30. Aurelia

Chapter 30

Aurelia

I go tumbling to the floor as chaos explodes around me.

Cain Clawson jumps to his feet and roars in outrage, leaping over my shocked form and charging at Scythe.

But mid-way he chokes and goes tumbling to the floor.

Everyone at the table except Scythe jumps from their seats. Lady Hyena shrieks something. Her beasts respond and they bolt from the table as fast as they can. The rest of the hall takes note and begins making their rapid exit too.

Lyle picks me up off the floor and I blink around in a mixture of dazed shock and confusion. There is nothing tangible left of the person, Brutus Clawson. Where he sat on the padded, wooden seat, there is only a red and brown slop that kind of smells really bad.

He might not have even existed.

Who has the power to do that?

My eyes track to where Scythe still sits in his seat like nothing's happened, his attention simply fixed on me. Except his eyes are no longer ice blue. Instead, they've darkened to a terrifying navy that I've only seen once before.

"The shark has taken him." The Collector's voice is faint beneath the dull roar in my ears as she starts to stroll away, tugging those five chained beasts with her. " You. " She points a gloved finger at me and jerks her chin at Scythe. "Be a darling and take care of that, will you?"

"Argh!" A male lets out a choked scream, but it's abruptly cut off. I turn to see Xander shoving the hulking male to the floor, where he lands with a lifeless thump next to Cain's unconscious body.

That male had been coming for me. Multiple males had been, I realise.

"My love," Lyle turns around and reaches for me. "Are you?—"

"You've just killed a Clawson tiger," The Collector calls over her shoulder. "I would think carefully about your next move."

"Shove off, old lady." A naked Savage appears out of nowhere, wiping his de-muzzled mouth, now covered in blood. His torso is also streaked with crimson that's definitely not his own. He stalks up to me, a completely feral glint in his hazel eyes I've never seen before. "Regina," he breathes, taking my hand and kissing it.

"Out!" Xander's shout explodes across the hall in a voice of complete command. Most of the beasts have already left The Jewel, but there are those who still linger, eyes fixed in my direction, as if they can't quite decide which path to take. Right, towards the exit, or further into the hall towards me. Xander's arm whips up, a rope of fire summoned in an instant. I can feel the heat of it from here as it chases the last beasts out of the hall.

A chair scrapes back and I whip my head to my right to see that Scythe has stood. But the look on his face shocks me. Thrills me. I've seen this face once before—when I was forced to reveal the wounds on my stomach, and Lyle, Scythe and Savage were completely taken over by their animuses and went to the front of the school to hunt my father and kill him.

There is no human man in those eyes.

"Scythe's gone cold," Xander says, warily. "It's because of her ."

Around us, the hall is empty. Scythe's head swivels to regard Xander, that lethal gaze fixed with a pinpoint focus that makes me want to shudder…and run into his arms at the same time. He says in the coldest, almost malicious rasp, " Decide , dragon-brother."

Xander goes still, but those glowing eyes flash with anger.

"Holy shit. I've never heard it talk," Savage says, stalking towards me.

Lyle pulls me backwards into his body, keeping a possessive hand on my hipbone and burying his nose through my hair. "You smell divine, regina."

I can't help but grind my ass against him. Pleasure winds its way through my ass and up my spine at the contact. Savage comes up next to me, leans down and runs his tongue up my neck, before claiming my mouth in a kiss so hungry I melt on the spot.

Savage breaks it off with a growl, cupping my cheek and pressing his forehead against mine.

I'm wet and ready. Not hungry, but ravenous . If this is what being in heat is like, I want more of it.

As if he's heard my thoughts, Scythe's head swivels back to me. "You won't get fucked until you beg for it, regina."

Lyle, Savage and I all straighten. I run my hand down Savage's chest and narrow my eyes in challenge at his shark-brother. "I'll get what I want, daddy shark."

Something sparks in those navy-blue eyes. Arousal? Anger? I can't tell.

"Learn your place, regina, or you'll get punished."

Two can play at this game.

"Oh?" I ask slowly, bringing Savage's hand up to my mouth and sucking on one tattooed finger. I let it pop out of my mouth. "And where, pray tell, is my place?"

"Your place is sitting on a fucking throne with five cocks filling you up."

Heat roars and spins through my veins.

Well then. Scythe's shark has the dirtiest mouth I'd ever heard.

Xander makes a strangled sound that's somewhere between a choke and a death rattle. Scythe's head snaps towards him and Xander bares his teeth. "You know my fucking decision," he snarls, before snatching up Cain by the hair, turning on his heel and striding for the door, dragging the body of Cain Clawson with him.

Lyle's hand finds the high slit in my gown, his fingers lightly brushing on the hot skin of my upper thigh and driving me mad. His hand moves higher still and towards the middle, grazing my centre.

I let out a breathy moan, leaning back into his towering, muscled form, wanting to feel more of him against my heated body.

Savage brushes at the flecks of blood on my chest, a last reminder of the fate of Brutus Clawson. We have Sabrina back. And a Clawson is dead.

Tonight is a success.

Elation rises through me like a helium balloon and it only intensifies my need.

"Regina, baby," Savage murmurs, before walking backwards, away from me. "Give him what he wants. Give us what we want."

"Excuse me?" I say, more irritated than I've ever been. "Aren't I the one in heat over here?" Gods, I need one of them inside of me, right fucking now.

"Play a game with us," Savage says. "And I promise it'll be worth it."

