by Todd, E. L.
Mitan bowed and left the study, closing the door behind him. Drake stared at the dancing flames for a moment before he rose to his seat, leaving his full glass of whiskey on the wooden surface, and walked to his bedchamber. The bedroom he had occupied with Accacia was still forbidden. He couldn’t force himself to sleep there. Instead, he slept in Aleco’s old bedchamber, which was slightly larger than his old bedroom.
Drake stripped off his clothes and crawled into bed then stared at the ceiling. Nothing in the room had been changed. An old rock collection that belonged to Aleco was still on the nightstand, and Drake found a variety of plants in the drawer of his cabinet. Drake didn’t throw away anything in the room. He didn’t care for the belongings. It served as a reminder of his power. He was unstoppable.
The memories of his older brother came into his mind every now and then. He hadn’t always hated his brother, but it seemed that way most of the time. Perhaps if his parents hadn’t blatantly favored him he may have harbored some affection toward his twin. A part of him knew that was untrue. He would have hated him either way.
Drake remembered when they were young boys, about the age of thirteen. Their father had brought home a large dog, an animal he found in the countryside. The beast was large, as tall as their father when it stood on its hind legs, and it had a massive jaw. It could break off your hand.
“Is it a wolf, father?” Aleco asked. “It looks like the ones in the forest.”
“No, it isn’t, you idiot,” Drake spat. “It’s just a dog—you know—like a pet.”
Aleco ignored his brother and looked to their father. Their father patted the dog on the snout and fed it a piece of raw meat, which it swallowed whole. “Actually, you’re right, Aleco. It is a wolf. That was a very astute guess.”
The lines of Drake’s face stretched into a scowl but no one noticed. Their attention was glued to the new family pet.
The dog walked over to Aleco and sniffed his outstretched hand. Aleco waited patiently for the wolf to trust him and allow Aleco to touch him. Eventually the dog deemed Aleco to be trustworthy because it rubbed his head against Aleco’s leg. Aleco rubbed the dog’s fur and scratched him behind the ears. The wolf’s tongue hung outside his mouth and his drool seeped onto the tile floor of the keep. “I think he likes me,” Aleco said excitedly. “What she would we call him, father?”
“I don’t know, son. Do you have any ideas?”
Aleco thought for a moment. “How about Rufio?” he asked.
“That sounds like a good name.”
Drake walked over to the wolf and reached for its back, wanting to pet its fur with Aleco. Aleco eyed his brother’s hand. “Don’t touch Rufio, Drake. Stick out your hand first.”
Drake ignored him and reached for the dog. Rufio suddenly spun around and growled at Drake, trying to bite his extended hand with his sharp teeth. Drake immediately backed away but the dog continued to snarl at him, bearing its fangs in obvious mistrust. Drake tried to reach out his hand for the dog to smell it, but it tried to bite Drake instead.
“I told you, Drake.” Aleco sighed. “You never listen to me. Now Rufio will always hate you.”
The insult stung Drake, and he pushed Aleco as hard as he could. His older brother fell to the ground and Rufio turned on Drake, bearing his teeth in anger. It lashed out at Drake, protecting his new master, and Drake backed away as he tried to avoid a deadly bite. When the dog turned around again to check on Aleco, Drake kicked him hard in the back of the leg and the dog yelped in pain.
“Stop it, Drake!” Aleco marched to Drake and was about to strike him in the face when their father intervened.
“That’s enough, you two.” Their father grabbed Drake by the shirt and shook him harshly. “If I ever see you do that again, I’ll beat you.” Drake met the gaze of his father with a heated expression. He hated him. “Don’t test me.” His hands released the front of his son’s shirt and he pushed him back before he walked away.
The leg of the dog seemed to be unbroken, but Rufio had a slight limp when he walked. Aleco examined the injured leg and could detect no anomalies. He hoped it would heal. The savage kick to his dog brought anger into Aleco’s eyes and he looked at Drake with a look of fury. He decided not to berate his younger brother, knowing any words would be futile. Aleco scratched the dog behind the ears. “Come on, Rufio. Let me show you the keep.”
