His grip on me loosened a little, probably because he didn't want to lose me to suffocation just yet. I coughed violently, dragging air into my lungs, the sweet taste of oxygen a welcome relief. The tears poured down my cheeks, my fear almost rendering me immobile.No, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of watching me crumble. With all the courage I could muster, I gritted through clenched teeth, "No."My answer was definite. Final.Lord Mortis's face contorted into something despicable, his features twisted in a snarl. He sent a hit across my face, the blow sending my head whipping to the side. My mouth filled with the coppery taste of blood, and I felt a tooth loosen."Stubborn bitch!" he growled, his hot breath making my skin crawl. "Do you know how helpless you are right now? The king is going to go feral anyway, and there's nothing you can do to change that!"He yelled, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "I'm offering you a chance at salvation. Kill him. Kill the mad man!!"
This can't be happening. This CAN'T be happening. This can't be fucking happening!!My hands began to tremble uncontrollably, yet I couldn't pull away from the dagger lodged in the king's chest. My gaze returned to King Kael's bloodshot eyes, his body almost fully reverted to his human form. No, no, NO!!!I turned to Lord Mortis, who kept staring at us with that stupid, self-satisfied grin plastered on his face. "Look what you made me do, you monster!" I screamed, reaching out to grab King Kael's face as his stance wobbled precariously. "Kael, please... " I begged, my voice wobbling with desperation. "Please, hang on. I beg of you.""Finally!" Lord Mortis exclaimed beside me, his voice dripping with wicked glee. "You wanted death, so I gave it to you. Your mate, the only one with the power to kill you, has stabbed you in the chest. Ironic, isn't it? Best part, she's human. This can't be more perfect." He chuckled maniacally, clearly enjoying the chaos he had unleashed.Blood had beg
Alfred immediately schooled his features, turning to the limp form of the king on the ground. "Help me get the king to safety. Lord Mortis plans to kill him once he returns," I said, and they seemed torn."How are we supposed to do that? There are soldiers everywhere already," Alfred asked, his voice laced with concern.I thought fast, my heart racing in my chest. Eyes widening slightly as a thought struck me, I turned to Alfred. "The castle has hidden hallways," I explained, my voice low and urgent. "If we take them, they lead to the West Wing gardens. We could escape from there." I said, and Alfred nodded, his expression grim.I tried to lift the king, but stopped as he was too heavy and I was too weak. My legs trembled beneath me, and my arms felt like lead. "Could you carry him, please?" I asked, looking to Alfred with pleading eyes.Taking on a half-shift, Alfred gently scooped up the king and cradled him in his arms. I stood up, rushing toward the hidden chambers and leading the
I slowly drifted back to consciousness, my entire body feeling like it had been submerged under a bog, heavy and unmoving. The sounds of dripping water from a distance drifted to my ears, the sound both comforting and confusing. Blinking my eyes open, I held my breath as I waited for the haze to clear, my eyes focusing on the jagged rock surface above me.The nerves in my body roared awake, reminding me of the pain still lodged in my bones. It felt like I'd been mauled by a thousand horses. Everywhere hurt. I tried to speak, but I could barely make a sound, my throat feeling scratched and hoarse. My eyes were still heavy, and it was a struggle to keep them open.I closed them, breathing deeply as I moved around on the cot. That's when I noticed it - I wasn't in any ordinary room. The air filling my lungs had a peculiar smell I couldn't quite name. I blinked my eyes open again and observed the entire area one more time.I was in a cave, a well-decorated one at that. Posts littered ever
Lord Mortis paced around the opulent living space in the King's castle, his jaw clenched tight, eyes blazing with fury. After announcing the tragic incident to the workers of the castle and the villagers, he had watched them grow furious and devastated, ready to unleash their wrath upon the person responsible for the king's demise. Their reactions had satisfied him, but upon returning to the castle, he was met with a new frustration: the king and Aira were nowhere to be found. All attempts to find them had proven abortive, and it was grating at his nerves. Resisting the urge to throw something at the wall, he balled his hands into fists instead, letting out a pained growl of frustration. How could she have slipped past the soldiers and workers with the king, unnoticed? "Fuck! I should have killed her when I had the chance," he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Now, there was no body, and the human slave was nowhere to be found. Lord Mortis
I sat next to the king, even after I had stopped crying, just staring at his face and holding his hands while he fought for his life. I spoke to him as though he could hear me, telling him about everything and nothing. All my sobbing and griefing had given way to numbness yet again, and after a while, I had grown exhausted and just settled on watching him, occasionally brushing away strands of his hair that brushed against his pale face, committing his features to memory. The distant sound of water dripping filled the otherwise tense silence. I heard footsteps approach behind me, but I didn't turn to see who it was. Gently squeezing King Kael's hands, I started humming to him, gazing at his face with tired eyes."You need to eat; you've barely left his side all day," Helen finally broke the silence, her tone firm yet filled with concern."I'm not hungry..." I muttered quietly, threading the King's fingers with mine. That much was true; I really wasn't hungry."Well, that isn't good,
