Empire of Flame and Thorns (Flame and Thorns #1)

Chapter 38

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

N ervous apprehension buzzes inside my chest. It feels as if I have a swarm of agitated bees trapped inside my ribcage. I draw in what I hope are normal-sounding breaths as I try to make my heart stop beating so hard.

My genius plan involves three things that need to happen in a very specific order. But the longer we walk, the more worried I get that the first thing is never going to happen. Or that it’s going to happen too late and there will be no chance to even execute the second step. Or that Draven is going to figure out what I’m doing and handcuff me again. Or that he will hear the very incriminating thumping of my heart.

With that anxiousness vibrating inside my soul, I keep throwing out my magic in search of a group of people who should be feeling either excited or impatient. But just like the past three hours, I don’t find anything.

I’m very well aware of the limits of my magic, and how close I need to be to feel someone else’s emotions. So once I can feel a group of people who are either impatiently or excitedly awaiting the return of the victors in this trial, I will know that we are close to reaching the end of the river. And as soon as I know that, I can set the second stage of my plan in motion.

But if that doesn’t happen soon, it will all be too late.

My heart slams against my ribs as Draven and I walk along the river. We must be far into the afternoon at this point, which means that we should be reaching the city soon.

Come on, come on , I plead desperately in my mind.

Worry clangs inside my skull.

My magic connects.

It takes all of my willpower not to gasp when I finally latch on to several cerise sparks of impatience. And they’re all located in the direction of the city.

Excitement explodes through me.

Finally .

It’s close enough that I should be able to make it there without Draven catching me. If I time it correctly.

My pulse thrums in my ears as I flick my gaze around the area, searching for the one thing that I need to enact the second part of my plan.

Dread strangles my throat when I don’t find any. Only trees with green and orange and pink leaves, and a softly flowing river, stare back at me.

I fight to keep my breathing even. Shit. I need to do this now. Before Draven also figures out that we’re almost out of the underground woods.

We continue walking.

Every nerve inside my body feels like it’s charged with lightning.

I force even breaths into my lungs.

Please , I beg silently.

My heart lurches.

There .

The tree I was desperately searching for finally appears up ahead. My heart is beating so fast that I can barely keep my hand steady as I discreetly slide my knife out of its holster. Draven’s eyes remain on the path ahead. I draw in short breaths. The tree gets closer.

If I screw this up, it’s over.

I need to time it perfectly.

Apprehension crackles through my veins like bolts of lightning.

Two steps left.

And… now!

I slash the knife through the thin vine-like trunk with one precise slit.

Then I ram it back in my holster and continue walking.

A faint rustling sound comes from behind us.

My heart pounds in my chest.

Please, please, tell me that I timed it correctly.

The rustling turns into a whooshing sound.

Draven spins towards it right as the giant bell-shaped top tips over and dumps all of its slimy green content right over us.

I yelp as I whirl around as well, hoping that it sounds like genuine shock. My gaze immediately darts to the cut I made in the vine that held up the bell. Because of its weight, the bell tipped forward once I cut through the vine. Then it snapped completely, leaving no evidence that I had anything to do with it. And besides, half of my body is also covered in that slimy green substance, since it tipped over me too.

However, Draven is far worse.

He stands there on the ground, his arms raised halfway up, and just stares in disbelief at the broken plant. There is an absolutely flabbergasted expression on his features. His hair, his face, and his entire body is completely covered in slime. That thick green liquid runs down his cheekbones and drips from his jaw and from his raised arms.

I burst out laughing.

Slime flies through the air as he whirls towards me. “I swear to God, if you had anything to do with this, I’ll…”

Then he trails off when he notices that my entire shirt and face and hair are soaked with it too. The only parts of me that escaped relatively clean are my pants, though there is some splatter on my left thigh.

A growl rips from his chest as he instead shoots a death glare at the broken plant. Then he yanks his arms down, flicking slime down at the ground.

“Azaroth’s fucking flame,” he grumbles under his breath as he stalks towards the river.

His boots make wet squelching sounds with every step.

My stomach lurches.

This is it. This is my one chance to steal back the ring.

While wiping slime out of my face, I follow him towards the river. My heart pounds in my chest. If he decides to just walk right into the river with his armor on, my entire plan will be for nothing. I need to make him take his clothes off before he gets into the water.

