“Go on,” I said. “I’m listening.”
Lucius smiled his beautiful smile, but then he quickly sobered. He grabbed my hands and held on tightly. “I never questioned the king, Ivy: I trusted him and his court. This time, however, I fell to my knees and asked him to consider sharing his proof. I simply could not believe this of Maria and her beloved family. The king stood, and the court fell silent. No one uttered a sound. I knew my punishment for questioning the king’s court, but I could not back down. If I did as my liege asked, my brother, my entire family, would be heartbroken.”
I gave Lucius’ hand a squeeze to show my support and encourage him to go on with his tale.
“Ivy, the king stormed over to where I kneeled and pulled my chin up so I would stare into his face. He then commanded I kill not only Maria but my brother Zorion too, for failing to adhere to the court’s summons.”
My stomach heaved, and I struggled to breathe. Horrified, I stared into Lucius’ eyes, and he stared blankly back at me.
“Tell me you didn’t, tell me you couldn’t…” I swallowed hard, unable to finish my statement.
He continued to stare at me quietly, unmoving. I pulled away from him, releasing his hands, but I could not take my eyes off him.
“Lucius, please, tell me, talk to me.”
Gently, he moved me aside to sit on the floor. Then, he rose to his feet and began pacing the living room, his hard-soled shoes composing a somber rhythm on the worn, wooden floor. “I could not kill either of them.”
I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath until that moment, and air shot out of my lungs with a whoosh. Ragged, painful breaths sawed in and out of my lungs. Lucius stopped beside me and knelt down. Slowly, he tilted up my chin.
“For failing the king and court, I was forced to watch Maria die. He killed her there, before everyone, my family included. Just before he drained her life’s blood, Maria shouted something, but I could not make out what she said. I assumed she’d said a prayer to her gods. Then…”
I stared at him, feeling agonizing torment rolling off him in waves. His eyes were black, the pupils ringed in red, and he trembled in front of me. I reached out and placed my hands on his shoulders.
“Lucius, tell me; I am here for you, please.”
He covered my hands with his.
“After the king had Maria killed, he dragged my brother Zorion to the front of the court. I screamed, begged for mercy, asked that he kill me and not my brother, as I had failed him, not Zorion. The king smiled at me and said he had better plans for me than killing me. I continued pleading, and my father lay prostrate on the floor before the king, also begging him, for the sake of my mother, to let Zorion go. But the king kicked my father in the head to silence him, then turned to Zorion and smiled. Ivy, I will never forget that smile. It deadened my heart. The king told me that when he killed Zorion as punishment for my failure, that would only be the start.”
My whole body trembled. Lucius lifted me up into his arms and sat down on the loveseat. I rested my head on his shoulder, waiting for him to continue.
“The king drew out his silver-coated scabbard, and with only one slight movement of his hand, he took my brother’s life. I remember my mother’s screams. When I tried to go to her, to comfort her; the king threw me back against the palace wall, laughing the whole time. He told me that not only would I pay for my misdeeds, but also, from now on, my entire family would suffer a painful curse. By the king’s magical decree, every male in my family would live a lonely existence, never to find a mate, for if he did—if he dared fall in love—deadly pains and fevers would strike down his beloved, and nothing would stop her suffering.”
Realization brought me to my feet. I stood there, looking back and forth between him and the mark on my wrist. “Lucius, what’s going to happen to me? Please tell me; am I going to die?”
Lucius lifted my wrist to his mouth and tenderly kissed my scar. “No, little one. Just before Maria died, she had spoken words that meant nothing to me, but her family came to me afterwards and told me Maria had cast a spell over our whole family. While she could not protect us or our loved one’s completely, she saved our lives with her last wish. The king’s curse is powerless to kill us.”
I settled somewhat and lay back in Lucius’ arms. My head swam with questions, and my heart beat frantically with worry.
“Lucius, what does my scar mean?”
