Superbia (Shades of Sin, #2)

by Colette Rhodes

“My name is Ophelia Bishop, and technically I’m the queen here, but don’t worry about that, just treat me like anyone else.” I raised an eyebrow at her from across the circle and she narrowed her eyes back at me. There was absolutely no way King Allerick would accept his wife being treated like everybody else and she knew it.

“See you on the next supply run, Astra.” “It’s Astrid. And that’s not until tomorrow. We both know you’ll see me at dinner, Captain.”

“No one wants to fuck you, for power or otherwise, even with the survival of the realm depending on it.” “Soren!” Allerick barked. Astrid and I both held our ground, staring each other down.

“We really need to stop meeting like this, Captain,” Astrid replied, attempting to hold herself rigid, though her head kept lolling against my shoulder before she corrected it again. “Do you like carrying me? Is that what it is? I think you like carrying me.”

“Right, right, right. Wouldn’t want me doing anything crazy, like taking a fucking knife to save a Shade’s life.” Oh good, she knew exactly what she’d done, and was going to hold this over my head forever.

She lifted her head, meeting my gaze. I’d never seen such fierceness, such determination, in anyone. It sent an alarming pang of recognition through me. Maybe I hated Astrid, but I couldn’t deny that there was something about her that felt like I was looking in a mirror, one stubborn soul to another.

Astrid tossed the weapon at Verner’s feet with a look venomous enough to wither a weaker Shade, but that wasn’t what I was focused on. No, it was the steady flow of blood streaming freely down her hand and wrist that had my attention. That, and the fact that Astrid’s face had turned an alarming shade of green. Ophelia would have my head for this.

“There,” she rasped. “I’m disarmed and totally harmless. Satisfied?” “You’ve never been harmless a day in your life,” I replied, meaning it as a compliment as I closed the gap between us, reaching for Astrid before she collapsed.

He was so gruff and stoic, and of course, he hated me. The sex would probably be… Mindblowing. No. Nope. Not that. I was not going to let the intrusive thoughts win this battle. Hate sex with a shadow monster would definitely not be fucking amazing.

Allerick blew out a long breath. “You’re in danger, my friend.” “I know. Because of you, and your directive to train her.” “No. Not because of that. Not at all.”

“Big sis! This is a nice surprise.” “Don’t stand up. What are you drawing?” I asked, instinctively leaning over to look at her sketchbook before stopping myself at the last minute. I knew the kinds of things my sister liked to draw, and my retinas would never recover if I saw a depiction of King Allerick in action.

“And is it important to you that I go?” I asked, already knowing the answer. “Well, it might make up for you missing my coronation.” Ophelia winked. Shit. “About that—” “Don’t apologize, it’s fine,” Ophelia assured me, packing away her drawing supplies and standing up. “I’m pretty sure you’re lying to me about the damage that knife did to your hand and that was a rough week for you, but whatever, it’s fine. I understand that you’re philosophically opposed to asking for help.”

“Explain.” “Explain what? You know, Captain, conversations are a lot easier when one person doesn’t speak in one-word sentences.” “Stop antagonizing me.” Astrid smirked. “But you make it so easy.”

“Careful, Captain. If you keep looking at me like that, we’re going to get into trouble.” “Looking at you like what?” I rasped. “Like you’d make a whole meal out of me, starting between my thighs.”

“Get what out of your system?” I moved closer, my front brushing against hers. The fabric of her clothes clung to her skin, enticing me in. Astrid sucked in a sharp breath, arching up towards me ever so slightly. “This idea. This… curiosity.” Her hips brushed mine, a faint tease of a touch. I chased the movement, unable to stop myself. Why was this a bad idea again?

“Too scared to fuck me properly?” Astrid taunted breathily, not knowing what she was asking for. “You’ve never been fucked properly if you think it can happen in an entry room where anyone could find us.”

