by Nelson, JD
I beamed. “That may have been the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me; thank you.”
He nodded, graciously.
I could tell he had something to get off his chest. “Are you okay, Kristian? You seem out of sorts.”
Hesitantly he spoke, “It’s just that you are so…so perfect.”
I snorted. “You’re delusional.” He was perfect. He was the most unequaled male I’d ever met, and I was the whore that was already semi-cheating on him.
He smiled. “No, I am lucid, that is a certainty. You are everything I could have hoped for in a wife—beautiful and pure of heart, and so giving, even to a stranger. You gave me such a marvelous engagement gift, and I didn’t even think to offer you anything. I don’t deserve you, Emelie. I’ll only bring darkness to your life.”
I took his hands in mine. “You can’t know that. So far, I really like you, and I’m sure when you spend more time with me you’ll find that I’m not so perfect. I only gave you the blood because it felt like it was the right thing to do. I didn’t plan it ahead of time. Don’t give up on us already.” Feeling awkward, I dropped his hands and went back to practicing.
He cocked his head while studying my employment. “What are you doing?”
I gave him a dubious look. “I’m practicing my magic. What does it look like?”
His furrowed brow deepened. “But, why?”
I laughed at his confused face. “So I can learn to use it.”
“But why haven’t you learned to use it before now?”
“Apparently, when you’ve never been outside of the human world you have to glean a little power from another magic user to get your own started. My parents refused to teach me, so I’ve never learned.” I shrugged.
He looked down to me with an adorably hopeful expression. “Would you like some of my magic? You could practice with me.”
I felt so guilty. I did not deserve this male. I didn’t deserve either one of them, really. It was the ultimate fuck you by the universe that I went from having no one in my life, to having two genuine, kind, and intelligent males that wanted me at the same time. How could I ever choose between them?
“Emelie?”
“Oh, yes, I would like that very much. I’m sorry for the distraction, I was just thinking of the night we last met.” Well, I guess a half-truth is at least partly true.
He pulled me into his embrace, and looked into my eyes. “I’ve thought about it a thousand times. I haven’t been without an erection for hardly an hour since I tasted you.” He pressed into me, proving his words true. “It is agony knowing our wedding night is so far away.”
Whoa. I wasn’t sure how to respond. What could I say? I liked him and there was no denying the attraction I felt when we were together, but I wasn’t ready for this the way he was. He’d already had years to prepare, I’ve only had a couple of days. “I—I’m sorry to have put you in such distress.”
Tucking a stray lock of my hair behind my ear, he said. “Your innocence is charming, as is everything about you.”
Lifting me with no warning, he spun us around in a circle. He was so full of joy; it was hard not to join in his enthusiasm.
“Kristian, you’re crazy!” I squealed and then laughed as he lifted me for another turn.
He put me gently on my feet and grinned. “I apologize if my excitement is a tad overzealous, but I don’t think I’ve ever been in such high spirits. Our world is not a pleasant place; I’ve had little to brighten my life. You are a shining beacon of light and hope for me—for us.” He looked away. “It is my greatest fear that you will be unhappy in our marriage. You must be aware that I was not your intended mate.”
Again, I was struck dumb. I was so confused. When I was with Soren yesterday, I had completely put Kristian out of my mind. I only wanted him; I couldn’t possibly marry anyone else. Nevertheless, today, with Kristian standing so close to me, looking so happy, I didn’t want him to have to suffer the disappointment I would cause him if I rejected his proposal—assuming he ever offered one.
I finally spoke just as his slight smile began to falter. “I am aware, and it is a very hard thing for me to know that my true mate was taken away from me because of my own parent’s selfishness. However, I also know that this war must end and it’s my duty to do it. I can assure you that if you are a kind husband to me, I will be perfectly happy in our marriage. I will not reject your proposal.”
