Free The Sea Queen (The Dark Queens Book 1) by Jovee Winters Page A

pomegranates.”
    “Oh, right, of course.” She smacked her forehead. “I knew that. Erm, I mean, because of the stories and such.”
    “Bread is okay,” I pressed on, as though I’d not heard her. “And of course,” I lifted the steaming pot full of mead, “I like mead, but I’m most partial to ambrosia.”
    After I finished complaining about nearly every item on the tray, her eyes turned a frosty blue. “Is that all?”
    Smirking, I stood, towering over her invading her space. I was impressed that she didn’t back up. A lesser woman would have.
    “Tell your mistress that what I most prefer is naught but a simple repast of toast and coffee. That’ll do.”
    Turning on my heel, I dismissed her and busied myself with the food. It all looked good, actually. I wondered if Calypso had made it with her own hands.
    Suddenly I was bowled over by a wave and pinned to the bed with my cheek pressed to the mattress. The pressure relented after only a moment. Clearing my throat, I stood and dusted myself off.
    “You’ve quite the temper, maiden,” I spoke coolly.
    Lovely Janita seethed. “I’ll have you know, dil-do, the mistress worked all morning creating those for you. The least you could do was show a little courtesy.”
    I was quite certain she’d not meant to call me a dildo; however, with her, nothing was quite impossible, either.
    Pouring on the charm, an act I so rarely attempted, as I had grown bored with my kind, I once more invaded her sphere, this time making certain to brush a very hard part of my anatomy against her tail.
    She trembled and then shivered when my hands trailed languidly up her bare forearms.
    “Well then, my lovely little maiden, do me the honor of telling your mistress ,” I lowered my head, so that our noses practically touched, “thank you.”
    She clutched at her lip with her sharp little teeth. And when her tongue poked out, it was all I could do not to lean in and snatch it up for my own.
    “O...okay,” she murmured docilely. But I wasn’t fooled. This angel had horns.
    Standing back, I released her. And fought a grin when she stumbled forward a minute inch. Her hands were aflutter around her head as she tucked strands of hair behind her ears.
    Curtseying, she made as though to go.
    “Oh, and Janita, one last thing,” I said as she was halfway out the door.
    Clutching at the frame with one clawed hand, she whispered, “Aye?”
    “Tell, Calypso, tonight is my night and this time it will be she and not I that screams.”
    She gulped and I thought for certain she would leave me then. But she did not. Squaring her shoulders, she said, “You know who I really am, don’t you?”
    Feeling foolishly relaxed, I walked over to her. Her eyes were so blue and wide. Shaped like a doe’s. In any form she came, I could not seem to pull my gaze away.
    Pulling a fistful of her hair into hand, I wrapped it around my wrist and gave it a gentle tug.
    “I think, my dear, I should know you in any form.”
    Then throwing caution to the wind, I kissed her cheek.
    We’d already had sex. I could have claimed her lips, made her open her mouth to me, forced her to give me her tongue, get her hot and ready for me so that she’d beg me to explore every inch of her.
    But for all that Thalassa was wild and unpredictable, there was an inherent innocence to her as well. I liked every aspect of her personality so far, but the innocence intrigued me most. There were so few things in the world that that could truly be said of.
    Her fingers brushed over her cheek like the whisper of butterfly wings.
    We, neither of us spoke, simply gazed into each other’s eyes. I was drawn to her. And I believed her to be drawn to me as well.
    I couldn’t understand it, but I liked it.
    She vanished seconds later. Simply disappeared. I stood like a fool in that empty doorway for what felt like hours afterward.
    This imprisonment wasn’t so bad when she was around. But without her, I felt every second of my