Claiming Their Queen

Chapter Two

Damon:

The moment her tears fell through the portal onto my face like rain from the skies I no longer roam beneath, I slipped through to her.

She tripped, trying to get away from me. When her fear filled my lungs, I shivered with excitement.

The cut on her knee let her blood seep through to me, feeding me, reinforcing what the tears from her eyes had.

She is mine.

Her blood tastes strange.

Sweet like wine, delicious. But a flavor unlike others… a hybrid, the only one of her kind… a queen to perfectly compliment me.

I returned to the depths of my existence at the call of her name, tingling, buzzing with the rush her blood left on my tongue.

Ivy.

The taste of her name on my lips hummed through my being.

Like her blood, it was a taste I could never forget, a taste that would drive me mad for more.

I turned sideways on my throne, laying my head on the skulls of the dead. One measly hour had passed, and I was still overly drunk on her.

"Sire." A low-level demon I had sent to gather intel entered my lair.

"Lamaski." I rumbled low, still unable to think of anything but her, with her taste burned onto my tongue, with the sound of her sobs burning my ears.

I bet her p.u.s.s.y would taste just as sweet as her blood and tears.

"I looked into the girl—the queen of Clearwater, Ivy Grimm." I only wanted to know two things about the girl. One, is she mated? I saw no mark, but the bubble I had pulled her into to conceal myself was dark. Two, who made her cry?

"Is she mated?" I asked Lamaski.

"I heard the elders chatting as they left. Her Beta returned tonight. He was her fated, but the boy brought home a chosen. He rejected her majesty." He hissed. We may be evil, crude, and ugly, but when two things are bound by fate, they should be respected, treasured, and praised.

Even we know that.

No matter, the boy's ignorance will not be an issue for long.

I could praise her… I will praise her.

"Poor thing." I hummed, standing, stalking over to look through the cabinet for a hard liquor to pour over ice. I had to burn the taste of her away before I returned to the surface for more.

"On the contrary, my liege. The elders declared the beginning of the Royal Games. I heard the family arguing. The girl has decided to compete for her own hand." I was pouring a mixture of the strongest in the cabinet, and by the end of that sentence, I was pouring another.

"Could she win?" Lamaski might be lower level, but even as such, he is a damn good demon.

"She is powerful, sire." Not even the third drink could wash her taste out of my mouth—it didn't dull it.

"I'll be back, Lamaski," I grumbled as I shifted into my spirit form, a black mass, a shadow figure, the thing nightmares are made of.

The next thing I knew, I was in her room staring at her, watching as her mind took over.

"Tell me your name." She whispered into the quiet room.

A smirk crossed my lips when I realized she could sense me; feeling my presence was enough to have me pinning her onto her bed, running my nose the length of her throat in a desperate attempt to burn her scent into my brain.

That was my first mistake.

The way her body trembled beneath me was addictive and engrossing.

That slight shiver, the goosebumps that erupted along her skin, only opened the door to wanting my tongue in her c.u.n.t and my name on her lips.

"You'll learn my name soon enough, princess." I lied. I had no intention of returning to her. I just needed one thing before I left her.

I first kissed her softly, fearing my sharpened fangs would prick her. The filthy little thing deepened our kiss without fear of the unknown; her tongue slipped through my lips first in search of a taste I gladly gave.

She sealed her own fate the moment the softest moan slipped her lips.

I released her from my clutches. If I didn't stop, I never would.

As I left, I bid her goodnight.

"Sleep," I whispered from the confines of my shadows. She couldn't hear me, but her eyes fluttered shut. Watching her react to my command left me stiff in my jeans, with my tongue begging for more as I escaped back to my realm.

Ivy:

I awoke with the buzz of my first kiss on my lips, left behind by the creature who had loomed in the darkness of my room. I lay there for only seconds, wondering if I had been delirious, hallucinating the shadow man because of my rejection. I let my fingers graze across my lips before my reality settled in, stealing any other thought I could've had about him.

The Royal Games.

I jumped from my bed, ran into the bathroom to do my business, brushed my teeth, dressed quickly, and hit the stairs, taking them by two. I was still rushing for coffee when I saw Nolan sitting at the island with my fathers, sharing coffee and waffles. I knew when my coffee began to pour into my cup and Knox, one of my fathers, cleared his throat that my morning wouldn't be as simple as training as I had hoped.

"Ivy, can we talk?" he said softly. I have the best fathers and the best family. But right now, I just wanted to escape them all.

"Sure, what's up?" I let my gaze wander to Nolan, curious why he was still here when the ball was long over.

"This is Nolan, Clearwater's new head warrior." My jaw clicked shut as I fought the urge to let it drop open.

"What about Uncle Nathan?" I asked, knowing Uncle was ready to retire.

"Nathan said Charlotte didn't want the warrior position. Nolan is related to Nathan, his sister's son; the blood stays strong, and his skills are exceptional." My father, Cassius, was very excited about this, an excitement I had difficulty relating to.

"Okay." I nodded, knowing this would be best for my kingdom and my people. I can get along with anyone… well… almost anyone—if it is for the good of Clearwater.

"Why don't you show Nolan the training facility on your way?" My mother asked with a kind and knowing smile.

"Great idea!" I lied. It wasn't. I wanted to work the taste of my dream man out of my mouth.… he felt so real, like fire and need… like an awakening.

"Oh, and Ivy, we must figure out the Beta situation when you return." My father Knox was flaming. His eyes lit up with death's light at the thought of Tatum rejecting me.

"There's Nothing to figure out. Tatum will be an exceptional Beta. He will do what is best for Clearwater." My mother took my shoulders, looking deeply into my eyes.

"Sometimes, what is best for the kingdom is what is best for its ruler. I don't think having Tatum here is best for Clearwater's ruler." I squeezed her shoulder, letting her know I was alright.

"If a problem were to arise, we would have him transferred. If he is capable of being Clearwater's Beta, he should be. That is my final decision." I nodded to her before stepping from my mother's grasp.

"Come on, Nolan. We got work to do." I waved for him to follow me, thankful he had done so without hesitation.

With my coffee in hand, we made our way toward the facility in an awkward silence I wasn't eager to break.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you why I was here. I didn't know if your fathers had spoken to you about me," Nolan said, his bright autumn eyes sparkling in the sun.

"No biggie. It's good to have you." I turned to fist-bump him, chuckling when I realized he thought I was going for a handshake.

"We'll figure that out later." I laughed, pulling my fist from his clasped hand as he nodded, flushing with embarrassment.

"I hope you're ready to have your butt kicked," I told him as we stepped through the glass doors of the training facility. He may not know it yet. But he'll figure out his jeans and tee was not the best choice of attire for meeting me.