Page 15 of The Time Of Kings (An Afterlife Story #1)

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MUCH MORE TO DISCOVER

B y the time I made it outside, I was ready to tear someone limb from limb. I knew, in that moment, that I couldn’t be trusted to question those that had taken her.

Which was why I made the decision to have my Captain of the guard do it in my stead. I quickly found him, barking the order at him to handle it immediately. After this, I left to go to my study, knowing that I needed to be in the same building as her, at the very least. Gods, but I didn’t even know the girl’s name and I hadn’t even thought to press for it. It was like the girl made me lose all good sense and wit.

Even now, I found myself pacing like an angry bear being awoken early before my hibernation period was over. In fact, I was close to erupting out of my vessel and destroying the room, just so as I could direct some of my mounting frustrations at how badly I had handled things so far.

“Well, no more!” I snarled at myself, slashing a hand through the air before I began to put in motion the wheels of rectifying what I could. So, I rang the servants’ bell, not having to wait long before Mrs Price arrived.

“My Lord, you rang?” my housekeeper said as she laced her hands in front of her in respect. Her state of dress was immaculate as always, as was her light brown hair that she kept pinned back from her face. The slight peppering of grey around the edges of her temple displayed evidence of her passing age.

That was the problem those that were mortal were faced with. Time became a very different beast to those that would inevitably lose the fight against it. As for being immortal, well, we could often forget the effect it had on those around us. And I am ashamed to admit that on more than one occasion I had returned to one of my many homes around the world only to find death greet me. To discover that many of the staff there had passed on since the last time I had stepped foot within its walls.

It made me think of my own human and how much more at ease I would be after time had passed. And with it, each night of it spent together with the knowledge that she would become less and less vulnerable to the fragility of mortal life. For the forces of aging were an enemy each of them would one day face and was an inevitability they had looming over them. One only too eager to snatch their lives away at any given time.

Well now faced with Mrs Price I could see for myself how much she had aged since the last time I was here. It was a stark reminder that I had my own mortal to care for. Of course, to Mrs Price, I too would have aged slightly, or it would have made living in the mortal realm vastly more difficult. Especially should I ever desire to spend any considerable time in one place. Something I could find myself doing more, should my Chosen One wish it.

And speaking of which, it was time to answer my housekeeper, for there was indeed something I required of her.

“I did ring, for I need my…” I took pause for a moment, close to calling her my Chosen but stopping just in time. “… My guest making more comfortable, starting with having a breakfast tray made up for her, along with some clothes.”

“I am sorry, My Lord, but are you speaking of the prisoner you have in your room?” she enquired, making my whole-body tense when having her viewed as such. This despite such claims made from my own lips, and to the very person my housekeeper now spoke of. Hence why I was forced to unclench my jaw.

“I do indeed, for she will be my guest here for the foreseeable future, is that understood?” I stated firmly, making her kind hazel eyes widen momentarily.

“Yes… yes, My Lord, but of course.”

“Good, now getting back to the things she needs, perhaps you will find such dresses in my sister’s chamber, for they are not too dissimilar in size I think… yes, that will have to do for now. At least until I can call upon the dress maker in town to have some things made for her.” Again, her shock was easy to see, despite her willingness to aid me.

“The dress maker will of course come here directly, My Lord.” Mrs Price added helpfully.

“Good, then you may send one of the maids to fetch her.”

“Although, I beg your pardon, My Lord, but I doubt they will be able to come any sooner than on the morrow, after all, you have the ball this eve and she will no doubt be occupied with…” I shook my head at this, in no mood for excuses.

“Yes, yes, I care little for such things, just get her here at her next convenience,” I said, waving my hand at her in an impatient manner.

“And tonight, My Lord, will your… guest, be joining us?”

I finally had cause to grin at the thought. Because the ball tonight would grant me the perfect opportunity to express my intentions to my world, for most would be of my own kind. Hence why I looked at Mrs Price and told her,

“Yes… indeed she will be.”

After this and making the necessary arrangements with Mrs Price regarding who would soon become the future Mrs Draven and Lady of this castle, I also ensured she had all she needed when finishing her bath. A dress for one. For I knew if I walked back in there only to find her in no more than a strip of linen, then nothing would stop me from claiming her. In truth, I was eager to finally see the real her, minus the evidence of her escapades.

Which was why I wasted no time at all before I was outside my bedchamber. This after first being assured she had finished and would have had enough time to dress. I also ensured that a maid had a tray of food ready for me to bring in, so as I could finally give my Chosen some much-needed substance.

However, the moment I entered the room and saw her, clean, for the first time, all good sense instantly fled me. This was because I was instantly blinded by her incredible beauty. Something that became obvious when I stumbled with my words at just the heavenly sight of her.

“I had food… Gods.” She looked like some fallen angel, with her hair half braided to one side, as if I had interrupted the chore. Meaning most of it still hung down untamed and long in waves around her. A golden fleece, just as the Fates had foretold she would have, and one I had spent too many lifetimes looking for.

And now here she was.

Finally.

Living, breathing proof that Fate had not abandoned me, just as I had feared. Yet just the sight of her now and I knew all my years of waiting had been worth it.

The fine muslin gown she wore was simple in its design but by the Gods, how befitting it was on her. For she needed nothing more. The low scooped neckline and high waist with its narrow sash under her ample bust was making it difficult to act like a gentleman. I could barely take my eyes off her curvaceous frame. One I was looking forward to seeing on a more intimate level, that was for certain, now making me question how was I ever to resist such temptation?

