Queen of Two Hearts Read online

  She takes my cup and helps the attendants lead me into a waiting bath.

  “They are identical, but they dislike it. The elder, Ivar, always wears facial hair, so he is not mistaken for his younger brother. They are five minutes apart in age.”

  “Are they handsome?” I mutter beneath my breath as they lower me into the hot water. The tea has made me bolder, yet sleepy somehow.

  She smiles and nods. “I’ve known them since the day they were born and I think they are very handsome, but I believe most people find them pleasing to the eye. I know you are sad about your selection. I can feel your emotions, but you will not be once you become theirs.”

  The word theirs plays over in my mind as I drift off into a strange sleep. Although, I know I’m not awake; I hear the faint sound of chanting, but I can’t make out what words are being spoken or recited. The language is unrecognizable, yet every word uttered makes my body tingle and shiver until I feel a growing fire spread from my loins down to my toes.

  I dream of hands, bodies, lips, blue eyes I’ve never met gazing at my naked body and touching me in places I’ve dreamed no one would dare see or feel. There are two male voices in my head, speaking to me, comforting me, as their arms reach out to hold me until all the fear and agony that consumes me dissipates and I’m stirred awake.

  I’m not sure how long I’ve been asleep, but by the time I’m fully aware of my surroundings, I’m partially dressed, and the sun is setting.

  “Elsa, dear, we have less than an hour to dress you for your wedding.” Alecto claps her hands and attendants run around me, styling my hair, lacing my corset, buttoning my dress, fastening jewelry and attaching my tiara before I’m ushered into the room where I will finally meet my future husbands.

  Chapter 5

  IVAR

  “I saw her.” Ivo whispers from behind me.

  “You’re lying. They’ve had her sequestered since this morning.” I sneer, while I glance at the clock. Alecto is never late, but maybe our new bride isn’t as punctual.

  “I’m not lying, you fool. I saw her before the selection. I saw her walk into the ballroom with the others. She’s so lovely. She nearly took my breath away. Alecto confirmed I was looking at the right girl.” He pushes me out of the way to draw closer to the doors.

  “I’m the fool? You sound like you’re in love with a girl you’ve never met, a girl I may lie with whenever I please---” He cuts me off, grabbing my collar roughly.

  “I will not beat you before our wedding and make myself look like a barbarian to our new wife, but you don’t speak about her that way to me, ever again. She is our wife, not one of your courtesans or mistresses. She doesn’t want to be here. She doesn’t want two husbands. If you don’t want to love her, then keep out of my way. I’ll make sure she never misses you.” He shoves me, making me lose my balance. Before I can pounce in retaliation, Alecto enters.

  “What are you two doing?” She snaps.

  “Nothing.” We answer, in unison.

  “Stand up straight, please. Fix your collar, Ivar!” She glares at me and I scowl at Ivo.

  “Where is she?” Ivo moves toward her, looking past her into the hallway.

  Holding him steady, she asks us not to crowd her.

  “She’s terrified. Give her some room. She’s young and much smaller than you in stature. Give her some room, Ivo. Move back.”

  Prodding us a few steps back, she returns to the hall.

  “Lady Elsa of Damaris, allow me to introduce you to King Ivo and King Ivar.”

  Ignoring Alecto’s instructions, Ivo rushes forward, but I feel frozen in place.

  He’s right. She’s beautiful. She’s more beautiful than I imagined and my heart sinks remembering how many times I’ve seen those green eyes in my dreams. My heart races as I take a step forward. I want to hear her voice. Will it be the same? I want to see those green pools gaze into my soul and taste those sad lips with my own. I want to be the one to make her happy, but she won’t love me.

  She won’t choose me.

  There must be a reason Ivo feels a special connection to her. Queens always love the younger king.

  I’m cursed. Like my father.

  When Alecto forces Ivo to release her from his grasp, she moves toward me. Her dark lashes weigh heavy as she gazes at the floor.

  “Good evening.” Those are the only words I can manage. My mouth is too dry, and my heart is beating too wildly to make pleasant conversation.

