by R. Scarlett
He moved forward, a determination in his chest as he approached her.
Standing in front of her, those vivid eyes locked on his, the beast slowed.
The beast calmed and the man conquered.
A single look and he came undone.
But he simply bent his head and kissed her lips once. So soft, so tender and it was over.
“I’ll be back, dolcezza,” he whispered on those plump lips and he eyed them as they parted in a soft gasp. “Every night, I’ll be back.”
He turned, marching to the door, telling himself to keep walking, but he damned himself as soon as he reached the door and glanced back.
He was damned as soon as his heart had been ripped out of him.
He was damned to her.
TENSLEY MARCHED INTO the empty halls, shaking out of his cloak. His chest felt unbearably heavy. Leaving Molly and his child made his entire body ache. He wanted to be there for her, to be there for every single moment, to protect her and care for her.
The beast rumbled inside of him. Not out of anger, but of agreement. Each moment he spent with his dolcezza, he felt the pull, the weight of his heart growing. Seto had been right. It was only a matter of time before she fully tamed the beast.
He shook his head, growling lightly. It was happening too fast, but he had seen the signs. Even heartless, he was drawn to her.
Nothing.
Not even having his heart ripped out could stop him from having her.
“Tensley,” a voice called to him as he neared his bedchambers.
He paused, glancing to his side to find the prince leaning against the wall. What caught Tensley’s eye was the glint of the blade wedged between two of the prince’s fingers.
The beast inside of him twisted with anger at the use of informal address, but he knew the prince well enough to know that he was probably looking for an aggressive response.
“The court is talking about the tamer of beasts,” the prince said, his voice low to the point it was barely audible. “And how she tamed your heart.” He gestured to Tensley’s chest.
Tensley stood stiffly, his expression blank, but a fury burning inside of him as soon as the prince even mentioned his dolcezza.
“Talking of how easily their king will be ruled by a whore, how easily our kingdom of beasts will fade into nothing under your reign,” the prince continued and took slow, even steps forward. His grin vanished and reappeared under the shadows. He paused a foot away and let his gaze wander. “And I have to agree with them. She truly did curse you.”
Tensley gritted his teeth and stayed still.
“The beast has a heart,” the prince said, his own mouth twitching in response.
“I don’t fear the court,” Tensley said, rolling his shoulders back.
“Ah, but you should,” Lilith’s voice rang behind him, yet he didn’t bother to turn around.
The bottom of her gown whispered across the tiled marble floors as she entered his view, a twisted smile on her lips.
“That iron heart,” she said, her eyes moving down to his chest—as if she could see through his cloak and shirt and muscle and bones and see the forbidden organ. “Is truly your curse.” Her laughing eyes lifted to his and she shrugged, a laugh following after. “They do not wish for a king with a heart. Soon enough, they will realize this and grow brave enough to rally against you. And when they do, I’ll sit back and watch. Because when they rip your heart out again, you’ll be well and truly gone this time.”
He simply stared back, but the smug expression on her face didn’t sit well in his twisting gut.
“My dear son missed an important part of the curse he gave to your lovely whore,” Lilith said, curling a red lock around her index finger.
Tensley glanced at the prince who stared at his mother, a pinched look on his face.
“If someone is to rip your heart out once again,” Lilith began, taking a small step forward, but she invaded his space and her perfume suffocated him. “You will die. You will not come back. The curse not only forces a man to grow a heart, it also fusions the beast to the new heart. When you lost your heart the first time, the beast lived freely within you. It could live without the heart. But now that they form one, one cannot live without the other. Demons cannot live without the beast. So when they come after you, because they do not wish you as king, they will kill you, my brutal king, and your wife will be left unprotected.”
Rage boiled in his veins and he fisted his hands beside him, eyeing the woman in front of him. If someone ripped out his heart…
“Now, sweet beast, I have yet to mention this little notion to any of my court,” Lilith said, happily moving around him, a soft smile on her mouth. “And I will not, unless you agree to allow me to be your queen and to abide by my rules. Knowing this would put them at a great advantage against you, you and I both know they would not hesitate to use said advantage.”
Tensley wanted to snap her neck then and there.
“You will not disobey me in front of the court, you will council with me first before anyone else, and you will not leave this court without my permission,” Lilith said, raising her chin high, a venomous smile growing at the corners of her lips.
Tensley sucked at his teeth. He wanted to tell her to fuck off, that he wouldn’t be threatened by her and the prince’s knowledge of what was now one of his weaknesses, but he thought of Molly, of their son, and his iron heart.
If Lilith ripped it out, if the court knew of his death curse, it would only be a matter of time before they turned against him. He knew how they felt toward him, and how that wouldn’t change.
“Fine,” he bit out, glaring at her as she grinned back at him.
“Swear it,” Lilith snapped, her eyes growing wide and wild.
He gritted his teeth. “I swear to abide by you.”
The only woman he would ever swear to abide by was his dolcezza but if it meant protecting her and his family, he would do anything.
He would bow to a queen of snakes.
MOLLY PRESSED A hand to her stomach as another cramp pulsed. Over the past week and a half, the cramps had gotten worse and when she went back to the doctor, he said it wasn’t anything to worry about.