You thought of the solution, you thought of us, you made it happen. Astrid, I hate to break it to you, but I think you might be… nice.” “Take that back,” I deadpanned, narrowing my eyes at her.

I was the Captain of the Guard, one of the most powerful Shades in the kingdom, and I had the ear of the king. Most Shades were at least a little terrified of me, and yet Astrid was staring at me as though she’d never been less impressed with anyone in her life.

“None of your fucking business, Captain.” “Everything about you is my business, Hunter. Whose shadows are those?”

“You again?” Astrid said flatly, not bothering to look at me. “At this point, it’s just sad. You should really consider getting some friends.” I was so stunned, it took me a moment to reply. “I have friends. You don’t have friends.”

Astrid turned her head towards me, lips almost brushing my jaw. “You sound like a jealous boyfriend, did you know that? For shame, Captain, salivating over the big, bad Hunter. Have you no self-respect?”

“I have things I’d like to say.” He sounded so genuinely affronted that I wondered how often anyone said ‘no’ to him. “Therefore I’m obligated to listen? I can’t imagine what it’s like having that level of confidence in the importance of my opinions.”

“Not this again. I’m not going to beg; either lick my pussy or get out of the goddamn way so I can satisfy myself.” He snorted. “I’ll take pity on you and your dainty fingers this time.”

She was confident, competent, and competitive. The three Cs that I found more desirable than almost anything else.

“That’s it,” I whispered roughly, cradling her hip almost reverently, were it not for the slightly too sharp dig of my claws into her lower back. “Remember this. Every single sensation. How fucking complete you feel. You’ll never feel this way again.”

“Satisfied?” Astrid hissed, glaring at me, a delightful mess. “I’d be more satisfied if I was pushing back into you,” I replied easily, staring unabashedly at the apex of her thighs.

“Dying between my thighs would be an honor,” Astrid deadpanned. “Though, I have to admit, it’s rather hard to muster up horniness when you appear to be fading right before my eyes. It’s not as though I’m attracted to you for your sparkling personality.”

“Aren’t you a good boy, Captain?” Astrid purred, unashamedly trying to irritate me. “You take orders so well. Now go ahead and make me come, so I can save your life with my pussy.”

The power Astrid gave me was potent, a thousand times better than any fear I’d ever tasted. Her lust was my own personal brand of poison. My own Astra.

“Shall I insult you?” I asked. “Excuse me?” “I don’t like when you’re all… sad. I want to make you feel not sad.” The corners of Astrid’s lips lifted in a soft, almost smile and my heart stuttered in my chest. Goddesses, she was beautiful. Unfairly beautiful. Dangerously beautiful. Astra personified.

Between the feel of her pussy and the view of her neck, I wasn’t sure I was going to come out of this healed and energized like I’d hoped. Fucking Astrid from behind might just kill me.

“You obviously have to tell me everything. Does this have anything to do with you suddenly wanting to leave?” “No. Yes. We generated a little power for the stores.” “Oh, is that what we’re calling it these days?” Ophelia laughed. “You guys were just innocently generating power by spending some quality time on his knot?”

Even if they had been irrelevant, why did I always opt to be alone instead? There was a strange, almost icky feeling when I reflected on the lack of friendships in my life. It was incredibly uncomfortable to realize that I might be the problem on that front. That I’d never made the effort, and this was the result.

“The Captain doesn’t call you ‘Astra’ because he doesn’t know your name,” Selene said eventually, sounding less hostile than I’d ever heard her. “Or at least I don’t think he does. We’ve never discussed it, but Captain Soren is very intelligent, with an exceptional memory. He knows your name just fine.” I scoffed, more than ready to argue that he did it on purpose to annoy me, but Selene forged on before I could speak. “There’s a rare flower, black as pitch, that grows in some parts of this realm. It’s called an astrasettia. Most Shades shorten it to astra.”

I still didn’t think I was a card-carrying monster-fucker in the way Ophelia and Verity were. I was just a Soren-fucker. I didn’t care about fancy appendages, I just wanted him.

