The Prince Charming Search

by Amanda Kay

  He smiled at her and shook his head. “No, sweetheart, you’re not dreaming. I love you, Tai.”

  His simple declaration of love made it all clear for her, “I love you, too, Raiden. Thank you for yet another chance.” His hand left her arm and came to her cheek she focused her eyes in between their bodies.

  “Look at me, sweetheart,” he softly demanded. She followed his gentle demand. “I was willing to let you go. I didn’t know how to fight for you. You had made up your mind, but you gave me my fight back.” She felt her eyes widen as she let out a small gasp and tried to scoot away. “No, Tai. Listen to me. I wanted to fight but didn’t know how. You had doubts swirling around in her head. Ones I thought I cleared yesterday and yet today they were back. When you handed me back my mom’s ring and told me the answer would have been yes, you gave me back my fight and I couldn’t let you go without proposing.” Tai expelled a breath. And a smile formed on her lips. She understood what he meant now.

  “I’m so sorry, playboy,” she cried.

  “Hey now, none of that matters now, but Tai, we have a lot of talking to do. We need to make sure we crush whatever brings up these doubts, because I don’t have another fight in me. You’re mine, I want that forever.” His tone firm and final.

  “Okay, Raiden.” He kissed her forehead, and climbed off the bed. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to call Bethany. Her mom is a doctor. I want her to come look at you.” She just nodded. And he left the room. She was glad for a doctor. She was in a shitload of pain and needed a doctor.

  Raiden

  He wanted Tai to rest so he decided to step out of the room to call Bethany.

  “When are we getting married, Raiden?” He could hear the tears in voice.

  “Don’t know, Bethany. When are you and Jordan getting married? Tai and I haven’t set a date.” He laughed lightly at her gasp.

  “What? She’s staying? You proposed?” Her voice laced with nervous excitement.

  “Yes, yes, and yes. And for the record, she said yes, too,” he said shining with joy.

  “That’s great, Raiden. So shouldn’t you be celebrating?” She laughed.

  “She’s in a lot of pain. I need your mom,” Raiden said, his anger being swallowed hard. He couldn’t focus on what he wanted to do to Kai. He needed to focus on Tai and her injuries.

  “Right, she jumped from the trunk of Kai’s car. Not the smartest thing to do with the speed Jordan said he was using, but the smartest decision based on the alternative.” She was right, Raiden felt that same way.

  “I feel that way, too,” he sighed. Thinking about Tai making the only choice she really had.

  “Raiden, give us two hours. Mom is currently with another patient but then we’ll be there.” Okay, he could deal with that.

  “Okay Bethany, text when you arrive. I don’t have to tell you that the house is...” she cut him off.

  “Locked up tight because of your dad and now Tai. Be there soon.” She hung up on her. The last line, he heard the utter joy in her voice. One that told him she was calling Jordan ASAP.

  He went back to his room, no their room. Tai looked asleep so he just lay next to her and draped his arm gently over his waist.

  Tai

  She felt his arm drape over her but she kept her eyes closed. She had been asleep but when his arm came to her body she woke. She knew he would be upset with himself for waking her. She couldn’t help herself though she wanted to be closer he positioned himself too far away in his effort to not wake her. She snuggled closer to him.

  “Damn, I did wake you,” he chuckled.

  “Yeah, playboy, you did, but it’s okay. Is Bethany’s mom coming over soon? I feel worse than I did earlier.” He frowned slightly at her words and she knew he hated that she was in pain. Her own personal Prince Charming.

  “Yes, sweetheart, they’re both coming but it might a couple hours. Bethany said she was with another patient.” Tai nodded. “Is there something I can do to help while we wait?”

  “You are helping, just don’t squeeze too hard. I love your tight squeezes but right now it hurts.” It sucked, she wanted to be pulled tightly into his arms.

  “Tai, can we talk a little while we wait for them?” She nodded and let him lead with questions. “What changed from last night to the point Jordan got to you after you jumped?”

