Justin was with a few friends down in the snooker room and Cherry was relieved about that. He would be able to tell straight away that she was fascinated by the stranger. She could not look away from him as he slowly made his way towards the bar. Since he had entered the club he had not taken his eyes off her for a single second. Cherry swallowed hard. This man was out of this world. Somebody should be running ahead of him with a warning sign: Warning! Hot and sexy!
Cherry’s gaze slid from his eyes to the rest of his impressive figure. She took in every single detail. His lips were sensually-formed, his face was angular with a large nose and high cheek bones. His shoulders were broad and his arms, showing from beneath a tightly fitting t-shirt, were muscular and ended in large hands which she would have all too happily felt upon her body. These were hands that could have taken the fullness of her breasts. The very thought of this made her nipples grow hard and she suppressed a sigh. His chest was broad and she wondered whether it was smooth or hairy. Her gaze moved down to his hips and his tightly-fitting jeans and she was sorry that she could not see his behind which was certain to be mouth-wateringly firm. She swallowed hard and moved her gaze upwards again – he was now standing right before her, an amused smile on his lips and his eyes sparkling.
“Hi,” he said in a voice that was as sensual as the rest of him.
“Hi. What … what can I do for you?”
She was trying not to stare at him, but not quite succeeding. She could not stop looking at him even if her life depended on it. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before.
“I could think of quite a few things that you could do for me,” he said huskily, and a sensual smile caused his lips to pucker.
She blushed.
She was suddenly much too warm and her legs felt as if they were going to give way. She steadied herself on the heavy wooden surface of the bar to stop herself swaying.
“I … I mean, what would you like to drink?” she uttered, faltering.
“Give me a beer.”
She was still standing there as if hypnotised, staring at him. Her brain seemed to have turned to mush. She was not able to think clearly let alone give her body the necessary commands to fulfil his wish.
His eyes were of such an unusual blue, the likes of which she had never seen before. They were so bright, almost turquoise. She simply could not take her eyes off him and she felt her knees weakening. She heard him make a growling sound. Did he really just growl? It sounded unbelievably erotic and she wondered involuntarily whether he would also make such sounds in bed.
The man actually came closer to her, leant over the bar a little and raised an eyebrow.
“My beer?” he asked with a slightly amused undertone. Again the corners of his mouth puckered and his eyes were twinkling mischievously.
“Oh! Oh, yes. Of course. Right away. I’m sorry … I …”
“No problem,” he assured her and gave her a beaming smile, showing his perfect white teeth.
Her heart leapt. He was stunning when he smiled – not that he was not already stunning enough. She had to pull herself together right away. Her knees shaking, she went to the tap and pulled his beer. She was fully aware that he was watching her and her heart began to race. If only she were free, then … No! Even then she would not get involved with him. He was attractive – no question about it. No! That was a complete understatement. He was more than attractive. He was exciting, stunning and ridiculously sexy. He would hurt her – sooner or later. She could not trust men. She had had to experience that often enough in her life. Justin was not the first man to have treated her like a piece of dirt.
She put the beer in front of him without looking at him.
“That’s three dollars.”
He put the money onto the bar. She took it and quickly turned away. Her heart beating fast, she began to put glasses onto the shelf. When, after a while, she cautiously turned round, he was gone. Against her will she felt slightly disappointed, despite knowing that it was better this way.
***
Merlon was pacing up and down his apartment. He simply could not get Cherry out of his head. She was, of course, with that wretch, but he had seen no ring. She also had a different surname from him. He had managed to find that much out. So, as he had already suspected, they obviously were definitely not married. He just did not know how he should approach her. He did not want to cause trouble for her. But he could not wait much longer. It was driving him mad not being able to be close to her. He wanted to have her with him all the time. When he had ordered the beer from her the night before, he had detected that she was interested in him. He was certain that there was something going on between them. It was not only one-sided. But she would not let herself take a step closer. He had sensed her fear when this bloke was near. She was afraid of her boyfriend and she was sure to have good reason for that. He had already found out some information about Justin Carter. This character was well-known for his brutality. He had already hurt more than one prostitute because he was apparently keen on sadistic sexual acts – but up to now he had smoothed the matter over with money. Not one of the women had reported him. Merlon’s informant was certain that Justin paid well for ‘damages’ suffered.
For the moment Cherry was safe from violent attacks because Merlon had manipulated Justin’s brain. But Merlon could not maintain this manipulation for much longer as that would lead, sooner or later, to insanity and then death. It was against the rules for elves to kill humans unless in self-defence. There was only one possibility – somehow Merlon had to get Cherry out of there.
“Damn it!” Merlon swore and hit the wall, making the plaster fall away.
He was frustrated and restless. If only he could work something out. He did not want to shock Cherry, though. He could hardly take her from there by force and compel her to trust him. He would only frighten her and turn her against him. There must be a way. He just needed a little peace to think something up. Perhaps his friend Volcan would have some advice. The Guardian of Fire had been his friend since their school days and Volcan always used to have good ideas.