A look of chagrin crossed his features. “I am sorry for my stupidity, Emelie. How could I have not offered you a proposal? You are not without emotions—an object to be casually traded away; of course, you would want a traditional betrothal. I have made such a fool of myself in this.”
“No, you haven’t. I think you’re doing pretty well so far. Neither one of us has done this before.”
He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Emelie, will you accompany me to my kingdom this morning?”
He cupped my face in his hands when I nodded. “You are a miracle.” Reaching into his pocket, he extracted a pale green stone. “Clasp my arm tightly.”
I wrapped both hands around his forearm and immediately felt a floating sensation. For a moment, my surroundings were bright white and then I was standing in a field of wheat on a hillside facing a castle that looked to be both a fairytale and a nightmare.
I suppose it was what was considered as daytime here. Instead of the blue skies, it was illuminated by an eerie orange glow. It was bright enough to see, but only just. Almost like perpetual dusk.
“This way, Emelie.”
My instincts went on high alert as he urged me across the acreage towards the castle; I was cautious of every step. A few minutes into our walk, I started to hear a deep rumbling sound that sounded suspiciously like a growl. It grew louder as we descended, so I stopped walking.
He gave me a reassuring smile. “Don’t fear the dragon, love. He growls in his sleep.”
I nodded, mute with fear, and continued walking. Dragons? He had no clue what this was like for someone who had never been to any of the other Norse-lands before.
“Do you have night, or is it always like this?” I asked quietly, after another minute or two of walking.
“Why are you whispering?”
“Maybe, because I’m scared my voice will awaken some sleeping sentry, hell-bent on ridding the castle of unwanted pests—pests like petite, blond Light Elves.
There was a bizarre look of pity in his eyes, though he seemed amused. “What no hell-bent sentries?”
He looked down the hill to the left. “Oh there are those.”
“What?” I was starting to panic.
“They would never hurt you. You are my intended, remember?”
I wanted to believe him, but I kept thinking back to what Soren said about the ones who benefit from the war. All it would take is one traitor to kill me here. “Can I see them? I’d feel safer if I knew where they were.”
“Of course,” He turned in the direction he had looked in and motioned for them to come out.
The castle was very well protected indeed. The sheer amount of creatures that appeared from the forest was astounding. Their looks were shockingly unexpected, as well. Some were beautiful, tall, and dark like Kristian, but most were short and troll like—all pleasant faced, but seemingly cursed with some affliction that made them differ from their brothers.
“Behold soldiers.” He stepped away and gestured grandly towards me as if to introduce someone important. “Your queen has finally arrived.”
As soon as he finished his statement, every one of the soldiers went down on their knees. “Kristian!” I shot daggers at him with my eyes. “Tell them to get up, I don’t deserve this.”
“No Emelie, I will not. For twenty years they have fought against your kinsfolk, always keeping faith that this day would come. Your arrival is cause for celebration. Peace will be had, at last. You can at least give them that, can’t you?”
I conceded, but I wasn’t happy about it. We walked down to the
m and they rose to greet us. They were all very shy, but gracious, not at all the monsters my parents made them out to be. I was starting wonder if everything they told me was a lie.
After the meeting, he showed me to the side yard, and into the castle through the servant’s entrance. “Where are we going?” I asked him. I was a little perturbed that he hadn’t taken me through the front door. Was he trying to hide me?
He led me up a set of stone stairs. “I am taking you to my private sitting room; we can talk uninterrupted in there. I will have someone bring us drinks.”
He settled me into a plush, deep red sofa, and called for the drinks in a language I’d never heard before over an intercom installed beside the door. I didn’t know what they’d bring me, but I hoped it wasn’t something alcoholic. I already felt woozy around Kristian and I wanted to keep my head about me if I could.
The door opened and a butler stepped in with two crystal glasses on a silver tray. They were living a lot more extravagantly than I’d expected them to with a war that had been raging for twenty years.