"Hm," Lyle says, "I like this idea." Then he too moves away from me. The two of them stand on either side of Scythe, like three generals on the opposing side of a war.

I narrow my eyes at them, furious. Heart racing. Pussy throbbing.

"I. Am. Wet," I grit out.

Lyle sighs.

Savage closes his eyes and rolls his neck as if savouring my words. "Baby, by the end of tonight, you'll be a lot more wet than this."

Scythe says, "Regina, you can ask more nicely than that." He sits on the chair behind him, spreading his legs out wide as if settling himself for a show.

All I can think about is crawling into his lap and grinding against him until we're both panting. Until we're both moaning and fucking and…

I lick my lips. Perhaps this type of game I can get behind.

Savage leaps up onto a neighbouring table and, though his legs are swinging, his eyes are fixed and predatory on me. Lyle leans against our poker table on Scythe's other side, bracing his hands on the table, his knuckles white as if he's holding himself together using the table alone.

"Choose your safe word," Lyle says. "Make it a good one."

I think for a moment before grinning at Savage. "Fairy bread."

Savage beams. "Fairy bread it is."

"So," I say, flipping my hair over my shoulder and glaring at Scythe, "The Shark king has finally come out to say hello to me. Took you long enough."

The corners of his perfect, kiss-able mouth twitch upwards, and he cocks his head. "I was waiting for you to grow a spine."

Anger flares through me, but I don't let him see it. Instead, I look him lazily up and down as if unimpressed. "I could eat you for breakfast."

"An interesting way to ask me to fuck you."

I all but clench my teeth. Scythe's shark is also a grade-A asshole.

Luckily, I like assholes.

"Is that what you think I want?" I take another step towards him. His eyes slide down the lines of the gold gown, no doubt noticing the way it drapes so perfectly around my curves. I step forward with my right foot, allowing him to see the entire length of my leg.

"I like this pretty dress you gave me," I say softly. "It fits so nicely."

"Of course it does. I chose it for you." When he talks quietly, his voice gets even more raspy. I've been so curious about this beast and his thoughts about…well, everything. But also about me.

"What do you want?" I ask in a low voice.

He regards me carefully, his cold eyes assessing every inch of my face. I've always been nervous under his icy stare, but tonight it's different. Tonight, it sends a heated thrill spiralling through my veins.

I want him to direct me. To tell me what he wants. What to do and how to do it. I want to watch him get off on me obeying him.

"I want you on your knees," he rasps, unblinking. "I want you to crawl to me."

The regina in me knows he needs this. The ovulating anima in me knows that I need this too.

It's almost like this entire thing is a dream as I, never taking my eyes off the Great White shark, descend to my knees.

His lips part, as if he's mesmerised.

Having his attention on me this intently as I drop my knees to the floor is the most exhilarating thing I've ever experienced.

I set my hands on the floor, adjust my gown and slowly crawl to him. This dark shark-king on his throne. A beast who's haunted me since I found myself in Halfeather's dungeon on that fateful day. A beast whose gaze I've craved. Coveted.

The space isn't silent, I realise. Some music still plays faintly in the background, forgotten by the escaping bartenders.

My hands and knees move to the beat of the music, and by the time I reach him, I'm dripping wet, panting, and wound so tightly I think I'm going to burst.

I'm in line with his crotch, my hands between his shining business shoes, looking up at his completely unmoving form. This beast executed Brutus Clawson like it was nothing. Didn't rip him to shreds, but imploded him. Right in front of me…for me? It was almost like he'd lost on purpose just to give himself the excuse…

"Tell us who you belong to," he says.

Oh Goddess.

I blink up at him, stunned by my realisation.

Savage, clearly growing impatient, leaps off his perch and begins to prowl back and forth behind me.

"Tell us who owns you, regina," Savage demands.

And then Lyle leaves his station and his power too stalks behind me. "Tell us who owns your pussy."

I bite my lip. "You do?"

Faster than any cobra, Scythe's got my chin between two fingers, leaning into me, his breath tickling my lips. "Louder."

I'm so stupefied by his closeness, by the force of my desire, that I lose all sense and end up whispering, "You do."

Savage makes a tutting noise, flips up my gown and slaps me on the ass. I let out a surprised squeak, twitching in Scythe's grip, but he holds my chin firm.

"Louder," the shark orders.

I clear my throat and find his eyes again, saying the words I've always wanted to say. "I'm yours."

Scythe's eyes flutter shut for a moment, savouring the moment before they open again. "And where is your place?"

I swallow again. Scythe's finger rubs along my bottom lip. Unbidden, my tongue sneaks out and catches his finger.

Scythe goes still.

Then he's grabbing me around the waist and I'm soaring through the air until I'm bent over his lap. I land with an "oof". My dress is being moved around until the massive tear of cloth fills the room. Cold air strikes my ass.

"My dress!" I gasp.

"I'll buy you another," Scythe growls from above me.

Someone runs their finger around the seam of my thong, lifts it and lets it go. It snaps back with an audible sound, making me shiver. The movement makes my clit jolt against Scythe's thigh and I moan, grinding myself into him?—

Until Savage sinks his teeth into the flesh of my right ass cheek. I squeal before my wolf releases me and laps his tongue across the bite mark.

"I love your ass, regina," he murmurs against my skin. And then right by my ear. "Do you know how much I love your fucking ass?" I turn and look at him, but he's eyeing me sternly. "Now be a good regina and do as you're told."

"Now tell me," Scythe commands, adjusting me on his lap. "Where do you belong, Aurelia?"