The Dark Fey Chronicles Throne of Glass

Chapter 6

I sat beside Erik in the dining hall, watching as most of the Valkyrie laughed and broke bread together. Laughter filled the hall and the clanking of mugs and utensils sounding through the air. It was all so sharp and magnified. My skin felt like a live wire and muscles felt like jello.
I lifted my wine glas to my lips and finished the last bit of it, the bitter taste washing down my throat. Erik's hand rested on my shoulder, his fingers sliding across my Mark every now and then. Each time he did, my skin flared with heat. I swallowed.
Heat was not the time I should be trying to get Erik into bed. I wasn't ready for a child but then I remembered the raven haired, green eyed child I had seen and just somehow knew. This was mine and Erik's child. Years from now, standing with Nakoma on a throne of bones, covered in blood. I shuddered. I hadn't told anyone about it yet. We needed Nakoma in the wars to come. And I just couldn't believe she would betray us. And we needed to make new alliances with Masako and other prominent Dark Fey families. Our lives could depend on it. I wondered how and when this would all end. The images of Nakoma on the bloody throne flashed before me again. What did it mean?
Erik's hand tightened around mine and I looked up at him. What has you so worried? His eyes were bright as he gazed down at me, his fingers skimming the inside of wrist now. I shook my head as I gazed out over the crowded room. Everything is happening too fast. How do we know who we can trust?
Erik leaned closer, his arm slipping around my shoulders. What do you mean?
I turned to face him. I mean, that we are dealing with people we don't know! Powerful families-
Erik nodded. I'm glad you understand that. These people may be friendly but they are not family, Lexi. Always remember that.
I nodded and looked around the room.
Liv at at her usual spot to my left, her face pale and tired looking, her hair up in a missy bun as she stared off into space.
What are we going to do about Liv?
Erik sighed and glanced at her. "She is sworn to protect you. Of course she is going with us."
I looked over at Jon. "Then so should Jon!" I told him. Erik sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Why on earth would he have to come?"
I crossed my arms. "Because he is my twin and he needs to teach me!"
Erik frowned. "We already talked about-"
I sighed and turned away from him. "All I'm saying is that Jon is more advanced then you know! He could teach me all he knows! It's better then anyone else right now!"
Erik sighed. He stared at Liv.
"He may come with us," he said and stood to his feet. "As protection detail. He will be at your side at all times!"
I nodded. "Thank you-"
"This is work, Lexi, not pleasure."
I looked up at him to see his face had turned serious. He was still looking at his sister, his features conflicted. "If Jon goes with us, it will be for you, not her."
I turned to look at Liv but she had gone, her plate of food untouched. I wanted her to go, I did, but I was scared for her.
"Is it safe for her to go?" I asked him. "Liv is not herself- and I know it's only been a few days, but I'm worried about her."
Erik looked down at me now, his eyes scanning my face. "You are always scared for everyone but yourself."
I raised an eyebrow. "No, I'm not!"
Erik smiled at me. "If you say so," he sighed and ran a hand over his face. "We should get going soon. Our plane is waiting."
I looked around the room. The Great Hall was filled with people I cared about. My subjects. It didn't seem right to leave in a time of war. But, as Erik seemed to love to remind me, I was Queen now. I had to put my personal feelings aside. Do what was best for the greater good of the people. I was able to do that. If that made me trackless then so being. Perhaps that's what Erik had been getting at.
I looked down at my silk dress. "I should change." I told him. Erik raised an eyebrow, a sly smile on his face as he looked me up and down. Clearing his throat, Erik reached for his glass of wine as I stood to my feet and walked to the door, Liv and Jon appearing beside me. I knew I had about seven minutes before Erik would come looking for me and I planned to be in the shower by the time he found me.
"Lexi, I need to talk to you about Japan-"
I nodded. "I know you don't want to go, but I pray you reconsider," I told her.
Liv sighed and pursed her lips at me, a defeated expression on her delicate features. Do you really want to be apart from Jon for so long?
In an instant, Liv expression went from reserved to angry and silently outraged. "I'm sorry but I have to remain here. Someone of the Modori bloodline -"
I blinked . "Of course," I agreed. Liv and Erik were the last remaining Modori. Until I gave birth to a child, the Modori bloodline would come to an end of anything happened to Erik or Liv. My heart seared and I felt a ripple of confusion wash through me. Erik was coming for me now.
"I need to go," I said and opened my bedroom door. Liv and Jon bowed their heads and vanished down the hall together.
My room was dark, only a small bit of moonlight seeping through the cracked window. I stood there for a moment, staring at the cracked window.
Fingers wrapped around my hip and the side of my neck, a searing vice of warmth against my chilled skin. I sucked in a bereath when Erik pressed his lips to my Mark. "We leave in an hour," Erik whispered. I frowned. "That's not long enough!"
