She's the property of a King - • - After a fall from grace, Venus lost it all. She's forced into an engagement with a Rider King that's calloused both inside and out. Although she belongs to him in name and passion burns hot between them, this fiery...
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I walk to what remains of the men. Rexon is on his knees, palming his thighs and panting with exertion. Dramon is sitting with his elbows on his knees. They're worn out, but there's still no winner.
"Venus."
"Venus."
They both call for me and I feel like a distant moon. Frozen.
These two great men want me. I should be over the moon to have their attention, but instead, I feel like I'm in a fiery pit of the underworld. I can't choose. I can't go to either of them, so I turn and leave. My bones feel as exhausted as theirs even if I did no fighting today.
I go to Treysa and find her munching on her favorite plants. She raises her head and purrs for me like the softie she is. I lay down beside her and hug her side to embrace her warmth. Her head lowers to lay over mine. She's protecting me.
"I love you," I tell her.
She's unable to say it back. The silence feels like rejection, although she's wrapped around me. I don't know if I'll ever find a human who will love me back. Dramon seems to be obsessed, and Rexon only wants me.
—DRAMON —
one year ago
"I will not repeat myself, Zoro. Stop arguing with me about this because you will not lose. I will ride over that territory so you and your Clan must stay away from it."
Rider Queen Venus crosses her arms over her chest. The simple gesture looks mundane, but I know that it's considered a sign of disrespect in Zoro's Clan. I'm willing to bet that Venus knows that, too.
"Lower your arms, human," Zoro snarls.
No sense of protection comes over me, because I know that Venus can handle him on her own. I adore this.
"Why?" Venus smirks and pretends that she's ignorant of his customs.
Normally, I hate traveling to The Capital to meet with the other Kings. Venus, though... this female makes every trip worth it. She is brazen with her looks and snappy with her tongue. Most Kings jump straight to violence when they feel disrespected. This female brings torture in a different form. She dances around enemies with her smirks and quips, makes them look like children from how quickly they lose their temper.
Her rich, alien skin tone and generous curves only add to her appeal. I've had my eyes on her for a long time now. She's different.
"Fires," King Centres sighs. "Settle down. Zoro, leave that territory to Venus and let us move on. She is right. She knows the area better since the Human Colonies are nearby."
Venus leans in to press her elbows on the table. Her arms are still crossed, and my attention is locked on her. She won this argument, and I think she's starting to win my obsession, too.
Rexon turns to me. I don't care that every male in the room knows I stare or that Venus herself knows I want her. I don't care that my cock strains so badly a print is seen in front of my breeches. I have never been shy about such things.
Let her know. Let her know that I'd love to see that smirk on her face and her arms crossed across her chest as she bounces on my cock.
I sit here now, on foreign land trying to reclaim what's mine. The Fates know that I have messed up. I didn't give Venus what she deserved, and instead of setting her free, I am only trying to dig my claws further into her.
I never claimed to be perfect. Every Rider King has to have some degree of evil in them to survive. I am selfish.
I turn to Rexon. He's as defeated as I am; as thirsty as I am for Venus. This man, who I sat beside in the Council Room for years, is now my worst enemy. I hate him. I hate how he's smart enough to know that Venus is worth fighting for. I hate that I haven't ripped his head clean off his shoulders yet.
Did he hold her? Fuck her? Kiss her? Did she moan louder in his arms?
Every thought hurts me and heals me all at once. Adrenaline rushes through me for a second round of fighting.
He wants what's mine, so I'll give him what I deserve. Death.
When I stumble to my feet, Rexon he does the same.
"She's mine," I spit blood at the ground.
"Was," he corrects.
We're too injured to do anything but glare. It was a brutal fight, and our men know that it's time to pull us apart. Hands touch my arms to help me up, but I shrug them off. The only hands I want on me are Venus'.
I walk to the edge of Rexon's territory where I'll wait until the ground indents with my presence. No storm will blow me away. No Rider King will intimidate me away. No woman will distract me again.
I reach my men on the perimeter. The healer rushes to me, but I wave him off. I won't heal. Not without Venus. My blood will flow onto the ground as my offering to her.
Salina is gone from my life. Distancing myself is something that should have happened long ago, and it took me losing Venus to realize it. My guilt took over my life, and I thought that keeping Salina close would make it better. It was a foolish thought. The healthiest thing for us was to part ways.
My beast circles the air above, irritated. He is not happy with me for losing Venus and only lets me ride him because he knows I'm looking for her. He doesn't care that I'm bruised and bleeding.
I'm as angry as he is at me, but I must wait. If my Queen wants time, then I'll give her a lifetime.
