55. Wickedness

Wickedness

T he slinky black dress Cass chose was the kind that clung to the lines of one's body, the thin silk falling like water and with off-the-shoulder sleeves that would leave almost everything above my nipples bare. It had a slit, too; one that ran up past mid-hip to bare a matching garter that held decorative, gold-washed throwing knives.

Cass laid it out in my dressing room with possessive satisfaction, a sensation like a rumbling purr leaving my skin buzzing with an aching need for touch. He'd already dressed for the evening's dinner, in a military-style black outfit with ferns and serpents embroidered in gold thread. His manservant had put his hair up in thick braids held up by a golden hairpiece styled as the biting jaws of a lion. Heavy gold rings and fingernails painted black completed the outfit, making him look like a barbarian General whose every golden ornament had been won with blood.

He glanced sidelong at me, dark lashes lowered. "It seems that someone's sent your Katerina away," he said in a low purr. "I suppose I'll have to help you dress."

My eyebrows shot up at the wickedness in his smile. "Who would do such a thing?" I asked in my most innocent voice, making my eyes go wide as I sauntered over. "I always have Kat help me with my clothing."

"Not always." Cass slid his fingers into my hair, running the pad of his thumb along my jaw. "I've helped you undress before. Twice, in fact."

I leaned into the contact, reveling in the warmth of his hand and regard. Every time Cass touched me of his own volition – every time he reached out for me – I melted into it. I couldn't help it. He was the sunlight, and I was a cat sprawling in his heat. "I have to get dressed this time, though," I murmured.

"You have to get undressed, first," he said, in a reasonable tone, his ears lifted and a grin threatening. "This isn't the sort of dress you can wear underthings with."

"Oh, very well," I said in a debutante voice. "You may assist, your splendor. "

Cass undid the laces of my day dress with sultry care, trailing kisses down my spine. I had to bite my lip to keep from reacting, trying to keep up the act that this was a totally normal and platonic thing for him to do, even though I knew he could feel every shift in my body. He undid the buttons down the front of my leggings from behind, his chest resting against my ass as he leaned forward to look around my side at what he was doing.

His thumbs hooked over the band of my panties. His heart rate kicked up.

"Cass," I whispered in shaky protest.

"Still okay?" he asked, his voice rough, and waited for me to nod before sliding my panties down my thighs, his callused hands caressing my skin.

I stood there, naked and trembling with want, as Cass got up and picked up the dress. He swept his eyes along my body, licked his lips, and stepped closer.

"Arms up, dove," he crooned.

Cass slid the silk over me with the attentiveness of a handmaiden, smoothing the cloth over my body. His hands caressed every inch of me. Trails of warmth followed the press of his palms. Fingertips ran across my peaked nipples, stealing a whimper from my lips. He only gave me a heated look and got onto his knees in front of me, setting my bare foot on his shoulder so he could slide the garter up my leg.

He was gorgeous on his knees. I wanted him exactly like that, looking up at me with the same fervor as a knight staring up at his forbidden love, proffering his service because it was the only way to be near her.

Cass slid the three knives into their sheaths with a heavy-lidded expression, moving like he was imagining sheathing something else for me. I sure fucking was. I couldn't think past the heat of his hands on my thighs. If he could just slide one hand higher, press his fingers up against my wet need, push into me—fuck, finger me right here, eyes on me as I fell apart for him—

He pressed his warm mouth to the bare skin of my thigh as he slid the last one home. "Do you like the look of your King on his knees, your majesty?" he asked, knowing damn well that the answer was "yes." Cass brushed his lips against my skin again, then dragged the tip of his tongue along me in a sultry caress. His left hand wrapped around my slim ankle and stroked downwards in the same motion he used to touch himself, a movement I knew intimately.

"It's a good view," I said. One canine hooked over the corner of my mouth without my say-so. "Nice look on you."

A catlike smirk turned up his lips. His right hand skimmed higher up on the underside of my thigh. Warm fingertips brushed along the join of my leg, teasing what begged for touch, tasting the wet slick of my desire. I made a tiny, helpless sound, my pussy clenching. Fuck, I wanted him. I was halfway to coming already.

"Do you need to take care of yourself before dinner, dove?" he asked in a low growl, eyes flicking up to mine. "Even black shows wet. "

Hot need flashed through me, my core closing down with a shock of pleasure. My leg started shaking. "Your fault," I panted out. "Maybe you should take care of me."

With his eyes on mine, Cass ran his fingers down along my bare leg, then traced his fingertips down his chest to settle his palm against the throbbing shape of his trapped erection. "Maybe I need to take care of myself," he said, searching my expression with need painted across his face.

My ribs tightened from the vulnerability of his want, the slant of his brows and the press of his hand conspiring against me. "Been a while," I managed to say.

"Months," he said roughly. Cass leaned down and kissed the side of my knee. "What do you think about starting from the beginning?"

"Uh-huh," was all I managed.

Cass ducked his chin to hide his laugh, ears tilting forward. "Gods, you're cute. Come here," he said, shrugging down my leg and scooping me into his arms instead. He strode for the bedroom, shouldering open the door, and set me on the bed.

I stared up at him with big eyes, my pulse pounding between my legs and my breath shallow.

He tilted my chin up and kissed me, an affectionate touch. "I'll be a door away instead of a Court away, but let's rewrite those five weeks, shall we?"

"Uh-huh," I said again, my mouth wetting.

Cass kissed me again, bit his lip with an eager smile, and turned for his bedroom door.

I had my dress hiked up to my hips and my fingers on my clit before Cass even got the door fully closed. He groaned and fell back against the door, slamming it closed with his weight.

