~Kiva"Ark!"My head spins as I practically throw myself from the couch. Ark catches me in his arms, pressing me close against him."Hey sweetheart," he soothes, holding me for a beat before he pulls me back so he can examine me. "What the fuck happened to you?"Dark, cold anger simmers in his eyes. He withholds it well, but I can see on his face, in the tension in his muscles that he's moments from exploding. "A lot. Sit down," I encourage, pointing to the couch. It's mostly for myself because I feel like I'm moments away from fainting.He guides me onto the couch before he sits next to me, his body turned to face me. He grazes his fingers over my skin, face, gently tracing over the bruises and marks that mar me. His jaw only tightens as I wince.Slowly, his attention shifts to Louis, who stands back a little. "Did you do this?""No, he didn't. He saved me," I cut in quickly. If Ark so much as suspects Louis is involved, he won't hesitate to kill him.He frowns. "Saved you?""You n
~Kiva Someone screams, glass shatters and a thud loud enough to be attributed to the house fracturing rouses me. My body lurches upward, throat tightening as I look through the darkness. Sheets wind around my legs as I scramble across the mattress, toppling over the edge and to the floor. Another scream, except this time it's cut short, coming from downstairs. My blood turns ice cold, chills rattling through me. With my feet finally under me, I wander toward my door, resting my ear against it. “Andri…what’s going on out there?” I call out. My personal guard doesn't answer. The commotion from downstairs seems to be nearing, the sound travelling up to the second story. Whoever has broken in, is getting close. “Andri? Can I come out?” I'm begging.My fingers brush against the door handle, tempting me. Father would demand I stay in my room, wait for help, but I fear someone is coming to kill me, and if Andri is not posted at my door, there will be nothing between them and I. Thro
~Kiva I stare at the mahogany door, knowing what conversation is going to occur beyond it. "Fuck this," I mutter under my breath, knocking on the wood. “Come in, daughter.”My father waits beyond his desk as I enter the room. The deepening lines between his brows tell me all I need to know. “How many casualties?” I ask gently, not stopping until my hips bump against the desk. Father runs his hand down his face. “Too many. We are lucky we are alive.”I shift. That’s an understatement. I should be dead. This morning I woke, feeling like I’m now living on borrowed time. Were that man not my mate…“What made them back off?” “You tell me. You were at the mercy of one, and they spared you,” Father asks distractedly, sighing as he sifts the paper in front of him. Memories flash through my mind, vivid and dark. The way he had pinned me down against the bed like that, the raw power he was so willing to inflict upon me just to harm me. What kind of man is that?“I don’t know father. I
~KivaStaring up at the ceiling, I smile.Now this is why I wake so early in the morning. It’s the perfect way to start the day.Stretching my legs out, my hand slides under the covers, tugging my sleep shorts down.My eyes flutter shut as my fingers rest between my legs, applying pressure exactly where I like it. The feeling jolts through me, excitement chasing it.I like to take my time in the morning, chasing my release.Delving deep into my mind, I play through all my usual fantasies. I never have one person in mind, however one figure materialises as I pursue my pleasure.That man…Tall, built like a killer, and ice cold. I met him just last night and he hates me already.Something about that intrigues me.As a Princess, I’m used to those pushing for my favour. This man couldn’t care less. I both hate and like that.Only moments after the thought of him clawed through my mind, euphoric pleasure hits me. It doesn’t last as long as I would like, though.I need to get myself laid one
~Kiva"I've never met someone so unlikeable."I stretch my legs out in front of me, staring off over the mountain. The moonlight illuminates the snow, allowing us to see for miles out over the ranges.Thankfully my other guard is on duty, and at the exact hour expected, I found him slumped outside my room asleep.I will not be telling Ark about his tendency to do that."Once everything calms down, he'll be gone, I'm sure of it,” Louis, my only friend exclaims.I met him on a Royal visit to his village, where we bumped into each other, and he struck up a conversation without having any idea who I was.Now…well, our relationship has always been complicated.I draw my legs up, hugging them. "I hope so. I can't stand him.""Mercenaries are strange." He gazes off in the distance, as if recalling a memory. There is so much about him I don’t know, and I don’t bother asking.He’s made it clear he prefers it that way."They kill people and it doesn't bother them. It's beyond strange,” I mumble
~Kiva Bracing my hands on my knees, I stare at the floor, trying not to throw up. "I've had enough,” I gasp out. I can feel sweat trailing down my forehead as I look up at Ark, who stares down at me with his arms folded over his chest. That menancing look…It makes training under his scrutiny far more difficult, knowing he’s judging my every move. "You've barely done anything."I collapse onto my stomach, pressing my cheek against the cold floor. I believe more than ever that he’s a killer. As I lay here, I’m barely clinging onto life, utterly ruined by him and his thorough training. If it could even be called that. "I've ran laps, I've lifted far too many weights, and I put up with you for over an hour. I'm done," I grumble. I tried to push back against his instructions to begin with, but he made it very clear that he wasn't going to allow that. I regret it now, getting the feeling most of this training is his retaliation to my attitude. "That was merely a warm up. Now, t
~KivaI hobble into the dining room, exhausted from a day of training with Ark."Why is there another plate?" I ask, slumping into my seat.Father looks up from the book he’s studying. "We have a guest tonight, Kiva. He is freshening up."I blink. That’s what I get for showing up late to dinner.Although it’s not my fault. Ark is relentless at training."Please don't tell me it's another suiter,” I groan. The only time he doesn’t tell me to prepare for a guest is when he’s trying to set up an engagement.He knows I’ll berate him otherwise. "You just have to meet him. You know how I feel about this, that it's completely your choice,” he assures me.It’s my choice, as long as he’s a Prince and it’s on a specific timeline.I groan frantically, slumping back in my seat. "But it's expected of me to marry a Prince.""It's preferred,” father says carefully.Father’s problem is that he has expectations of me that he tries to hide behind transparent excuses. I have to marry a Prince. That’s
~KivaCatching up to Caspian, I grab his hand and drag him down the hallway toward my room."I should be going soon, Princess,” he exclaims warily, not entirely comfortable being away from my father alone together."I assure you, the view from my room is priceless."Shouldering the door open, I skip onto the room, tugging him in with me. The thrill of what we are doing flutters through me, and not due to what I have planned…But because of who doesn’t want it to happen.Caspian lingers awkwardly in front of the window. "You can not see much, it's too dark."I roll my eyes. "The view is me, silly."His eyes widen as he turns back to look at me. Slowly his attention drifts down my body, coming to terms with what I’m insinuating."Y-you?"Keeping my eyes on him, I slowly tug my cardigan off. I hope I look seductive, but by the way Caspian swallows uncomfortable, he is still deciding whether he wants to go along with this or not."I wanted you the moment you walked in," I murmur, trying n