Within Obsession and Lies (A Court of Gilt and Shadow, #1)

by Stacy Jones

He went willingly, bending back over her, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin of her throat before he rasped seductively low, “You need. I can taste it. Should I sate you, moín Firláh? Should I slip my hand between those thick thighs and stroke your pussy until you come for me?”

He would definitely be finding his Firláh—his Fated. And soon. Very, very soon.

“You know, where if we haven’t met anyone by the time we’re a thou- er, forty, we get married.”

because apparently mentally unstable men with the voices of phone sex operators did it for her—but

“Fuuuck me. I got a better idea. You keep me.” He smiled lopsidedly, his gaze going slightly unfocused as he agreed with himself, nodding slowly at first, then faster. “Oh, yeah, that’s such a good idea. You can pet me and feed me treats, and I’ll lick your puss—” “Viper,” the dark one snapped.

“I’m glad you’re not upset. I did think about not killing him, so you could question him. Buuut… I’d kind of already killed him by the time I thought of that.”

“Tomorrow,” Fear interrupted. “Patience.” Viper visibly recoiled. “What the fuck is patience? Sounds awful! Besides, I made cooki—”

“You’re her. The lost Princess,” he whispered as he slowly withdrew his hand from her cheek and let it fall limply into his lap. The loss of his touch had panic skittering through her. “I don’t understand.” He looked… devastated. His smile was a sad, lost thing. “The Daughter of Light and Night. The Heir of Gilt and Shadow.”