13. Malek

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

MALEK

I nudged my sirloin steak around the plate, preferring to play with it rather than eat it. Ferina worked on a large bowl of spaghetti Bolognese on my left, and Sunny's empty seat stared back at me on the right.

She was running late for lunch and the fear that I'd injured her hung over my head like a dark cloud. I'd gotten too excited and pushed her too far last night in the caves. I never should have given her all of myself, even though she begged for it. I should have ignored her lustful pleas and my own burning need to claim her fully.

My fork stabbed the steak, driving it across the pool of brown gravy. I should have been more careful not to hurt her. What the hell is wrong with me?

She was so beautiful; her every delicious curve hypnotized me as she bounced on my cock. I'd never wanted anything more, any woman more.

She was mine and my inner darkness demanded I claim her fully, but the rational part of me should have been more patient, allowing her tightness to ease over the course of days, giving her a little more each time. Instead I was impatient, giving her all in a matter of minutes.

I dropped the fork and stood, ready to go check on her. Ferina looked up at me, surprised by my sudden jolt of energy.

"Everything okay, Mally? Remember I told you she said she would be late and we shouldn't wait for her?" Ferina said with a mouth full of food.

"I know but her food is getting cold and I haven't seen her since we got back last night. Are you sure she's really fine?" I perused the door before switching my gaze back over to Ferina.

Washing down the food with a gulp of wine, Ferina smiled a fiendish little grin that made her eyes twinkle with mischief.

"Sunny's fine. She just needs a nap before lunch. In the meantime, tell me how your date last night went. Sunny says you helped her get her memories back. Congrats." She wiped the napkin over her lips, folding her legs. "If the hickey on your neck is any indication, I'm guessing that's not all that happened in the caves. Hmm, did Mally get a little naughty? How was it?"

"The best fucking thing in my life. I can't stop thinking about it." I pressed my knuckles into the tablecloth, putting my weight on the table.

"No wonder you can't sit still. She's got you wrapped around her little finger. God, I love being a woman." She tossed the rest of the wine in her mouth, laughing. "That's pussy power right there. The strongest force in the world."

She giggled as the wine went straight to her head. I didn't even care that my sister was teasing me. She was absolutely right. Sunny had me by the horns and there was nothing I could do about it. I'd do anything for her, go to any lengths to protect her. Which was precisely why I needed to go check on her.

I pushed off from the table, striding toward the door when I glimpsed bright green hair floating inside.

Sunny wore tight, high waisted jeans that hugged her scrumptious curves and sent my blood simmering. She sauntered toward her seat and the air between us electrified as our eyes met.

The heart shaped tattoo near her collar bone was almost half full, even more filled in than before. Thank the gods, she was pleased with me.

"Sorry I'm late. I slept longer than I thought I would." She took the seat in front of her BLT sandwich and OJ.

"Thank God. Another 5 minutes and Mally here would have had a heart attack. It'd be hell for me to try and drag his massive ass to the hospital." Ferina blurted tipsily, throwing her arms clumsily on the table.

"You were worried about me?" She looked at me with sweet doe eyes as she took a bite of her sandwich.

I sat, dragging the chair closer to the table. "I hadn't seen you in hours. I just wanted to make sure you weren't..." I cleared my throat, trying not to seem too clingy. "…injured."

She adjusted herself in her chair. A hint of lust stained her cheeks red as she seemed to remember last night. She covered her mouth, clearing her throat. "I may not be a demon but us wolves are strong enough to handle anything you can throw at us." Her words rang of a playful challenge and she winked at me.

Was she telling me to go even further with her next time? My inner beasts relished the idea. She'd better not tempt me too much or she might bite off more carnage than she could manage. This little minx was confidence and trouble all wrapped up in a pretty package. That excited me beyond words.

We ate lunch together, Ferina plied Sunny and I with dirty jokes. They started out sloppy and incomprehensible but slowly started getting funny as she sobered up. Sunny, a great sport, laughed from the first drunken joke. I loved how she always humored my sister.

We'd almost finished eating when my assistant, Sam, marched in through the door like the wind, stomping toward us with his full attention on his clipboard .

"Okay, you're almost done with lunch, great." He skimmed the table before flipping to the next page and ticking something off with a pen. "Today is the day you're all booked to go and meet the children in the homework center of the city community center. You'll be playing games with them, reading them stories and getting to know them. This will allow the people of Demon City to get to know the royals a bit better, and really improve your public image."

"What's wrong with their public image?" Sunny asked, before casually sipping her juice.

"Well, some misinformed demons view our king and princess as being a bit cold, and reclusive and far removed from the lives of the ordinary citizens." He whispered that first part so low it was hard to hear him before blurting, "That's what we're trying to change!"