  “I felt like such a burden. I needed you last night when I was doubting and from the beginning it seemed like you were always picking up pieces of me.” She had to gather her thoughts. For the first time she was being honest with herself about what happened today. She wanted to be able to blame it on Raiden not proposing, but it wasn’t that. She didn’t think it was ever that, she knew somewhere deep down it was her insecurities driving her doubt.

  “Sweetheart...” he soothed, but she shook her head.

  “Not yet, Raiden. I think my doubts were always triggered by my own fears and insecurities. Ones put there by Jordan when we were together. I was so wrapped in us that I let myself believe in fairy tales but reality was crashing down around me every second. Gloria coming by to make me think you were cheating, your dad, Kai kidnapping me. I knew you had so much to worry about but you were so focused on me and I didn’t think I was being fair. So I drove myself to believe that you hadn’t proposed yet, so something was wrong. You’d had the ring for a month and you hadn’t proposed when Bethany was so sure you would propose the first week. So that was bothering me and then everything else became more intense and I got even more scared. It was so stupid and I don’t know why I let it drive me.”

  “Can we go back to something you said?” She nodded. “Bethany told you I had the ring.” She started shaking her head.

  “No, I was going to the diner and she was talking with Jordan. She was so excited and she wanted to tell him that soon they could make a real go of things. She was confident you would propose right away. Neither of them saw that I had walked in and I didn’t end up staying. I got excited and let anticipation drive me. As more time passed I started to let my own demons about myself take over.”

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t mean to make you wait. I was just searching for that perfect moment, Even though I was being told, no matter what, all I had to do was propose and when you said yes the moment would become perfect. When I decided I would propose while your dad was here, I thought it would be the perfect surprise followed by another perfect moment. Everyone kept telling me not to wait but I shrugged them off. But most importantly I failed you. I didn’t see the signs I should’ve seen.” They sighed together.

  “The moment was perfect, and I’m sorry again, playboy.”

  He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and smiled at her. “Doesn’t matter now. But, Tai, next time just talk me. If you start to feel like that again talk to me.”

  “Yeah, but promise me you’ll help pull it out of me if I start to close in on myself cause times it’s hard to talk.” He nodded.

  “I love you,” he said tucking her as tight as he could without causing too much pain. The problem was just that she was in pain.

  “I love you, too.”

  Raiden

  All felt right in his world again. He understood things a bit better. He hated that she felt like a burden though. He didn’t know he was making her feel like that. His phone buzzed signaling a text. ‘Just pulled up.’

  “Tai, sweetheart, they just pulled up. I’m going to go let them in.” She nodded weakly at him. He knew she was tired and in pain she needed a quick check so she could go to sleep. He kissed her cheek before getting up to let in Bethany and her mom.

  Reaching the door he unlocked it, “Thanks for coming,” he greeted stepping aside so they could enter.

  “Of course, Raiden, Bethany says your fiancée was kidnapped this morning that resulted in her jumping from the trunk of a moving vehicle.” He loved the use of fiancée, It was the first time someone had used it and he loved it.

  “This way,” he gestured for them to
follow him up the stairs.

  When they entered the room Tai looked asleep. He walked quietly to her side of the bed kneeling on the floor. He brushed her hair from her cheek. Whispering against her ear, “Sweetheart, the doctor is here.” She stirred and glanced back to him and nodded.

  “Hello,” she said weakly for a lot of reasons, the most prevalent one just being physically drained from everything the day brought.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Tai, both Raiden and Bethany can’t shut up about you.” Raiden noticed a small smile touch Tai’s lips.

  “Tai, sweetheart, do you want me to stay?” She looked at him and shook her head. He understood, besides, he needed to talk with Bethany. Knowing Kai had put her in this position pissed him the fuck off and he wasn’t handling it well internally. He gave her one more kiss and knowing she was in good hands, he left the room following behind Bethany.

  “Damn it, dude, she looks super sore. You know how fast he was going? He shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Let’s talk about it, Raiden. You need to air it all out so when mom comes out you can go be what she’s going to need you to be. So yell and scream, air it out right now.” She was right he nodded the direction of the porch and they walked downstairs to go outside.

