Chapter 16

DIMITRI

This meeting is dragging on forever. I didn’t expect to start my day with a never-ending debate.

The elders are all worked up about Prince Zar’s visit to our territory. My grandfather, in particular, seems really ticked off. The old man needs to chill out.

“They could exploit this situation!” one of the elders bellows.

I’m slumped in my chair, my head propped up on my hand, watching them bicker. A vein near my eye twitches, signaling my growing irritation.

“The king is to blame,” another elder grumbles.

Across from me, Damian and Leo are spectators to the spectacle. Damian seems lost in his own world, not even paying attention to the drama unfolding.

I sigh, looking at the group of old dragons.

“And we have the queen to worry about!” my grandfather spits out, smirking at me.

“Got a problem?” I challenge him, sitting up straight and crossing my legs. “Speak up if you do. But remember, if you cross the line, I won’t go easy on you.”

My grandfather’s eyes widen in surprise. He knows I’m not messing around.

I’m tired of all the talk about Valkyrie. I haven’t even seen her because I’m stuck in this meeting. And I want to see her, even if it’s from a distance.

As I wait for my grandfather to respond, Damian suddenly stands and bolts from the room.

~“What’s wrong?”~ I mind-link Damian.

~“Valkyrie,”~ is all he says before cutting the link.

Confused, I stand and leave the room. Everyone watches in surprise as I fling the doors open and rush out.

I ask two guards if they’ve seen Damian. They point me towards the training grounds. Is Valkyrie training again without my permission? She hasn’t fully recovered yet.

I hear Damian’s voice over the crowd as I approach a group of people.

“How fucking dare you?” Damian hisses. I push through the crowd and stop when I see Valkyrie on the ground with Damian beside her.

Prince Cian is on the other side of the crowd, clenching his fists. Lilly stands at the front, smirking.

“What happened?” I demand, silencing the crowd. Lilly just smiles at me, crossing her arms under her chest.

“I asked what happened,” I repeat, this time looking at Valkyrie.

She’s clutching her left cheek. A bruise is starting to form.

“What did you do?” I growl at Lilly.

“Nothing, we were just having a little fun, right?” Lilly retorts, growling softly at Valkyrie.

As Damian helps Valkyrie up, he and Prince Cian position themselves protectively in front of her.

I stride over and grab Valkyrie’s arm.

“What did she do to you?” I ask Valkyrie, my voice laced with anger.

“Let go!” Valkyrie snaps back. “She challenged me to a duel, and I accepted. It’s no big deal.”

“No big deal?” I hiss. “She hurt you!”

“And it was a fair fight!” Valkyrie retorts angrily. “This is a misunderstanding. Damian thought she hit me out of spite. But Prince Cian was there, and so were others.”

“Who gave you permission to fight? You’re still healing!” I argue, frustrated by her stubbornness.

Valkyrie slaps my hand away and turns to face me.

“Can you stop?” Valkyrie snaps. “Why do you always overreact?”

“BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU!” I shout back at her.

I’m panting with anger. My inner monster is making me restless. Groaning, I run my fingers through my hair and turn to leave. Everyone stares at me as if I’ve sprouted horns.

I storm up the palace stairs, my anger threatening to explode. I slam my fist against a pillar, making it tremble.

Valkyrie’s stubbornness is wearing thin on my patience.

She doesn’t understand that I worry about her. That the mere thought of something bad happening to her sends my heart into a frenzy.

I kneel down, taking deep breaths to calm myself.

“You okay?” Prince Cian asks, approaching me.

I scoff, stand up, and continue up the stairs.

“Why are you here?” I ask, annoyed.

“Because you need someone to talk to. It’s not healthy to bottle things up,” Prince Cian says, causing me to roll my eyes.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” I mumble. I hear Prince Cian sigh.

“You two are so stubborn. You’re perfect for each other,” Prince Cian whispers.

I glance over my shoulder and growl at him. Prince Cian just laughs and follows me.

“How long are you going to tail me?” I ask after a while. I came to the library to unwind, but Prince Cian has been dogging my steps. It’s annoying. Does he need something?

“Can’t I follow you?” Prince Cian asks, yawning.