  She lifts her head. Those eyes. My eyes. I’ve seen them for so long. I thought they were far too green, too stunning, to be real.

  “Good evening.” She attempts to curtsey, but I stop her.

  “In a few moments, you’ll be our Queen. You don’t bow to us.” I take her hand and she trembles, frozen in place.

  Holding her closer, I examine her. She’s tiny. It would be so easy to carry her out and hide her somewhere, away from Ivo, keeping her all to myself.

  No, he’d never let me get past the door.

  “Please don’t be afraid of us. We’ll take care of you. Nothing bad will happen to you here. We won’t allow it.”

  Her expression softens and my heart melts when I see the start of a smile. Unfortunately, Ivo interrupts us, uncomfortable with our prolonged exchange.

  “We should go.”

  He glares at me but takes Elsa’s hand, leading her away. I hesitate. I should stop him. He has no claim stronger than mine, but I allow it and immediately regret it. As soon as she leaves my side, I feel her loss. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

  Alecto stays by the door and waits for me, observing me, watching for those vulnerabilities I try to shield from her and never can.

  Smiling with a sympathetic air, she extends her hand. “My love, nothing is set in stone. There is no curse. Right now, her heart is open to you both. Only you will change that.”

  Chapter 6

  Elsa

  They are more than a foot taller than I with unruly brown hair that hints auburn when the light reflects it. Ivar wears a cavalier-style mustache with a small beard that seems to have only sprouted at his chin. Both are deathly pale with deep blue eyes, the eyes from my dream, and strong, powerful bodies. Other than the small scar across Ivo’s chin, their faces are smooth and chiseled. I cannot deny it, they are devastatingly handsome.

  But what on Earth will I do with two?

  No one gives me any instructions for my wedding night or what takes place directly after our ceremony.

  Will I lie with one and then the other?

  My mother has never taught me about the marital bed, believing there would be time after I was properly engaged. Although, I try to see her, we are forbidden to meet before the wedding, not even briefly. This is a nightmare.

  I know nothing.

  When the hour arrives, I’m escorted into the great cathedral, married to two men then crowned by the archbishop. Despite all the pomp, I feel more like a child than a queen.

  Throughout the ritual, both kings glare at me, undressing me with their eyes as fear twists around my heart. By the time Ivar removes the crown from my head and hands it to the archbishop, a tidal wave of apprehension sweeps over me, making me pant in terror.

  They’re strangers. They may be handsome, but they’re strangers to me.

  Ivo wraps an arm around my waist, guiding me away from the crowd, hoping to spend a few moments caressing and perhaps, fondling me before his brother joins us and they both usher me away from their family’s prying eyes.

  Fortunately, seeing the terror in my eyes, Alecto chides him and seizes me from his grasp.

  “We need to prepare the Queen for the wedding night. We will send word when she is ready.”

  As we scurry down the royal wing, attendants from all sides fall in line behind us. Once we reach my new chambers, I stop as my knees weaken with fear. There is an enormous bed before me, larger than any bed I’ve ever seen, and I face the horrific realization that it is meant for three people.

&nb
sp; No one speaks to me. While attendants undress me, my mind spins, and I slide to the floor in a heap of satin and jewels. Two girls catch me and carry me to bed, finishing my disrobing while I lay prone, facing the ceiling.

  “You’ll be fine, Elsa. You’ll do well. This is your destiny.” Alecto unravels my styled hair and combs it out.

  “I’ve prepared you and you will know exactly what to do and how to please them.”

  “No, I won’t. I know nothing. I know nothing about lying with a man, with men! What if they want me at the same time?” I choke on my words as tears stream down my face.

  “They will want you at the same time. But when you are in their arms all my preparations will return to you and you will know what to do. They were both eager to see you tonight, to have you first, but I have made sure they will allow you to lead them tonight. For tonight only, you lead.”

  “Lead? I won’t know where to begin!” I yelp, covering my mouth and squirming as they struggle to disrobe me.

