The Crown's Fire - Chapter 140

Chapter 140: Killing The Mood
Kingdom of Ebodia

Ezme remained by Atlas’s side, even after he agreed to marry her. She cherished their time together and felt the need to introduce him to her mother in their kingdom. However, she struggled to find the right words to broach the topic.

As they sat in his office, finishing up their tasks for the day, Ezme finally mustered the courage to speak.

“Are we finished for the night?” she asked as Atlas began tidying his desk.

“Yes,” he replied simply.

“Do you think you’ll have any free time this week?” she pressed, gathering her own belongings.

Atlas studied her for a moment before asking, “What’s on your mind?”

Ezme hesitated, unsure of how to express herself without adding pressure to Atlas or upsetting her mother further, whom she had been avoiding. “My mother… I…” she started, trailing off.

“I’m free. I want to formally ask for your hand in marriage in front of her and King Nikolai. I apologize for the delay,” Atlas interjected, his half smile melting Ezme’s heart.

Relieved, she returned his smile. “It’s okay. Just let me know when we’re going. We can travel in my mist form to save time.”

“Or we could ask Lurio to cast a teleportation spell,” Atlas suggested.

But Ezme suddenly thought of a better idea. “Let’s keep it simple and travel like normal people,” she proposed, excited at the thought of journeying with Atlas in a carriage and experiencing the adventure together.

“Let’s go with your preference,” Atlas replied. “Come, let’s have dinner,” he added, motioning for her to follow him.

Ezme hesitated, her shoulders slumping. She wasn’t keen on dining with him, tired of pretending to enjoy human food. She hugged his arm and whispered, “Would it disgust you if I drank human blood from others? Atlas… I’m really craving it now. Please don’t be angry, and let Apollo accompany me to the black market?”

Atlas’s body tensed, and he stopped abruptly. “No. I told you not to drink blood from others, only from me!” he snapped, his deep, firm voice sending a shiver down Ezme’s spine.

“But your blood won’t satisfy me since I can’t drink directly from your vein,” Ezme murmured, her expression crumpling in frustration. She longed to feed from him directly, but controlling her venom was a challenge.

“I can ask the physician to draw blood directly from my veins,” Atlas insisted firmly, and Ezme relented, no longer arguing. “Come, let me feed you before I draw some of your blood. You’ll need the energy,” he murmured, guiding her forward.

“You seem unsatisfied with my suggestion,” he noted.

“Oh, I’m not, it’s just… I don’t understand why you won’t let me drink from others’ blood. It’s not like I’ll do it without their consent or harm them. They do the same process in the black market—collect it fresh, and I drink it,” Ezme retorted with a pout.

She adored Atlas’s blood, but she didn’t want him to lose blood for her cravings. What if she wanted more?

Atlas didn’t respond, and silence fell between them until dinner. Ezme didn’t push him further, recognizing their improving relationship. She learned not to test his patience, though occasionally she couldn’t resist. But not now…

Tonight, Ezme requested the attendant to bring Atlas’s dinner inside his bedchamber. However, when a servant entered with a pitcher of fresh animal blood, Ezme’s expression soured. “If you won’t let me feed you, then I will not drink your blood,” she declared, her tone firm.

Atlas chuckled. “That sounds like a good deal to my advantage, don’t you think?”

Ezme’s eyes narrowed. “See, I knew it… You’re offering your blood against your will. You’re doing that to change me. You want me to sustain myself by drinking only animal’s blood and eating human food. But I’m not Ezekiel,” she grumbled, frustration evident in her voice.

Atlas remained quiet, provoking Ezme’s irritation further. She often wished she were a mind reader to understand his thoughts. His silence both frustrated and intrigued her.

‘I must be crazy,’ Ezme mused.

“Feed me…” Atlas suddenly commented, breaking the silence. Ezme blinked rapidly, taken aback by his request. “Didn’t you say that you’ll only drink my blood if I’ll allow you to feed me? Go on and feed me since I’m already starving,” Atlas nonchalantly added.

Ezme found herself amazed by Atlas’s nonchalance. But that sudden comment lifted her mood once again, and she started feeding him with a wide smile on her face.

“You should eat more so you can sustain me with enough of your blood,” she teased, indulging in feeding him more than his usual amount for the night. Atlas didn’t complain; he simply let her do as she pleased.

Ezme purposely smeared his lips with sauce, then mischievously murmured, “Does the sauce taste good, Atlas?”

“It does, try it,” Atlas replied. He forked a piece of meat and dipped it into the sauce, but Ezme had different intentions. She immediately sat on Atlas’s lap, straddling him, before slowly licking the sauce from his lips. Her eyes never left his as she hummed with a seductive voice, “Tasty.”

Atlas’s face darkened as he hoarsely groaned, “Aren’t you playing with fire enough?”

“Why? Are you getting burned already?” she hummed back as she gently kissed his lips, this time slowly suckling his upper and lower lips alternately. She moaned when Atlas suddenly pulled her body closer, wrapping his arm around her waist, while his hands found its way to her nape.

Ezme encircled her arms around his neck as she entangled her tongue with his, sliding it into his mouth. She enjoyed teasing him like this because his body couldn’t hide its response. She slightly moved her lower body, intentionally brushing her groin against his hardness. He was so aroused, and she loved it.

“Ezme… I…” he murmured between their intense kisses.

“Tell me what you want, Atlas,” Ezme murmured back.

“I… Um, aren’t you hungry? I… I’m ready, so you can ask the healer to draw my blood,” he hoarsely muttered against her lips.

Ezme abruptly pulled away from the kiss, with Atlas following her lips slightly. “You really have a knack for killing the mood,” she mumbled with a twitched face.