Page 17 of The Time Of Kings (An Afterlife Story #1)

16

THE POWER OF A NAME

A t the request of her name, she laughed, and although it was a slightly nervous sound, again I became transfixed with the sight of her beautiful smile lighting up the dark nature of my world. I also had to wonder at all these new thoughts she was invoking within me, sentiments I never believed myself capable of feeling. Like the pleasure I would find in being teased, as she felt strangely comfortable enough to do so now.

“And all your lovers, do you usually leave the exchanging of names till the end?”

“Only the one that has managed to render me incapable of acting like a gentleman,” I replied in kind, for her teasing always made me wish to do the same to her. If only to be granted that warmth of her smile once more. She giggled at my answer, and the delightful sound would have only been made better had I known her name.

But then, this in itself quickly became a double-edged blade. For no matter how much satisfaction I found in the ease of her manner, I also knew that she was purposely being evasive by denying me her answer. Which was why I was once more pushing for it, for I was not accustomed to waiting.

“I believe this is the part of our conversation where you begin to tell me about yourself… starting with your name, my beauty,” I said, finishing this request against the soft skin at her neck, which what I had come to discover was a sensitive spot for her. And one I would exploit to its fullest, if it got me what I wanted. Her body’s shiver at my touch proved such inner thoughts as being correct. However, it didn’t quite work as I had imagined it would, for she continued to play this little coy game of hers.

“Why start now? We seem to get on just fine without all the formalities.”

The urge to growl at being denied such a simple request was too close to the surface, and something I only just managed to hold back. My dark gaze, however, was not as easy to rein in, and therefore became easy to read as I pulled back from her.

“The manner in which you speak already tells me of your lower rank in society, so if this is your reasoning for withholding the information I seek…” I didn’t get the chance to finish as she scoffed and spoke in a way I was not accustomed to. However, the sarcastic tone was not lost on me.

“Wow, blunt much?”

“I have offended you?” I asked in surprise, for her lower rank had been the only factor in this union that I had believed she would struggle with. Unless she believed that I gave any weight to the difference in our social standing. And if that be the case, then I would quickly rectify that. For I didn’t give a damn about her background or upbringing. I was only focused on the future I wanted to have with her.

She replied with a heavy sigh before reverting back to her evasive ways. This time by using my obvious attraction to her as a tool against me and what I wanted. Something I would soon put a stop to, for I would not allow her to lead me around by my horns and make me a slave to my desires.

“No, yes… look, can we just skip this part and go back to kissing.” Naturally after she said this, I let my displeasure be known.

“Let me be certain in this, you are denying me the knowledge of your name, am I correct?” I asked in a firm tone that would have been coated with distain and anger had I been dealing with anyone else.

“I… erm… I don’t like talking about myself,” was her weak excuse, and it was one that would not abide.

I removed myself from the bed, taking with it the temptation to extract all I wished to know by other means. Means that would end up using her own pleasure against her. A sinful act I might have no choice but to indulge in should she continue to think she could keep things from me.

“And what of my own name? For you have not once wished to know of it,” I reminded her, annoyed that she seemed to care little to know it.

“That’s not true,” she argued, making me frown and now questioning her reasons at suddenly being at such ease with me.

“My being Lord here is enough for you then, is that it?”

She jerked back a little as if I had just struck her with the force of the insult and what I was in fact implying.

“That’s not it, I told you that I don’t like talking about myself and…”

I slashed an angry hand down through the air as if it were thick with her bitter secrets.

“So, you are a wanted criminal,” I surmised as being the only reason for her to keep her true identity from me. However, she continued to deny the claim.

“I told you that I wasn’t.”

“It matters not,” I said firmly as I walked towards a decanter and poured myself a drink. She was also quick to follow, making me glance her way.

“What do you mean, it matters not?” she asked in an incredulous tone, as if shocked by this revelation. Did she truly not know who I was? For she was mine now, and any crimes that clung to her past would mean nothing to me. For I would never allow her to be punished for them. Although it did make me wonder what those crimes could be and the severity of them. Because for such a pure soul, one I had easily recognised her possessing, I would have been surprised to discover it was as bad as she believed. Which was why I told her,

“I would protect you no matter what crimes you had committed.”

