Rejected Queen by Meg Xuemei X.

CHAPTER 9

Tessa

 

 

 

 

 

 

A whirlwind of glimmering hellfire swept over us while Loki’s arm wrapped around my waist possessively. The wind tossed us up before gravity pulled us down. I was falling, and the King of the Underworld didn’t let me go, instead crushing me against his hard chest.

The swirling hellfire vanished an instant later, and walls of glass spun around us before the room stopped rotating. Dazed, I found myself standing on an expensive golden rug that had been placed in the center of a marble floor.

“Welcome to my Manhattan apartment,” Loki said, smiling at me.

I blinked. “Aren’t all the contestants supposed to be locked up in the realm of Hell until the end of the trials?”

“Only through the second trial, since trial two took place in New York City,” he said. “Believe me, no one can escape any of the trials. They’ll either proceed or perish. When the next trial starts, every contestant will be yanked to the arena by the force of the Wild Hunt, no matter where they are at the time. There’s no escape for anyone.” He mused darkly as worry, regret, and anger flitted through his eyes. “The Wild Hunt has turned on us, and there isn’t much we can do at the moment, but we’ll figure it out and beat it. Come.” He grasped my hand. “I have a lot to show you, and technically, you aren’t exactly leaving Hell since you’re with me. I’m part of Hell, and we’re on a date.”

We stood beside a full window, and I gazed out at a lush park.

A landscape of green and blossoms sprawled beneath our feet. Across the park, skyscrapers rose to the sky. The streets were bustling with activity, just as they had been in more peaceful times. This was a different world than Hell, than the battlefields that I’d gotten so used to.

Loki watched me. “Stunning, isn’t it?” he asked lazily.

“I’m almost afraid of getting used to it,” I said softly.

Dux and Fayette would love it here, too, but this wasn’t our home. And we owed it to our people to return to the Ice Kingdom and take on the usurper Ice King, my ex-mate.

I shoved that icy fear down into the pit of my stomach whenever I thought of Ragnarö. I wouldn’t let him ruin this moment between Loki and me since we wouldn’t have a lot of moments. I banished that bleak feeling out of my reach.

You came to kill him, your mate. Just when I thought I’d repressed my inner monster, a voice rose in my head. You can’t back out of the blood contract, just as he can’t save you from the trials.

Fuck off. I’m not dealing with this shit now, I told the voice.

I took a breath, and my voice came out husky and sweet. “Is this your version of romance, King of Hell?”

His sensual lips twitched into a grin, and a dimple showed on his right cheek. Up close, he was even more striking. The king had a strong jaw and a noble nose. His eyes were his best feature, as they brimmed with brutal and seductive power even on the worst day. On a good day, the king mostly emitted his signature bad-boy charm.

“Let me know what, exactly, my version of romance is,” he purred.

My eyes flashed darkly. The image of him bending the vampire princess over the sofa and fucking her from behind swept in front of my eyes.

“Don’t go there, Bunny,” he drawled, his smile gone, as he seemed to know where my thoughts had traveled. “My past can be viewed as one fuck-up after another. What you saw that day was just one of many meaningless fucks. That was before I’d even met you.”

I had to let go of that image too, but we were such creatures of habit, and past behaviors usually indicated future ones. I let out a frosty breath and took in his clean, powerful male scent, which drew me in and comforted me at the same time.

“I’m going to show you a good time, Bunny,” he said, then he ran his hand over his thick, rich brown hair. “That sounded bad. I said the same thing before we leapt into that damned fantasy realm. But I promise you that it’ll be different this time. Things won’t go wrong. I’ll make sure of it. We’re going to enjoy our first date in my Manhattan home.”

My eyes sparkled. “So, this is our first date?”

“I want to know more about you,” he said.

“You might not like what you find.”

“That’s why I like you,” he said, his eyes shifting to dark blue and shimmering with amusement. “All other women try their best to seduce me, and you try to scare me away. You can never drive me away.”

“You have no sense.”

He laughed. “And that’s why you like me. Admit it, Tessa. You like me too.”

I rolled my eyes, though my heart fluttered at the sexiness of his rich, deep laughter. The King of the Underworld carried potent seductive power; it was part of his essence. Women went crazy for him. That was why no one complained about fighting to the death over him. He was sex incarnate. Though his power couldn’t bend me, it had an effect on me as well.

He took my hand and led me away from the window. We ventured deep into his open-plan penthouse. A streamlined kitchen with a golden island led to a vast, lavish dining room and then a stylish living area. The place was fully appointed with elegant furniture and pricey decor.