“I don’t need your protection. I can look after myself.” “I know that better than anyone, Astrid. You’re a real petulant little brat when you’re in a bad mood, did you know that?”

“As my Captain,” Astrid repeated, her voice giving nothing away. “Yes,” I agreed, stopping a few inches away from her. “But we both know I’m more to you than that.”

“Astrasettia is viciously poisonous.” Astrid looked down at her feet. “And hauntingly beautiful. So exquisite, it’s almost impossible not to be drawn in by it, even knowing what will happen if you touch it. You, my Astra, have always been beautiful, tempting, and dangerous to me. Not, as I previously thought, because you’re a skilled Hunter but because you’re you. Because you make me want to be something more than the always dependable Captain of the Guard. You make me happy, and now I’ve had a taste of it, I’m greedy for more.”

“I love you, you beautiful, infuriating woman.” She sucked in a small, surprised breath. “I love you, and only you. You are lethal, and you are compassionate, and you are mine, and the only opinion I care about on that front is yours. If you think I’m going to let you walk away from me, into certain danger—” I didn’t finish my sentence. Astrid cut me off, grabbing my shoulders and firmly pressing her lips against mine.

“Eyes on me,” Soren commanded, not letting me out of his thrall. “I love that I can give you an escape, but sometimes you need to let me love you too.” “That’s it?” I rasped. “That’s what I need to do? Just let you love me?” “That’s all,” Soren agreed.

“Fuck me senseless, put your bite on me, then pet me after and tell me I’m pretty. And keep purring. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this. I’ve dreamed about this moment.” “I have some idea,” Soren replied, voice laced with humor. “And I know exactly what it’s like to dream of you. To dream of biting you. Claiming you. Keeping you.”

“And that won’t be a problem?” I asked, running my thumb over the sharp planes of his chest. “Me living in the Captain of the Guard’s quarters?” “We might have to get married.” “Married?!” I squeaked. Soren snorted. “Yes, married. A far less permanent development than that mark on your throat.”

Soren blinked. “Any Shade can have tentacles if they want.” He sprouted long, winding shadows from his back, twining them around me in a solid shadow tentacle cocoon. “Oh my god,” Verity whispered, looking as though she was witnessing a real-life miracle. “It’s possible. It’s real.”

“Thank you, Captain Soren,” Verity said solemnly, giving him the most respectful look I’d seen her give anyone since she got here. “You’ve shown me that my dreams are possible, and I’m never going to give up.” “Soren, I think you’ve created a monster,” I laughed under my breath.

“What?” Ophelia asked, looking between us. “What’s going on? Where’s Astrid?” “Bathing. In my apartment. Our apartment. Where Astrid lives now.” I looked at Allerick, hoping he wasn’t going to contradict my assertion. “Yes!” Ophelia shrieked, jumping to her feet with a clap. “It’s happening! Can I go see her? Has she eaten yet? I’ll bring her food—she’s probably eaten a pickle and called it breakfast.”

“Astrid doesn’t need me to do this—she’s more than capable of fighting any battle on her own—but she’s done a lot of fighting on her own and she’s exhausted, so I’m here to take this one. If you have a problem with Astrid killing Meridia, you can take it up with me.”

Ophelia looked between us. “And you love her… right, Soren?” It was a very un-Shade-like thing to admit to in front of others, but… “Yes. I love her more than anything.” Ophelia blew out a relieved breath. “Phew. Okay, good. The best, actually. Welcome to the family, new brother. You’re a lucky Shade—no one will love you more loyally than Astrid.”

All Astrid had done was set her bag in the corner, and already it felt more like an actual home. It smelled like her, which was nice, though I’d like it more if it smelled like us. Later. We had a family breakfast to go to first.

“So needy,” I teased, wrapping my arms around his neck and squeezing him tight. My mate, my husband, my love. “For you? Always.”