Heir to a Fallen Star

Chapter 31

He turns to you in the shadows, his chest heaving as he stalks back into your space, his moss-green eyes burning like wildfire in the dim light of the hearth.

"Right then," he rumbles, a possessive, breathtaking smirk finally cutting through the heat on his face as he reaches for the black ribbons of your corset. "Let's see if your memory is as good as you claim it is, Red."

A sudden, wicked spark ignites in your grey eyes. Before Kaelen can even touch the first ribbon of your corset, you plant both hands flat against his broad, solid chest. With a burst of surprising strength and pure defiance, you drive him backward.

He takes two startled steps back, entirely caught off guard, until the backs of his knees hit the sturdy edge of the mattress. With a low, breathless grunt, the massive warrior topples backward, landing flat on his spine against the tangled sheets.

You don't give him a single second to recover.

Standing tall over him in the firelight, you reach up and slowly slide the silver pin out from the crown of your hair. The golden strands instantly spill free, cascading down over your bare shoulders in a wild, brilliant halo. Without breaking eye contact, you carelessly flick your wrist, tossing the pin across the room where it lands with a soft clink atop the messy pile of discarded clothes in the corner.

Slowly, deliberately, you lift one foot and place your sturdy, mud-streaked traveling boot right on top of his knee, anchoring him down. Your fingers wrap around the rich crimson velvet of your skirt, bunching the heavy fabric up until it exposes the smooth, pale curve of your thigh.

"Untie," you command, your voice dropping into a low, fiercely demanding purr as you look down at him with an intense, unyielding gaze.

Kaelen is utterly paralyzed beneath you. He lies there, propped up slightly on his elbows, his chest heaving as his moss-green eyes turn practically black with hunger. His gaze tracks from your worn boot, slowly up the bare skin of your thigh, all the way to your fierce, painted face. The contrast of your rugged traveling boots with the breathtaking velvet and makeup makes you look like a beautiful, conquering queen.

A dark, dangerous grin slowly spreads across his rugged features, a low growl vibrating deep in his throat.

"Yes, ma'am," he roughs out, his gravelly voice thick with absolute submission to your whim.

His large, calloused hands slide up your calf, his touch leaving a trail of pure fire on your skin. His fingers wrap around the leather laces of your boot, his eyes never leaving yours as he slowly, deliberately begins to pull the knots loose, completely undone by the fierce creature ruling over him.

The moment the first boot slides free from your foot, you don't offer him even a second of reprieve. You fluidly swap your weight, lifting your other foot and planting the second mud-streaked traveling boot firmly onto his large knee.

"And this one," you say, your voice a low, unyielding demand that cuts right through the muffled, thumping rhythm of the tavern music below. Your gaze remains locked onto his, staring deep into his darkened eyes, watching the fierce, controlled warrior completely unfold beneath your touch.

Kaelen lets out a sharp, ragged breath, his jaw tightening so hard the muscles twitch. The absolute power you are wielding over him right now is driving him completely insane. He likes it. He likes the fierce, untouchable creature you become when you decide to take exactly what you want.

"You're testing me, Red," he rumbles, his voice entirely raw, a beautiful, dangerous vibration in the fire-lit room.

His large, calloused hands wrap around your ankle, his thumbs tracing the sensitive skin of your exposed thigh before sliding down to the leather laces at the start of your knee. He doesn't rush. He unlaces the second boot with a deliberate, agonizing slowness, his moss-green eyes burning holes into yours as he strips away the last piece of your rugged traveling gear.

The boot hits the floorboards with a heavy, dull thud.

Before you can even think about your next command, Kaelen's hands slide up the bare skin of both your calves, his grip suddenly tightening with an unyielding, possessive strength. With a sudden, powerful surge of his upper body, he hooks his arms behind your knees and pulls, instantly bringing you down onto the mattress right over him.

He rolls in one fluid, massive motion, pinning you beneath his heavy frame as the crimson velvet skirt spreads wildly across the sheets. He hovers over you, his breathing heavy and ragged, his hands framing your face as his thumb strokes over your deep crimson lips, smudging the makeup just a fraction.

"No more boots, Iris," he whispers roughly, his eyes blazing with a fierce, loving intensity that makes your chest heave. "No more games. You're entirely at my mercy now."

A low gasp escapes your lips as your backs hit the mattress, but the sudden rush of heat only fuels your defiance. Before he can anchor his weight, you plant both hands flat against his broad chest, using his momentum to twist. With a slick, determined roll, you flip the positions entirely, climbing right on top of him.

The heavy crimson velvet of your skirt cascades over his thighs as you straddle his lap. You place one hand flat against the centre of his chest, leaning your weight into it to hold him firmly down against the sheets.

"I don't think so," you purr, your grey eyes flashing with absolute, wicked authority under the dim firelight. "We're playing by my rules tonight."

Kaelen lets out a choked, breathless laugh, his hands hovering at your hips, completely stunned by your fierce reclamation of control. His chest heaves beneath your palm, his heart hammering a frantic rhythm against your fingertips.

Slowly, deliberately, you lift your other hand and trace a single finger down the front of your bodice, stopping right at the tightly laced black silk weaving through the eyelets. You tap the knot, looking down at him with an intense, unblinking gaze.

"Untie," you command.

Kaelen stares up at you, his moss-green eyes completely dark, swallowed by a heavy, intoxicating hunger. The sight of you sitting proudly above him, your golden hair wildly framing your flushed face and your painted lips curved in a dominant smirk, utterly destroys the last of his composure. A deep, submissive groan rumbles from his chest, a sound of total, blissful defeat.

"Gods, you're going to be the death of me, Red," he rasps, his voice thick and rough with desire.

His large, calloused hands slide up from your hips, trembling just a fraction as they reach the silk ribbon. His knuckles brush against the exposed skin of your soft curved bodice, sending a fierce jolt of electricity through you, as his fingers wrap around the knot. He pulls the silk loose with a slow, agonizingly deliberate tug, his eyes never once leaving yours as the corset begins to part.

As the silk ribbon finally pulls loose, you shrug your shoulders with a slow, fluid grace. The heavy crimson velvet yields instantly, slipping down your arms and pooling around your hips in a rich, dark cloud of fabric, leaving the smooth expanse of your skin completely bare to the warm glow of the firelight.

Kaelen’s breath catches sharply in his throat, his gaze tracking the drop of the dress like a man witnessing something holy.

You don't let him stay frozen for long. You press a single finger gently against the soft skin just above your navel.

"You're going to kiss all the way up," you softly murmur, your voice a delicate, intoxicating spell in the quiet of the room.

Slowly, deliberately, you drag your fingertip upward, tracing a burning line right up the centre of your stomach, over the frantic beat of your heart, all the way until it rests against your deep crimson lips.

Kaelen’s moss-green eyes follow the path of your finger, his jaw clenching so hard the muscle leaps. A low, reverent groan escapes him, the last remnants of his playful resistance entirely dissolving.

"Every single inch," he vows roughly, his voice a gravelly whisper.