The baby was getting fussy and she prayed everything was fine.
But she hadn’t seen Tensley since he left her that day. He didn’t return every night and she missed him.
She stroked her belly and continued brushing her teeth. It had been a few days since she moved into the townhouse. Daphne and the soldiers were constantly asking her if she needed anything and she hated it.
Ever since Scorpios found out she was pregnant, they treated her like something breakable. A soldier accompanied her to school, insisted by Daphne and she only agreed to make sure Daphne didn’t worry too much more than she already did.
She spat into the sink and rinsed out her mouth, standing back up to look at herself in the mirror. If she was closer to seven months, she only had two months or so before the baby was born. That thought made her heart race. She had so much more she wanted to do before he arrived. So many things she wanted to deal with to make sure everything would be safe for him when he arrived.
Would Tensley be with them by then?
A knock at the door startled her and she opened it into the bedroom to find Donovan, Gabriella’s oldest boy standing there.
His eyes were bloodshot and Molly brushed his hair to the side. “What’s wrong, Donovan?”
He sniffled. “I can’t sleep.”
Molly smiled at the little boy, a little version of Tensley and she took his hand.
“How about I read you a bedtime story?” Molly asked and helped him up onto the king size bed. The same bedroom Molly and Tensley had both stayed in before he took the oath and became the Dux of Scorpios.
Donovan climbed up onto the bed and settled into the mountain of feather pillows, almost disappearing and Molly sat down beside him.
His eyes went to her belly and he gently touched it. “Y
ou have a baby in there? Just like mommy did before my sister arrived?” he asked, eyes full of wonder and fascination.
Molly laughed. “Yes. It’s your uncle Tensley’s baby. A little boy, just like you.”
Donovan frowned, staring at her belly. Then he blinked and looked up at her with soft brown eyes. “I miss uncle Tensley.”
Molly bit her lip as it began to tremble and she hummed softly. “I do, too. But he’ll be back soon.” She combed his hair back. “He misses you a lot, too, do you know that?”
Donovan lowered his lashes and a faint smile took to his lips. His hand went back to her belly and he stroked it with his two fingers. “Can I talk to the baby?”
Molly nodded, her smile uncontrollable as she watched the little boy lean down close.
“Hi baby,” he whispered. “I’m gonna protect you. Just like Uncle Tensley would want me to. He always says I’m a strong boy. I’ll show you how to be a strong boy too.”
Molly rubbed along the side of her stomach.
Donovan turned his face toward her belly and gave it a gentle kiss, and she thought of Tensley.
How much she missed him.
Of how many things he was missing.
Another cramp pulsed in her lower belly and she squeezed an eye shut. Donovan sat back into the pillows and leaned his head against her shoulder.
“Can I sleep with you tonight?” he asked, oblivious, a yawn breaking up his words.
Molly brushed his hair back and forth, smiling at the sweet boy. “Sure.”
With each stroke of her hand he fell deeper into a slumber and she watched his chest slowly fall and rise.
When her door creaked open, she sat up to find Daphne in the doorway.
A warm smile took to Daphne’s mouth. “I’ll let Gabriella know he’s with you tonight.”
Molly nodded, afraid to speak incase Donovan woke from his sleep.
Daphne shut the door and Molly settled into the pillows. Listening to Donovan’s soft murmurs and feeling him snuggle closer to her warmed her chest. She wanted this life. She wanted this life with Tensley.
She thought of his promise, the one night in Paris—of a big house, of lots of kids, and how they would always be together.
Sleep ate at her and soon she too drifted.
Only to be awoken by a siren and shouts. Molly jolted upright, her heart pounding against her ribcage and Donovan stirred beside her.
“What’s that?” he whispered.
Molly stared at the closed door in the darkness of the room and heard the pitter patter of footsteps thudding across the hardwood floor.
Whatever was happening beyond that door was not good.
“Stay here, okay?” Molly told him, struggling to stand up, her feet swollen and sore.
She tiptoed over to the door and peeked through.
Just as she looked out, Daphne appeared, out of breath.
She opened the door and stepped inside, shutting it behind her.
“You need to get to the safe room with Donovan and stay there,” Daphne told her in a hushed tone.
Molly gawked at her. “What’s going on?”
Daphne shook her head. “I’m not sure, but someone has entered the house. I’ll be in there shortly. Go!”
Molly wanted to protest, to fight against her. She was Dux. She was covering for Tensley, but with the baby inside of her, she knew she couldn’t risk anything.
“Okay,” Molly said, calming herself. She went back to the bed and helped Donovan down onto his feet. He slotted his hand with hers and they walked back over to Daphne.
Daphne bent, kissing Donovan’s cheeks and brushing his chin. “Be a good boy and help Molly, okay? Grandma will see you soon.”
Donovan nodded, still half asleep.
Daphne stood, a glint in her brown eyes. Something Molly rarely saw from Mrs. Knight. “The safe room is just down the hallway and through the library. Donovan knows which book to touch, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” He grinned tiredly up at her.
“Good boy,” Daphne whispered. “Now go and be quiet.”
