Justus, after sitting in the garden for a long time and pondering on the words of his brother, resolved to try to be a good husband to Livia.At least, just so they both live in peace. His father was now dead and he couldn't keep living like a rogue son. He got up and went to his quarters but Livia wasn't in it.He searched the kitchen and the embroidery room but she also wasn't there."What do you seek, prince Justus?" Mistress Penelope asked, just minutes after sending maid Minerva down the basement alone."Do you have any idea where the lady Livia may be?""Oh, I am certain I saw her leaving for the stables with prince Julian," she answered politely.Justus smiled and headed there. Mistress Penelope raised a crooked brow."Seems trouble is brewing between brothers," she smirked then continued on her way.His feet unconsciously hastened to the stables. Why did he feel so uneasy?Getting to the stables, he found no one there but Julian's horse was missing. He prepped his horse and th
Camilla rushed to the quarters of the mistress of the maids once they arrived at the palace. She wasn't in yet so she paced about the entrance anxiously.She didn't understand a thing. Perhaps they were just dreams but why didn't it feel so? And Minerva, where was she?"Maid Camilla?"She whirled around to face mistress Penelope."Mistress Penelope, I haven't seen Minerva since the previous day's breakfast. Do you have any idea where she might be?""What disrespect," mistress Penelope clicked her tongue, "why haven't you asked your fellow maids if they have set eyes on her? I must seem so low that you came directly to me. Out of my way!""Mistress Penelope," Camilla jumped in her path, "I have asked the other maids but no one has seen her. She wasn't present at dinner and now, she also was not present at the late emperor's funeral. I am very worried."Mistress Penelope pushed her off her path roughly."I do not know where your maid friend has run off to. Be off to do your chores."Mis
Sebastian and Aurora appeared at the entrance to the caves."They are in," Sebastian said to her through their shared mind link. She jumped, startled then relaxed."I wonder when I shall get used to your new powers," she murmured and he smiled."Speak to me through the mind link from now on," he advised.She sighed, still trying to get used to his voice in her head."Yes, my lord."He smiled at the sound of her voice in his head.Thirty minutes earlier…"Wait," Sebastian held onto Aurora's hand as she made to grab her sword.She turned back to him."You can make the wind do whatever you wish," he spoke."More like we are bosom friends," she beamed, "she tells me things and I tell her things, and not just the wind, anything but I just prefer her."He chuckled, placing his both hands on her cheeks; his eyes gazing admiringly at her beautiful face."You always act so mature that sometimes, I forget that you're still so young, my dearest Aurora."She shrugged, gazing at him with adoration
Prince Justus tied an apron loosely around his waist and washed his hands in the wooden bowl on a stand by the door while Livia watched in amazement. "I heard you let the cook have the day off so I decided to make myself useful to you," he said nonchalantly, looking anywhere but at her. Livia blinked, a laugh bubbling its way out her mouth. She suppressed the laugh, instead letting out a smile. "That is thoughtful of you, your honor. You can help with the carrots," she said. She watched him as she seasoned the sauce. He clumsily but carefully diced the vegetables. He surprisingly knew how to handle the knife. Prince Julian walked in on them working in silence. His brows raised, he stared at Justus for a moment then shrugged. He cleared his throat and the couple jumped. "Do you not have a voice?" Justus snapped with irritation, hiding the cut on his finger. "You must have been so engrossed in your work for I have a presence that is impossible to ignore." Justus rolled his eyes.
The vampires pushed against the whirling wind cage, claws slashing, fangs tearing but no matter the ferocity with which they attacked, they never could pass through. Aurelius punched the wall, furious."I shall rip their throats apart!" he growled. He suddenly stiffened, his whole body going rigid, as did the other vampires.The cavern descended into silence and minutes later, a loud explosive sound was heard. The vampires emerged from the cavern, one after another, Aurelius at the head, their faces even more terrifying than before.It was late, and the night air blew her hair about, soothing and refreshing. She just finished helping Sebastian scrub his back and wash his hair in the stream and now he was getting dressed while she sat on the grass, staring into the distance.The explosion, she didn't hear but soon, her heart was pounding in dread."Sebastian!" She exclaimed, scrambling to her feet, the bottom of her tunic tearing a little.He turned to her, his hands stuck in his hair.