The dog barked then followed behind Aleco, slightly limping as he kept up with his new companion. Drake watched them go with an angry look. He couldn’t care less about the beast that had been brought into their home, and he was glad he injured it. Drake would kill it if the opportunity arose.
The following morning, Drake woke up early and headed out to the terrace to pick some of the flowers that had blossomed that spring. He gathered a variety of roses and lilies, along with white wildflowers that had grown in their mother’s garden. The sun shined bright on Aleutian Keep and it accentuated the beauty of the garden and the realm. The heat of the day thawed the ice around his heart and filled him with excitement. Suzie was coming to the keep today, and Drake wanted to surprise her.
Suzie was the daughter of his father’s closest friend, a commander in the army of Roslyn, and they had been friends since childhood. Jaspar brought his wife and daughter to the keep during his stays in the city, and Drake had grown fond of their daughter, Suzie. She was his best friend.
When they came into the keep, Drake handed the flowers to her and she smiled at him. The blossoms smelled sweet like an early morning on a spring day, and she brought the boutique to her nose and inhaled the scent. “Thank you, Drake,” she said.
Drake smiled at her with reddened cheeks. He had never been good at this sort of thing. “What do you want to do today?” he asked. “I found this nest of lizards in the garden. We could play with those.”
“Sure,” she said non-committedly. She looked over Drake’s soldier, searching for something. “Where’s Aleco?”
The blood in his veins suddenly turned cold when she mentioned his brother. His eyes became black and he squeezed his hands to his sides, restraining himself from lashing out at her, his closest friend. Suzie was his companion, not Aleco’s. “Are you alright?” she asked. She saw the immediate transformation take over his body.
“Yes,” he said quickly. “Let’s go outside.”
The two children walked into the garden and Suzie admired the flowers of the terrace. She had seen it numerous times but she was still surprised by the variety of flowers. “Did your mother do all of this?” she asked.
“Well, I helped her,” he lied.
“Really?” she asked excitedly.
“Yes, of course,” he lied again.
“What is your favorite flower?” she asked. “And don’t say roses. That’s everyone’s favorite.”
Drake was quiet for a moment. He didn’t know the names of any of the plants and he didn’t know how to hide his ignorance. He knew Aleco would know. “I like them all.”
Suzie laughed. “No, you can’t like them all. Pick one.”
Drake looked into her face and admired the blonde curls of her hair. Her fair skin complemented the green eyes of her face, and he wanted to brush his fingers against her cheek. She wore a short sundress, and when they sat on the grass he could see her legs up to her thigh. Drake imagined lifting up her skirt and forcing himself inside of her, or exploring her body with his fingers. The young boy couldn’t control the raging hormones circulating in his body and he couldn’t stop the images forming in his mind. Drake wanted her virginity, whether he took it or it was given.
“Drake?” she asked him again.
His previous thought vanished when she said his name. He wanted her to say it in a different context. Drake tore his gaze away from her legs and he met her gaze. “Let’s look at the lizards,” he said. “We can squish them under the rocks.”
Suzie made a disgusted face. “No, Drake. That’s horrible.”
“No, it’s fun.” He smiled.
&nbs
p; “I want to know what your favorite flower is. Now tell me.”
“Well, I want to know what color your panties are. So show me.”
Suzie laughed at his joke. “You’re so funny, Drake.” He didn’t understand the humor. He was being serious. “Do you not know any of the names?” she asked.
“Of course I do.”
“Then pick one.”
“I—I like the roses.”
“Other than the roses,” she said.
The anger flooded his body as he realized he was cornered. He didn’t know the names and he couldn’t make up one either. She would know he was lying. The sweat dripped from his brow as he searched for a possible escape from this situation. If he hadn’t lied he wouldn’t be interrogated right now. Suzie looked over his shoulder and her eyes widened in recognition. “It’s Aleco!” she said excitedly. “And look what he has.” Suzie got to her feet and left the bundle of flowers on the grass, forgotten and unappreciated. The fury returned in full force.