“You were assaulted by a dark knight…”
I sprang back and out of Lucius’ arms so quickly, I fell and landed on my ass on the hard floor. My eyes grew wide, my heart ricocheted against my ribcage, and my breaths became uneven and painful. Suddenly, everything from back then made perfect sense. I knew in my heart no human male could have assaulted me, could have done to me what the animal that attacked me had done.
“Ivy, please tell me what happened that night. Do not leave anything out. Remember, I am here for you and always will be.”
I looked up into his eyes, and my whole body trembled and shook. “I want to tell you; truly, I do, but I promised myself long ago that I would never speak of what happened. In doing so, I felt I was putting the events of that night behind me, closing the door on something that was way too painful to understand or accept.”
“Come here.” Lucius held out his hand.
I gazed at it a moment, and then slowly took it. He pulled my back into his arms, and I laid my head against his strong chest. Cocooned from the world and its evil. Slowly, my heart quieted down to a healthier pace, and my nerves settled. As I lay there, he drew circles with his fingers across my back. I decided then and there, he would be the only person I ever spoke to about my assault. If I told him, perhaps I could turn a new page in my book of life. I looked up at him and smiled.
Chapter Five
“I was seventeen when my life forever changed. I had finished up my evening shift at the local humane society. It was a nice June evening. I told my parents I could walk home, as our house was only a few blocks away from the shelter. I locked up the building and started my walk home. My journey along the first two blocks was uneventful; however, as I approached the third block, I felt like someone was watching me. I looked around but saw no one. I quickened my pace, all the while keeping an eye out for something or someone. The streets lay empty, but all the usual night sounds were missing too. I found that most strange, even to this day. I approached the very cemetery where we met, and then I was approached by what I thought was a very large man. I tried to pass him by, but he stood in my way. I asked him politely to move, and he leered at me. Lucius, I swear, to this day, I have never seen such a cruel face.”
Lucius held my gaze, all the while stroking my back, relaxing me, willing me to go on. I laid my head back down on his chest; I could not look into his eyes when I told him what had happened.
“His brutal laugh froze me in my tracks, and he grabbed hold of me. I tried to scream, but he slapped me, stunning me into silence. By the time I came out of my stupor, he had pushed me against a tree. I tried to bite the hand that he’d placed over my mouth, and I got a fist to my face for my efforts. I may have passed out then; I’m not sure, but the next thing I realized, I was lying on the ground, my clothes being ripped off me. I wanted to die. At that very moment, I begged the man to kill me. If he were going to rape me, I wanted to die. He just laughed at me and continued molesting me. His hands travelled roughly up and down my naked body, grabbing me, bruising me, and all the while, his eyes taunted me. I tried so hard to fight him, but every time I did, he hit me—harder and harder, until I could hardly see, my eyes had become so swollen. He pushed my shoulders back and slid between my knees, forcing them open with his body’s weight. I looked around desperately, willing someone to walk by, willing myself to pass out, but he grabbed my face and held it so I had to look at him. And then he raped me, Lucius. He took away my virginity, the whole time smiling down at me. The pain was indescribable. I ached all over. He towered over me, his punishing thrusts ripping me apar
t both mentally and physically. His demeanor grew more and more menacing as he neared his release, until he appeared to become larger, and his eyes changed, and he grew fangs. He pushed my head to the side, I although I screamed at him to let me go, that I’d tell no one, he bit hard into my neck and roared his release. He sucked my blood, and I believe I truly did pass out then, whether from the bite or from the assault, I couldn’t be sure. I realize now he was not human, but at the time, I felt my mind was playing tricks on me. He pushed himself off of me, snickered, and said words I did not understand.”
Lucius lifted my chin with his finger, forcing me to look at him. “Ivy, this is important, so think hard; what did the words sound like?”
I looked at him, and my mind scrambled to recall the strange words.
“I believe he said something like rei and vai voltar.”
Lucius’ face paled, and I froze.
“What? What does it mean? Why do you look so worried?”
Lucius stared at me, his eyes returning to their blackened state, the red ring appearing around the pupils. “What you have just remembered is frightening. You have just stated ‘The king will return.’”