"Fuck, Quyen —"

His lust-soaked voice made me whine in response. I pressed my hand to my mouth, whimpering with need, feeling Cass yanking at the buttons of his formal pants. My pussy closed down with a flash of pleasure, need building like an avalanche. Fuck, it had been months , and he was right there , his desire coursing through me, his ragged breathing making my throat ache, his reckless want heating the air—

Cass' hand wrapped around his cock, and everything else ceased to matter.

My back came off the bed from the surge of pleasure. The world vanished, replaced by his heat against my palm, his touch shocking through me, his hoarse cry of pleasure filling my ears. I drove two fingers into my soaked channel, grinding up against the bones of my hands, lost to the desperate strokes of his hand.

His soul sang out to mine—cried out for me, wanting me. My blood ran hot, all my skin flushed. Desire throbbed in his groin and made his cock ache, every sensation paired with mine, amplifying mine. My palm against my swollen clit wouldn't have been enough, even with my fingers hooked up against my g-spot, but every impassioned stroke of his hand along his thick shaft felt like he had his hands on me, fingers stroking me with demand.

Harder , he begged, hand tightening on his cock. Fuck, I need—need more, please, gods, more—

The desperation in his mental voice fanned my lust into roaring, reckless need. I angled my hips and shoved the fingertips of my other hand against my clit with rough demand. It let me bury a third finger into myself, the stretch of my entrance a glorious counterpoint to the deep satisfaction of my fingertips digging against my upper wall. Pleasure coiled inside of me with the tension of a snake readying for the strike, winding tighter and tighter. I matched his pace, so wet that that movement of my hand was audible over my harsh breaths.

Tell me you want more , I demanded through our bond, baring my teeth in vicious need. Tell me you want to come. Tell me to make you come.

"Fuck," he groaned from the other side of the door. "Oh, fuck—" Make me come, he sent with raw desperation. Make me come, lioness, I want to come for you—

Nothing mattered to me but the man on the other side of that door and the endless need of his soul. My pussy closed down with a sharp crash of pleasure, imminence gleaming just out of reach. Again, I said, the world falling away.

Oh, gods, sunlight, Cass moaned, soul-to-soul, everything bared for me. I want you to make me come, please let me come—

Ecstasy caught me by the throat. Then come for me , I sent in a gasp, and came screaming his name, my body slamming onto my fingers like the surf crashing against the shore in a hurricane. Heat flooded me, every pulse of my orgasm matched to my soulmate's. Glory sang through me, and his teeth sank into his arm in a counterpoint of brilliant pain. His hand worked in sharp jerks, milking out his orgasm—tearing us through it, chasing ecstasy, making every clench of our bodies shoot lightning-bright pleasure through us.

I let out another soft whimper as euphoria flooded my veins, leaving me limp. My whole body went lax, tension running out of me like water. Bliss filled my veins. I pulled my fingers out of myself and panted for breath; Cass' feathers screeched along the stone as he slithered to the ground.

Wow , he said into my mind, sounding dazed.

I bit my lip, then started laughing, bright and happy. His answering chuckle filtered through the door, followed by a quiet thud as he clonked his head back, breathing hard.

That felt amazing, lioness. I think I might even be able to handle Talien putting opals on you , Cass said blissfully, his sleepy pleasure filtering through our connection as he spoke. You feel very 'mine' right now.

I laughed again at that, shaking my head. I've always been yours, and no matter how many necklaces he puts on me, I'll never be his , I sent, getting up and wobbling my way towards the bathroom.

Cass' happy rumble vibrated through the floor. Good .

All the flowers on the garden wall in the bathroom were in full bloom. Gold dusted the petals and the floor beneath them— not golden pollen, I realized upon investigation, but actual gold dust. I smirked and glanced in his direction. He was a lot better about affecting the Court with his emotions, but hardly perfect.

I'd enjoy it while it lasted.

We managed to pull ourselves together before we were late for dinner. The dress had the desired effect when I walked into the room in my stiletto heels. Talien's gaze sharpened, ears tilting towards me, and even Pelleas and Tech paused in their conversations to take me in. Cass glowered at them all—an expression that only darkened when I sauntered forward and made a playful "gimme" gesture at Talien.

The duke chuckled and stepped behind me, pulling the necklace out of his jacket again. "For my Queen, who has a dragon's greed," he crooned, settling the gems on my bare skin. They were still warm.

Cass' growl shivered through the room.

Laying it on a bit thick, there? I teased through our bond. Aloud, I said, "It's just a necklace , splendor."

This is me restraining my—

Cass' mental voice cut off with sudden finality as Talien snapped the latch closed. Every sensation from him vanished. All my skin went hot, then cold, my stomach lurching as if I'd been chucked off a cliff. Cass? I asked silently, reaching for him through the bond.

It was like plunging my metaphysical hand into a bucket of ice water. I recoiled from it. My hand reached up to touch my throat, to touch the collar , he'd put a collar on me, leashed me like an animal —

A hand settled on my back. Cass' hand. Nothing changed. I didn't feel him. I didn't feel anything but brittle cold when I reached for him again on reflex, the edges of my being shattering away into silence.

"Are you trying to make me jealous, lioness?" he said in a low growl. He tucked my hair behind my ear. "I could have gotten you opals."

Right. The game. We were playing a game—trying to make Talien misstep, trying to keep our Court and people safe. I made myself smile up at him. "You didn't, though," I said, managing to sound flirtatious instead of freaked out. "If you don't keep your Queen adorned in style, don't bite when your dukes take care of her."

Cold. Cold. It was so cold. I kept reaching, kept leaning into that contact, kept finding icy teeth instead of Cass.

I made myself look over my shoulder; made myself flash a reckless smile at Talien, as if I was delighted by the gift. "Do I look as lovely as you hoped, your grace?"

He put his hand over his heart and bowed, eyes never leaving mine. "As lovely as a dream, your majesty."