King of Flesh and Bone (The Pale Court, #1)

by Liv Zander

“A person’s only worth as much as his promise,”

“I forbid you to go to him!” the King snarled and a heavy weight settled onto my chest. “I’d rather mend your flesh and keep you alive than have you die and make me an oath breaker.”

“Your heart will beat for eternity, and no age shall befall your warm body while in my service, little mortal.” The King’s dark whisper hushed against my sweat-pearled temple. “Welcome to the Pale Court.”

“Flesh and scar and skin and bone, feed her body to the throne.”

“My court is so… cold.” Gentle fingers brushed wet hair over my shoulder before they trailed down my back, making me arch away. “Shh… never evade my touch, mortal, or deny me your warmth.”

“Every part of you, my little one, will serve me for eternity, starting with those lush lips. They will wrap around my length while I thrust against the back of your throat. And once you know the taste of my seed by heart, I will make every other orifice mine to play with. To fill and stretch until you quiver with need, begging me to allow you release.”

“I am the heat between your legs, the throbbing in your cunt, the moan in your throat, the tremble in your bones, and the ache inside your belly, hungering to make me sate it.”

“Let me show you pleasure like only the devil can.”

for a god formed to perfection, her imperfections fascinated me the most.

“Flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone. Never my whore, forever my woman.”

Almost. “Flesh and scar and skin and bone, feed her body to the throne,”

“Sweat and breath and soul and flaw, my brother surely… fucked… you… raw.”

“Heart and blood and veins and death, the third will come and steal your breath.”

Adorable, how he stashes you away like his little secret. And look, he set a blue gemstone into your collar. “We’re purely bound by this brotherly love between us. Isn’t that so, Enosh?”

“I’ve never been worth anything to John while Enosh locks me away like a treasure. When was the last time a man wanted me? Lusted for me? Does the god not tend to my needs? Kisses me so gently? How much longer can I deny there’s true pleasure in his touch, and—”

“You could always try to lure him toward the edge of the bone and push him down.” Yarin’s stare remained on Enosh, but something sinister played around his lips. “Maybe you can get rid of him like that.”

“Such a joy to be in your head. And Njala…? Well, he killed her dead.”

“Do I not stroke and pet and dote on you for hours, little one? Tease this little bud until it peeks from its hood, hard and needy? Like this. Mmm, yes. Slow. Gentle. That’s how my woman loves it.”

“I feel every cell in your body and how it longs for me, aches for my touch after years of scorn and neglect. Oh, my little one, let me worship your body the way your man ought to.”

“Oh, flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone, you desire this as much as I do. You crave the undivided attention of my touch, how I listen to your muscle’s every whim, answering your body’s every plea.”

A strange energy coursed through me, one reserved for the women who held their husband’s attention, instead of being threatened with the whorehouse. The fact that Enosh thought on my words gave me a sense of… of value? What was this god willing to do to secure my vow? God’s bones, was it truly possible I held sway over him?

With a nod, I made a deal with the devil. Because to him, I had value.

“Child or no, you are precious beyond all, and you have my devotion for eternity.”

“Love comes unbidden and has no care for precautions, turning us into fools for liars and monsters.”