Erik chuckled. "I know." His hands turned me to face him, his fingers pulling gently at my cloths, letting them fall to a pile at my feet. Erik didn't waist any time. His shirt was up and over his head as he pressed me back into the bathroom. I smiled when he turned away to turn the showers on, making the copper stone bathroom fill with steam. I watched as Erik, drawn and tired, closedlthe shower door, letting it fill with steam. He look exhausted. Perhaps we would be able to find some comfort in this situation. It was my first time to travel like this. We both very much needed the vacation. Even with everything going on, I did my best to see the best of this situation. I didn't agree that we were leaving, going half a wold away just for people to have a look at me in a time of war. Because that's what Liv has described at as. Erik had told me she was being dramatic and given her current situation, I figured she was. I was excited to see Japan.
Erik turned to face me, unbuckling his pants. "Take off that off," he ordered me nodding to my bra and panties. His voice was low, husky. I gazed up at him, my mouth suddenly dry. His eyes were glowing orbs of gold now. His smile was sly as he leaned forward. "Would you like me to do it for you?" Erik didn't wait for me answer. His hands wandered to the front of my bra and a sharp claw like nail slid through the delicate silk material like butter. The scraps of now shredded bra and underwear fell to the floor and Erik stepped back to look at me, his eyes wandering my body slowly. "Not enough time," he sighed as if to remind himself. Erik closed his eyes and shook his head, almost suppressing his groan. "After you, Min Dronning."
I smiled and stepped into the steaming water and sighed in both relief and discomfort as the hot water scorched my skin. I raised my head, letting it wash over my hair. Only an hour? Not nearly long enough. I sighed. Something was always distracting us. Interrupting us. So I suppose, in a way, our get away to Japan was a good thing. If I was being selfish. I felt my heart sink when I realized I was selfish.
Erik's hands gripped my shoulders and quickly made me face him, his face impassive as he gazed at me. He waited for the answer to his unspoken question but I didn't have the heart to tell him. Erik had enough going on without me adding my emotional baggage to the pile of things for him to worry about. So I offered him a soft smile but his face didn't change. I felt my heart beat into my throat when Erik raised his hand and curled his fingers around my neck gently. "No one would dare disturb us," he told me his a low voice.
Butterflies filled my chest, effectively making it impossible to use my voice. The only sound that came from me was a half surprised half aroused gasp. Erik smirked.
"You smell particularly delicious today." His voice was low, deep and husky. I watched his lips curl up on one side, revealing a razor sharp fang. I swallowed as Erik leaned forward and pressed his lips to my Mark. Blood boiled under my skin, scorched my cheeks. Erik didn't wait for me to answer. His fingers tighten around my neck as he pulled me forward, his mouth pressing hard to mine. A relived and satisfied sigh breathed through me as Erik lifted me into his arms, pressing me to him, never parting his lips from me. Somewhere deep down I knew I was forgetting something. Something important. I just couldn't recall wa hat it was.
Erik leaned away suddenly, his eyes ice white, his sharp teeth pinching his lips. Before I could say anything, Erik decided we were clean enough. He reached around me and shut the water off, offering me a hand out of the shower. I gulped, an arm coming up to cover my chest as I walked to the door to grab my robe. A heavy hand handed on my cold, naked shoulder and I turned my head to look at Erik. "Come sit by the fire," he said as his hand locked around mine and pulled me back to the bedroom.
I let Erik pulled me along, feeling uncomfortable as we sat down one either side of the sofa. Erik handed me an afghan and sat down beside me, using the same afghan to cover himself with. We didn't sit still for long. As soon as I was warm enough, my hands began roaming his body. His chiseled chest, his strong thighs. Erik's hand caught mine as I wandered his eyes locking on mine. "I'd stop if I were you," he warned me and I raised an eyebrow.
"What?" I asked him confused. I didn't understand. Didn't-... didn't he want to? Perhaps he didn't crave me that way. We hadn't been together since Glass Court. I had craved his touch ever since but did he feel the same? I knew better then to think we could spend all day in bed. I pulled my hands away slowly. "I'm sorry-" I couldn't believe he didn't want to. Or perhaps it was me. I looked down at myself, looking at my pale, sickly skin. Erik must have picked up on my emotions. He leaned away to look at me. "It's not you, you know that, right?" His voice was soft and low. I leaned away. "I guess so?" I said, still unsure. I shoved away the sudden feeling of longing and craving. Turning away, I reached for the silk sheet on the back of the sofa. Erik watched me as I wrapped it around me. "I love you," he told me.
I smiled a wide smile at him. "I love you too, my King." I reached up and touched his face, the slight stubble on his chin scratching my palm. "And you should keep the shadow. I like it."
He laughed at me, leaning forward to press his lips to mine, his mouth was hot and demanding on mine. "Anything."
Erik closed his eyes, a defeated sighed, almost like a groan, passed his lips as he leaned forward and pressed them to my Mark. In one fluid movement, Erik wrapped his arm around me, pressing me down to straddle him. I gasped in surprise at his sudden movements, my hands coming up to lock in his hair. "Don't you ever apologize to me!" His voice was hard, strained. I smiled and lowered myself on to him. I watched Erik close his eyes slowly and I sighed, leaning forward to wrap my arms around his shoulders, I leaned into him, breathing him in, wishing we could just stay in this tiny bubble of just us two a little while longer.