The Darkest Craving

He doubted anyone could see the slight tremor in her limbs, but he could. He knew her—every luscious inch of her—and watched her more intensely than most. She was nervous, but angry. Sad, but determined.

The guards stealthily closed in. They’d been warned. If anything happened to Tink while they were near, they would die. Painfully. No questions would be asked. No excuses would be heard. And yet, Kane struggled to remain in place. He wanted to be down there, by her side, protecting her as instinct demanded. He was her man. But he’d taught her to look after herself, and now she was queen of an entire nation. He couldn’t swoop to the rescue without damaging her credibility.

Any other time, that might not have stopped him. He would have killed anyone who questioned her credibility, and that would have been that. But this time, he had to know. Couldshe survive without him?

Every day, Disaster weakened a little more.

Every day, a single fact became clearer. For Kane, the end was near.

Tink lifted her ungloved hands and cupped the offender’s cheeks.

The woman gasped, tried to pull away, but failed. Her skin grew pale. Her mouth floundered open and closed. Then, her knees buckled and she hit the ground, unconscious.

“I’m no servant,” Tink called loudly. “I’m queen, and I will be obeyed.”

Head held high, she strode from the room. Kane followed after her, the Opulen lucky he didn’t stomp on her as he passed. He didn’t say a word as he sidled up to her, and she didn’t, either. They made it into their room, and Kane shut the door.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” she choked out. “I was angry and I overreacted and I could have seriously hurt her.”

“You left her alive, and taught her a valuable lesson in the process. That’s more than she deserved.” More than he would have done.

“All I taught her was to fear me. And that would be wonderful if I wanted her fear. I don’t. That’s what my father had.” She wrung her hands together and paced in front of the bed. “I should have done to her what I’d done to the others. Sent her away without a verdict. One day she would have come back and she would have been willing to listen to anyone to settle the dispute. Even me.”

He shrugged. “Maybe you’re right.”

She stopped and peered over at him. “Wait. You’re not going to defend my actions, no matter how foolish I was?”

Can’t grin.“Cut yourself some slack. You’re new to this. And you’re doing better than I would have done. If I were queen, everyone would have received a death sentence at minute one.”

She rolled her eyes. “While you would make a very sexy queen, I know you’re just saying that to be nice.”

Her definition of “nice” was a bit skewed. Adorable, but skewed. “Sweetheart, when have you ever known me to be nice?”

She thought for a moment, nodded. “That’s true. You’re the meanest man I know. I’ll probably be known as the Mad—but Wonderful—Queen in all the history books, just for staying with you.”

Won’t laugh.“Well, well. Someone has a smart mouth today,” he said, stalking forward. “And that someone is getting a spanking.”

She yelped and darted around the bed. “Kane!”

“Silly Fae. You can’t get away from me.”

“But I can try.” She quickened her pace, and the chase was on.

She ran around the dresser, the vanity, through the bathroom, the closet, and anytime he would get his hands on her, she’d manage to wiggle free. Soon they were both laughing, out of breath, but he wasn’t one to give up—not when she was the prize.

He caught her, and they tumbled to the floor in a tangle of limbs. Her laughter died as he pressed his lips to hers.

“Kane,” she breathed, melting against him.

“My Tinker Bell. I’m going to have you.”

“Yes. Hurry. I want you.”

“No, I’m going to savor you.” He took his time undressing her, every moment a new revelation of his feelings for her—because he loved every inch of her. Every curve. Every hollow. Every scar.

He kissed his way down her body, treasuring her breathy sighs, her heated touches, the languorous way she moved, clutching at him, as if touching him was something she’d been born to do.

He would never get enough of her.

And he would never forget her, not even in death.

In a way, they’d grown up together. When they’d met, they’d both been in a very dark place. They’d lacked hope. Their fears had overwhelmed them. Together, they’d climbed out of the depths of hell—literally and figuratively. They’d found reasons to laugh. They’d let go of hate and embraced love. The weaknesses they’d had had been blasted by fire and were now strengthened with steel. They hadn’t broken. They wouldn’t break.

He couldn’t even imagine what would have happened to him if he’d never gone back for her. Disaster had tried to stop him, and maybe the Moirai had even tried to stop him, but there was something in him that was greater than both. Love. And love couldn’t ever be stopped.

Kane parted her legs and slid inside her—home, this was his home—then set out to slowly drive them both insane. She writhed against him, losing herself to the pleasure, the passion, the moment, the inexorable co

He was the one to beg for more. He couldn’t get enough.

His control began to fray. Always she had that effect on him. His motions came quicker, harder. And when he began to surge so forcefully her head banged into the wall, her lips parted on a scream of pleasure. She arched her back, taking him even deeper, and he found himself following her over the edge, growling and shuddering with the force of his release.

He wasn’t sure how much time passed before he recovered enough to pick her up and carry her to the bed. He only knew he didn’t want to let her go. Touching her was a need, a requirement. And not knowing how much longer he would be with her made the thought of separation so much more difficult.

But he had to go. She needed sleep, and if he stayed, he would take her again.

She snuggled under the covers and gazed up at him sleepily.

“Do you still love me?” he asked.

“Always.”

“I love you, too.” He kissed her brow. “So much. You’re my number one.”

“Number one,” she said on a contented sigh. “What I’ve always wanted to be.”

By the time he straightened, she was already asleep. He dressed, stepped into the hall. When he stepped forward, intending to return to the throne room, Malcolm appeared just in front of him, stopping him.

Startled, he furrowed his brow. “You want to tell me what’s going on and why I keep seeing you?”

“Want? No. Will I?” Malcolm shrugged. “In a moment. First, tell me why you’re so unhappy.”

“Unhappy? When I’ve done everything I set out to do, giving Tink a new life, a reason to live?” He tried to scoff. He failed.

“Yes,” the Sent One said.

“Why do you care?”

“We will get to that, as well.”

He popped his jaw, and admitted, “I don’t want to ever leave my wife. I’d return to the way things were, with Disaster, but I also don’t want the demon able to hurt her. Basically, I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.”

“And that is the crux of a curse such as yours. But perhaps I can soften the blow.”

“What do you mean?” Kane demanded.

You’ll never be rid of me,Disaster said, his low, whispery voice wafting through Kane’s mind. Determined as he was to survive, the demon had lost his fear of Malcolm.

Kane’s hands fisted.

“I will kill Disaster, once and for all,” Malcolm said. “I will burn the evil out of you. No demon can withstand the sword of fire. The problem is, this will—”

“Kill me, too,” Kane said hollowly. Everything always came back to that. “How does that help me get what I want most? A demon-free future with my wife?”

“It doesn’t. But at least your spirit will live on.”

“That’s exactly what would happen without your sword of fire.”