AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Our attraction to each other is…undeniable.”
“The problem is, it isn’t logical,” she scolded.
“Maybe to you,” I mused with a sigh. “I want to kiss you all night and into the next day.”
“I’m not sure I would be strong enough to say ‘no’ to more if you did that.” The hand at her neck slipped over my body, her fingers drawing a line where my belt sat.
“Don’t tempt me like that,” I growled, wishing we could. Taking a long, shaking breath, I stepped away from her. I tried to focus on filling my lungs and releasing the air back out to clear my head. If we kept up like this I wouldn’t be able to stop. Ryker wasn’t ready for this yet. She had set the boundary and I needed to respect it.
“Will your father be available to take me back to the Heathern Court tomorrow?” She cocked her head.
Everything inside me wanted to crumble at her statement. I wanted her to be with me, but I had committed to finally accepting my responsibility as prince.
“Uh, yes. He can be. Though, I wish you would stay.” I’d have to talk to my father in the morning. At least it was better than my mother using her magic to take Ryker back and forth. That would only be filled with cutting remarks about how much of a disappointment I was and how she thought we shouldn’t be together.
“It’s complicated, remember?” She reached for the doorknob.
“I’ll just have to visit you then,” I purred. “For practice, you know.”
“Practice?” She blushed.
I leaned down to her and kissed her cheek. My lips moved against her skin as I spoke. “I was talking about training, but I’ll happily practice anything you’d like in your bedroom.”
The way her breathing hitched made my toes curl. I wheeled myself back, taking a few steps down the hallway. She touched her face where my mouth had just been and twisted the knob behind her.
“Good night, Ryker,” I sang.
“Goodnight.” She inched inside her room. Even as I turned my back and headed for my room, I could still feel her gaze on my back, her door not clicking shut until I was nearly out of sight.
If I wasn’t careful, Ryker would consume me. Not that that was a bad thing.
With every step, my mind replayed every moment of the night. Some bad, some good. But nothing could stop the high of finally getting to kiss her, to embrace her so freely, for her to return the attraction that I’d contained for so long.
Some guards watched me, confused as I walked back to my room alone. They expected me to party and do as I pleased, without respecting Ryker’s wishes because she was a Nymph. They had me all wrong. I wasn’t like the rest of this godless court.
With a smile still on my lips, I slipped into my room. The smooth material of my jacket felt almost suffocating as I slipped out of it. My fingers were already working the buttons of my shirt. Under my pants, I could feel the fullness of my cock pressing against the material. I tried to think of something else, anything else to ease the desire, but the impressive firmness of it didn’t go away.
Growling under my breath, I undid my pants and tossed them into a waiting basket. Silk pajamas were already laid out for me on the bed. The smooth texture reminded me of Ryker’s dress and the way it hugged her body. That did little to soothe, either.
Despite the spark that had erupted between me and Ryker, a few not-so-good things still had come from the day. The weight of them caused exhaustion to beckon me toward the bed. When Ryker left I would still have Torrance and my parents to deal with. I wondered if Jesseline would stay though. I was surprised she had followed, but it seemed that she was certain there was a price on my head. A little extra guarding didn’t hurt anything I mused while I pulled back the covers and climbed into bed.
For the first time in a long time, it felt like being awake was better than my dreams. I longed to be able to pick the moment of the future I could live in while I slept, but it never came like I wanted. More often than not, my dreams would be the opposite of what I was craving.
Closing my eyes, I smiled to myself and began counting to divert my thoughts and lull myself into sleep. Numbers passed in visions under my eyelids, until the next moment, they were no more.
* * *
White fog swirled inside my head, giving way to the frosted Twinity Court. Snow crunched beneath me as I appeared within the walls of our courtyard. The snow on the ground wasn’t as white as it should be. Red was splattered and large puddles stained the once pure earth.
Rapidly, my gaze traveled over the ground. Bodies of guards were slumped over in death. Fear made my body stiff and my mind sharp. Was someone in the castle? Were my parents okay?
Slipping in my haste, I ran to the bottom of the steps that led inside. A strange body, not dressed in our guard’s armor, was stretched over the stairs. Wind rustled a ragged black cloak, revealing gray skin with black veins underneath.
I took a deep breath. It didn’t smell like Fae, it didn’t smell like Nymph either. It smelled ancient.
It smelled deadly.
Repressing the part of me that wanted to flee, I crept forward. My fingers trembled and I struggled to keep them steady. I was a prince; nothing should scare me like this. My powers would rival so many.