"Aurora, Aurora, no," tears rapidly filled his eyes and poured down."I… I fare… I fare well… do not cry," she smiled, placing a palm on his cheek."You… Aurora…" his words got stuck in his throat, sobs coming out instead. He pressed against the edge of the wound, not wanting to pull out the arrow, for fear of hurting her."Bastian."Her weak voice took his blurred eyes away from the wound and back to her. She coughed out blood, her eyes barely managing to stay open."Pierce my heart with your sword," she said weakly."What? Never, Aurora…""I do not want to see you in… in such pain," she smiled, "the… the quicker… the better."He pressed her head against his chest, trying hard to stem his sobs. In his anguish, he forgot that his beloved was immortal."Aurora," he called when he could hear her sighs no longer. He pulled her head back. Her eyes were shut. His breathing hitched. Placing a finger under her nose, he discovered that she breathed no more."Aurora, Aurora, no!"His eyes drif
Aurora and Sebastian descended into the hidden flatlands, shawls over their heads to protect them from the night insects.Three figures stood in the distance, shrouded in the darkness."She is one of them," Sebastian said to Aurora, taking hold of her hand, "she is kind but has quite a temper. I reckon I am not supposed to be here after our last encounter.""You have daring nerves, Sebastian Deusdedit," Othelia spat once they got close enough."Told ya," Sebastian whispered and Aurora bit back a laugh."Madam Othelia," Sebastian bowed and Aurora followed suit, "madam Ceres and the young lady."Madam Othelia whacked his head with her walking stick just like the last time."Seems your stick has taken a particular liking to my head," Sebastian joked, wincing a bit. He straightened."And it seems the gods did not bless you with enough wisdom to rule your empire which is why you have ended up this way," madam Othelia shot back."Do not condescend to his level, Othelia," madam Ceres scolded
"Sebastian's mother," the aged woman croaked out, "I am your husband's mother."Aurora stared at her in disbelief."You lie," Aurora shook her head, "you lie. He told me his mother died when he was a little boy. How can you possibly claim to be his mother?""It shouldn't be such a surprise to you. After all, you also thought your mother was dead up until she found you in the woods.""You've been watching," Aurora murmured, "you've been watching us for a long time."The old lady lowered herself back onto her throne, letting out another long loud sigh."Then why have you been hurting us, destroying our cities? Why did you use the werewolves and then the vampires to do your bidding?" Aurora was very much curious and she tried to keep her anger out of her voice. If she was Sebastian's mother, why was she so evil?"I wished to get my son's attention.""That is outrageous!" Aurora exclaimed, "you killed the werewolves! You turned the vampires and made them go against their lord, your son! Y
The next two days, they spent letting the fire burn. No one was satiated yet, no one could stop them, no worries could bother them. On the third day, they finally stepped out to get some cool evening air and some groceries. "Everything feels different, better," she spoke as they walked into a store together, their rented car parked outside. They were in Tanzania. They rented a lone beach house which required a twenty minutes drive to get into town. It was perfect, just what they wanted. "And why is that?" He teased as they perused through shelves, hands locked. "Because we are finally finally together and my expectations of you in bed was superseded..." "Isabella!" He whisper shouted, wide eyes fixed on her. She laughed, pressing a quick kiss to his agape mouth. "What?" She asked with a smile, "do I not get to compliment my husband's bedroom skills?" He shook his head, looking around to make sure no one heard. He looked back at her, "Isabel, seriously?" "We should expect a baby
"I think you have done really well for your first week. You should be able to do things without supervision now... I guess that's the person that's been picking you up since you first arrived. Your boyfriend?"Isabel's lips twitched. "My fiancee," she answered with a smile. "Oh, wow, that's great. When's the wedding?" Isabel opened her mouth to reply just as Ezekiel rounded the car with a big smile in her direction. "What?" She heard Irene gasp but her mind was clouded with too much love for it to register. Her legs carried her across the road to him. "I love you," she mumbled as he enclosed her in a hug. "I think our engagement is making both of us jelly," he laughed, kissing her cheek, "I didn't even realize I was smiling so wide." She kissed him lightly and stepped back a little. Oh heavens, she laughed internally, remembering she abandoned her supervisor. "Irene?" She heard Ezekiel mumble. She turned around, seeing the dazed look on Irene's face. "Don't tell me..." she mu
Ezekiel whirled laughing Isabel around. She was clad in a purple graduation gown, her cap hanging loosely in her right hand."I'm dizzy," she forced out between laughs, holding unto him tightly. He set her down on her feet and kissed her loudly."How does it feel?" He asked, beaming."I don't know," she laughed, "you are rubbing your excitement all over me and I don't even know how I feel.""Exactly," Lily intervened, "you are acting like you have never experienced a convocation before. Get off her."His entire family came to celebrate her, his cousin and his beauty wife included, with their baby."She's not your girlfriend, Lily, mind your business," Ezekiel eyed her playfully.They moved off to a little spot they set out for a picnic and they spent the rest of the day being happy for her. The group stayed an extra day before leaving. It was just two of them left now.When their relationship was a year old, they sat down for a serious conversation. They rented a beach house for the w