Her reaction to this was utter shock instead of the relief I was expecting.

“You… you cannot be serious,” she said, shaking her head, and again the sight of her beautiful hair framing her face from the action had me momentarily transfixed. But then this coy game she played with me aroused even more anger and frustration within me. I slammed down the glass before gripping her chin and forcing her gaze to meet the serious one of my own.

“Do I look as though I jest to you?” I rumbled before demanding in a dark tone that brook no argument, “Now tell me your name, girl.”

“Why is this so important to you?” she asked, making me jerk my head back a fraction in shock. Did I hear that correctly?! Well, my answer to such would most certainly put to rest whatever unsure notion she had in her mind about her future. Along with how serious I was about becoming a bigger part of it.

“Because, my dear, I believe it is customary for a husband to know the name of his wife.” Oh yes, now it would sink in. Her eyes became wide, and she turned to jerk from my hold.

“Your wife?” she uttered in a quiet voice of disbelief. Which was why I chose that moment to firm up the claim, so as she could not dispute the choice of my words.

“Yes, my wife… for make no mistake, little thief, that is what you shall soon be,” I said, after bending slightly to look her in the eyes so as she could see the sincerity in my own. Again, the disbelief was easy to read in her beautiful stormy blue depths. But, once more, she retreated, putting the little space I would allow between us before arguing further.

“So, first, you are convinced the only reason I don’t grant you my name is that I must be a criminal, and the next assumption in wanting your lips at my core, is that I must be after your title. That I fancy myself as being the next lady of this castle…?”

Her words hit me like a verbal assault. It had been a long time since anyone other than my own kin would even dare to speak to me in such a manner. So much so that I found myself taking my own step back in light of my astonishment. I didn’t know whether I wanted to kiss the argument from her lips or put her over my knee and sexually punish her like the master of her body I had declared myself to be.

However, in my shock, I merely continued to watch as she took angry strides to the door, pausing long enough to give me what I had been pushing her for.

The gift of her name.

“Oh, and my name is Catherine … My Lord, Dominic Draven.”

However, this parting gesture on her behalf was not to be her last, like she believed. The moment my wits returned, I was quickly out the door and storming down the halls of my castle. Naturally, it didn’t take me long to catch up to my little runaway, nor did it take me long to see for myself the hurt I had inflicted. Not when she frustratingly wiped her tears away before shouting back at me a feeble warning I promptly ignored,

“No, don’t you come near me!”

But this was when I hit my limit on dealing with this unruly woman of mine. I manhandled her in a way I knew she would have little movement to fight me and, therefore, less chance of getting hurt. So, after tossing her up over my shoulder, I banded my arm across her legs to prevent her kicking out like she tried to do.

Then I ignored the horrified looks from the household staff and continued to take her back to my bedchambers, now depositing her on my bed. However, the moment she tried to scramble away from me, I grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to where I wanted her. Quickly pinning her beneath me and lowering my body over hers, making sure that I didn’t apply too much pressure, for I didn’t want to accidently hurt her.

“You forget yourself, little thief, as you are mine now!” I growled down at her.

I was too close to the edge. One she tipped me over when she opened her delicious lips to argue. Furious lips that I ended up tasting for myself and by the gods…

They tasted fucking sweet.

The fact was made sweeter still when she kissed me back with an equal amount of passion, despite her anger at me. It was as if the kiss of the Fated could not be denied, no matter the circumstances. And it looked as if the Gods had Fated me with an eager little vixen, for she was quickly trying to rid me of my breeches. Her intent for where she wanted this kiss to lead was evident. As for myself, well I was certainly of the same mind.

However, I wanted to savour the experience, which was why I took her wrists in my hold and after a slight growl of dominance, I pinned them above her head, keeping her captive to where I wanted her. But what I had not expected to find was the evidence of pain and suffering, for the action caused her wide sleeves to fall.

I had seen plenty of damage that a blade could inflict on mortal skin in my years to know what I was looking at.

Someone had done this to her…

Someone had…

Hurt my Chosen One.