Suzie embraced Aleco with a hug, which Drake had never received, and she looked down at the dog that accompanied him.
“His name is Rufio,” Aleco explained.
“He’s gorgeous, Aleco,” she said with a gleam in her eyes. “Is he yours?”
“Yes, he’s my friend,” Aleco said.
“Can I touch him?”
“Don’t reach for him, Suzie,” Drake said as he walked over to them. His older brother looked at him but said nothing. The savage kick to his dog was still on his mind. “That beast is dangerous and will bite you.”
“He just doesn’t like you, Drake. You kicked him, after all,” Aleco said.
Suzie turned to him and gave him a look of disappointment. “You hurt the dog?”
Drake met her gaze. “Of course not,” he said. Aleco didn’t bother to press for the truth. It was useless.
Suzie stretched out her hand and the dog smelled it then immediately began to rub his side against her leg. “He’s so sweet,” she said as she scratched him behind the ears. “It’s nice to meet you, Rufio.” The dog jumped on its hind legs and licked her face. Drake pushed the dog off Suzie and it immediately began to growl at Drake then barked aggressively. “Aleco was right. That dog hates you.”
Drake looked at her. “Let’s go, Suzie,” he said as he turned away. Suzie looked back at Rufio and began to rub his backside. The impatience was evident in Drake’s frame. His arms were shaking and his eyes were large. “SUZIE!”
Suzie dropped her hand and looked at him. Reluctantly, she followed him, obviously not wanting to leave Aleco and his pet. Aleco watched her go with a saddened expression. He didn’t understand how she befriended Drake to begin with. Aleco spotted the bundle of flowers on the ground and identified the plants, knowing it came from the garden he and his mother worked on every spring. He grabbed the boutique from the ground and held them up. “Would you like me to put these in some water, Suzie? The Jasmine flower withers quickly without sunlight and water.”
Her eyes widened in amazement. “Thank you, Aleco. The Jasmine Flower is my favorite. What is yours?”
“The same.” He smiled. “I enjoy the white color of the petals. It’s also my mother’s favorite. That’s why there are more jasmine plants than any other in the garden.” Suzie stared at Aleco for a moment, and he knew she wanted to leave with him, tired of Drake’s attitude and possessiveness. “Would you like to come with us?” he asked.
“No,” Drake interjected. “She’s fine here—with me.”
Aleco looked back at Suzie and saw the melancholy spread over her face. The light in her eyes disappeared and her lips dropped into a frown. He waited for her to say something but no words were forthcoming. Aleco turned away and headed back to the keep with Rufio following close behind.
Suzie turned back to Drake and looked at him. He met her gaze and silently begged her not to ask him what his favorite blossom was. He would slap her if she did. She sat beside him and said nothing, forgetting about the previous conversation entirely. Drake moved closer to her and she didn’t move away. His hand reached out and rested on her ankle and she didn’t flinch at the touch. The skin under his fingers was smooth and soft, and he immediately felt his heart race as he felt the warm blood flush under her pale skin. His fingertips slowly moved up her leg and rested on her knee, but Suzie still remained silent, watching him closely. When he moved his hand up to her thigh, she stopped him. “What are you doing, Drake?” she asked. He could hear the suspicion in her voice and knew he had overstepped his boundaries. He removed his hand.
“Nothing,” he said quickly. The disappointment radiated through his body when he realized she rejected his desire for her. He thought she felt the same way. The hormones controlled every aspect of his mind. He almost thought of nothing else besides bloodshed. That aroused him as well. “Would you like to see our storage room?” he asked excitedly.
“Why?” she asked. “What’s cool about an old broom closet?”
“It has old weapons and armor, along with old scrolls that were created by my ancestors. Some date to when we first came to the Continent.”
Her eyes widened. “That does sound interesting.”
Drake rose to a stand and helped her to her feet. “Let’s go.”
They walked behind the keep and entered the abandoned building that was hidden behind the trees of the garden. Drake knew the storage room was too far away from the keep for any noise to carry to unwanted ears. He opened the door and let her walk in first then locked the door quickly behind him.