I rushed to the window at the end of the second sitting room when I spotted an array of busy shops across the square. Fayette and Dux would love to go shopping there. I pressed my nose against the glass as if I could get into those upscale stores and take a look so I could report back to my team later and get them excited. All they’d experienced was battle, losing teammates, and running from our hunters. I wanted them to have something else, something nice and hopeful for a change.

“If you like shopping, let’s go there,” Loki offered, brushing my hair over my shoulder.

I shivered at the touch and tore my eyes away from the flashy stores and shoppers bustling in and out of them.

“Are you the shopping type, Your Majesty?” I asked. “Kings and queens don’t do their own shopping. And most guys abhor shopping.”

“I’m not most guys,” he said. “And I’m not a typical king.”

Right, he was the type who hosted the Underworld Bride Trials and let women fight to the death over him. But I swallowed those words before they could tumble out. Loki wasn’t heartless. He regretted starting the trial.

And I’d promised him that I’d look beyond his past.

“And you actually shop for your clothes?” I asked, giving him a once-over.

He always dressed hot and stylishly. Even his black T-shirt and washed-out jeans looked urban and sexy as hell on him. My gaze roved from his broad chest to his narrow waist under the shirt, then dipped down to his bulging crotch.

I flushed furiously, remembering how his naked avatar looked and how big and hard and beautiful his cock was.

“It’s okay to look, Bunny.” He grinned in appreciation and amusement. “I’ll even let you touch if you’re a good girl.”

I snorted and flushed harder.

He chuckled.

I trained my eyes on my surroundings as I desperately tried to distract myself. I wouldn’t let this ridiculous lust dominate me.

“This place must be very expensive,” I said to diffuse the tension. “I wonder who else can afford to live in this apartment building.”

“The entire twentieth floor is mine,” he said. “Mari and the demigods own two floors on the east wing. The rest of the residents are billionaires or powerful politicians. The building’s security is airtight, and I have my own security detail in addition. You won’t see them, but my elite guards patrol this area around the clock since they never know when I’ll visit this penthouse.”

He held my hand and put it into his jeans pocket along with his. “Sometimes I come here to get away from the Underworld, even though I love my realm. I like to watch mortals stroll across the park as if they have all the time in the world. They all shine so brightly yet so briefly. They prowl through their lives under the sun as if the Great Merge never happened. One generation after another, they all become dust and bones and are forgotten eventually, and I’m still here.” He paused for a second. “Humans live in such oblivious and ignorant bliss. They have no idea that the gods could return to cause havoc again. The gods might even be here already, lurking in the dark and waiting to strike.”

His brows furrowed in worry. “Lucifer, my father, could be here as well,” he said softly. “And I bet he’s holding a grudge.”

My heart leapt to the back of my throat. The last thing I wanted was to talk about Lucifer and remember the blood pact I’d struck with the devil.

I traced my fingers over Loki’s taut, broad chest to divert us from the direction his thoughts had taken. Those would only lead to a cliff.

“What else do you use this penthouse for?” I asked in a low, breathy voice that I knew he liked.

His eyes sparkled golden. “You want to know if I’ve brought other women here, don’t you, Bunny?” he purred.

I swallowed. “Have you?”

“Are you jealous?”

“In your dreams.”

He chuckled. “Come here, and I might tell you.”

He lifted me against his hard, warm torso. I wrapped my legs around his waist, even though I hadn’t meant to do that.

When he settled me on a loveseat, I found myself straddling him. Maybe I should be more reserved. But before I could move away, he held my hips in place, pinning me on top of him.

He grinned at me. “I like this position.”

My breath hitched as I felt his shaft grow rock-hard beneath my bottom. I wanted to wiggle my ass to rub it, playing with it however I liked, but I held myself still by sheer will.

His hand moved toward the nearby coffee table and snatched something. It turned out to be a cup of something that looked like a dessert.

He flashed it in front of me. “For you, Bunny.”

I eyed it suspiciously. “What is it?”

“Crème brûlée, Mari’s favorite. If my little sister likes it, you might like it as well.”

He brought a spoonful to my mouth. The gesture was so intimate that a pair of light wings fluttered in my stomach. Intimacy was magical if you were with the right person.

I opened my mouth and took the offer. When the crème brûlée melted on my tongue, I moaned in pleasure. Gold specks flashed in Loki’s eyes as his wolf peeked out at me through the king’s eyes.

I held his affectionate gaze, remembering how the black wolf had gazed upon me and guarded me on the bank of the canal. He’d been possessive and protective, ready to pounce on and tear into anyone who tried to come near me. The beast recognized me as his mate even if the man had no clue.

But the man had his instincts too, so he fed me.

