Page 25 of The Time Of Kings (An Afterlife Story #1)

24

FALLING FOR A KING

T he next morning, I woke with the feel of Draven’s arms around me and the natural scent of him that I knew so well. I honestly forgot what year I was in.

“Mmm, what time is it?” I asked sleepily, wondering if we had slept in again, something we tended to do often after making love nearly all night long. Although I didn’t remember the last time I ached so much, as usually I felt not even a twinge. Not like in the early days of being with Draven.

“And pray tell me, little one, what relevance does time have to a prisoner?”

I froze as my present situation slammed into me, telling me that it wasn’t the present day after all.

It was 1799.

Fuck!

No wonder I was tender, and it felt I’d had a session in the gym. Alright, so what I could imagine was a session in the gym, as like I said, the only time I ventured down there was to perv on my husband all shirtless and sweaty. But then technically, what came next could be classed as a workout for sure.

“Relax, for I jest, sweetheart,” he said, hugging me tighter to his chest as I was being held from behind. My head lifted from his bicep that I had been using as a hard pillow, before I shifted in his hold to look down at him.

“Then I am no longer the thief?” I asked, making him grin, that amusement tugging one side of his lips up before he told me,

“You will always be my little thief… for you quickly stole my heart.” He raised himself up to whisper this last part under my ear, before trailing kisses down my neck, making me blush.

“I am not sure that is crime enough for prisoner status,” I teased in return.

“No, but it is enough for another status,” he told me and when my expression was one of questioning, he added, “For I will soon make you my wife.”

I sucked in a startled breath and was about to open my mouth to tell him that this was all going too quick for me, but he cupped the side of my head and pulled me in for a kiss.

“Do not fret now, all will be well,” he assured after his lips left my own.

It was like he knew this was the way to rid my mind of all else but him, like the doubt he could read in my expression and the reluctance he could sense at becoming his wife. Because one kiss was all it took to relax into him.

If only he knew the truth.

If only he knew that there was only one man I would ever call my husband, doing so until the end of our eternity. Until the very end of my days, he would be my one and only.

As for now…

It just wasn’t our time for happy ever afters.

But I didn’t say this. No, instead I let him kiss my worries away, as he knew he could. A kiss that would have gone far further had Draven been free to bite his fingers and heal me with his blood like some crimson balm to my tender channel. Of course, the act in itself was enough to have me riding his fingers. But as for now, he knew I was sore, for it hadn’t been that long ago he had fucked me for the fourth time.

But not once had he asked me about how I was able to take so much. Although it was now obvious that this hadn’t been my first-time having sex with a man. Which made me think that he was afraid to ask me, perhaps from for fear of discovering knowledge that I was already married to another. Or perhaps it was to save me the sight of his jealous rage because, well, Draven wasn’t exactly known for his cool, calm, and collected response to the thought of my being with another.

I remembered back to how all the electricity had blown when I had kissed Jack in his club all those years ago. And well, I wasn’t even going to get into what he did to Justin, Frank’s brother. Someone he was unbelievably still jealous over, as the poor guy couldn’t even so much as hug me without making Draven want to tear his head off.

So, I was surprised as much as I wasn’t that he hadn’t asked and I, in turn, hadn’t offered a reason why either. For Draven, I suppose he believed that, in time, he would come to learn all there was to know anyway, so why push for it now. Especially when he also knew it had the potential to drive me away.

In his mind, he had me exactly where he wanted me, by his side and soon to be walking down the aisle, despite his forgetting to even ask me. It almost made me laugh at how little my husband had changed over the years. For he was as forceful and assertive as ever.

It wasn’t long before I found myself clothed in another of Sophia’s dresses and walking the grounds of my husband’s castle with my hand resting at his forearm. We had eaten breakfast together, or should I say ‘broken our fast’ as, not surprisingly, I had been famished. Something he was quick to tease me about, asking me,

“For what could be the reason, I cannot fathom.”

To which I had playfully tossed an apple slice at him, making him first look back at me in shock. But then again, despite him being thousands upon thousands of years old, I doubted anyone had ever thrown food at him before.

