Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 716: Little Vixen

The air in Aldric’s mansion was thick and heavy as it dawned on the servants, who had been left behind and enjoying his absence for days, that their little vacation was over. The dark Fae prince was back, and it was time to behave.

Aldric’s sudden arrival on the lawn, carrying Islinda in his arms, disrupted the brief respite the servants had enjoyed. They whispered anxiously among themselves, their previous relaxed demeanor replaced by nervous energy. One servant, who had stumbled upon Aldric as he materialized out of nowhere, stood frozen in shock.

Ignoring the servant, Aldric moved with purposeful strides toward his quarters, cradling Islinda carefully. His focus remained entirely on her, not sparing a glance for anyone else. The servants, accustomed to his unpredictable comings and goings, had maintained the mansion in pristine condition, always ready for his return.

Once inside his room, Aldric laid Islinda gently on his bed, brushing aside a stray lock of her hair that had fallen across her face. He lingered for a moment, his gaze softening as he watched her sleep. Then, with a determined set to his jaw, he straightened up and left the room.

Aldric headed directly to his secret lab, aware that danger still lurked even within the walls of Astaria. The Raysin family’s thirst for vengeance meant they would inevitably come for Islinda. He had no time to waste in fortifying his defenses.

In his lab, Aldric rummaged through shelves and drawers, finally retrieving a crate of peculiar spherical objects. Each ball was filled with a dark liquid, ominous particles suspended inside. He examined one closely, a cold, cruel smirk curling his lips as he did. Satisfied, he carefully picked up the crate and left.

Aldric, a seasoned warrior and cunning strategist, knew his castle’s defenses and vulnerabilities intimately. He methodically placed the spheres in critical locations, ensuring they were well-hidden yet strategically positioned to thwart any intruder. In the garden, he tucked one ball between the hedges, its dark surface blending seamlessly with the surroundings.

As he set the final sphere, a Raven, one of his loyal spies, landed on his shoulder and cawed loudly, flapping its wings.

"Yes, I know, I missed you too," Aldric said, a rare warmth in his voice as he acknowledged the bird’s greeting.

Aside from the birds spying for him, the communication bond he shared with the animals was one of the gifts Azrael, the Raven King had bestowed on him.

It cawed again.

Aldric’s brows furrowed as if finding it hard to respond to whatever the Raven just said. He tilted his head, unsure, saying,

"You cannot exactly call it a betrayal, it’s not like you folks like the winter anyway," Aldric protested.

Another Raven soon joined, perching on his other shoulder. It cawed, and Aldric chuckled, responding to their silent communication. "See, listen to him, mate, he actually makes more sense than you right now."

The first Raven tilted its head, cawing more insistently.

"You can’t make such a claim. I’m not picking sides here. I like you all equally."

The Raven cawed again, clearly unconvinced.

"No," Aldric shook his head in exasperation, "I am not doing that!"

Suddenly, the Raven darted forward and snatched one of the balls from Aldric’s hand. His eyes widened in alarm as he froze, understanding the potential catastrophe if the bird dropped or shook it.

"Give it to me, number five," Aldric commanded, his voice steady despite the tension.

The Raven cawed defiantly.

Aldric rolled his eyes, "I can’t make you number one. He’s right here," he pointed to the other Raven still perched on his shoulder.

The bird obviously did not like Aldric’s answer, and he saw the moment the stubborn Raven made its decision.

"Oh, shit," Aldric cursed as the bird flew away with one of the delicate spheres.

Something strange happened. For a moment, the Raven seemed to be flying normally, but then its movement slowed down, the scene becoming eerily surreal. In the blink of an eye, the bird imploded silently from the inside, its blood splattering onto Aldric’s carnivorous flowers. The flowers eagerly absorbed the blood, their petals turning red briefly before reverting to their usual color.

"And there goes number five..." Aldric gestured helplessly at the mess. He bent down carefully to pick up another ball. "Well, on the bright side," he said, examining the orb, "he did prove that my creation works."

