“Goodnight, Hawk Lord,” Jaxon's voice trembled. He bowed to Dalsharan and then me. “Goodnight, Valorian.”
I nodded at him.
“Goodnight, Jaxon,” Dal's voice held a note of something that made my stomach clench.
I watched the Hawk Lord's face as the other men walked away, but he was watching Jaxon. My grin vanished completely.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
An hour later, we had been approached by nearly everyone in the room, including the other royals. I was ready to leave, especially since I was having another issue. And no, it wasn't my irritation over my man checking out his ex.
“Why do you keep fidgeting like that?” Dalsharan hissed at me.
“Because I lost my hard-on and this stupid contraption you put on me keeps slipping,” I hissed back. “It's fucking uncomfortable.”
Dal snorted a laugh.
“It's not funny,” I growled. “My dick is going to be rubbed raw.”
“Your dick is immortal and will heal before it has a chance to get raw,” he shot back as he glanced at the banquet table.
“Oh, talking about my raw dick is making you hungry? That's nice. Real classy,” I huffed.
Dal just grinned mischievously and strolled away. I crossed my arms and pouted. First, he goes and looks at his stupid, pretty ex-boyfriend like he wants him, and then, he decides to have a snack after I tell him I'm uncomfortable. I was not pleased with the Hawk Lord.
My gaze wandered across the room and caught someone staring at me. Jaxon. He looked away with a flush spreading over his face. I grimaced deeper. A fucking blusher. I mean, sure, my cheeks get hot when I'm embarrassed too, but it didn't happen every five seconds. That guy got off on being humiliated.
“Come with me,” Dal growled as he passed by.
I frowned but followed him. He led me out of the ballroom and through the palace corridors until he found an open room. It was just a sitting room, but it was dark and private and had a very comfy looking couch. I started to grin when he locked the door behind us.
“Kneel on the loveseat, push your pants down, and bend over the back,” Dalsharan commanded.
“Yes, Hawk Lord!” I exclaimed in excitement, practically running for the couch. Oh, excuse me, loveseat. How perfect.
My cock was hard by the time I knelt on the loveseat and pulled my pants down. I yanked my jacket out of the way too, my balls tightening as I bent over the gilded back. Dal came up behind me and stroked his hand over my ass. His finger was slick with that lovely oil, and he worked it gently into me, then pumped it. I sighed and got comfortable.
Oh, thank you, Goddess, whoever you are, I prayed. Thank you for this beautiful man and his beautiful cock that he's about to stick...
“What the fuck is that?” I rose up and spun around when I felt something cold and thin press between my cheeks. It definitely wasn't Dal's dick.
Dalsharan grinned. “Something to keep you hard until I can fuck you.”
“Just fuck me now!”
“I can't, we'll be missed. We have to go back.”
“What the fuck is that?” I asked again as I stared at the bright orange thing in his hand.
“A carrot.” He smirked. “One cut into a very convenient shape.”
“That is not a convenient shape!” I squeaked. “An uncut carrot would have been a convenient shape. That looks very inconvenient! What is it even supposed to be, a feather?”
“Precisely.” He held it up for my inspection.
The carrot feather had a thick base, likely for attaching it to whatever centerpiece Dal had stolen it from. Up from that base, it flattened and then tapered into a point. Lines were carved along its length; it was a detailed representation. A lot of work had gone into that stupid thing.
“You're not sticking that in my ass,” I declared and started to pull up my pants.
The Hawk Lord's hand went to my back and pushed. “Bend over,” he growled.
“Aw, fuck,” I grumbled, let go of my pants, and bent over.
Dalsharan made an approving, aroused sound as he stroked my ass again. Then he parted my cheeks and pressed that fucking carrot feather against my hole. At least he'd greased it up, but it still felt strange to have its thin, flat tip enter me. I twitched as he slowly worked it in, then made a surprised moan. Dalsharan chuckled wickedly as he shoved it deep. He gave its protruding base a tap, then pulled up my pants. His hands slid around to fasten them for me and when they were buttoned, he helped me up, pushing his cock against my ass as he did.
I groaned and grabbed the back of his head, pulling him down for a kiss. But Dal evaded me as he laughed, then rubbed a hand possessively over my hard cock. Satisfied with my arousal, he stepped away.
I made a frustrated sound and climbed off the couch. “You are a cruel man, Hawk Lord,” I grumbled.
“And you love me,” Dalsharan declared as he left the room.
I followed him, my ass clenching deliciously around a carrot feather, and muttered, “Fuck yeah, I do.”
Chapter Thirty
“Now?” I asked after our carriage was on its way back to Dalsharan's palace.
“No,” he said firmly. “Be patient.”
We'd spent another long hour mingling and sipping wine as that fucking carrot kept me hard. If he gave me blue balls with a carrot, I was going to be pissed.
“We've got enough time,” I argued.
“No.”
“Can I at least suck your cock?”
The Hawk Lord cracked a smile. “You did well tonight, Ravyn.”
I grinned. “I did?”
He nodded. “The King adores you, especially since the other royals are so envious. You spoke eloquently, handled yourself with calm poise, and didn't embarrass me.”
“Thank you.”
“And your performance with...”
“You're welcome,” I whispered.
Dal nodded again and looked away. I wanted to ask him if he still loved Jaxon, but I chickened out. Instead, I watched him in the darkness, treasuring every slash of moonlight that wandered in to briefly illuminate his brutally beautiful face. I watched the shadows turn his cheeks into sculpture and his lips into glass. How had I wound up there, in that carriage, riding through the streets of a fae mountaintop city with the warlord of the fucking Hawk Army? What had I done to deserve this?
Dal glanced at me, saw the way I was looking at him, and settled his gaze on my face. His stare dropped to my lips. I licked them, and his jaw clenched. Slowly, holding my gaze, he unbuckled his belt. My whole body tensed, ready to pounce. The Hawk Lord spread his legs casually, undid his pants, and pulled forth his glorious shaft.