“That will be all.” Kristian said, dismissing the butler. He handed me a glass. “It’s juice from a fruit native to your parent’s world. There’s nothing like it.”
I accepted the glass with a polite “thank you” and took a tentative sip. It was divine. He was right; it tasted like nothing I’d ever had before. There was no comparison for it. “It’s delicious, what’s it called?”
“Ambrosia.” He moved in closer to me and sat his glass on the coffee table. “Emelie.”
“Yes, Kristian?”
“Can I kiss you?”
I wanted to kiss him. I’d wanted him to since the night I’d met him, but I was very aware of how close his bedroom was to us. I couldn’t let myself get carried away. “Yes.” I said breathlessly.
He took my glass, put it with his own, and knelt in front of me. When he pulled a delicately filigreed ring with an enormous black stone out of his pocket, I thought I was going to need a paper bag to breathe in. Everything was happening so fast.
“Marry me, Emelie. Trust in my affection for you. It is genuine.” He searched my face with his intense amethyst eyes and must have seen encouragement. He smiled. “Beloved, please end my misery.”
What else could I say; my Fate had already been decided.
“Yes, I will marry you.”
He leaned forward and gently kissed me. My lips tingled where his touched mine and I closed my eyes to savor the feeling.
Breaking the kiss, he breathed heavily against my neck and a thrill ran though me; he was going to bite me.
Groaning, he leaned back onto his feet and took my left hand. Pushing the heavy ring onto my third finger, he tried to smile without showing his fangs.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It was meant to be Viveka’s, for her wedding to your father, but when that didn’t happen, she lost her chance at ruling and it was entrusted to me for my future wife. It is the Queen’s ring. Every reigning queen has worn it since our society began.
“Is Viveka your sister?”
“A step-sister, she is the daughter of my father’s first wife. She is mad.”
“Mad?” I asked, bewildered.
“She lost her mind when her Fate was mis-cast. She is determined to have vengeance against the Norns for ruining her chances of becoming queen.”
I shifted nervously.
He caught my movement and said ruefully, “Don’t worry, although it is certain that she will despise you for taking her place, she will not waste her effort on you. She has me for that. She lives to torment me.”
I took his hands in mine. “I’m sorry.”
He turned my hands over and looked at the ring. “Let us not speak of that unpleasantness on our day of engagement.”
Cupping my face in his hands, he softly kissed my lips, and I responded in kind, our passion quickly getting out of control. His lips against mine brought back the intimacy we’d had outside my house and I couldn’t keep my reason anymore. I wanted this; he was meant for me. I pulled him up onto the sofa and climbed into his lap.
He ran his hands down my sides to my bottom and pulled me tight against him, groaning his pleasure into my mouth. I responded with a pleasured moan of my own before two hands grabbed me from behind, tore me away from Kristian, shoving me onto the marble floor.
I looked up to see a crazed female with long, trailing hair as black as raven feathers, standing over Kristian.
“Kristian, is there not a room in your harem to fuck your females? How dare you sully my father’s parlor with your whore?”
She turned to me and spat. “Get back into the harem. You can suck his cock in there.”
I’d forgotten about the harem. How could I have forgotten? I looked to Kristian and mouthed, “Harem?”
He looked away. “Leave us, Viveka.”
She snarled down at me. “If you won’t leave, I can take you there myself.” She twisted my sleeve in her grasp and dragged me out into the hallway and to the doorway of next room. I cried out at the pain she was inflicting to my arm.
“STOP!” Kristian bellowed, making both of us jump. “You will unhand my future bride, now.”
Viveka grabbed my hand and fell to her knees wailing with grief upon seeing the ring.
I took advantage of the distraction and ran to Kristian. He held me and stroked my hair. “Everything is fine, Emelie. Let us take our leave.”
We were almost in his chamber when Viveka spoke nastily. “Don’t you want to introduce her to the rest of your guests, Kristian?”