  Stripped of all clothing, I’m given a sheer robe, almost transparent that hardly covers a fraction of my breasts.

  “May I have one that fits properly?” I mumble to a girl.

  “That’s the style.” She assures, but I’m unconvinced and reach for a small blanket to shield myself from view.

  What will my husbands think? This is not the impression I want to make.

  Before she leaves the room, Alecto gives me another drink, a small glass filled with what looks and tastes like a raspberry-flavored spirit. I drink it in one sip and hand her the glass.

  The effects are instantaneous and the dizzy, euphoric feeling I had earlier returns with a vengeance. Clasping my hand, Alecto gives me one last piece of advice.

  “Give them equal time to love you, Elsa.”

  Seconds after she leaves the room, Ivar enters from an interior door. Undressed from the waist up, he walks towards me, carrying himself with the regal confidence befitting his station. I feel vulnerable and small in his gaze, but I can’t stop myself from staring at his chiseled chest, rippled abdomen and powerful, sinewy arms. He’s magnificently proportioned. When he draws closer, his eyes soften, and his hands reach for mine.

  “I didn’t think you could look any more beautiful than when we married, but I could not have been more wrong.” Stunned by his words, by his body, I drop my blanket and stand before him, every inch of my naked body on display through my gauzy gown. Sensing the sudden draft, my cheeks turn red as I try in vain to cover myself with my hands.

  Wrapping his arm around my waist, he slides the robe off my shoulders, unveiling my body to his hungry gaze.

  “Don’t hide from me, please. I won’t hide from you either.”

  Without warning, he drops his trousers and allows me to feast my eyes on his painfully erect cock. I’ve never seen one before and in my wildest imagination, I never dreamed it would be so large. Rather than fear, a wave of desire surges through my veins and I feel a tinge of unexplainable excitement. As I inhale Ivar’s intoxicating scent, a growing ache in the pit of my stomach overwhelms me, and thoughts previously unfamiliar to me cloud my mind. When he lowers his head to seek my mouth, a strange feeling consumes me, one I’ve never felt...lust.

  Ivar crushes his body against mine, covers my mouth with his and kisses me, tracing the fullness of my lips, until my mouth burns with desire. I whimper as my knees fail me, but with one movement, he lifts me off the floor and carries me to our bed. When he sets me down, Ivo appears.

  Chapter 7

  IVO

  Alecto’s enchantments never work on me, but I can tell Ivar is not himself and Elsa has been transformed into a vixen for our benefit. She’s passionate and uninhibited, insane with lust. I would prefer she was herself and I will spend the day tomorrow getting to know her better, but tonight is about consummation and the procreation of heirs.

  Alecto has left nothing to chance.

  When Ivar sets her down on the bed, she shimmies back, giggling as we crawl forward to catch her. To both our surprise, she opens her thighs wide, offering herself like a harlot, before we’ve asked, then closes them, hinting at a sudden case of bashfulness. She covers her mouth and smiles, a smile that reaches her beautiful eyes.

  “But who goes first? How do we decide?”

  When I seize the opportunity, her eyes grow wide with excitement and she smiles in approval of my boldness. Without hesitating, I spread her legs, allowing my mouth to roam the length of her calves towards her thighs, inhaling the scent of her milky skin, nibbling on her flesh until she whines and writhes forward, urging me to take more.

  I want more. I want it all, but I won’t rush.

  Grasping her waist, I pull her down and linger on her stomach, caressing every curve, reaching up to squeeze the supple flesh of her breasts before I bring her to me, teasing her taut nipples with my tongue until she whimpers and wraps her arms around my head.

  “Ivo? Are you?”

  “I am.” I don’t think she can tell us apart yet.

  My hand cups her wet center, parting her slippery folds, in search of her clit. I want to hear her come in my arms. I need her first climax to be with me. When she cries out, I know I’ve found her sweet spot.

  “Relax, Elsa. Let me love you.”