So before he can even think about stepping into the river fully clothed, I grab the hem of my shirt and yank it over my head.

Draven stumbles a step as he snaps his gaze to me.

I just lift my shoulders in a shrug. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before. You saw me naked in that stairwell, remember?” Choosing my words carefully, I add, “And besides, I can’t wash the slime off properly with my clothes on.”

Draven opens his mouth, but then closes it again. There is a slightly flustered look on his face as he glances between me and his own body. Then he grunts in what sounds like resignation.

After trying to wipe some more slime off his hands, he reaches for his belt and starts unbuckling it.

My heart patters in my chest as I steal a discreet glance at the pouch where the ring is hidden. But I keep my face a neutral mask as I unbutton my own pants.

A thud sound as Draven drops his belt on the grass. Then he starts on his armor. I take my time shimmying out of my pants. Then I pretend to just remember that I’m still wearing my boots. With a calculated shake of my head at my own silliness, I sit down on the grass with my pants down at my ankles and start unlacing my boots.

More thuds sound as Draven drops the top half of his armor on the grass.

My pulse pounds in my ears as I pull off my boots while waiting until Draven finally grabs the hem of his black undershirt. Then he pulls it upwards.

The moment that the fabric blocks his vision, I strike like a fucking viper.

Leaning sideways, I shove my hand into the correct pouch and yank out the ring.

His eyes are only covered for a few mere seconds, but by the time he pulls the shirt fully off and glances down at me again, the ring is already hidden in one of my boots. And my pants are also fully off, to account for what I was doing while his eyes were covered.

Heat flushes Draven’s cheeks when his gaze instead lands on my now almost entirely naked body. And just to distract him even more, I choose that moment to slip my hands inside my panties and push them downwards. He snaps his gaze away while the flush on his cheeks deepens.

I almost laugh. Both at his embarrassment and at my genius. It worked. I have the ring. And he doesn’t know.

Now, all I need to do is to quickly wash off and then come up with an excuse to leave for a few minutes. Maybe to go and pee in the woods or something. And then I’ll run like hell to the finish line and win this goddess damned trial.

Giddy with excitement, I strip out of my remaining clothes and then grab my slime-covered shirt in one hand as I walk down to the edge of the river. The water flows softly around my ankles as I step into it. It’s surprisingly warm, given that we’re halfway through fall. But maybe this strange underground forest somehow affects the temperature in this section.

Water laps around my calves as I bend over and dunk my shirt in the water.

A strangled noise comes from behind me.

Still bent over and rinsing off my shirt, I glance behind me, surprised at the odd noise.

I find Draven standing frozen on the grass a few steps behind me. His hands hover halfway to his underwear, not moving, as he stares at me.

Heat washes through my body when I realize that I’m standing completely naked and bent over right in front of him.

“Fucking hell, Selena,” he presses out, his voice rough.

I snap my gaze back to the water and hurriedly finish washing off my shirt. Then I straighten and move back to place my shirt on the grass so that it can dry. But I can barely concentrate on my mission anymore because Draven’s gaze is burning into my skin everywhere I go.

Fire flickers through my veins at the desperate look in his eyes. But I try to ignore it as I move back to the river. I have a mission. A plan. I just need to wash off my hair and body, and then I’m escaping with the ring.

Water sloshes around me as I wade into the river and dive in. The world around me disappears, to be replaced by the sound of rushing water in my ears, as I run my fingers through my hair to get the slime out. Then I push off from the riverbed and break the surface again.

A splashing sound comes from behind me. My heart flutters. Draven is now in the water too.

I make sure to keep my back to him as I wash off all the slime. My gaze darts towards my boots several times. I have a plan. All I need to do is to follow it. No distractions.

Steeling myself, I turn around and start back up towards the grass.

Right as I turn around, Draven breaks the surface after being submerged.

The air is snatched right out of my lungs as my gaze lands on him.

All of that weird green slime is now gone. Instead, water clings to his black hair and runs down his skin. My clit throbs as he reaches up and drags his fingers through his hair, pushing it out of his face. His muscles shift with the motion.

Fuck, did he have to be so damn hot?

He freezes mid-motion as he notices my stare. With his hands still halfway through his hair, he just stands there, watching me as if stunned. My gaze slips down his firm chest. The water level is right above his hips, and I swallow as I watch the water gently lap against his stomach.

