down my spine. His scent, his touch—everything about him was intoxicating.

He carefully removed the pin holding up my hair, letting it tumble down over my shoulders.

“Is this a mistake? They will never listen to me or—” His hand covered my mouth, cutting me off. His other hand tucked my hair behind my ear, his hot breath fanning against my earlobe.

“They will respect you. You are their queen; my queen, and they will bow to you. One way or another, they will fall to their knees.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks as his lips brushed against my skin. His hands slowly loosened the ties and clasps of my dress, letting it fall to the floor. His icy hands gripped my waist, lifting me out of the dress and heels.

“What happens now?” I asked, my question more about the future than the present. Cole had turned my world—our world—upside down. While I was happy about the shift, it was still confusing.

“Tonight, I will ravish your body. You will experience ecstasy that mortal beings only dream of. Starting tomorrow, we will rule together, side by side, and live in peace until the end of time,” he whispered, his lips trailing kisses from my stomach up to my neck.

His hands cupped my backside, lifting me onto the bed. My arms wrapped around his neck as his lips found mine.

I never knew such passion existed until Cole kissed me. Each kiss was more intense than the last. My hands slid down to his shirt, fumbling with each button.

His chest was as icy as the rest of his skin, cooling my flushed flesh. Our kiss deepened, and my hips unconsciously thrust upward.

Cole’s knuckles pressed against my thighs as he gripped the silky slip—the only barrier between our skin—until he tore it down the middle as if it were paper.

Goosebumps prickled my bare skin as heat radiated between my thighs. My mind became cloudy, and I barely noticed when Cole undressed.

He pinned my wrists to the bed, his warm breath brushing against my face as our eyes locked.

“I want you to bite me as you take my body. I want to feel you, Cole, all of you,” I breathed. A grunt escaped his throat just before his fangs extended.

My breath hitched as he pushed his length against my inner thighs, entering me slowly. My hardened nipples pressed into his chest with each thrust.

I threw my head back, my hair sprawling out in every direction as soft moans escaped my lips. A louder cry filled the room when his tongue found my mark; everything felt so intense.

Our lips met again, muffling any moans and filling my nostrils with his musky scent. When I broke the kiss, my head tilted back as his fangs scraped along my throat.

There was a more brutal thrust as his fangs pierced my skin, and I felt the warm liquid run down my chest.