"Was that today? I totally forgot." I changed the subject back to the community center, dabbing the sauce from my lips, finishing my water.

"I forgot too." Ferina massaged her forehead with her fingertips, her face twisting in pain from an alcohol induced headache.

"Don't worry Princess Ferina, I've already arranged a driver to take you. Just have a glass of water first and you'll be fine." Sam said dismissively and flipped through several more pages.

"A community center. Sounds interesting. I've never seen demon children before. Well, except you of course, Malek. I wonder if they'll be as rambunctious as you were."

"They'll be like little angels," I assured. "Discipline is the highest priority in the Demon City school system."

She leaned back in her seat, her head dipping as she seemed comforted by my words. I wanted her relaxed for the meet and greet. She needed to get to know the people of the city a little better if she was to be accepted as their queen. Spending time with some local children will portray the image of her as a kind and caring woman that the citizens will be sure to love .

As soon as the heart tattoo was full, I'd finally propose to her. It was true that I had already asked her to be with me always, when we were younger, and she accepted. But it wouldn't truly be official until I properly proposed to her as a man.

Then once my armies had conquered the world, I could be truly worthy of her. I will make a perfect world for my bride and only then I will be worthy enough to call her my wife.

Livy choked on the dry last corner of her sandwich and started hacking.

"I'm okay." She washed it down with OJ.

I laughed inwardly. She made even the most ungraceful acts look graceful. I loved everything about her, most of all I loved the rumble in my chest every time her beautiful emerald eyes graced me.

Elias, one of my intelligence officers, darted into the room and whispered something into Sam's ear. Something dark was scrawled all over Sam's face.

Elias left and Sam and I exchanged glances. Something was wrong.

"Unfortunately, it seems there's a slight change of plans." Sam placed the clipboard under his arm clasping his hands. "Princess Ferina and Lady Sunny, you'll both be going to the center as planned. However, something urgent has arisen that needs the king's attention."

"I hope everything's alright." Sunny pried, her body posture perking up.

"There's a small commotion in the army barracks. A fight broke out and they need a good talking to from their king, to remind them how officers in the royal army are to conduct themselves." He laughed like it was no big deal.

Promising to meet up with them as soon as possible, I wished Sunny and Ferina a good trip to the center. I left the dining room with Sam. We made a shifty escape into the hallway outside the dining room.

"What's really going on, Sam?" I demanded once we were too far for the women to hear .

He stumbled over his sentences. "Intruders. Three of them. In the northern woods, just within the city's border. They've already killed seven border guards and…" he looked away hesitating.

"And?"

"They're saying the invaders are massive and savage beasts, yet they're highly skilled and adept at evading capture, even from our most well-trained warriors," he explained.

"You think it's them?" I asked and Sam slowly nodded.

"Good, I'd been waiting for them to rear their ugly heads again so I could chop them off." I patted Sam in the small of his back and we headed out of the castle.

I didn't think it would happen so quickly but I knew this day would come.

We went into the driveway where my jeep was parked. Sam begged me to be careful and I promised I would, I hopped into my jeep and left the palace grounds. It was kind of him to worry for me but I wasn't the one who needed to be careful.

I picked up Paul, Logan, and Lucile, three of my most skilled warriors along the way. Once they were all inside the jeep, I briefed them on the situation and we set off for the northern territory forests.

We left the city, and trees sandwiched the narrow road. I rolled down the windows and let the scent of pine waft inside. My nose as my guide, I made a straight line for Canings Town, the only settlement up north and where the intruders were bound to be.

Their stink was hard to miss, it infected the air like a disease and drew me right to them. Their stink grew until it was almost stifling. I revved the engine as the jeep mounted a slight incline.

We were less than half a mile from the town when three enormous, black, furry beasts leapt across the road. I floored the brakes narrowly avoiding a collision that would have totaled my jeep .

The jeep screeched to a halt on the shoulder of the road, digging up dirt and stones.

My inner beast awoke, roaring with rage. Blood lust soaring his killer instincts to new heights. A furious growl broke free of me as my eyes beheld them. The three demi-gods. The men who dared hold my bride captive, dared bring her so much torment, dared call themselves her mates.

Mates. The mere utterance of that word sickened me.

Their eyes lit up a bright green as they watched me from the other side of the road. We fled the car and stared down the demi-gods.

My men rallied around me in front of the jeep, together we projected more than enough angry muscle and fury to let the demi-gods know we would fight to defend our borders, even if it meant all hell breaking loose.

"You three are not welcome here." I grunted savagely. "You have broken the laws of my kingdom by entering without permission and murdering my men in the course of active duty." Slicing the air with my arm, I inched closer to the beasts. "Due to the grievous nature of your crimes, you have forfeited your right to trial. As monarch and Chief Justice of Demon City, I sentence you three to death."