“Selena,” he says, his voice dark and full of warning.

I snap my gaze away from his body and quickly start towards the grass again.

Goddess damn it, I have a plan. Dry off a little. Put my clothes back on. Make an excuse. And then run like hell.

No distractions. Absolutely no distractions.

The sound of sloshing water comes from behind me when I reach the grass. And because I am an absolute idiot, I turn towards it.

My heart skips a beat as I find Draven walking out of the water as well. His wet hair has now been swept back from his face, and drops of water run down his body. His utterly naked body.

Fire licks through my veins as I stare at the masterpiece that is his body. Every curve of his muscles and every sharp ridge of his abs are just begging to be touched. He stops, still ankle deep in the river, when he once again notices my gaze.

But this time, I can’t look away.

I follow a drop of water that slides along his abs and down that sinful V, and I’m struck by an overwhelming impulse to grab him by the hips and lick that water drop off his skin.

Then the drop of water slips lower.

I suck in a short breath.

Fucking hell, he wasn’t lying about his wingspan. I stare at his massive cock, which hardens more with every second, while forbidden images flash through my mind. Images of him pushing me up against the small rock wall a short distance to my left. Images of him putting a hand around my throat and fucking me hard. Images of him bending me over and trapping my arms behind my back and fucking me like?—

“Selena.”

My name rips from his lungs like a warning, a threat, and a plea.

Raising my gaze, I meet his eyes again. What little air I had managed to get back into my lungs disappears in a small gasp as I find him staring at me with desire burning like wildfire in his eyes. Swallowing, I lick my lips.

He clenches his jaw and flexes his hand.

“You really need to stop looking at me like that,” he warns, his voice low and rough.

The mere sound of that dark and strained voice makes my skin prickle with pleasure.

Drawing in an unsteady breath, I hold his searing gaze. “Or what?”

He starts forward again. Water sloshes around his ankles as he walks the final couple of steps out of the river and then continues across the grass. My heart pounds in my chest as he advances on me. I can barely think straight when he moves until he is standing so close to me that I can count every drop of water that slides down his muscular chest.

His eyes are dark with desire as he locks them on me. “Or I’m going to push you up against that rock wall and fuck you like you’re mine.”

Heat sears through my veins.

He takes a step forward, using his body to make me take a step back.

“I’m not fucking kidding, Selena.” He keeps advancing while I keep retreating. “You have ten seconds to drop your gaze, or I swear to God, I’m going to fuck you until your legs give out and the only moans coming out of your mouth are my name. And then I’m going to keep fucking you until you will never be able to even think about touching another man because all you can think about is my hands on your body and all you can feel is my cock inside you.”

My heart stutters. Sucking in shuddering breaths, I stare up into his golden eyes while heat pools inside me and my clit throbs harder. A thud sounds as my naked back hits the stone wall. Draven keeps moving until he’s right in front of me, trapping me against it.

“Ten seconds,” he warns.

My pulse thrums in my ears. “We’re still enemies.”

“Yes.” He keeps holding my gaze. “Eight seconds.”

“And after we leave this underground forest, everything will continue as it always has.”

“Correct. Six seconds.”

“So nothing we do right now will make a difference.”

“Agreed.”

“Because it won’t change anything anyway.”

“Exactly.” He shakes his head slowly and warns, “One second, little rebel.”

There is an almost pleading note in his voice, as if he knows that if we cross this line, it’s going to ruin us both.

But I don’t look away.

My chest heaves and fire flickers through my veins as I stand there naked against the rough stone wall and hold his gaze with determined eyes.

“Fuck,” he breathes, and it sounds like that word was ripped from the very depths of his soul.

Then he slides both hands into my hair and crushes his mouth against mine.

Lightning crackles through my veins, and I gasp into his mouth. Raising one leg, I wrap it around his hip and pull him tighter against me as I press my hands against his firm chest. A moan rips from his lungs as I draw my fingers down towards his stomach. His cock hardens against me.

He slides one hand down to rest on the side of my neck and reaches down with the other to grip my thigh. His fingers dig into my skin as he holds my leg up while dominating my mouth. I gasp as he bites my bottom lip and then claims my mouth again.

I rake my fingers down his hard abs, drawing a shudder from his body.

“Your wings,” I press out between furious kisses. “Please. I want to feel your wings.”