That was the first step to a mating ritual.

“That’s the best thing I’ve ever tried,” I said.

I snatched the cup from Loki and finished the dessert in three spoonfuls, then remembered my manners. I’d forgotten to share with him.

Loki’s eyes laughed at me.

I twisted my body to check on the table and see what else we had.

A variety of delicious-looking refreshments were spread across the table. The king had prepared a feast for me. My heart fluttered. My eyes flashed in delight. It felt oddly and refreshingly pleasant to be taken care of. My team had taken care of me too, but this felt different.

I might fall for him, though it was unthinkable that I would fall for a man again—and a very powerful one too.

Hearts were a dangerous business. One should not take them lightly.

Maybe I should step half a pace back.

“Now I must try it too,” Loki said. He took a full spoon of crème brûlée from the new cup I held and inserted it into his mouth. He frowned immediately. “I don’t get why it’s so popular. Do women really like this?”

I laughed and finished the rest of the dessert.

The frown vanished from his handsome face as he smiled at me. He looked happy, as if feeding me gave him great satisfaction.

“Every day, one of the demigods would travel to Paris to get a dozen crème brûlées for Mari,” Loki said. “Promise you’ll survive the trials, and I’ll do the same for you.”

“If I die, at least I tasted a piece of heaven first,” I joked.

“And that’s a grave insult to Hell, Bunny,” he said.

We gazed at each other. I wished that I could just live in this moment forever.

I looked at him quietly.

“I’m not what you think.” I gestured at us. “And I’m not good at intimacy. I haven’t been taken care of by any man since Ragnarö. I’m not used to trusting a man.”

“You’re exactly what I think, darling,” he said, his curvy lips tugging up. “And not all men are dicks. As I told you before, I’m not a nice guy, but I’ll be good to you. I have no right to demand you trust me; only an arrogant fool demands trust and respect without proving himself. I’ll earn your trust.” His face grew serious as darkness and hellfire swirled through his eyes. His wolf seemed to perk up and peeked out, and awareness rushed over me, a shiver rippling across my skin. I knew that his beast would never hurt me and would always protect me with a single-minded dedication. I’d met the black wolf and trusted him on a primal level. But the beast wasn’t like the man and had no filter and no brake. He was every bit one of the biggest predators roaming the universe, and I happened to know his origin. One shouldn’t lower one’s guard in such a powerful presence.

Loki blinked and growled, then got his savage expression under control. He didn’t know that it actually turned me on. He hadn’t told me about his wolf, and I pretended not to know. It was almost a game.

“I need to know everything about this Ice God bastard, Tessa.” His intense eyes locked on me. “He’s obsessed with you, and he’ll come for you.” He snarled. “When he dares return to my domain, I’ll fry him good. But I need to know as much as I can about our enemy.”

My hands trembled at the mention of my ex-mate, and Loki held them in his firm grasp, offering me warmth and solidarity. My moment of panic vanished.

I gazed down at him, still straddling him, as we both seemed to like this position.

“Ragnarö is the bastard son of the giant frost god, King of Udgård, and an Asgardian royal goddess, the second daughter of the God of Tricksters and Shape-shifting, whose name is also Loki.” I hesitated for a second, a frosty breath leaving my lips. How could I tell the King of the Underworld that Ragnarö was actually his cousin?

There were many threads intertwined together, and I didn’t want to make a mess out of it. My situation and heritage were already complicated enough.

“According to the legend, Asgard and Udgård were old enemies,” said Loki, his intense gaze never leaving me.

“They still are,” I said. “The affair between God King Thrym and Alyssa didn’t last long. Their illegitimate son, Ragnarö, wasn’t welcomed in Asgard. Even his own mother ignored him. He left Asgard when he came of age, and he gained power as he conquered one realm after another. He always lusts for more power, and nothing can sate him. Finally, he reached my realm, the Ice Kingdom, where my family ruled. He slaughtered my entire family in front of me: my parents, my brother, and my sister. But before he took my head as well, he stopped, despite how I spat at him and cursed him.”

Loki held me to him tightly and inhaled a sharp breath as if he was afraid of losing me. Rage and sorrow and a promise of revenge darkened his eyes, making them hard and cold, and warmth swam in my chest. This was the first time I’d told my past to anyone outside my team.

I licked my lip before I continued. “He didn’t murder me because somehow he believed I was the mate he’d been seeking for a millennium. It wasn’t my Ice Fae bloodline or the blood of the Morrigan—Goddess of War—running through me. Some oracle had told him that I, his future bride, was more than even that pedigree and that I would either break him or make him. If a completed mating bond with me made him stronger, he’d conquer even the gods’ realms.”

