A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows (Stars and Shadows, #1)

by Holly Renee

“I will never get on my knees for you.” “Ah, princess.” He stepped into my space, closer than was proper. He reached forward, slipping a piece of my hair between his fingers before he slowly twisted it in his hold. “I would give just about anything to see you on your knees.”

“Have you been dreaming of what it would be like if you were betrothed to me instead of him?”

“It doesn’t matter that you are destined to be his. Every part of you is begging to be mine.”

It suddenly didn’t matter to me what he was or how easily he could harm me. I was willing to beg him just the same.

“Tell me that you’re mine, princess. Even if it isn’t true, I need to hear you say it.”

“I’m yours.”

“Every thought I have of you is treasonous, the way my hands ache to touch you, deceitful. Even my dreams make me a traitor of my own kingdom.”

The air around him crackled as he knelt before me and pushed my knees apart with more force than necessary. His gaze darkened as he stared ahead at my bloodied hand, but I didn’t dare move it away from the wound.

The shadows wrapped around me like a caress, and I couldn’t differentiate what was Evren and what was his magic. But I knew that I didn’t want it to end.

“Tonight you stay with me.”

“We both know you are dying for things you shouldn’t want.”

I moaned softly against his neck. I needed his hand to drop just a few inches and take care of the ache that throbbed between my thighs. “Princess, I swear to the gods.” Evren turned his head into me and spoke softly against my ear. “I will rip you off this horse and fuck you right here in front of my men if you don’t stop making those damn noises.”

“Your stars burn brighter in the shadows, witch. But it is you who must decide which darkness you cling to.”

“You choose your darkness.”

“Take my blood, Evren.” My voice broke as I pushed closer to him. “I thought you said you’d never let another feed from you again?” He looked up at me and looked so relaxed. “I am not my brother, princess. I won’t take something from you that you don’t want to give.” “I want to,” I cried as I tried to get him to see reason. “I want to save you.”

“Then feed from me,” I begged him. “I’m begging you to feed from me.”

My marks came alive against my skin as Evren’s lips sealed over my wrist, and they felt like they were burning in an exquisite kind of pain. It was as if they hadn’t truly been a part of me until that moment, but now, right then, they were branding into my skin.

“You are loyal to your brother.” “I am loyal to no one who hurts you, princess. My loyalty broke the moment I walked into that room and saw him wiping your blood from his deceitful mouth.”

“My loyalty to my brother broke the moment he hurt something that is mine.”

The scar that Gavril had caused was now covered in a new mark. The starlight and shadows stared back at me and reminded me of what we’d done. The difference between a mark due to what was taken and what was willingly given was stark.

Seven dots of starlight danced along the dark skin there. I could no longer make out the scar from Gavril beneath, but it was still there, just hidden beneath Evren’s mark.

“Whenever you touch me or use your magic, I can feel you along my markings more than anywhere else. But with these new marks, they feel aflame around you. It’s like they recognize you before I even get the chance.”

Everyone else feels dull compared to you.”

“You may be blessed by the stars, princess, but you were fucking made for me. Fate be damned.”

“You were fucking meant for me.”