  “Shit, Bethany. I nearly lost it when I saw the front door open and knew her cell was here. When my phone started ringing and I saw it was Jordan I wasn’t going to answer. I just thank God he ended up behind them somehow.” He sighed. He wanted to go kick Kai’s ass.

  “Dude, she’s going to need you to keep the fact that you want to keep Kai’s sorry ass in check. I know you want to. Hell, Raiden, I want to, but we can’t stoop to Kai’s level.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed.

  “I know that, but he....God I don’t want to even think about what he would have done to her.” He was holding on by a thread.

  “Maybe he said something. Ask her, it might help you to talk with her about this morning.” He nodded maybe it would maybe it wouldn’t but he knew he needed to know what Kai had said when he kidnapped Tai.

  “Hey, you two,” Bethany’s mom poked her head out. “I’m all done. Just some bruising and scratches. She’s going to be sore for a couple days but otherwise lucky. I gave her some pain medicine to take as needed. Mostly she’s just going to need rest and little bit of love.” Raiden smiled and they agreed to see themselves out promising to the lock the door. He needed to get back to Tai and they both understood that.

  She was just about asleep but she heard the door open. She wanted Raiden near her. When he walked out with Bethany, she sensed something was a little off with him, and before she let it fester and cause them both needless pain, she wanted to talk about it. Wanted him to talk about it.

  “Playboy,” she whispered as he quietly shut the door.

  “I thought you would be asleep, the Doc said you needed rest.”

  “I was almost asleep, but I’m glad you came in.” His eyes shifted to hers as he walked towards the bed pulling her gently to him as he lay down. “What’s going on, sweetheart?”

  “Something seems like it’s bothering you. I wanted to know what.” She watched as a small smile touched lips before brushing them against hers for a light tender loving kiss.

  “Sweetheart, I am fighting every bit of my instinct to go handle Kai, but it’s not me. I don’t want to ever stoop to his level. I’m worried about what he said to you, though, and if he hurt you at all.” She watched as he paused he had more to say so she waited. “Then I want you to tell me what you need from me or what you want me to do.” He was warring internally, she could hear it in his voice. He wanted to probably not only beat the shit out of Kai, but most likely kill him. She had to gather her thoughts, she needed to tell him what he said but needed to tread carefully as if walking on thin ice.

  “He said he wanted to know what all the fuss was about.” He held her gaze confused pressing her with his eyes to continue. “He said you like to screw, for lack of a better term, human women, especially me and he wanted to find out basically what you liked so much.” She watched as Raiden’s eyes widened and he jumped off the bed anger pouring from every pore. She sat up on the bed. “Playboy?” she questioned, fearful of his mood.

  “He was planning on raping you. I can’t handle that he even thought that,” he said punching the wall.

  “Playboy,” she said firmly this time, his eyes drifted towards her. “Playboy, he didn’t hurt me. I tried to scream but he warned me against it and then covered my mouth. Raiden, he didn’t hurt me,” she pleaded.

  He stalked back towards the bed sitting down next to her. “Yes, he did, sweetheart. You were kidnapped and jumped from the trunk of the car, and while I am so proud of you for making that decision because the alternative would’ve caused me to kill him. The point is the reason you hurt now is because of him.” Tai could see him still hanging on by a thread.

  “I wanted to scream for you but when he warned me not to, I was scared that he would do something like turn me into a vampire. I love you, Raiden, but I like being human.” He smiled a little.

  “I like that you’re human, sweetheart. I wouldn’t ask you to change to be with me.” It was her turn to smile.

  “Playboy, I know you want to kill him, but it’s not worth it, I’m okay.” He nodded.

  “What is it that you need from me, my love?” He caressed down her neck, to shoulder, and finally down her arm.

  “Just you. Stay till I fall asleep. Then if you need to take care of things, I understand, but don’t leave till I fall asleep.” Kissing her brow, he tucked her close.