My expression must have said as much, as she tugged nervously on the cuff of her long sleeves, as well as giving into her nervous habit of biting her bottom lip. Something that was driving me to utter distraction and no doubt always would.

“ Mea vellus aureum .” I felt the Latin words leave my lips before I could stop them… My Golden fleece.

But the moment I realised we weren’t alone like I wished for us to be; I couldn’t help but practically growl out my demands.

“Leave us!” It was one order that I didn’t need to look to know that it had been taken seriously. Not that I could have looked away from her, even if I had wished to. For I still couldn’t tear my heated gaze from the goddess in front of me.

All my life I had been surrounded by the most beautiful creatures this realm had to offer, in a world I had seen ten times over in my time. But even after all my many years on this mortal plane, I still could not ever recall seeing a beauty like she possessed.

I could barely believe that she was real.

It was a living dream I never wanted to wake from, nor did I want to give it the chance to escape me. Hence why I used my foot to close the door I could feel was still open behind me. The sound of it echoed through the room as the force of slamming it shut made the wood shake in its frame. And that wasn’t the only thing to react, as my little mortal also shivered at the deafening sound.

But in truth, I was too far gone in my need of her to care for such things. I felt like some untameable beast in sight of its prey. One that I had been hunting for far too long. Therefore, I knew that nothing could stop me this time. Which was why I took firm strides straight to her, unable to hold back any longer in claiming what I wanted from her.

And I wanted everything!

Because after all… She was now mine.

I wasn’t even slightly deterred from my selfish quest when she took startled steps away from me. No, the bastard in me was just glad to see that she did so by backing herself up against the bedpost, where I would soon be able to trap her. Which was why the moment she opened her mouth, no doubt to try and convince me to stop, I got there first, tearing away her doubt. For there was no masking the scent of her own arousal, telling me what I needed to hear with her body and what she herself would not utter freely with her lips.

Lips I would soon possess.

“No words… only this …” I told her, letting this be her only warning as I finally took her in my arms and, this time, when I lowered my head to kiss her, I didn’t stop. The first touch of her lips against my own felt as if my soul had been set ablaze. As if I was being reborn and taking my first real breath as the man I wanted to be for her. As if I finally knew, in this moment, what it truly was to have a heart and to have it beat solely for another.

But these feelings weren’t the only part of the kiss I found surprising.

It was her reaction in return.

For she astonished me by opening up first and tasting me with her tongue. As if, like myself, she couldn’t wait any longer. And with that first taste, I felt as if the blaze we created had the power to burn my entire world!

The passion she willingly bestowed upon me was nothing short of spectacular, and I drank it all in like a man now starved of breath! A thousand realisations hit me all at one, as I shared my first kiss with my Fated.

My Electus.

She really was my everything.

I couldn’t help but whisper the truth of my heart over her lips, gifting her with the purest honesty one could bequeath.

“Finally.”

This word meant everything to me, at that moment, and it was the reason why I couldn’t help but take the kiss to new depths. Showing her the kind of passion that would now become a permanent fixature in her life from this point on. And her little moans only fed this growing need deep within me to an almost implausible intensity.

For I had never known that such pleasure could be obtained from a simple kiss. And perhaps it was because this was anything but simple. Even the feel of her hands gripping me made me feel like roaring in victory. A victory that would soon become just the first to conquer of many. I gathered her up in my arms so as I could lift her feet from the floor and take her to where I wanted her most…

Lying beneath me on my bed.

And what a sight doing such awarded me.

“Gods, you are so beautiful,” I told her, pulling back enough so as I could memorize this perfect moment for all eternity. The nervous little bite of her lip only added to it as I stroked back her wild golden hair from her face. I had never remembered wanting to be so gentle with another before. This as well as feeling the conflicting emotions warring inside of me. For I also wanted to dominate her body, letting her know exactly who it was that now owned every inch of her. It was a heavenly contradiction, to be sure, but one I felt all the same.

Hence why I decided to give her some small insight to just the surface of my growing addiction and all the deliciously bad things I wanted to do to her.

“And this lip, Gods what it makes me want to do to you.”

A blush quickly crept upon her pale skin, dusting it with natural rouge. I half expected her to try and shy away from me in that moment. However, the very last thing I expected happened. She surprised me like no other ever had before her, as she raised herself up enough to whisper her carnal thoughts.

“Then why don’t you?”

As soon as she said this, I could feel my heated gaze blaze dangerously close to that of my true self. Hence why I quickly swooped down and kissed her. And even as I let myself be completely consumed by all that was her, I was still unable to stop asking myself if I had heard her correctly. Had she really just given her blessing to become mine in all ways that I wanted her?

I doubted she would have said as much if she knew the true depths of my wicked desires and what I had in mind for my future with her. For I wanted to tie her to my bed and use that perfect, sinfully curvaceous body of hers for hours on end. I wanted her throat hoarse from screaming out in infinite pleasure that I forced upon her.

I wanted to fill her sweet-smelling cunt with my seed until it produced a constant, endless stream between her legs. I wanted to bite her all over. To mark her in the most primal of ways, before forcing her to drink from me. So, as I knew my blood marked her in places I could not physically touch.

I wanted to possess every inch of her.

But most of all…

I wanted to own her heart.