He went to her and fisted her hair, his lips clashing with hers. His kiss was wild, hungry. And hers was just as ferocious as his. She put her arms around his neck and pressed her body to his naked one. His scent—pine and musk—was intoxicating. Her soul was singing with happiness, reaching for his soul, their hearts beating in unison.
He broke the kiss and forced her to look at him, his golden eyes full of desire and lust and—
"You are mine! Do you fucking understand me? If another man touches you the way I do, I will fucking kill him!" he growled.
Before she could say anything, his mouth was back on hers, hungrier than before. He let go of her hair, opened her robe and let it fall to the floor, and cupped her breasts. She loved to feel his hands touching her body. Each kiss, brush of his skin against hers, or even a simple look left her yearning for more. His mouth eagerly devoured her moans.
He ripped open the thin chemise she was wearing and took a step back to look at her exposed chest. "You are so fucking beautiful!" he growled, his golden gaze burning into her skin.
And then his mouth was on her breasts, his big palms cupping them while he licked and sucked her nipples. A pulse beat between her legs, and she wanted, no, needed more of him. All of him.
She fisted his hair. "Jayden," she breathed. "Please!" she begged. He sucked her nipple hard. "Please!" she whimpered. "More!"
He spun her around, lifted the chemise, and slapped her ass a few times. She yelped. "You want my cock, little mate?" he asked while his fingers teased her clit. The other hand toyed with her nipple. "Answer me!" he growled while he rolled her clit between his fingers.
"Jayden!"
"Remove your chemise and get on the bed on your hands and knees, your ass facing me!"
She did as he ordered her. And he moved behind her, his hard cock pressed at her entrance. "I will mate with you and mark you so that every ocxoa will know you are the Andarra."
Her eyes fell on the dress, the stain of wine still visible, and before he moved, she fell on her belly. "Wait!" She looked over her shoulder. "Wait!" she said again when he put a knee on the bed. She tried to get away from him, but he grabbed her legs.
His gaze was black with lust; loud growls were coming out of his mouth. "Don't run away from me, little mate!" His body covered hers, his arms braced on each side of her. "You are mine, and I will not let anyone have you!" He sounded angry, yet an undercurrent of fear laced his voice.
"I am yours. Only yours," Mina assured Jayden. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, and she combed his hair with her fingers and felt him slowly relaxing. They remained like that for what seemed like an eternity, Mina still playing with his hair while Jayden kissed her neck, his body still covering hers.
"How did you get out of jail?" she asked when Jayden was calm.
To Mina's shock, Jayden's arms started turning into black vapor. It was the first time she had seen something like that, and for a few moments, she felt scared, but then she was curious, even fascinated, about Jayden's power.
She turned around to look at him, and his entire body was made of black mist. His eyes stared into hers, and she reached her hand out to touch his face. He felt cold.
"Can all ocxoas do this?" she asked while Jayden returned to his natural state.
"Only those that are Uzgaia can do it," he replied.
Mina slapped his arm and huffed. "You mean you could have gotten out of jail at any time? Why didn't you say anything when I went to see you? Wait! What will happen when the guards discover you are not in your cell anymore?"
"I will try to answer all your questions. First, I did not know I had this ability until my ocxoa told me about it around an hour ago. So I could not tell you about it. Second, it will take a few hours until my absence is discovered. I might have fought the guards and left them sleeping in my cell," he grinned. His eyes returned to their natural color.
Mina caressed his cheek. "You should not have escaped. The king was willing to set you free in a week. I am afraid you might have made things worse now."
Jayden kissed her palm. "That slut visited me and told me that you tried to kill her child, so there were no obstacles in your way to claim Prince Liam once I am stripped of my title, and our marriage becomes void. When the child was gone, you would have consoled the Prince and made him fall in love with you. And she caught you red-handed, and you promised you would marry Dickless if she didn't say anything about what you did. She even shed a few crocodile tears and told me she feared for her life." Mina's eyes went wide, and she wanted to speak, but Jayden went on, "She begged me not to tell you anything because you are cruel and vindictive, and you are only pretending to be good to trick me into falling in love with you before you showed me your true colors." He snorted.
"Jayden, I would never hurt Nolan!" Mina said, hoping Jayden would believe her. "Nor did I say I would marry Count Dickman! You have to—"
Jayden silenced her with a kiss.
He brushed his knuckles against her skin while his tongue danced inside her mouth. His hand descended until it reached her leg, grabbed it, and put it around his waist. Her hands were all over his body as if she could not get enough of him. Blood roared in her ears, and he rocked his hips, his cock rubbing between her folds.