“You’re not his,” Loki snarled, his eyes turning molten gold as fury burned in them. The wolf had also come to play and snarled more. “You’re mine. And there’ll never be a fucking mating bond between you and that motherfucker. I’ll make sure of it; he’ll have to get to you over my dead body.”

“My ice magic is strong.” I offered him a tight smile. “But it’s nowhere near his power. Ragnarö’s ice storm carries a soul-cold element, emptiness, and destruction. Mine doesn’t seek to destroy, though, and it can coexist with fire.”

My ice craved fire like it was my missing part.

“Frost to my inferno,” Loki murmured.

My heart skipped a beat at his declaration, which sounded like the other half of the prophecy the Weaver of Fates hadn’t spoken. I gazed into the king’s eyes.

Hellfire and shadow twirled inside like charts of the galaxy, a dark secret in their depths. I understood that Loki wasn’t ready to reveal hidden things about himself, and I had no right to demand anything of him, for I held my own dirty secret. 

“He was benevolent toward me when I was a child. He showered me with affection and rare gifts,” I continued, my voice numb. “He even told me that he loved me. As time went by, my hatred for him faded, and I craved him.” I bared my shame in front of Loki as I’d never bared it before anyone, not even my warriors. I could feel the veins throbbing in my neck. “He never laid a hand on me until the day I escaped. He didn’t hurt me physically. He never allowed anyone to show me disrespect, even though I was his gilded prisoner. When I came of age, he remembered what the oracle had said and started to torment me mentally to break me. He wanted my absolute submission—for my will, body, soul, heart, and every thought to belong to him.”

I bared my teeth and offered a smile that usually promised violence. Then I noticed that Loki was furious and spellbound at the same time. I saw my reflection in his eyes—my face was savagery and my eyes lit with icy fire. And the King of the Underworld was turned on badly.

I schooled my face, returning it to my normal expression, and nodded at Loki. “But he targeted the wrong girl.”

“That piece of shit will pay with his worthless life!” he vowed.

“Ragnarö’s first step toward breaking me was to fuck other women in front of me while he bound me to a chair and forced me to watch every second of it,” I said, my voice cold and my face colder. “He got off on it, especially when he fucked my best friend every night, two feet away from me, knowing how much that betrayal hurt me. Only then did I learn that Elektra had been his spy planted in my inner circle for years. She’d faked her friendship and loyalty to me for his sake since all she wanted was him.”

I sobbed, because instead of condemning me, tenderness, understanding, and fury burned in the eyes of both the man and the wolf. “I hated myself more than I hated them. I still despise myself for ever being disloyal to my family by caring for the monster who’d murdered them, taken my throne, and enslaved my people.”

Loki pulled me down to crash against his chest, holding me tightly and stroking my back. “You aren’t going to blame yourself again,” he said. “You were only a child then. You don’t need to carry your sorrow and burdens alone. It’s over now.”

I drew back a few inches and gazed at him through the mist of my tears. “It’s not over. I escaped him before our wedding night. He never thought I could escape, and he called that the greatest insult to him. He’ll never let me go. For years, his bloodhounds and the Jötunn have hunted me. Whenever my team and I killed them, they’d be resurrected and come back to hunt us again. Ragnarö will stalk me even to the land of the dead. Once he has me…”

I choked on a sob. Loki had heard the Ice God’s vow to capture me and bring me back to his castle to do unthinkable things to me.

“He will finally break me if he catches me.” I ended my narrative with a sniff.

“He won’t get to you, Tessa,” Loki snarled. “I swear on my soul he won’t have you. He’ll have to go through me to get to you. When the fucker comes, I’ll gut him, shatter his bones, then burn him to a crisp. Then I’ll eat his charred heart.” He pondered for a second, his darkness and hellfire coiling around him. “Even if he gets hold of you temporarily, Hell forbid, you’ll hang in there. Promise me this. You’ll wait for me. I’ll track you to the end of the world and bring you back. You’re mine and no one else’s.”

I blinked at him through tears. What did he mean by that? But I dared not ask. Loki produced a handkerchief and wiped my tears tenderly. I liked a man who carried a handkerchief. They were the old-school type deep in their core.

“You have me, Tessa Morrigan,” he said. “I won’t abandon you. I might be an asshole, but I’ll be your asshole who’ll always be your first shield.” He wiped away my tears with his thumb and kissed away the lingering ones.

“It’s not in my nature to hurt you,” he said gently and roughly at the same time. “I’d bite my own claws off rather than harm you. In time, you’ll know why.”

And this time, it was his wolf talking.