The other Raven cawed loudly from his shoulder, the noise startling in the now-quiet garden.

Aldric pouted, "Oh, don’t be sad. Something tells me you’ll have plenty of meat to feast on soon." He petted the Raven’s head. "Besides," he added with a fiendish grin, "you’re still number one."

Number one flapped its wings proudly, cawing at the top of its tiny lungs.

"That’s my boy," Aldric said as the Raven flew off to join the rest of its group, their cawing echoing into the night.

Aldric carefully set the trap in the chosen spot and left the garden, his mind already racing with thoughts of Islinda. Azrael, the Raven king, would feel the loss of one of his birds, but it wasn’t Aldric’s fault that the Raven was too stubborn for its own good. Azrael would be furious, but he would have to deal with it.

Finishing his rounds, Aldric returned to his quarters, a sense of urgency driving him. He couldn’t bear to be away from Islinda for long, the fear of losing her gnawing at him. As he approached his room, he sensed a subtle shift in the air, a disturbance that made his heart pound. If the enemy had somehow infiltrated his room and harmed Islinda, he would raze all of Astaria in his wrath.

But nothing could have prepared him for the sight that greeted him when he opened the door. His bed was empty, the sheets rumpled, but Islinda was on her feet.

Aldric forgot how to breathe, his feet rooted to the ground. No, he was unable to believe that Islinda was standing right in front of him. He must be seeing things.

"Islinda?" he croaked, the word barely escaping his lips.

She stood there, dazed at first, before recognition flickered in her eyes. A smile blossomed on her face, an arrow that pierced straight through his heart. A good shot.

The shock and relief flooding through Aldric nearly overwhelmed him, his breath trembling. When Islinda took a tentative step toward him, Aldric moved instinctively, his hands reaching out to steady her. The reality of her standing before him, alive and moving, was almost too much to comprehend.

"You’re awake," he said, his voice trembling with a mix of relief and awe. "Thank the gods, you’re awake."

Islinda grabbed him by the front of his jacket and slammed her mouth against his. Aldric stiffened, unable to believe that Islinda was kissing him. Given everything he had done while under Elena’s and the witch’s control, he had expected her to be mad and resentful, not to greet him with such a fervent embrace.

But Islinda’s kiss turned demanding when she sensed his hesitation. Aldric had no option but to kiss her back. Though he was cautious about her health and wanted her to recuperate, he couldn’t deny the longing that surged through him. He missed her desperately, the need to feel her, to bury himself deep inside of her overwhelmed his resolve.

As they kissed, the tension and fear melted away, replaced by a fierce, undeniable connection. Aldric’s hands tangled in her hair, pulling her closer, while Islinda clung to him as if anchoring herself to reality.

The kiss was hot, fierce, and demanding, their tongues tangling together. Aldric held her tighter, scared she would vanish if he dared let go. Hence Aldric was momentarily stunned when Islinda slammed him hard against the wall, knocking the breath out of him. He noticed her abnormal strength but couldn’t dwell on it because her lips were back on his, and he was too needy to think about anything else.

With their lips still joined, Islinda hastily undressed him, and he helped her remove his jacket and the shirt beneath. With Aldric bare, she ran her hands down his taut, muscled body, his chest flexing beneath her touch. Aldric was rock hard for his mate. Her touch was heavenly, and he swore he could come right there and then under her ministration.

Aldric cupped her bottom, pressing her against his evident arousal, and Islinda giggled, relishing the moment between them. She began to rock against him, and Aldric groaned, throwing his head back. He was honestly enjoying this side of Islinda; it was very sensual.

When he lifted her, Islinda eagerly wrapped her legs around him, grinding against him lasciviously. He almost dropped her.

"What a sweet little vixen you are," Aldric chuckled, lifting her skirt and finding nothing beneath. He had no idea what had gotten Islinda this way, but he didn’t mind one bit. freёnovelkiss.com

He pressed his nose into her neck and inhaled her wonderful scent. Then he positioned his hips and thrust into her.

Azula moaned.