While continuing to kiss me senseless, he performs a half-shift. I suck in a breath as he flares his imposing black wings. He devours that sound as he steals the breath from my lungs with another desperate kiss.

I trace my fingers along that enticing V and down towards his cock while I reach up with my other hand. My right hand closes around his thick cock at the same time as I brush my left hand over the soft membrane of his wings.

He chokes on his breath. I show him no mercy. Sliding my hand up and down his throbbing cock, I trace my fingers along his wings again.

A gasp rips from his lungs. Breaking the kiss, he bows forward and presses his forehead against my shoulder while his body trembles. The most incredible moans spill from his lips like dark honey.

My mind can barely process it. Draven Ryat, the Shadow of Death and Commander of the Dread Legion, one of the most powerful and dangerous dragon shifters in the world, is completely undone by my simple touch.

I keep sliding my hand up and down his cock and trailing my fingers over his wings, utterly transfixed by the way his body reacts. Shudders rack his powerful frame and dark groans rip from his lungs. His cock is so hard underneath my hand that I can practically feel it pulsing against my palm.

Heat sears through me and my clit throbs at the sight of him like this.

Continuing my precise movements, I push him closer to the edge. Goddess above, I can’t wait to see what he looks like when he comes. I slide my hand up and down again. His body practically vibrates with tension.

Then, right before he can come, he suddenly snaps his head up. His eyes are wild and hazy with lust as he blinks furiously. A jolt shoots through me as he abruptly releases my neck and thigh and instead grabs my wrists. I suck in a sharp breath as he yanks my hands away from his body.

Rough stone scrapes against the back of my hands as Draven pins them to the rock wall above my head. Adjusting his grip, he pushes my hands together and then wraps one hand over both of my now crossed wrists. My chest heaves as I tilt my head back and stare up at him.

“Fucking hell,” he growls under his breath, his voice rough and strained.

I pull against his grip on my wrists, but they are now firmly trapped against the wall above my head.

A wicked glint appears in Draven’s eyes as he slowly shakes his head at me. “I’m going to make you fucking squirm and beg for that.”

“You—”

My words get cut off by a gasp as Draven draws his free hand over my pussy. A shudder of pleasure rolls through my body. With that sly glint still in his eyes, he cocks his head.

“I told you that I was going to ruin you , little rebel. Not the other way around.” A devilish smirk curls his lips. “So you are mine to play with, mine to torment, mine to edge until you’re begging me to fuck you.”

Before I can even begin to form a response, he rolls my clit between his fingers.

Lightning zaps through my spine. Arching my back, I throw my head back and gasp.

“That’s it.” He traces his thumb over my clit. “Moan for me.”

Pleasure spikes through me.

He adjusts the position of his hand and continues to rub my clit with his thumb while he slides his index and middle finger down to my entrance. I pull against his grip on my wrists and bite back a moan. He tightens his fingers around my wrists.

“I said, moan ,” he commands, his voice pulsing through my very soul.

While continuing to tease my clit with expert precision, he pushes one finger inside me.

A moan tears from my lungs.

Leaning down closer, he smirks in triumph. “Good. Now beg.”

Pleasure streaks through my body as he begins pumping his finger while his thumb keeps rubbing my clit. I squirm against the rough stone wall as a shudder courses through my body.

Draven adds a second finger.

A whimper spills from my lips, and I throw my head from side to side as he slides both fingers in and out while he intensifies the sweet torture that he is inflicting on my clit.

My entire body thrums with need.

He slants his lips over mine. “Beg.”

Another shiver of pleasure rolls down my spine when his breath caresses my lips. I pull against his grip on my wrists again and writhe against the wall in an effort to relieve the tension now building inside me.

Lightning shoots up my spine as Draven spreads his fingers wide inside me and then quickly moves them back and forth before he pumps them up and down again. Desperate moans spill from my lips. Draven brushes his mouth along my jaw while his thumb keeps working.

The tension inside me builds into a crackling storm. I gasp in breaths, my chest heaving, and squirm as the edge of an orgasm draws closer.

But Draven never lets me fall over it.

As soon as I’m close to it, he slows his movements before starting back up again.

Pitiful whimpers escape my lips. My whole body trembles with pent-up need. I squirm and gasp and throw my head from side to side. But there is no relief. No mercy.