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” I snap back.

“You,” Prince Cian says, causing me to growl loudly.

He bursts into laughter at my annoyed expression. I toss a book at him, hitting him in the face.

“If you’re going to be here, at least be quiet!” I command, opening a book about dragon history.

“Fine,” Prince Cian grumbles.

Reading in silence is one of my favorite things. It helps me forget my kingly duties and feel more like myself.

Being a king is a heavy burden, but it’s one I willingly bear.

Prince Cian has fallen asleep. His head is tilted back, his mouth wide open, snoring. I sigh and continue reading.

The library doors creak open, but I don’t see anyone. The library is pretty big, and the entrance is hidden behind a bunch of bookshelves. I shrug it off and go back to my book.

Suddenly, a strange scent wafts over to me from the direction of the fireplace. I stand up, forgetting that Prince Cian is still asleep.

I follow the scent until I spot a flash of red hair. Could it be Valkyrie?

My heart starts to race at the thought of seeing her. I know she might be mad at me, but I just want to be near her, even if she doesn’t want to talk.

I peek around the corner of a bookshelf and see Valkyrie settling down in front of the fireplace. Her red hair is loose, covering half her face as she opens a book and starts to read.

I stay hidden behind the bookshelf, watching her. Her slender hands move gracefully as she turns each page. She looks so fragile.

My eyes travel up her arm, stopping when she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. Her lips part slightly and my mind starts to wander, imagining how it would feel if she sucked me off.

I close my eyes and shake my head. Am I a creep?

I keep watching her, pushing my dirty thoughts aside. Valkyrie shifts, causing me to duck behind the bookshelf and lose sight of her.

When I peek out again, I nearly jump out of my skin. Valkyrie is standing right on the other side of the bookshelf.

“You look like a creep,” Valkyrie says, looking me up and down. “Is something wrong?”

I stumble over my words. Clearing my throat, I try again.

“Sorry, I smelled you and came to check on you,” I admit.

“Sure,” Valkyrie mumbles. She turns around, her hands behind her back.

She sways slightly as she walks back to the pillows on the floor and sits down.

“Are you going to stay there?” Valkyrie asks, reopening her book.

I walk over and sit next to her, my book still in hand. I open it and start reading again.

We sit in silence, the warmth from the fire wrapping around us.

After a while, I finish my book. I don’t hear any noise from Valkyrie. I look over and see that she’s fallen asleep.

Her head is resting on her left arm, her body sprawled out over the pillows. The book she was reading is upside down near her legs.

I pick up the book to close it and see that she was reading about the duties of a queen. I’m surprised to see that she’s trying to learn.

I sigh and set the book aside, lying down next to her. I watch her sleep, her chest rising and falling gently.

I smile softly and reach out to touch her face. She stirs under my touch. Her skin is smooth, making me swallow hard. I want to touch her everywhere.

I take a deep breath and smile at Valkyrie. Was I too hard on her? I look at the dancing flames and wonder if I need to change.

I close my eyes to think, but when I open them, Valkyrie is staring back at me. Her two different colored eyes are looking deep into mine.

I blurt out an apology. Her eyes widen for a second, but then she looks away. Valkyrie doesn’t move, staying next to me.

“I’m sorry,” I say again.

It might sound dumb, but I need her to forgive me for what I did. The guilt is eating at me, and I need her forgiveness.

“Please, say something. Anything,” I beg.

I’ve never begged anyone for anything before. This is a first for me. It’s hard to swallow my pride, especially for a human.

“Valkyrie…,” I start, but she puts a finger to my lips to silence me.

I take her hand gently and squeeze it.

“Please don’t shush me,” I whisper.

Valkyrie starts to giggle.

“Enough, Dimitri,” Valkyrie mumbles, “I forgave you already.”

“You what?” I ask, sitting up.

She stays on the pillows, shifting slightly so I can see her whole face in the firelight.

“I said I already forgave you, so stop apologizing,” Valkyrie says, smiling this time.

“You forgive me?” I ask, scared that this might be a joke.

Valkyrie nods and smiles.

“You said earlier that you care for me,” Valkyrie says, chuckling. “That was enough.”