I found myself standing in a bright, endless expanse, surrounded by an eerie silence. The vast, empty space stretched out before me like an endless canvas, with no horizon in sight. I furrowed my brows, trying to recall how I had arrived here. Had I finally died? Was this the afterlife? The thought brought a bitter smile to my lips, a mix of emotions swirling in my chest.Taking a tentative step forward, I began to wander through the desolate landscape, unsure if I was making any progress. The emptiness seemed to stretch on forever, with no landmarks or features to guide me. As I walked, I started to call out for someone, anyone, my voice echoing off the invisible walls. A part of me secretly hoped I would find someone, anyone, to break the crushing solitude.Then, I heard it – laughter, accompanied by the clash of swords and boisterous yells. My heart began to pound in my chest, my eyes going wide with excitement. Could it be?!"I'm the stronger one!" A voice carried on the wind, se
"How did you know about her?" I found myself asking, genuinely surprised. My mother let out a warm smile, the sunset reflecting in her eyes as she gazed at me. "Just because we're not there with you physically, that doesn't mean we're not watching you, love. We know who Aira is – your mate," she said, and I looked away, clenching my jaw."Don't you have at least some regret about leaving her behind like this?" she prodded again, her voice soft. A mix of emotions swarmed me and I had trouble pinpointing them. "To be honest..." I began quietly after a while of staring into the distance, gathering my thoughts. "I'm not quite sure. A part of me feels sad about it, but yet again, another part of me feels relieved."Taking a deep breath, I continued. "She won't have to worry about me anymore; she's free to live her life as she pleases. Besides, mate or not, things have already been ruined from the start." I confessed, clenching my jaw. "Why would you say that?" Arzhael asked, staring at
Holy Hades, he did it again, another assertive lick across my core that had my spine arching and my body hyperventilating, broken moans escaping my lips. "Please... " I rushed out, struggling to get away from his tightened grip. "Please, stop. It doesn't, it doesn't feel right." I added as I felt his warm breath on my sensitive skin, his eyes peeking at me between my spread thighs. He ignored me, diving in again and probing my opening with his warm, sinew tongue. My entire body shuddered, pleasure like no other colliding into me, leaving me breathless. I mewled, sweat pouring out of my skin as his grip on my thighs tightened, his tongue carving a path in my warm, pulsing core. Then, he would pull away, teasing my opening and driving me to the edge of madness. I gripped the sheets on the cot, thrashing my head from side to side, trying to get away from him. "Kael... I don't think this is necessary!" I tried again, pulling away again, my breath coming out in ragged gasps. Kael paused
After what seems like forever, I'm back in this dream space once again. I've never been so happy to be here. Looking around, I find the beast lying on the ground, his body still injured and bleeding, and my heart aches at the sight."Hey..." I call out hesitantly, and it turns to look at me, a low growl escaping its lips. My heart squeezes tightly in my chest, like someone is reaching in and strangling it. I did this to him.When it makes no attempt to move, I inch towards it, lowering myself next to its side, my eyes fixed on the wound."I'm sorry... I'm sorry for hurting you. Please, forgive me. I didn't mean to," I whisper, my voice breaking as tears stream down my cheeks. It lets out a low moan of pain, but a paw reaches out, touching my hands. I stiffen, and it purrs slowly. I sniff, blinking eyes."You forgive me?" Again, another groan. But it doesn't sound angry."Thank you so much," I mutter, squeezing its paw. Its ears flicker, a sparkle of happiness in its eye. I glance at t
I returned to the cave, still reeling from Helen's revelation. My heart was heavy, my mind foggy despite my numerous attempts to clear it. Reaching the edge of the cave, I took a deep breath, shuddering slightly as Helen's words replayed themselves yet again. As much as I wanted Kael to heal, I wasn't sure I was ready to lay down my life for that purpose. Besides, wouldn't that devastate him further? We'd had such little time together, with threats popping up left and right. No wonder he kept refusing every time I brought it up."He most likely doesn't want to lose you that way," Helen had said, picking up a twig on the ground while she played with it. "If you still want to go ahead with it, however, you're going to do more than just convince him. You need to prepare yourself for the pain that would come."Taking a deep breath, I entered the cave, staring at the pathway that led to the corner where Kael stayed most of the time, recovering. I felt tears sting my eyes, and I hastily bli