***
Merlon materialised in a clearing in Ignigena. This land belonged to his friend Volcan. The clearing was one of the guardian’s favourite places and Merlon had felt his presence there. He could in fact see Volcan lying on the grass not far from him.
“You’re back?” asked Merlon once he was standing in front of his friend.
Volcan opened his eyes and looked at him.
“Only briefly,” he answered and sat up. “I’m not staying long.”
Merlon sat down on the grass next to his friend.
“Homesick?” he teased.
“I need a little peace and quiet,” answered Volcan.
Merlon raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“That doesn’t sound like you. What’s wrong? I thought you were wooing your bride.”
Like all guardians Volcan had to win the heart of his human intended before he could completely take over his reign. There were four guardians. Volcan was the Guardian of Fire, then there were the Guardians of Water, Air and Earth.
“That’s the problem!” answered Volcan, sighing, and Merlon was none the wiser. His friend should be happy, not a picture of misery.
“What’s the problem? Isn’t she pretty?” he asked.
“She is pretty – much too pretty. I can’t keep my hands off her.” Merlon looked at his friend, a little confused.
“So I don’t understand your problem.”
“She’s keeping me waiting,” complained Volcan in frustration.
Merlon threw his head back and laughed out loud. He could no longer control himself. It was great seeing his friend, otherwise so self-confident, now so desperate. At least he was clearly not the only one who was frustrated because of a woman. That was a consolation.
Volcan glared at him and growled in warning, but Merlon was not going to be put off by this.
“She’s giving you the cold shoulder. Volcan,
the hottest lover of all times?” he snorted, gloating. “That’s great!”
“It’s not that she doesn’t want to.” Volcan defended himself. “She’s just afraid because she’s already been hurt. She no longer trusts a single man and blocks everything.”
“If she wants you why don’t you just take her? Afterwards she’ll be so in love with you that she’ll be eating out of your hand,” suggested Merlon.
“No! That would be wrong. I want her to come to me of her own free will. I’ll give her the time that she needs, but it’s not exactly a piece of cake. That’s why I’ve come here, to regenerate – and definitely not so that you can make fun of me!”
“I understand. Unfulfilled passion can be painful. It’s hard walking around with a constant hard-on, isn’t it?” chuckled Merlon.
Volcan changed this unpleasant subject.
“And how’s it going for you? We haven’t seen one another for a while. How long has it been now?”
“Seven months, my friend,” answered Merlon and put his head back, closing his eyes. “It’s pretty much the same as with you. There’s this girl.” Suddenly he was no longer laughing, as he thought about his own problems.
“Tell me!” demanded Volcan.
“She’s a human woman. I saw her one evening in a club. She works there. Since then I can’t get her out of my head. She has completely bewitched me.”
“And what’s the problem?”
“She’s with someone – a nasty man. The club belongs to him. I think he beats her.”
“I understand!” said Volcan. “What’s bothering you is the law.”
The law decreed that neither guardians, nor elves, nor dwarves were allowed to use lethal force in the human world, unless it was absolutely necessary in self-defence. However, defending a human life did not count as self-defence. The only exception was the protection of a guardian’s mate.
Merlon nodded.
“And what’s more I have no idea how Cherry would react if I were to speak to her. Up to now I haven’t gone near her. I didn’t want to cause her any trouble. Her bloke is quite jealous and very impulsive.”
“Sounds like a complete asshole.”
“You can say that again,” snarled Merlon bitterly. “I’ll get Cherry out of there. I just need to work out how best to do it.”
“I didn’t realise that love could be so exhausting,” joked Volcan.
“Hmm. À propos exhausting – does your father know you’re here?”
“Are you out of your mind? Of course not! He’ll knock me to the ground if he finds out I’m here.”
“Perhaps you’d better disappear before your presence is noticed,” Merlon suggested to his friend.
Volcan sighed.
“Yes, unfortunately you’re right. I’ll make my way back. I hope you get your girl out of there. If you should need help …”
“Thanks. I’ll go for a swim now – a bit of swimming has often helped me to think things through.”
“You can think?” Volcan teased him.
“Shut up! Don’t forget that I was always better in school than you.”
“Because you copied off Heladios,” interjected Volcan derisively.
“If you’re clever, you know how to cheat your way through,” answered Merlon, shrugging his shoulders.
“I’d better get going then,” said Volcan, and he got up. “You’re coming to my wedding, aren’t you?”
“Of course! But first you’ve got to capture your wife,” said Merlon grinning. “I hope you don’t mess it up. You just don’t know how to handle women. Perhaps I should give you a helping hand?”
Volcan glared at Merlon angrily.
“Do I look like someone who can’t seduce a girl?” he growled crossly.
Merlon chuckled. It was amusing to see his friend, otherwise so self-confident, in such a state. It made him feel a little better about his own situation.
“The main thing is not to forget to change your form. Your hairstyle is somewhat unusual for the human world, and your ears …”
“Thank you for the advice,” said Volcan. “I’m not a stupid elf, you know.”