Feeling elated, I lean over and give Valkyrie a quick kiss. I smile at her like I’ve never smiled before. Valkyrie looks surprised by my boldness, which makes me laugh.

“Sorry, I’m just happy,” I explain.

Suddenly, Valkyrie sits up and leans toward me. Her soft, warm lips leave a moist trail on mine. I look down at her face.

Even though shadows partially cover her face, I can still see a faint blush. I swallow hard and wait for her permission to kiss her. My mind goes blank when she kisses me back.

All the desire I’ve been holding back starts to bubble up. Valkyrie just stares at me and nods slightly. I can see her hand gripping the pillows beneath her. She’s nervous.

I put my hand over hers, helping her relax. She quickly looks at our hands and then back at me.

“Your eyes…,” Valkyrie murmurs as she reaches for my face. Her hand is cold.

“Valkyrie?” I mumble.

“Yes?” Valkyrie answers, her eyes locked on my golden ones.

“Can I kiss you?” I ask her.

Valkyrie inhales sharply, biting her bottom lip.

“Stop that,” I mumble, squeezing her hand. “You have no idea what you’re doing to me.”

Her breathing becomes erratic, making mine do the same.

“Answer me, Valkyrie,” I say, putting a little more pressure on her. Valkyrie nods, not taking her eyes off me. She’s given me the permission I’ve been waiting for.

I throw myself at her, my lips crashing against hers. Her soft, plump lips move perfectly with mine. She groans as I gently push her back.

I collapse onto the pillows, hovering over her. I spread her legs and position myself between them. Her bent knees cause her dress to slide up, revealing her lush thighs.

Valkyrie’s hand wraps around my neck, pulling me closer to her. I can feel the warmth radiating from her slender, curvaceous body.

I reach for her waist, gripping her tightly and pulling her until her sex and my groin meet. She gasps, her eyes meeting mine. Her face is flushed, her lips moist from our kisses.

“D-Dimitri…,” Valkyrie whispers as I press my body against her entrance. She can feel how hard I am for her.

“Valkyrie,” I murmur, causing her to moan against my lips. Her hands clutch my arm and hair, tugging lightly as my lips trail down her cheek to her earlobe. I suck on it, eliciting a loud moan from her.

Startled by her own reaction, she quickly covers her mouth.

“Let me hear you, Valkyrie…,” I whisper, leaving a trail of kisses down her neck and chest.

“W-wait…,” Valkyrie stammers, pushing me away with both hands. “Dimitri!”

“What?” I ask, looking at her.

Her chest heaves as she pants. Her eyes are half-closed, and she licks her lips.

“What is it, Valkyrie?” I ask again.

“S-someone might hear us…,” Valkyrie breathes.

Suddenly remembering that Prince Cian is nearby, I reach out to him through our mind-link. He doesn’t respond right away, so I prod him again.

~“WHAT!”~ Prince Cian snaps back, clearly irritated.

~“Get the fuck out of here!”~ I command him.

~“No need, I left a while ago when I heard you two. I swear I was getting a boner,”~ Prince Cian retorts, making me laugh. Valkyrie looks at me, puzzled.

“Sorry, someone mind-linked me,” I lie. I don’t plan on telling her Cian was here. “So, where were we?” I ask, my voice dripping with seduction. “We’re all alone.”

“We are?” Valkyrie asks.

“Yes…,” I murmur, leaning in to kiss her.

“But what if someone walks in?” Valkyrie asks, glancing around nervously.

“No one would dare,” I assure her, chuckling. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone see you like this.”

She looks at me, surprised.

“What? It’s true. This face and body are only for my eyes,” I tell her.

Just as I lean in to kiss her again, Damian interrupts me through the mind-link.

~“What?”~ I snap internally.

~“Dimitri, two dragons have returned injured. You need to come,”~ Damian informs me, causing me to groan in frustration.

Sitting up, I run a hand through my hair and look down at Valkyrie.

“Sorry, but I have to go,” I tell her, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “It’s urgent.”

I stand up and leave Valkyrie behind, irritated that Damian interrupted us.

~“This better be urgent!”~ I warn Damian through the mind-link.