I leaped off Lucius’ lap and started frantically pacing his living room, uncaring of the fact that I was naked. My stomach ascended into my mouth, and bile burned the back of my throat. Lucius stood and stopped my frenzied pacing. He wrapped his arms around me. My mind worked desperately, trying to cling to some hope that Lucius had wrongly interpreted the meaning of the words I’d remembered.
“How do you know what that means?”
“Quite easily, my love. You spoke in my native tongue.”
I lay my head down on his beautiful chest and started to sob. I felt my world spin wildly out of control. I’d tried so hard to pick up the pieces after my brutal assault, and I’d thought I’d succeeded. But if what Lucius told me was true, then there was much more going on, and things were much worse than I’d thought. Lucius held me tightly in his arms, crooning soft words I could not comprehend. After a bit, my tears subsided, and he lifted my chin so I looked up at him.
“Ivy, the king realized we would meet. Somehow, he knew. But this marking on your wrist, this marking has saved you from death. Maria’s blessing has kept you safe so far. I will keep you safe from now on.”
My mind stumbled along, trying to piece things together.
“Lucius, are you saying the king—the same one who punished you and your family—is coming after me?”
“Yes, little one.”
“Why? Why does he want me?”
“Ivy.” Lucius gazed into my eyes and smiled sadly. He stroked my chin with his fingertips. “The king is coming after you in order to punish me in a way he never could after Maria intervened.”
I let Lucius’ words sink in to my troubled brain. Of course, it made perfect sense now, but how would Lucius protect me from someone hell bent on achieving revenge?
“Why now?” I asked.
Lucius picked up some of my clothing and began to help me dress. Only then did I remember I was naked, and the realization hit me hard. I glared at the ground, face on fire.
Lucius laughed heartily. “Sweet Ivy, after what we’ve just done, you feel the need to hide from me?”
I couldn’t find the words to convey how I was feeling. My body had been brought to heaven with our lovemaking, only to plummet down to Earth with the promise of my murder.
Lucius grabbed me by my shoulders. “Ivy, you will not die, I promise you.”
I bit my bottom lip. “This king of yours never got the revenge he wanted. Somehow, he found me when you say you awoke, and now you say he’s after me. I have a dreadful feeling he will not stop until I die. Where have you been all these years? Finish telling me what happened, you, after . . . .”
“After my brother was murdered, the king cast his own spell, causing me to fall into a deep repose. I slept away the years, only to awaken centuries later when my heart came to life hearing your cries. The family I knew and loved is long dead.”
Lucius’ words created icicles over my heart, freezing it into a sluggish rhythm. My head grew dizzy, and I tried to find a chair, my legs going weak beneath me.
Lucius slid his arms around me and picked me up. He carried me out of the living room and up a huge staircase. In the hallway at the top, he turned and pushed open a thick wooden door. I lifted my head and saw a beautiful, four-poster. The bedding was a rich, burgundy velvet and gold satin. Lucius laid me down on it and covered me with a tapestry throw.
“Ivy, you have been through too much tonight. You need to rest now, and tomorrow we will talk some more.”
I tried to protest but found my eyes dropping closed of their own accord. Soon, I curled up under the throw and noted as I drifted off Lucius’ strong arms wrapped around me.
Chapter Six
I awoke suddenly, unsure of where I was or what was happening. My heart thundered, and I felt cold and clammy. I turned to find Lucius asleep beside me; I smiled, feeling as if I were looking at an angel in peaceful slumber. His thick, dark eyelashes curled, his full lips were slightly open, and his beautiful, curly hair had that fresh-from-the-salon, perfectly mussed up look, only he came by his naturally. Sighing, I lay back, absently trailing a finger across his bare, broad chest, considering his perfect form. Artists would flock to paint him, if given an opportunity to do so. Of its own volition, my circling fingers travelled south, and so I was pleasantly surprised when I found him hard and ready for me. I slid the satin sheet lower and gasped at the sight of his swollen cock, standing at attention. My mouth watered, and my body hungered like never before. I lowered myself quietly down the bed, gaze locked on his face, hoping he wouldn’t awaken. As I brought my face in line with his erect penis, I opened my mouth and slid my tongue across the crown of his cock, slowly savoring the taste. I felt and heard a low rumble, as if Lucius had moaned, and my gaze flew to his face, but still he slept on. I slid my body between his open legs, bent my head, and took his cock between my lips. I plunged downward, taking him in, growing more aroused by the second. I wrapped my legs tightly around one of Lucius’ huge muscular thighs and grinded my needy clit against him. Harder and harder I rode his thigh, coating his leg with my slick arousal, sliding up and down furiously. I could not get enough of his tasty cock, and I sucked him deep, until the head hit the back of my throat. I longed to come, my pussy throbbing with need.