Sebastian was just bringing the car around when Isabel and Aurora walked out of the airport."You must be Isabel," the man she recognized as Ezekiel's cousin spoke when he got to them."Yes," she replied with a warm smile, watching how he casually put an arm around Aurora's waist and kissed her hair, "it's nice to meet you."They shook hands. They definitely had good genes in their family. Ezekiel was her boyfriend, the man she loved but she couldn't confidently say he was more handsome than his cousin."Ezekiel is bringing the luggage, we can wait in the car. You don't mind, Isabel?""Of course not, he left me with the luggage in the first place," she answered with a roll of her eyes. Their little group chuckled and they moved to the car. Sebastian hovered over his fiancee as they chatted heartily about school, life, and anything else. Ezekiel arrived soon and Sebastian assisted him in getting the luggage into the trunk.Aurora and Sebastian's wedding was a week away so the atmospher
Ezekiel knew that there was a Supreme Being helping him to restrain himself because it was a miracle he didn't lose control after what she just said. Was she so oblivious that men were easily triggered sexually or was she doing it on purpose? She worked at a bar, she had to know."Your body belongs to you," he said slowly, blowing out a breath, "and to the God who made you. If we are married, you can say that but your body will belong to me and mine will belong to you only because we chose to let it be so. Do you understand?"She clicked her tongue, laying her head on his chest. "Let's get married then, you won't have any excuse to deny me what I want.""Oh heavens," he laughed in disbelief but somewhere deep within him, he began to consider it.*Weeks flew by and Isabel didn't think she had ever lived life so happily before. She woke up happy and blushing, she was much more interested in her boring classes because he always praised her when she performed well in the tutoring session
When she awoke bright early the next morning, he was still asleep and she was late for class. She stood at the entrance to his hospital room at a loss for what to do. She could rush to class and return after school to take care of him or she could stay and be with him throughout the day. She wanted to do the latter as she was the cause of his accident but on further reflection, she decided to choose the former, he'd prefer that.Ezekiel trudged into his apartment, burdened with a load of emotions. Drugs, really?"Stan found me, he sent me threat notes and has been stalking us."Was that true? He sighed, lowering himself unto a fur-covered couch. He didn't even know what to believe. What was her deal? Was it just the aftermath of the rape incident? It scared him that she would go as far as drugging him, how much damage did the incident cause her?If Stan was secretly stalking them then she wasn't safe. The police needed to be alerted and they needed to move away from town for some time
"Are you mad at me?"Isabel said nothing instead she focused on stabbing the potatoes on her plate."Have I ever refused you anything?"She blinked, thinking of an answer to his question though she didn't plan to reply, she discovered he always did what she asked and did more except for a few nos here and there but... He was always there."No," she answered curtly, guilt nagging at her. "Then you must know I have a very good reason for refusing you this one thing. Trust me, Isabel, please."She stared at her meal, fighting with her emotions. She thought of the drugged wine."Ezekiel," she began, looking up. Her eyes widened in horror seeing him bring down his glass from his lips."What?" He questioned, cleaning his mouth with a serviette.She opened her mouth and shut it. "I drugged your wine," she croaked out."What?" His eyes bulged out and he looked into his glass, "what are you talking about?"She kept silent, staring at him with wide eyes. He stared at her, his eye size matching
She was awfully alert the next day, constantly looking back and sideways, being suspicious of every male she came across, staying in open places where there were a lot of people. She didn't realize she was so on edge and tensed up until Ezekiel came to her at the cafe and she almost stabbed him with a fork.He dodged, his eyes wide. "Watsup!? Do you want to kill me!?"She sighed, her tense shoulders falling. The fork landed with a clattering sound on the table."I am sorry. I was... I thought it was someone else," she said apologetically.He raised a brow, sitting next to her, "is someone stalking you?""Don't worry about it," she sighed again and relaxed back in her seat. His presence was immensely comforting. She didn't know whether to be pleased or irritated, he was her boyfriend now."You could really have stabbed me if I didn't have quick reflexes. You wanted to harm the person. Why? What's going on?" He inquired.She kept silent. Why was she keeping it a secret?"Isabel..."She
"You're my girlfriend now," he murmured into her hair, "so you can't cheat on me ever again, you hear? You can't go kissing another man or letting another man touch you because you feel like getting down with someone. You are mine now and I'll tell you, I am very possessive and I get easily jealous."She blinked. What did she just do?"You forgot the second part," she mumbled, not sure of what she was feeling."No, it isn't enough to make me sleep with you."She groaned, surprisingly not feeling annoyed. "Why?" She whined."It only makes me want to protect you more, keep you clean and pure. I'll be your god and I'll keep you away from any filth," he replied.She fought the smile that crawled its way up her cheek. He pulled away a little and looked at her with so much tenderness, she felt she could melt from it."Do you still feel like getting down with me?" He asked, smiling.She shook her head."Good," he grinned, "I'll call your father now and tell him you're safe with me. I'll call