"Is your beast truly dormant?" I asked Kael after a while, my voice soft and almost inaudible. We were alone in the cot, lying next to each other at his request, our bodies barely touching. He glanced at me, his expression turning blank, and I felt my heart pound with concern. The old lady's words had been echoing in my mind relentlessly since she left, weighing heavily on my chest."I haven't felt its presence since I woke up, so it must be," Kael groaned out after a while. "Even if it was active, my body feels too weak to contain its presence. The most it can do right now is force an aggressive shift that might kill us both."I felt my heart drop, a rush of hopelessness filling me. Taking a deep breath, I balled my hands into fists, trying to maintain a neutral expression as I sought out my next words."I'm not trying to place pressure on you or anything, because you more than anyone know what's happening right now and the gravity of the situation we're in. I just wanted to know if
"Are you really the witch that cursed Kael?" I asked, turning to the old lady once we were alone in the cave the next day, far away from earshot. She turned slightly to look at me, her brow furrowed in confusion, no words spilling from her mouth. The revelation had been messing with me all night, making it impossible to sleep. Did she really do that? And if she did, what for?"Why would you do that? Do you know how much trouble you've caused for us now!?" I rushed out, barely giving her a chance to answer as my chest heaved with anger."I didn't curse him," she said after a while, looking away from me. "What happened to him was the result of the spell I did for him. That he requested.""He requested it?" I asked, folding my arms. "You expect me to believe that?"She finished arranging the herbs she was keeping away and turned to me, her steely gaze fixed on me."This isn't the first time Kael has been betrayed by those he trusted and should have protected him. He's suffered that fate
"Weak, but fine." He answered truthfully, dropping the topic as well."You need to take your medicines, have something to eat, and have your wounds redressed. Then, I shall leave you alone to recover." She informed him, walking to his side.He nodded, and I stood to my feet, assisting her as she worked. I administered the potions, and when a meal had been prepared, fed it to the king until he could eat more on his own.Finally, after all had been said and done, one by one, they all left until it was just me and the king.He was lying back on the cot, but his gaze was fixed on me as I fretted around, unsure of what to do now."Come here..." He uttered in a low growl, beckoning me with his hand as he patted the tiny space next to him.I immediately obliged, joining him in the tiny bed. Turning to face him, I blushed as his gaze raked over me, his warm breath tickling my cheeks."How have you been?" He growled, his face barely inches away from mine.I swallowed, doing my best to be hones
"Kael... Is that really you? Are you truly awake?" I asked, unable to believe the words spilling out of my lips, desperately hoping this wasn't a hallucination my mind conjured to appease me.The figure before me let out a smile, a faint crinkle appearing around his eyes. "It's me, Aira," he muttered lowly, his voice sending shivers down my spine.I took a step closer, feeling my heart pound, threatening to burst out of its ribcage. "You're really awake!" I cried out, rushing towards him to grab his face, my hands trembling and tears filling my eyes. "Oh, you're truly awake! You're here!""Yes, I am," he growled, a serene expression on his face. Oh, that voice. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it until I had stopped hearing it.I threw my hands around his neck, pulling him into a hug as tears spilled out of my eyes, sobs of relief and happiness racking my body. My heart wouldn't stop racing, my palms sweating, my ears ringing. This is what I'd prayed for, cried for, begged for, an
It's been weeks since we've been hiding in this cave of a home, cut off from the rest of the world. During that period, Helen and I had grown undeniably closer, getting to know more about each other and having a budding friendship develop between us. Along with the lone soldier who had followed us while we were escaping, constantly guarding and gathering information on what's going on in the kingdom. Their presence helped to distract and reassure me as I cared for the king."Lord Mortis has assumed leadership of the kingdom," the soldier, whose name I had come to learn was Eiran, informed us after days of scouting the area. I turned to look at him, my heart skipping a beat."He has also gone to wage war on the humans for being the species that took the life of their king. Most of them have been captured and taken back as slaves." He informed us, and my heart dropped to my stomach, a tense atmosphere settling in the area."That means he's already announced that the king is dead," Helen
"How did you know about her?" I found myself asking, genuinely surprised. My mother let out a warm smile, the sunset reflecting in her eyes as she gazed at me. "Just because we're not there with you physically, that doesn't mean we're not watching you, love. We know who Aira is – your mate," she said, and I looked away, clenching my jaw."Don't you have at least some regret about leaving her behind like this?" she prodded again, her voice soft. A mix of emotions swarmed me and I had trouble pinpointing them. "To be honest..." I began quietly after a while of staring into the distance, gathering my thoughts. "I'm not quite sure. A part of me feels sad about it, but yet again, another part of me feels relieved."Taking a deep breath, I continued. "She won't have to worry about me anymore; she's free to live her life as she pleases. Besides, mate or not, things have already been ruined from the start." I confessed, clenching my jaw. "Why would you say that?" Arzhael asked, staring at