Chapter 39: Chapter 39: DEVOURING KISS

VALORIA WILDEROSE

My lips tremble with anger and hatred — at myself, for being unable to conceal my true emotions and truly be on par with him.

“Y-You, Azrael, are dis-gusting and v-v-vile,” I spit with a tremble, holding back my tears. Foolishly mourning someone else right in the middle of my wedding — if at all you can call this one.

“Say my name again,” he lets out in a low, breathy tone, taking a step closer to me all of a sudden, eyes stuck in a distant world, staring at something lower than my eyes.

I snarl at his games.

“You rep-pulse me!” I hiss through clenched teeth.

“And with that, before the goddess and all eyewitnesses present, you are bound together by the heavens,” the priestess announces to everyone.

Usually, this moment follows a kiss shared by the two mates, but Yue told me he’s purposely scrapped that part out — to further remove the true intimacy behind the ceremonial ritual.

It’s the only thing he’s done so far that I’m grateful for.

Without a second thought, I turn away to leave, grateful that all of this is finally done—but he’s not done with me.

I’m pulled back all of a sudden, swerved around, and pressed against him seconds before his lips crash into mine with explosive desire.

His mouth devours mine with a hunger, searching and pillaging everything in its wake with searing, overpowering heat.

I’m taken off guard—conquered without ever having a fighting chance against him—and taken prisoner, pulled into a world I have no comprehension of.

I taste him against my will, feeling his soft, moist, hot tongue open me wide, stroking the insides of my mouth before running along the edges of my lips.

His arm presses my small body against his, forcing me to leave an imprint of myself on him.

It’s just as overwhelming and as sweet as I remember it—igniting something wild and hot in my blood—before he bites my lip and forces a sound out of me.

All of it is commanding and powerful, as if he’s forcing me to swallow the very words I’ve just uttered—to prove that, in the end, he’s succeeding in making me as twisted as he is.

That underneath all my anger, I don’t find him as repulsive as I claim—and he’s forcing that reality down my throat.

And just as quickly as it started, it ends. He pulls away, breathless, as unraveled as I am, and taken aback, as if none of this is his doing—captured by a passing spell.

We stand there in silence for what feels like an eternity of staring before he looks away first, turning to leave me behind—shocked, as are the thousand other guests watching.

Thankfully, Yue doesn’t gush about it like she did the first day the rumor spread about Azrael having a special favor for me.

Maybe it’s the torment she’s had the honor of witnessing firsthand—whatever it is, I’m grateful for the silence between us while she dresses me in a long white silk robe, different from my usual sleepwear.

It’s time for the final part of the ritual—spending the night together and consummating the official bond supposedly blessed by the goddess.

“Will you be okay?” Yue asks with concern after putting me together.

Terrified—as if he would eat me whole. He could… I don’t know.

I’ve never had sex with anyone, or had any formal training on it, so I imagine it would be painful and violent. Perhaps if it was anything like that kiss, it would be bearable.

That nonsensical kiss that lingers on my lips, as fresh as it was hours ago.

What the hell am I even thinking right now? I should be repulsed by him, yet I’m more disgusted by the parts of myself that are somewhat looking forward to it—all because of one stupid kiss.

He did it on purpose, didn’t he? All of this is another form of torment before his next ploy.

I know. I’m ready for it this time.

I offer Yue a simple nod, grateful for her concern and ready for what awaits me.

On my own, I find his room—with Eros by the door, surprisingly standing guard. His gaze shifts to me once I draw close enough.

His brows raise slightly, before relaxing just as quickly.

“I wasn’t expecting you to actually show up. You seem like the type to chicken out.”

“I’d ra-rather get t-this done with t-today,” I respond, ignoring the slight jab in his comment.

He stares at me silently for a moment, holding something back, before stepping aside with a nod.

“If that’s what you want. Though I’d advise you come back later.”

Another random piece of advice out of nowhere.

I’m stunned again, tempted to ask—but just like before, he doesn’t wait to quell my confusion.

He walks off down the hallway, leaving me to figure it out on my own if I want to.

I stand there for a moment longer before deciding on my own to do this. Either way, he’ll show up at my door.

The longer I run, the longer his fun and torment last. Tonight, I won’t give him that satisfaction of toying with me.

Tonight, I will do the toying.

Tonight, I will seduce Azrael.

I push the door open without knocking. How foolish of me.

The second the doors swing open, everything happening inside becomes painfully audible.

Like the idiot I am, I stand there at the door, watching from a distance as Azrael lies shirtless and pinned beneath another woman.

She’s fully naked—fair-skinned, flushed, and sweaty—grinding her hips onto his. Their lower halves are concealed by the thick duvet, but I can put two and two together.

“Your Majesty…” she moans, at an impossibly high pitch I could never reach—brimming with sexual confidence, her breasts swaying, her hips rotating in slow, deliberate rhythm.

Azrael notices me first.

His cold gaze turns toward the door, as if he’d never really been so lost in the act that he couldn’t hear it flying open.

I don’t buy it for a single second. Because in those cold, lifeless eyes, I see not even a sliver of surprise.

He knew I’d come. He knew I’d face him tonight to prove a point—and that I’d walk into this.

All of this is a game to him.

Another sick fucking game.

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