  I kiss her, licking the swollen pink lips that have taunted me all evening until our tongues dance and we gasp, breaking away for a moment before I recapture her lips once more. My hands stroke her luscious curves, coaxing each murmur, moan and hum until she rocks her hips into me, whimpering helplessly in a fit of passion. She tries to speak but I silence her with kiss after kiss. She’s lost to pleasure, writhing on my hand when I sink two fingers into her wetness and spread her wide.

  I watch her twist and pant, staring at me while I lavish attention on her clit, drawing her out until her skin glistens with a sheen of sweat, her eyes flutter and her gorgeous, full lips quiver as she whimpers from the shock of her first climax.

  “Ivo! That feels wonderful.”

  “You’re coming, my love. Keep going.” I stroke harder and as her hips spasm, her soft cries grow louder and her body trembles with a pleasure she’s never known. Running my fingers through her slit, I gather every ounce of fluid flowing from her and bring it to my lips, eager to relish her taste. She mews, watching me and my heart thunders in my chest when I hear her whimper, winding her fingers in my hair and raising her hips to meet my hungry mouth, offering herself to me.

  I don’t hesitate. Burying my face in her sleek channel I feast on her, devouring her essence, stroking her sweetest spot, and then growling when Ivar pushes me over and takes up where I left off.

  “You’ve had enough, Ivo.”

  This will be impossible to fully enjoy.

  Unsure if I should join in, I watch and wait for her to invite me, not wanting to ruin her moment or cut her second climax short. But I don’t wait long. She sees me, stroking my cock, aching for more, and calls me over.

  Gripping it in her tiny hand, she strokes my shaft, nudging me closer, until she speaks and surprises the three of us with her words.

  “Ivo, feed it to me, please. Let me taste you, too.” Her eyes widen. She means it, but she doesn’t understand why she would say such a thing. Perhaps, I’m enchanted after all, because instead of complying, I tease her.

  “Come get what you want from me, my love.”

  She smiles, turns over, knocking Ivar off her and crawls to me.

  I coax her to the other side of the bed, bending down, recapturing those sweet lips and shower her with fiery kisses, trailing down to her neck and shoulders. I want her. I love her already and I want her to know it. I want her to know I will always love her more than him.

  Our breaths catch, our mouths tease the other’s but when I feel her hands grasp my cock, I don’t stop her. I let her have her way. Pushing me over, she lies by me and moans as she slides my shaft down her inexperienced mouth, licking and lavishing it with adoration. For someone who doesn’t know what she’s do
ing, she’s doing it well. Ivar gazes on, stunned and desperate to join in, but I shoot him an icy stare to stay away.

  As she takes more than half of my length into her warm mouth, driving me into a frenzy of passion, Ivar resumes his position between her legs.

  Spreading her open, distracting her from me, he feasts on her, forcing her body to writhe and rock from skills he’s perfected with several mistresses over the years. The more he gives her the more she gives me, moaning, licking, sucking and stroking, she wants to take me to the same edge, hoping we’ll fall together. But the only thing I want is to be the one pleasing her.

  Releasing me, she moans with ecstasy, shuddering with pleasure as she sings Ivar’s praises and my heart sinks.

  “Ivar, your mouth, your tongue, what are you doing?” She lunges forward, driven by a desire and the all-consuming lust brought on by the enchantment. Crashing her lips to his, she jumps on his lap and positions herself over his cock, choosing him first. As much as I want to tear her off him, we were asked to let her lead.

  He’s too aroused to look pleased with himself. Too enchanted to know I’m watching, preparing to strangle him.

  Chapter 8

  ELSA

  Ivar pulls me to him, caressing my breasts as he claims by lips, teasing me gently then devouring me as he explores my mouth with his tongue. My limbs tremble, I can feel him seeking me out, nudging against my entrance, trying to claim me before his brother.

  Hesitating, I extend my arm and reach for Ivo. I don’t want to leave him out, but Ivar holds me tighter, keeping me from him.

  “You can’t take us both at once, not yet, you’ll be hurt.” He whispers against my hair, fully intending to be the first either way.

  “First you and then him. I want you both. You’re both mine.”