Daphne opened the door and they all tiptoed out. Just as they took a few steps down the hallway, Molly glanced back to see Daphne gone.
Donovan tugged at her hand and they continued. Once they entered the dark library, Donovan let go and walked over to the back of the room, his finger tracing each book until he stopped in front of a red one. He simply pulled it back and a built in door just a few feet away opened up in the wall.
Molly followed him inside and saw Gabriella with baby Isabella in her arms.
Gabriella bit back a cry as she stretched an arm open and Donovan snuggled in close. She kissed his temple and looked up at Molly.
“Damn Ares,” she hissed.
Molly went to speak, but violent screams stole her voice and she moved further back.
“We’re under attack,” Molly whispered, all the blood rushing to her head. “Ares is here.”
Isabella whined and Gabriella hushed her, swaying her in her arms. “Where’s my mom?”
Molly blinked back at her. “She said she’d be here soon.”
A dark look washed over Gabriella’s features and her eyes grew bloodshot. “She’s not coming.”
Molly’s heart shattered at the soft tone of Gabriella’s voice. Daphne wasn’t coming?
She bowed her head, a thousand thoughts storming through her. She looked back up at the closed door.
“I’m the temporary Dux,” Molly whispered. “I should be out there.”
Gabriella gripped Molly’s wrist. “No, you shouldn’t. Not when you’re carrying the heir.”
“I can fight them,” Molly argued. “I’m a daemon. I shouldn’t be here. I will make them beg before they kill another Scorpios.”
Gabriella shook her head. “You can’t risk it.”
“Scorpios is a part of me now,” Molly said and stood. “And I will kill anyone who tries to harm my people.”
Gabriella’s eyes grew wet, unable to speak, unable to look away as Molly turned and opened the door.
“Molly,” Gabriella shouted as quietly as possible.
But it wasn’t stopping her.
She was going to face Ares and destroy them once and for all.
They had yet to feel her fury.
MOLLY CREPT INTO the hallway, shouts and glass breaking causing her breathing to quicken.
She knew the danger, she knew the risk, but she wasn’t afraid. She wouldn’t back down from Ares anymore.
Especially when she was protecting people she loved and her unborn son.
The shadows crawled up the walls as she approached the staircase. She glanced down, seeing figures of men move further into the townhouse.
Shouts erupted from downstairs, more destruction, a bang so loud her teeth rattled.
Someone screamed—and then there was a deadly silence.
She tiptoed down the stairs, watching the darkness of the hallway carefully.
The normal neat hallway that greeted her was a chaotic mess of blood and broken glass sprinkled across the hardwood floors.
Here, it almost looked peaceful now. But just by the sounds, she could tell the attack had simply made its way deeper into the house.
They were gaining on them, and that could only mean one thing; Scorpios was losing more and more men.
Molly’s blood boiled.
In one of the dark corners of the room, she saw one of their soldiers sitting by the wall and rushed to him. His entire face was swollen and beaten, and he held a hand to his throat which gushed blood.
Fucking Ares…
Molly tore her housecoat, creating a makeshift cloth that she pressed against the man’s throat, hoping it would help in some way. Through the blood and bruises, she recognized his features. She had seen him a handful of times, bumping into him when coming in and out of the Scorpios household. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t remember his name, and she realized she wasn’t even sure anyone had ever introduced t
hem to each other.
The thought broke Molly’s heart. This man was bleeding for Scorpios, bleeding for their Dux. He’d fought against Ares, to protect them, to save them…and she couldn’t even refer to him by his name.
His eyes met hers—exhausted, thankful, but he didn’t speak.
His hands were shaking from what Molly assumed was the lack of blood, his skin no doubt growing colder and colder by the second.
“What’s your name?” Molly asked gently in the darkness, she wouldn’t let the man go without knowing. He deserved as much.
The man opened his mouth to speak, and started coughing out blood and some specs of it sprayed onto Molly’s housecoat, the white silk turning a deep shade of red in some places.
“Ge…George,” he croaked out, barely managing the word out. “I’m sorry,” he added, looking at her ruined clothing.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about, George. It’s fine.”
She couldn’t muster the courage to lie to him. To tell him that he would be okay, when they both knew he wouldn’t. He had lost too much blood, and even if help rushed in now, she knew they wouldn’t be able to save him.
She grabbed his hand, holding it reassuringly.
He didn’t need false words, he needed someone to hold him until his last breath. She couldn’t leave him alone.
He simply stared back at her and let his head sag to rest on the wall. These were her people and she wouldn’t let them down. She would fight for them. Fight to win their power back.
After a while, the man’s eyes started to close, his eyelids seeming heavier and heavier. His skin was positively chilling now, and she knew from the gurgling sounds that this was it. He was leaving them.
“Thank you, George,” Molly whispered, grip tightening on the man’s hand. “Thank you for what you did for Scorpios. Thank you for your courage.”
When he took his final breath, Molly breathed out shakily, patted the dead man’s heavy hand and let go.
Molly stood, continuing down the dark hallway, distant voices spatting back and forth ahead.
A lamp lit the shadowy hall and she heard a whimpering sound. She scanned the floor, until she found the source of the sound and her stomach dropped and she almost vomited.