"Gods!" he groaned against her lips. He lifted his head, his eyes so blue she felt she was drowning in them. "I know you would never hurt a child. I have seen the way you are with our little ones. But when I heard the name of Dickless, and I learned you were still in the Palace, I went out of my mind!" He pressed his forehead against hers; his hips stopped moving. "My ocxoa was too restless. He forced me to get out of the cell so he could mark you! You have no idea how—" He stared into her eyes. "Why didn't you go home as I told you?" He sounded furious.
Mina bit her lip. "Nolan wanted to play with me, and I could not refuse him."
"And what about our little ones? Who played with them today or made sure they ate or bathed? Who tucked them into bed? Nolan has plenty of maids to take care of him, but our little ones only have us!"
"I am sorry," Mina said in a low voice. "You see, I have loved Nolan from the moment he was born. While Rosalyn was busy trying on dresses and holding tea parties, I usually cared for him. When he asked me to play with him, I didn't have the heart to say no. And then Rosalyn tried to poison me—"
Jayden growled. "She did what?" His eyes turned golden, panic flashing in them. His hands roamed her body as if he wanted to make sure she wasn't hurt.
"I am fine!" Mina tried to reassure him. "Unfortunately, it had been Nolan who drank the poisoned tea, but the Fire Mages healed him. The worst is that she blamed me, but fortunately, no one believed her. Well, except my uncle. And since I suggested a spy might be in the Palace, the King ordered the guards to lock it down."
Jayden clenched his jaw. "I am going to make her pay for what she did!" he said between gritted teeth. He sighed. "Next time, do as I ask!" He kissed her forehead before his eyes went up to where the pillows were and frowned. "What happened to the dress?"
Mina looked to the side. "Rosalyn. I know how much you liked it, and now it is ruined..." She sounded as upset as she felt.
"That fucking woman!" Jayden growled. "Doesn't matter. I will buy you other dresses, more expensive ones." Mina looked at him, shocked he wasn't angry. "Once we are in Ora Dorei, I will make sure you wear only the most beautiful and expensive dresses and shoes. I will give you everything you never had while living in your uncle's house!"
A lump formed in Mina's throat. She had shoes and dresses while she lived with her uncle. Sure, not as extravagant as Rosalyn's, but it would not have mattered anyway since she never attended parties. It wasn’t the luxurious clothes that Mina wanted but the love of a man. Of Jayden.
He cupped her cheek. "The idea of being spoiled like the Queen you are doesn't make you happy. Why?"
A conversation she had with Caesar came to her mind, in which he told her that Andarra was like the Queen of all the ocxoas. There was much she had to learn about Jayden's people, and while she did not think she was fit to rule anyone, she would do her best to help Jayden lead the ocxoas.
"Because new dresses or shoes won't give me what I truly desire," she replied.
"And what is it that you want?"
Mina licked her lips before replying. "To be loved by my husband."
"Oh, Mina!" Jayden said before burying his face in her hair. He brushed her hair off her shoulder and peppered kisses on it. "Why didn't I meet you first, little lamb?" he said against her skin. "Give me time, Mina. If I can ever mend my heart, it is yours! And talking about love, are you still in love with that prick that believed you were a slut like his wife?" he asked, looking into her eyes.
"I don't know. Ever since I accepted your marriage proposal, you have been constantly on my mind. And I want to give you my heart, Jayden, because you are worth it. You are good and patient with me, treating me like no other man has ever treated me."
"You are also worth it, Mina. How I wish you were my soulmate! Sometimes I feel this tug on my soul and think to myself that I will feel a bond with you, but then it stops. But soulmate or not, you are mine, Mina!"
"And you are mine, Jayden!"
He kissed her gently, his hips rocking slowly against hers. Her heart filled with peace, with happiness. Her soul reached for his, and she wrapped her other leg around his waist.
He groaned as if he was in pain. "Gods, little lamb! I am dying to be inside you!"
His hips moved faster, his cock rubbing against her clit, and she begged him to take her. He put a hand between them while watching Mina's reactions to his touches. Her heels dug into the mattress while her nails scratched his back.
"Look at me when I make you come!" he ordered.
She tried, but the pleasure was so intense that she closed her eyes and arched her back. "Jayden!" Mina cried out his name when she came on his fingers.
Mina was still catching her breath when Hugo and Prince Liam burst into the room. Jayden stood up quickly.
"Mina, are you—?" Prince Liam said but froze when he saw blood on the duvet and Mina's thighs.
Mina felt her entire being turn red with shame and tried to cover herself as fast as possible.
Jayden put his very naked body between Mina and the Prince. His cock—still very hard and erect—was coated with Mina's juices and some blood. "Haven't you heard of knocking?" he growled. "And stop looking at my naked wife!"
Mina grabbed the dress, covered her nakedness, and prayed the floor would open up and swallow her.