Although I think, after so many orgasms and making a meal of me twice in between… where yes, he consumed both our releases … well, I think I could have thrown the whole damn breakfast tray at him, and I doubt he would have cared.

In fact, this only ended up with me pinned to his lap while he fed me the rest of my meal. Keeping me restrained with one hand while using the other to tease me with my food. Telling me that I clearly couldn’t be trusted to eat like a lady.

Our playful banter only continued as we walked the stunning grounds of what I now knew was called Muncaster Castle. Nestled in the untouched beauty of the Lake District, the castle had been built back in the late 13 th century. This despite the earliest part of its life dating all the way back to 79 AD, as it had been built upon Roman remains. Many renovations had been done since its walls were first erected, along with many additions added.

In fact, he was still in the middle of telling me of its impressive history when it turned out that we weren’t the only ones that decided some fresh air was needed.

“Oh no!” I cried the moment I saw Amelia running down the road with none other than a determined Vampire hot on her heels and having the advantage of being on horseback. I found myself taking quick steps to follow, worried for her despite knowing that Lucius could have never hurt her.

However, I didn’t get far, as Draven wrapped his arms around me from behind.

“And where do you think you are going?”

“I am going to help that poor girl!” I argued, trying in vain to squirm out of his hold.

“He will not harm her,” he assured me, making me wonder if he knew too who Amelia was to his second in command?

I knew that he wouldn’t have been so blasé about it had he known that was actually our daughter currently trying to outrun the determined Vampire.

“How do you know that!?” I shouted, despite knowing that he wouldn’t. However, it would have looked odd had I not, seeing as I wasn’t supposed to know either of them.

“It is complicated,” he admitted, despite knowing he was unable to explain why.

“It looks more like kidnapping to me.” I huffed as Lucius leaned to one side and easily plucked our Fae off the ground as easily as if she weighted nothing at all.

After this I was forced to watch as he rode off with her in his arms, taking her to the Gods of Fate only knew where. Well, as long as it wasn’t too far, or we were all royally buggered!

“Yes, well not all is as it seems,” Draven told me.

“Like when you had me kidnapped?” I snapped, turning to face him after he dropped his tight hold on me. He was clearly assured that I couldn’t outrun a horse.

I crossed my arms over my chest, the stunning peach dress catching the sunlight with its clustered crystals on the bodice.

“You fared well enough seeing as you escaped,” he replied dryly.

“I didn’t escape you,” I pointed out, making him take a quick step into me, before he growled his answer.

“And nor will you.”

I knew I was pushing it here, so instead of pissing him off any further, I got up on my tip toes and told him in a cocky tone,

“Yes, well maybe after last night, I no longer want to.”

His eyes flashed purple at that, before he hooked a hand at the back of my neck and kissed me. His free hand found itself at my waist after he banded an arm around me, tugging me closer still.

“Gods, what is it you do to me, woman?!” he hissed passionately.

“You keep asking me that, My Lord, but I am yet to form an answer that would make sense enough for you to want to marry a commoner after only a day.”

He frowned down at me and snapped,

“I couldn’t give a fuck for your status, for you will be mine regardless. Do you understand?” Again, he was on edge, a place I seemingly kept putting him on.

“I didn’t say that your insanity was unwelcome… on the contrary, your madness is welcome, if it means keeping me in your bed,” I teased, making him instantly relax enough that he threw his head back and laughed.

“Then we will feed each other’s madness, for you will forever find yourself in my bed from this point on.”

I slipped from his arms and started to walk away. Looking over my shoulder, I said,

“Promises, promises, My Lord.”

He smirked and started to stalk me. Something that had me reacting as I usually did, which meant my flight response kicked into overdrive.

So, I playfully ran from him.

However, unlike the halls of Afterlife that held no danger to me, it seemed here I was unfamiliar enough that running from him proved not to be wise. As clearly, I wasn’t concentrating. Not on where my feet were taking me, and not with how close to the edge I had become. Draven’s panicked eyes weren’t my only warning as he shouted,

“Look out!”

However, both came too late as my foot slipped and for the second time in my life…

I went over the cliff.