Suzie walked further into the room and examined the old relics, most of which were covered in layers of spider webs and mounds of dust. The history of the objects of the room occupied her attention. Drake laid an old blanket on the ground in the center of the room when she wasn’t looking. She finally turned around and saw what he was doing.
“What are you up to?” she asked suspiciously.
Drake took a seat and patted the spot next to him. “Come.”
Suzie joined him on the blanket and looked at him for a moment. He was staring at her with a look she had never seen before, and she wasn’t sure if she should be frightened by the heated gaze.
“I think you’re beautiful, Suzie,” he said finally.
Her finger absentmindedly caressed the curls of her blonde hair. “Thank you, Drake.” She appreciated the comment but she was also uncomfortable by his words. Drake returned his hand to her thigh and she felt her heart race. His hand began to slide up her dress but she stopped his palm with her own. “Stop,” she said. “What are you doing?”
Drake didn’t stop. His hand flew under her dress and felt the material of her underwear. Suzie grabbed his hand but Drake jerked it away. “Lie down,” he commanded her. The savage look in his eyes made her heart scream. She didn’t know what to do. He continued to grope her body under her dress and she cried out. “No one can hear you,” he said calmly. She tried to get up but he pushed her down on the floor.
“Get off me, Drake,” she cried. “I don’t want this. Stop it now!”
Drake pulled off her underwear and dropped it on the blanket. He forced his fingers inside of her and explored her intimately. The arousal coursing through his mind was more powerful than any other emotion he had ever felt. His felt his mind and body lose control as he forced his fingers further into her. Suzie’s dripping tears only heightened his desire.
She started to buck her body against him, trying to get away from him and his prying fingers. Drake was much larger than her and he held her down, but he was growing tired of controlling her flailing body. He grabbed his dagger from his pocket and held it against her throat. Her eyes widened in fear. “Stay still or I will cut your throat into pieces, leaving your body here to rot where no one will ever find you.” Suzie immediately stopped moving and she stared at the dagger held to her skin.
“Please don’t do this to me.”
Drake ignored her. He untied his pants and pulled them down and then lifted up her dress, r
evealing her small breasts as well as her stomach. He slid himself within her as he held the knife to her throat and he moaned loudly as he pushed further into her. There was some resistance at first, but he pushed through the obstruction until he felt her body give way and allow him to insert himself entirely. Suzie cried as he penetrated her but he didn’t care. Drake thrust himself inside of her and found his release immediately. It didn’t last long.
Drake rolled off of her and began to dress himself, fixing his hair and wiping away the body fluids that were covering him. There was blood. Suzie lied there and looked away from him, her body completely immobile by the traumatizing assault she just experienced. Her dress was still above her waist and blood seeped from the area between her legs. “Get up,” he growled.
She snapped out of her reverie and covered herself, pulling her dress down and wiping the blood away. There were still tears in her eyes. Suzie stood up and fixed her hair. She didn’t look at him once.
Suddenly, he pushed her against the wall and held the knife to her throat again. She screamed as he pinned her to the wall. “Tell anyone of this and I’ll kill you. Do you understand me?”
She nodded.
“Do you understand me?” he repeated.
“Yes,” she said quickly.
Drake returned his blade to his pocket and opened the door to the storage room for her. As soon as Suzie was outside, she walked to the keep without looking back, her head hung low past her shoulders, and her hand was stained with blood. Drake wasn’t worried that she would tattle on him. He meant what he said. He would kill her if she did.
The following afternoon, Aldo called Drake into the master bedroom, saying the Lord and Lady wished to speak with him. Drake didn’t know the reason for the formal meeting. His heart hammered in his chest when his paranoia descended, but then it evaporated. Suzie wouldn’t say a word. He walked up the grand staircase and saw Aleco off to the side with Rufio. His arms were wrapped around Suzie and she was crying into his shoulder, overcome with grief.
“It’s okay,” he said. “I’ll protect you.” Aleco ran his hands through her hair and she seemed to calm down at the touch. “I’m sorry, but I had to tell them. I couldn’t let this go unpunished, Suzie.”