And so, I break.

“Please,” I gasp out. “Draven, please.”

He chuckles. It’s low and dark and it dances over my skin. Leaning impossibly closer, he smirks against my mouth.

“Good girl.”

Something between a whimper and a moan rips from my soul.

Draven pulls his fingers out and removes his hand. My heart slams against my ribs as he instead takes a firm grip on my thigh and lifts my leg up. Then he positions his cock against my entrance. Resting my head against the stone wall, I try desperately to keep hold of that frail thread of sanity that is all that remains while a storm of pent-up tension and need whirls inside me.

“Eyes on me,” Draven orders.

Dragging in a breath, I tilt my head back down to meet his gaze.

His eyes burn with possessive need. It’s so intense that it takes my breath away.

He thrusts inside me.

My eyes widen, and I gasp as his thick cock slides into my soaking wet pussy. Faint flickers of pain ripple through me as my pussy stretches to accommodate his massive size. But Draven doesn’t rush me. He’s not rough or impatient. Instead, he keeps pushing at a slow but steady pace.

I drag in an unsteady breath as he sheaths himself completely. Then he stays like that for a while, giving me time to adjust. My heart thunders in my chest. Fuck, the feeling of him filling me completely is like nothing I have ever experienced.

With his eyes locked on mine, he slowly slides out a little. And then thrusts in again.

A groan rolls from my throat as pleasure shoots through me. He slides out halfway and then slams back in again. A little harder this time. My back thuds against the rock wall. He does the same thing again.

I stare into those beautiful eyes of his as he starts up a steady pace.

He flexes his fingers around my trapped wrists. Then he shifts his grip on my thigh, lifting my leg a little higher.

A gasp tears from my throat as he thrusts in again.

The new angle creates the most incredible friction.

A satisfied smirk blows across Draven’s lips. Keeping my leg in that position, he picks up the pace. Pleasure shoots through my spine with every thrust, and I have to blink repeatedly to stop my eyes from rolling back in my head.

His thrusts become firmer. More possessive.

I drag in shuddering breaths as the tension inside me builds.

My body trembles with pleasure and desperate need as Draven fucks me exactly the way he said he would. Like I’m his.

His fingers dig into my thigh and his hand pins my wrists above my head as he fucks me like he owns me. And the feeling of it makes my heart skip several beats and my head spin.

My back thuds against the rock wall as he slams into me with dominant thrusts.

The tension inside me reaches unbearable levels. Desperate moans drip from my lips as I tumble towards the edge of an orgasm.

Draven’s eyes sear through my very soul as he commands, “Come for me, little rebel.”

Release explodes through my veins. Throwing my head back, I gasp as pleasure floods my every nerve.

My pussy tightens around his cock as he keeps fucking me through the orgasm. Incoherent pleas spill from my lips as the feeling of his cock grinding against my throbbing clit with every thrust sends lightning shooting through my spine. White lights flicker before my eyes.

My moaning is drowned out by a deep groan.

I snap my gaze down to Draven’s face right in time to see pleasure flood his features. It’s one of the most extraordinary things I have ever seen.

His cock pulses inside me as he comes.

I just stare at the astonished look on his face and that incredible pleasure that fills his eyes and makes them glitter like the brightest of gold. I feel lightheaded.

When the last ripples of pleasure fade out, I can barely form a coherent thought. I just lean against the wall while my chest heaves. Draven looks equally stunned.

For a little while, our heaving breaths and the soft rushing of the river are the only sounds that break the stillness.

Then Draven releases my wrists and thigh and pulls out.

The sudden loss of him inside me is so jarring that I almost stumble. Throwing a hand out, I brace my palm on the rough stones behind me.

“Well, would you look at that?” There is a sly glint in Draven’s eyes as he cocks his head. “You can still stand.”

Blinking, I stare at him in confusion.

He closes the distance between us again and slides his hand up my throat. With a firm grip right underneath my jaw, he tilts my head back and locks eyes that are gleaming with wicked delight on me.

“I told you that I was going to fuck you until your legs give out.” He smirks. “Which means that you and I are just getting started, little rebel.”

Using his grip on my throat, he pulls me away from the wall and instead spins me around so that I’m facing it. Then he releases my throat and gives my ass a firm slap.

“Now, put your hands on the wall and bend over.”