Hive Queen by Sinclair, Grayson (ereader iphone .TXT) 📗

a foot from me, gazing at me as if she were staring through my very soul. She stood a few inches short of me, which put her almost a foot taller than Eris.

“Caution, knight. This queen is dangerous.”

Before I could respond to the Aspect, Aliria reached out and laid a finger on my chest. Right over my heart.

The pain was so sudden, it caught my breath and floored me. I dropped to the floor as torment crawled through my veins and ice stabbed through my brain. The duality of magics flowing through me turned to magma in my veins. I fought for a single breath, just so I could scream.

Then she removed her hand from me, and the pain vanished as swiftly as it arrived.

I gasped for air and rejoiced in the pure bliss of the act. My sweat-stained copper hair fell in my face as blood dripped from my torn lip. I’d accidentally bitten it, and salted iron ran over my tongue.

The stone, cool against my bare fingers, grounded me in the moment. I worked to get myself under control and stumbled up for the floor, glaring murder at Aliria.

"What in the nine hells was that?"

She narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brow, humming to herself under her breath in a low, guttural tone.

I was deathly afraid of her, and it wasn't just my personal fear. The Aspect recoiled from her presence and retreated to the confines of my heart, leaving me alone in a den of wolves.

Aliria spoke, smiling. "Such a waste of a knight. Abominations like you should never be allowed to exist," she said, her voice held delight as she savored each word levied at me.

What? I took a step forward, wanting, needing to understand what she’d said. “Tell me what that means!”

“I don’t think so, not yet.” Aliria laughed and turned from me, walking back to Magnus.

I didn't let her take another step before I took one of my own and clamped my hand on her shoulder; her sleek black dress balled in my fist as I turned her around to face me. A flash of annoyance marred her face before being replaced by quiet amusement.

"Can I help you, knight?" her voice sweet, a bastardization of Eris's.

"Answer me!"

Her eyes flashed at my outburst, filling with excitement. She moved closer to me, her breath heated as her tongue rolled out, giving me a quick look at her duel sets of elongated canines. Aliria licked her lips with anticipation. And she looked hungry.

"If you wanted to play, you should have just said so!"

She pinned my arms to my sides with enough force that I couldn't attempt to break free. Even with my Strength maxed, I could do nothing as she opened her mouth far too wide and latched onto my neck. Her teeth ripped a chunk from my flesh as she gorged on my blood.

Her saliva mixed with my blood and numbed my skin as she fed. Her tongue lapped up every spilled drop that fled from my body. I fought against her and tried to pry myself free, but it was pointless. I wasn't going anywhere.

I succumbed to the inevitable and let her drink her fill. Magnus watched the scene with fierce interest, leaning forward in his throne with his chin propped under his arms. My voice broke and wheezed as I attempted to speak, so I asked him with my eyes to intervene, but he just continued staring.

My vision grew hazy, and fog filled my thoughts as the blood loss took hold. My skin tingled, and by the time she'd finished, I was barely conscious. Aliria released me, and I slumped to the ground, the stone cold against my feverish cheek. I attempted to stand, but I was weak. Through sheer force of will and indignation, I rose to my feet.

I clenched my teeth, splitting my torn lip even wider as I bared my teeth in rage. She has no right to my blood, to my memories!

Magnus frowned at Aliria, a reproachful gaze, which she shrugged off. I knew that she would go unpunished for her vile intrusion, and fire roiled in my chest. Let’s see how you like it. Show me what you refuse to tell!

I initiated Dance of the Immortal, and the world slowed to a standstill. Magnus sat on his throne, staring at Aliria as she froze mid-step, her foot an inch from the floor. I raced for her, my teeth bared to sink into her ivory skin.

The snap of fingers stopped me in my tracks.

The hell? I couldn’t move my body from the neck down. I turned back to the throne. Magnus was no longer staring at Aliria, he was looking dead at me.

He smiled at me and rose from his throne, taking his time down the steps. Before he landed on the final step, he held his hand aloft and from nowhere, an ivory cane appeared in his hands as he stepped off the last stygian step. I’d seen the cane before; it was the same one Liam wielded when we fought.

“Dance of the Immortal. A neat parlor trick,” he said as he reached me.

Magnus leaned against his cane, his eyes flicking up and down, taking me in. He held up his left arm and tapped a phantom wristwatch. “Five, four, three, two, one.” He counted down the seconds till Dance timed out, but as he reached one, Dance of the Immortal stayed active.

He let his arm fall and titled his head back to me. “I understand your anger, Duran. I do. Aliria was out of line, and that’s my fault. I let her have her way far too often. Still, you are a guest in my castle, and it was incredibly rude for her to behave that way.

“So I’m going to overlook your attempt to harm her, though I