Amid Clouds and Bones

by Ella Fields

“Let me make myself crystal fucking clear, little thing.” My eyes widened at the ease with which he’d cussed. “Out of all the dangers awaiting you in my court, I’m the one you’ll need to be protected from.”

His presence was a flare of heat at my back, and his voice low and scathing. “Remove your hands, or I’ll remove them from your body and make you eat them.”

“If you so much as think about playing with anyone but me, I will tie you to this bed with their entrails and paint you in their blood while I fuck you.”

“The way you make me crave and loathe you in equal measure.”

“I want you. I want you as much as I loathe you—so much, it feels like I can’t breathe.” His parted lips dragged across my cheek, his whisper scathing near my ear. “Give me back my fucking breath.”

“I’ll give you whatever you want.” His wings lifted, splaying slightly as he turned and paced toward the doors he’d left ajar. “Good food, good literature, good housing, and good sex…” He spread his hands. “I will give you everything a female wants. All you need to do is let me.”

“He kissed you, and for that he will pay. But no matter…” He bit into his wrist as though it were fruit and not his own flesh. “You’ll soon forget you cared enough to let him.”

“Atakan.” My voice croaked. “Tell me what really happened.” He halted before the door. Without looking at me, he dragged his hand through his hair, pushing it back over his head as he exhaled roughly. “We mated.”

“Unless you wish to wear your entrails as a crown when I chain you in iron and bury you alive, remove yourself from my bed and my mate.”

“You’re right. You’re not my lover. You’re now my wife, yet that doesn’t seem quite enough either.” I nearly swayed when I rose, and he went on. “What do you call the only creature you want to watch and touch endlessly?”