  Raiden

  She snuggled close to him and he held her just like she asked him to do. When she dozed off, he carefully removed his limbs from around her taking extra care to not wake her. He knew he needed to update his dad and her dad. He needed to explain to both of them the kidnapping and what Tai had done to escape. Maybe the more he talked about it the more he would be able to let go of his anger. If he was honest with himself, he wanted nothing more than to go beat the ever living tar out of Kai Lukas. However, unlike the Lukas family, Raiden’s family had never resorted to violence. The entire time his family had power they ran it like a normal government, taking care to ask their citizens for their suggestions and concerns. They were respected but Raiden also knew there were vampires who sided with The Lukas family which was a problem.

  “Dad, can I come in?” he questioned at his father’s open study door.

  He looked up from his computer, “Always, son.” Raiden entered and then sat across from his dad. “So...” he dragged out and Raiden needed nothing else but that prompt.

  “She was leaving, but when she came to say goodbye she gave me mom’s ring back and said the answer would’ve been yes. I found my fight. I dropped to both knees and proposed. I begged her to marry me and she said yes.” His dad’s smile lit his face. This was what he had always wanted for Raiden, so this news was great.

  “That’s wonderful why aren’t you two celebrating?” Raiden hadn’t told him about Kai’s latest scheme.

  “Dad, this morning Tai got up before me and decided to make you and I breakfast. While she was getting things ready someone knocked on the door. Feeling at home like I hoped she did, she answered it. Kai was there and he kidnapped her.” Raiden had to pause as he began to see red again.

  “Are you fucking kidding, son?” Raiden shook his head in answer. “Oh my God, is she okay?”

  “She’s really sore, but I had Bethany’s mom come over to check her out. She jumped from the trunk of his car. Jordan was behind them, Kai was speeding though, pretty bad. She was lucky.” He sighed thinking about what could’ve happened to her. There were so many possibilities.

  “The point is, she’s okay, son, and she’s here with your mother’s ring on her left hand.” Raiden smiled that was indeed the point. “Go, son, we can figure out a plan to end the terror on this family caused by the Lukas family another time, go and be with Tai.” Raiden wan
ted to get back to her anyways even though she said he could leave. He wanted to be holding her when she woke up.

  Tai

  As she began to stir, she felt his arms, she was glad he was still there but hoped he had gotten something done while she slept. As she fully awoke she smelled food, it smelled delicious.

  “You made me lunch?” She asked turning on her side to face him.

  He pulled his face back and smiled, “No my sleeping beauty, I made us lunch.” She chuckled at his fairy tale reference.

  “Why didn’t Prince Charming wake me up then?” He laughed. Tai liked that he was laughing, she knew that this morning was still eating at him.

  “You want Prince Charming or playboy?” he flirted as his tongue tasted the skin on her neck. She was sore but she needed Raiden.

  “I just want you.” He looked up from her. She could see hesitation in his eyes; he didn’t want to hurt her. “Playboy, you’re more than capable of being gentle, but I need you. We haven’t celebrated our engagement.” She winked and hoped it would jump start him.

  She got her wish as his hands began trailing down her blouse unbuttoning each button carefully stroking her skin with his fingers as he continued to move further down. His mouth began to follow carefully sucking gently on her skin.

  “Tai, sweetheart, you’ll tell me if something starts bothering you? If you’re just too sore.” She nodded unable to find her voice at the moment. His fingers had been playing with her left breast causing her to forget how to speak.

  “Mmm...” she moaned as he took one of her nipples into his mouth. This was what she needed, this connection was all she needed, him for the rest of her life. “I’m glad I stayed, Raiden.

  He paused what he was doing locking his eyes with hers, “You are my life, Tai, my life, never forget that,” he finished his sentence and before she could nod he was kissing her lips. She found his tongue and they were lost in each other. He finished stripping her clothes off. And then finally broke their kiss to strip off his own clothes and to retrieve a condom. Slipping it on, he hovered back over her holding his weight off of her. “Tai, you need me to stop just say the word, sweetheart.”