A heavy hand fell on my head, and I looked up to find Lucius staring at me, his eyes feral with need, the red rings shining like fiery flames, but I felt no fear. This man had drawn me in, and I was addicted to his love. I rose up on his thigh and arched back, riding his leg like a stallion was underneath me. My breasts bounced wildly in time with my raucous rhythm, my nipples stinging with the need to be bitten by Lucius. I dropped my head back, my eyes slammed shut, and I lost all ability to think. My body’s wanton needs coursed through me like a fire burning out of control. My abdomen clenched, and I roared my release. Falling forward, I kissed him passionately, our tongues fighting for control of each other’s passionate needs.
Neither one of us were able to control our body’s desires. Fissures in our hearts had burst open, and flames of desire licked out, burning our blood with need. Lucius gripped my hair and pulled my head back, his lips found my neck, and he bit down hard. At the same time, he lifted my leg and pulled me directly over his granite cock. Feeling the bulbous head at my entrance, I growled his name before slamming my ass down, taking him into my soaking wet pussy. I rode him as I’d rode his thigh, with wild abandon, and never before had I felt so alive. Lucius reached between us and slid his fingers over my swollen, sensitive clit. He pinched hard, and I moaned and rode him faster, with no fear of recriminations or judgment. With Lucius, I felt completely free, free to be me. The sensation was so liberating, I felt so beautiful when I was with him, no longer dark and scarred, All too soon, my pussy clenched around his cock, milking him. He gripped my ass and arched up with one last, dea
dly thrust. My breasts bounced with the force of his powerful thrust, and both of us roared our release, Lucius’ seed shot up into my welcoming womb. Dazed and sated, I looked down at him, tears falling from my eyes. A gentle smile graced his lips, and he softly caressed my thighs. I leaned forward to lay my head down on his broad chest.
“I have to go,” I told him, a horrid thought occurring to me. “I have to get to work!”
“Work? Ivy, my love, you can’t be serious.” He grabbed my shoulders and lifted me so I faced him. “I’m afraid that’s impossible. You’re in entirely too much danger now.”
“Now? Why now? What’s changed?”
“Weren’t you listening? Didn’t you hear me when I told you about the curse, about how the king is coming back—no doubt to find you and kill you. You said so yourself, not three minutes ago, remember? I’m sorry, Ivy; I can’t let you leave. No job is worth your safety.”
“You can’t let me?” I repeated the term he’d used. “Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do?”
“I’m the one who loves you. I’m your mate, and I’m sworn to protect you. With my life, if needs be.”
“Well, if you love me, then you’ll understand why I can’t just sit here and do nothing, why I can’t allow your . . . your king to control my life. The work I do is important. I’m going to work, Lucius . . .with or without your blessing.” I stared him down, determined to have my way in this.
Lucius slowed his stroking and returned my gaze. He remained silent for a few moments, as if he were thinking things through, and then he nodded. “Of course you must go to work. I should have expected no less, and you have my blessing, but only under two conditions. I shall ring you throughout the day to be sure you are safe; I do not know when King Casimiro will make his presence known. I fear it will happen very soon. And two, you’ll allow me to take you there myself. I won’t have you walking the streets alone.”
Darlings of Paranormal Romance (Anthology) Page 46