Merlon grinned at the insinuation. He had once had such an experience – he had totally shocked a woman when he had forgotten to take on his human form. Not only did the fact that he had pointed ears and bluish skin not have a particularly good effect on his conquest, but also, or especially, his unusual eyes. Volcan loved teasing Merlon with this old story.
“OK, we’ll see one another again at my wedding, at the latest. And if you can get hold of your girl by then, just bring her with you.”
“I’ll do that,” said Merlon grinning. “Let’s see who manages it first.”
Chapter 3
With great satisfaction Merlon watched the officers taking the hand-cuffed Justin out of the house. This man would not be out of custody any time soon. That would give Merlon time to finally win Cherry for himself. He knew that she was afraid of her boyfriend, and with good reason. Merlon could not bear to think about everything that Cherry must have had to suffer for years. He had found out a few things about Justin and none of it had shown Cherry’s boyfriend in a good light. He was a man who loved violence, especially violence towards women. It made Merlon’s blood boil just imagining this pig laying a finger on Cherry. But now there was an end to that. He had given the police a tip as to where Justin and his accomplices had hidden a considerable amount of drugs and weapons, and that had led to the arrest of Cherry’s boyfriend. Now Merlon just had to come up with a good plan as to how he was going to win Cherry’s favour. He knew she was interested in him but she had already been hurt. Convincing her that they were meant for one another was going to be hard work.
Cherry had come out of the house behind Justin and the officers and Merlon’s heart was beating madly at the sight of her. She looked absolutely enchanting, dressed in a dark blue dress with a white floral pattern and a cream-coloured woollen cardigan. Her arms were folded and she looked paler than usual. Her red mane was dishevelled as if she had just got out of bed. Merlon was worried about her. He could not work out how she was feeling from her expression which showed no emotion. Was she relieved to finally be rid of Justin? Or was she perhaps concerned about this scoundrel? This very thought made him utter a quiet groan. He could not bear to consider that she may in fact feel something for this man. After all, she was with him. She could leave him. Or was she perhaps afraid to take such a step?
He would give her a little time and only attempt his first move the next day. She first needed to get used to her new situation - Justin no longer being there. After the police car had driven away Cherry turned and went back into the house. Just very briefly the expressionless mask fell from her face and he had seen, to his great joy, true relief.
***
Cherry closed the door behind her and leant against it, her heart pounding. He had gone! She could not believe it. The police had really taken him and they had said that he would remain under arrest until the trial. Would he be condemned? And if so, for how long? She had no real idea of what he had actually been accused of and how much proof there was. She had no idea whatsoever as to what punishment he could expect. Of course she had always known that Justin did not have a clean slate and that he was involved in some dirty business, but he never talked to her about it. The club was, so-to-speak, the clean jacket that he wore over his soiled shirt. But she did know about the accounts and the club did not bring in enough money to pay for a Ferrari. Whatever he had done it looked as if he was now going to have to pay for it. This was a chance for her to get her life sorted.
What should she do now? What was going to happen with the club now? So many questions. Gradually her knees gave way and she sank to the floor. Cherry put her hands in front of her face and began to cry. She did not even know why she was crying because she was in fact relieved. She was free. She could calmly consider where she wanted to go and plan everything. The only dilemma was that she did not know where she wanted to go
. At some point Justin would be released from prison and then nowhere would be safe for her. She knew him well and she was certain that he would try to find her. She needed to hide so well that he would never again be able to find her.
After a while she pulled herself together and went into the bathroom. A glance in the mirror told her that she looked as awful as she felt. She was pale and her eyes were red and swollen. Sighing, she turned away and started running a bath. She added some pine needle bubble bath and tested the water temperature. It was a bit hotter than she usually liked it to be, but today she needed a very hot bath to purify herself from the filth that had burdened her soul throughout the many years with Justin. She slowly undressed whilst waiting for the bath to fill.
***
Merlon was striding through the corridors of his huge palace, cursing the fact that within the palace walls he was not permitted to move from one place to another by teleportation. The long corridors seemed unending and he wondered, yet again, why the palace had to be so damned big. He preferred his little hunting lodge where he had spent far too little time recently. Sometimes he wished that he was not the successor to the throne so that he had more leisure time. He was not bothered about being the first born. Damn it! He was not even bothered about being a prince. He envied the simple people who led a carefree life. They just counted on their king to sort everything for them. He had to deal with politics and the state budget and who knows what else, instead of pursuing meaningful activities. Once he had succeeded to the throne it would be even worse and he was already fed up with it.
Merlon had a boring reception behind him and wanted to distract himself a little, in his planetarium, from his concern about Cherry. This evening he would have to participate in another reception but the next day he wanted, at last, to try to speak with Cherry. Just the thought of it put him in a state of high excitement. With her at his side even reigning would be bearable. He was certain that his people would love her once they got to know his mate. She was, of course, not an elf, but she had a golden heart and possessed a natural personality that only few humans had.
Tamed by the Prince (Elven Lover) Page 2