I turned and saw Viveka standing next to the now open door. There were five dark haired, semi-naked beauties standing together just inside. The tallest one stepped forward to the doorway. Her hair was in a sleek, straight, black ponytail and her body was covered in nothing but clear crystals. They spiraled up accumulating heavily over her nipples and crotch. “My king, the others are not willing to make love to a female, but I will, if it is what you desire. We are all eager to please you, except for Melini who is still recuperating from your advances last night.” She stepped back into the lineup.
“Kristian?” I jerked my hand from his. “Last night? You slept with one of them last night?”
His face said everything I needed to know. I walked back down the hallway, out of the castle, and past the still sleeping dragon. I didn’t stop until I was back on top of the hill and realized that I didn’t know how to get home.
“FUCK!” I screamed to no one. Well, if a hundred guards hiding in the forest is no one. I’m sure I looked like a friggin’ idiot.
“I’m sorry.” Kristian said from behind me.
I wouldn’t face him. “Don’t talk to me Kristian.”
“There’s nowhere for you to go.” He said.
I heard a different growling coming from the other side of the hill, and looked frantically at Kristian. He pulled a dagger from his side and pushed me behind him.
Abruptly, Nils flew at us from the left. He collided into Kristian with a thud, sending both of them down the other side of the hill.
After mere seconds of intense fighting, Nils escaped the skirmish with an uppercut that knocked Kristian out. He ran up the hill and latched on to me as he ran by. When he increased his speed, I wrapped my legs around him and held on for dear life. The trees were whipping by so fast I couldn’t focus.
“Hey Em, miss me?”
“Very funny.”
“Do me a favor, reach into my front right pocket, and get the stone out.”
“Okay.” I reached in his pocket and grabbed it as fast as I could. “Now what?”
“It doesn’t bite, Emelie. You could’ve stayed in there a little longer.”
I rolled my eyes. “What do I need to do with the stone, pervert?”
I could feel the rumble of his laughter. “Hold it in your palm and think of where you want to go.”
I held the stone tight and thought of the field that I was practicing in this morning. I s
aw the white blindness once again and then we were back in the field.
After I climbed down, I hugged him tight. “Thank you, Wolf.”
He smiled cheekily. “You’d been gone a long time. I didn’t want you to miss dinner.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize I’d been gone so long.” It was almost dark, but it seemed like I’d only been gone an hour at most.
“Well, I have to shower.” He hesitated. “You could shower with me, if you like.”
I laughed. “No thanks.”
“Not even for the sake of water conservation?” His expectant face was comical.
I started to make my way to the house. “No, Nils.”
“Okay then. See ya.” He sprinted past me and I watched him until he was out of sight. Despite his brash behavior and the constant seducing, he really was a nice guy.
***
When Cedric showed Katrine in just before dinner, I could see that he was more than a little interested in her. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of her since she came in the room. Who could blame him? She was an exquisite beauty. Between her dark Greek features and the fading sparkles that she was leaving in her wake, she looked every inch, a Greek Goddess.
Intrigued, I called to Cedric just as he was leaving. “Would you join us for dinner, Cedric? I feel like I haven’t seen much of you lately.”
He looked around nervously—clearly, dinner with the masters wasn’t a common occurrence. Soren would definitely be hearing from me about that when he returned. Cedric is practically Soren’s family, for goodness sake!
I looked questioningly to the guys. Jakob and Nils both gave me ‘who cares’ shrugs and Viggo piped up with “Yeah, Cedric’s cool.”
Katrine rewarded me a thousand watt smile when she sat in her seat. Ha! I knew it!
Throughout dinner it was obvious that Katrine was just as smitten with Cedric as he was with her. I couldn’t help but think that it was just bad fortune that these two couldn’t be together. It really was unfair.
I must have been concentrating on them harder than I’d realized, because when Viggo tapped me on the shoulder and gestured to Jakob, it was evident that he’d been trying to get my attention for some time.