She flinched, yearning to dissolve within the mattress and escape from the deadly ferocity of the monster hovering over her. She didn't recognize this man. Her eyes were closed and she refused to look at the haunting image, not wanting to plague herself with nightmares that would follow. She wouldn't open her eyes no matter what he said. She didn't want to see in those dead pits that promised her ruination. "Didn't you hear me or were you unable to understand?" He barked while squeezing her wrists painfully for emphasis on each of his words. "I said f*cking strip. What was not understandable about this?" He sneered, leaning down as his harsh breath caressed her face. Violet jerked her head to the side feeling fear, anger, and disgust bubbling in her stomach. Her action offended him immensely. He ‘tsked’ at her pathetic tactics. In one swift move, he pushed her arms up, holding both of her wrists with one of his hands above her head while his free hand found its hold on her
"I will not mark you," Her voice was stern. He was doing exactly what Shane did and this fact alone was like rubbing salt on her open wounds. "You've no choice. You know I can be barbaric, Violet. I can be an excellent asshole but I'd suggest don't test me." His voice was calm. Devoid of any emotion. She shook her head, taking a step back. His eyes darkened at her dare and he prowled over to her. She swivelled to dash into the bathroom and lock herself in but in a flash, he was behind her. Grabbing her nape, he slammed her against the wall. She barely stopped the impact with her arms but still, the force knocked the breath out of her. Lennox loomed behind her like a deranged psychopath. "Don't you f*cking get it once? Don't make me hurt Ella and Emily. Unlike you, they're innocent. You were so drowned in escaping that you even drugged your sisters," His voice darkened. So they were drugged. That was why they couldn't wake up. This meant she must be drugged as well. No way Shane
Three days have passed and there was no sign of Lennox. After that night when he unleashed his demons on her, marked her, and drank from her, she passed out. The next morning Violet woke up in her room with her sisters sitting beside her on the bed and peering down at her. She instantly tried to cover the mark but noticed that she was wearing a turtleneck. Dana showed up with their food and she informed Violet that Prince Lennox had brought her to her room and instructed Dana to change her clothes and cover up the marks and bruises. Violet noticed that Ella and Emily had no memories of what transpired. They just remember going to bed and waking up in the morning with pain in their heads. Stepping out of the shower, she combed her wet hair back with her fingers. She wiped the fog from the mirror with her palm and stared at her reflection. Her hazel eyes looked dead. She has been crying herself to sleep at night. His words, those brutal actions. Everything kept roaming in her mind
"Tonight you guys will escort me to the dungeons and hide so they won't know you both are there. I'll ask them what they saw that night and what they told Lennox. The reason to keep you guys there is so you can witness if I'm proven innocent by them." She said, "Too risky. What if you did try to escape? What then? They would be telling the truth but our lives would be at stake if Prince finds out," Nolan said. "We can try it. I also want to know what those guys said to the prince. Ever since they were recruited in the security team, I have despised them." Connie muttered. "When did they recruit?" "Year and a half probably," Nolan said. "Can you guys gather some info for me?" "Heavens! She wants us to act as her spy now. Princess, you're crazy." Nolan exaggerated as Violet glared at him. They both were tall with muscles. Where Connie has brown hair with a buzz cut. Nolan had dirty blond hair that was gelled back perfectly like a prince. "This palace made me crazy. Your good-
Violet didn't turn to look at him to confirm her doubt about the supposed person in her room because she already knew he was there. She felt it at the door. Her mark tingled and buzzed in an unfamiliar rhythm. Ever since he had marked her she had started feeling the connection. The emotions were subtle but adamantly present there no matter how much she tried to not feel them. He had embedded his scent into her skin and now he was glued to her no matter where he was. When Shane marked her, she didn't get to feel any connection or emotions because there was so much chaos and mayhem. She felt the sheer pain when he was killed. Violet was hoping that Lennox wouldn't show up until she found the culprit behind her misery but luck always had a beef with her. She didn't hear him. Not a single noise was made but she flinched feeling his warmth behind her. He was there like a haunting nightmare of painful memories, which he gave her himself on a silver platter. "Don't f*cking ignore me." H
"Where did you go with Connie and Nolan? I won't ask next time." He was cold, too cold."I went to the dungeons. I needed to ask the guards how I magically did what they accused me of. Connie and Nolan didn't know where I was. I tricked them into thinking I went to the kitchen." Her voice was composed but Lennox was no less than a hawk. He noticed the slight tremor of her lips. The way her throat moved as she swallowed the lump of emotions -which she was hiding- down her throat. "You think you can prove your innocence to me?" He cocked a brow at her, challenging her to spout more nonsense and trigger him into beast mode. Violet didn't back down. "I don't need to prove anything to you. I'm doing it for myself. To prove to King Azure and everyone in this castle that I'm innocent except for you.""Watch it!" He growled lowly. She flinched but didn't look away. "Are you mad I don't want to prove anything to you. This happens when someone doesn't want to associate with you. They don't
"I'll sleep in my room." She made a failed attempt to leave again but he blocked her way in a flash. "I'll not repeat it. Get on the f*cking bed," He thundered causing her to flinch back. "I want to go," Her lips quivered. His jaw ticked. He drank the full content in one gulp and tossed the cup on the couch. Lennox carried her in bridal style earning a shriek from her and then he tossed her on the bed. She quickly tried to scurry away but he grabbed her waist and tugged her back in the middle of the bed. "No." She struggled, squirmed, and wriggled to get away. Not wanting to scold her anymore he just dropped his weight on top of her crushing her small frame. She let out a cry of pain when her hand twisted abnormally between them. He lifted his weight enough for her to snatch her arm from between them before he rested his weight on her again. And just like that she was crushed, he weighed tons, she could barely breathe. "I can't breathe." She complained, the more she pushed at
"Violet, are you not sleeping?" Ella asked, worried striking her cheek. Her blue eyes skimmed over the dark circles under her eyes. "I couldn't sleep last night. I was thinking about our kingdom," Violet said, holding her hand gently before lightly flicking her forehead, earning a gasp and groan of pain from Ella and Emily laughed out. Violet couldn't sleep properly, she did get four to five hours of sleep but she stayed awake and mull over what went wrong. She had lied to Lennox about not even wanting to hate him because she still loved him but he didn't need to know that. Their encounter happened a week ago. He didn't confront her like that again but she surely found him at her doorstep often talking to Connie and Nolan. Both of them had kept her distance from her. Though they were helping her, there was this invisible barrier as if they were on eggshells around her. "Princess," Dana stepped into the room, holding shopping bags as she placed all of them on the coffee table. Sh