The Prince forced himself to stop looking at the blood from the duvet—proof that Mina was not a maiden anymore—and looked into Jayden's eyes. "Who let you out of your cell?" Prince Liam asked angrily.
"I did!" Jayden replied. "Because it was not only not fair that I should spend time in jail for defending my wife from her uncle, but I had had enough of the guards trying to beat me because Duke Tedric and Count Dickless bribed them to do so! So the last time they entered my cell, I showed them why I won the war and not the Necromancer! Now, if you are done ogling my cock and wife, leave! The night is still young, and I still haven't had enough of Mina!"
Hugo turned on his heel, wanting to leave Mina and Jayden alone, when Rosalyn and her father entered.
"Now we are only missing the King to have the entire family staring at my cock!" Jayden growled. Mina pulled the duvet over her head and swore to herself never to come out again.
Rosalyn looked at Jayden before her eyes went to the duvet, and her face turned red with anger. She fisted her palms, and a strong pulse beat in her neck. Her eyes locked with those of Jayden. He clenched his teeth, hate flashing in his icy blue eyes. The once great love he felt for her disappeared when he saw her in another man's arms, his scent all over her, and she nonchalantly said she never saw Jayden before that day. His heart died at that moment, and he swore to himself never to love a woman ever again and only to pick one so he could become Uzgaia. But then Mina happened, his ocxoa going crazy with his need for her, and Jayden, for once, gave in. He did not understand why his ocxoa would choose a cold, calculating woman—at least that’s how Rosalyn described her—but it would not matter. He would need Mina to satisfy his needs and bear him offspring. When Jayden went to speak with the Duke and saw him hitting Mina, something snapped inside him. His ocxoa demanded blood but somehow managed to calm him down enough to take Mina out of the house. After spending that day in Mina’s company and realizing she was not the person Rosalyn said she was, he wanted to give her everything. Even his heart if he ever found it again.
Rosalyn's eyes went to the duvet, and pain and hurt flashed in her eyes, making Jayden hate her even more.
Duke Tedric's eyes bulged out. "You were supposed to be in jail! And how dare you stand like that in front of everyone?" he yelled.
A few maids passed down the hallways, peeked inside the room, and fanned themselves when they looked at Jayden. He ignored them. All he wanted was for everyone to disappear so he could spend the night with his mate.
"It is not my fault Hugo and the Prince entered the room without knocking. And Duke Tedric, next time you bribe the guards to beat the bastard, make sure you tell them to keep their mouths shut while they count the coins you gave them and talk about how they are going to spend it at the Red Lantern!"
"How dare you say I would pay someone to beat you! And cover your nakedness!" the Duke snapped at Jayden.
Jayden smirked. "I thought you liked watching naked people! Especially when they fuck! How many times have you paid for multiple men to fuck one woman at the same time while you watched and stroked your rotten pecker?" His tone was cold and icy, his eyes burning with hatred.
The Prince and Hugo stared at Duke Tedric while Rosalyn kept looking at Jayden. Prince Liam's eyes fell on Rosalyn, and he frowned.
Mina wanted to disappear.
"You useless bastard! I will have you charged with defamation!" the Duke spat his words at Jayden.
"Yes, yes! Meanwhile, could you leave Mina and me alone?" Jayden asked.
The Prince went to Rosalyn. "Return to our room!"
"But—" she protested.
"Now!" the Prince said in a loud tone.
"But what if Mina needs my help?" Rosalyn insisted. "Look at the blood on the duvet!"
"If my wife needs help after losing her virginity, I will be the only one to help her!" Jayden said.
Mina wanted to strangle Jayden.
"Remain here! I shall return with haste," Prince Liam said to Jayden before guiding Rosalyn to the door, only to find it blocked by the King—his gaze fixed on the duvet.
"King Baswein! This bastard escaped his cell! I demand you not only lock him back up, but also punish him!" Duke Tedric said.
The King looked at the Duke. "You demand of me? Since when do you demand things in my Palace?"
The Duke babbled. "What I meant is that—"
"Enough!" the King said. "Commander Jayden, could I have a word with you? But first, could you put some clothes on?"
"I am afraid I kinda lost them," Jayden said before going to the bathroom, grabbing a towel, putting it around his waist, and returning to the room.
"I will ask someone to bring you some clothes," the King said.
Mina was listening to what was happening, praying that everyone would leave.
Jayden went to the King and whispered something into his ear while the others were watching.
Jayden took a step back, and King Baswein knitted his brows.
The King studied Jayden for a whole minute before turning pale. "By the Gods!" he said. He looked at his son before looking at Duke Tedric. "From now on, Commander Jayden and Mina are under my protection!"