by Lola Gabriel
“I saw him after I met him initially.”
Her father’s eyes widened, and his face reddened from anger. “How many times?”
“Twice, after I met him,” she answered reluctantly. “I did not feel anything threatening about him, and you know how well I can read people.”
“That’s not the point, Romiera!”
“Would you just stop, please?” she said with frustration, and her father remained silent. “I understand that his family hurt you, Dad, and that because of them you lost your family, but he did not do anything to me. He did not hurt me—”
“He will. They always do.”
“Again, I don’t believe that. Nyx is good, and I know there is kindness in his heart.”
“He’s got you tricked,” her father muttered and turned away. “Unless…”
“Unless what?” she demanded.
Her father whirled around and shook his head in disapproval. “Did something happen between you?”
“Like how? Physically?”
“Did he touch you?”
“No, he did not touch me. How can you even think that?”
“Your energy changed.”
Romi inhaled slowly and deeply through her nostrils. “Dad, I’m going to tell you something, and even though I know you’re going to go ballistic and want to lock me away in the basement or the attic, I need to tell you this. And when I do, please don’t interrupt me, because I need to talk to someone about this, and even though I know you’re not the right person to talk to about this, you’re my dad, and you have the right to know.”
Her father held his hand up, dismissing her immediately, and he took a step toward her. “If this has anything to do with you and that Dragon Prince, then I do not want to hear it.”
“Dad, please—”
“You are to stay away from him. Is that clear?”
“You can threaten me all you like, Dad, but some things are just bigger than your need to control me. I’m done,” she told him, held her hands up in the air in defeat, and turned on her heel.
“Don’t you dare turn your back on me, Romiera,” her father bellowed after her.
She whirled around and pointed her finger at him. “You’re the one who’s making me do it!”
Her eyes filled up with tears, but she did not want to give her father the satisfaction of seeing her crying and emotional. She turned away and stormed out of the house.
The cold night air hit her face as she heard the door slam behind her, and she walked to her car. She drove off into the night, softly chanting the words of a spell she did not use often enough.
A locater spell.
Romi needed to talk to Nyx, but she did not know where he lived, until now. The address floated around in her mind and, punching it into her GPS, she drove straight to it.
She realized she may look like a stalker if she showed up on his doorstep, but she felt like she had no other choice.
She drove into the trendy part of Covent Garden, parked her car behind a silver Mercedes, and climbed out. A dark brown door with a golden number 20 lured her out of her car, as if it knew exactly who she was. She opened it, since it was unlocked, and she walked to the spiral staircase to her left. A golden plaque on the wall showed that Nyx lived in the penthouse on the fourth and fifth floors. Of course, that did not surprise Romi in the least, as she knew the Dragon Princes were incredibly wealthy. She walked up the staircase to the fourth floor and stood in front of his door, hesitating for a moment. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
It only took a moment for the door to open, and Nyx’s face lit up when he saw her, although after a moment, his expression changed slightly.
“Hey,” he said to her with an apprehensive smile.
“Hey, can I come in?”
“Yes.” He stepped aside, allowing her to enter.
Romi stepped inside and although she had never been inside his home before, she felt completely at ease and comfortable. The spacious apartment was bright with large windows and light gray and taupe couches. The drapes were still open, allowing the lights from the city to sparkle through.
“Wow,” she whispered and turned to him.
Nyx was dressed comfortably in a pair of tracksuit pants and a red, long-sleeved T-shirt. His hair was messy, and there was a bit of stubble on his face. Her anger slowly melted away at the sight of him, his presence and just being inside his apartment soothing her, but she still needed answers from Nyx.
“I’m sorry to just show up at your door unannounced,” she apologized and noticed Nyx’s guitar leaning against one of the couches. An open notebook lay on the table beside it, as well as a pencil. Clearly he was in the middle of something. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”
Nyx shot a brief glance at his guitar and shook his head. “No, of course not. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” she answered, but her tone was filled with evidence that she wasn't quite so sure herself.
“Do you want to sit down? Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee?” he asked. “Tea, maybe?”
Romi suppressed a smile, as he was clearly under the misconception that the only thing witches drank was tea, and answered, “No, I’m fine. Thank you.”
Nyx looked at her, unsure of what to do, and shifted his weight. “How did you find me?”
“I did a locater spell in my car. I hope that’s okay. I just really needed to talk to you about something. Actually, it’s more of a confrontational question, to be honest,” she muttered.
“Okay,” Nyx said.
“What did your father do to my family?” she asked bluntly.
“I’m sorry, what?” Nyx asked in confusion.
“What did your father do to my family?” she repeated. “He despises you, all of you, and I want to know if what he told me was true. Did your father kill his coven? Did the Dragon King of Lunca slaughter almost every witch and warlock in my father’s family? I would really like to know.”
“Who’s your father, Romi?”
“Henry Friar, from the Waterford lineage,” she answered.
Nyx’s eyes darkened significantly and he nodded. “My father did kill every witch in that coven, or at least he thought he did.”
“So everything is true. The torturing, the burning at the stakes, even the earthquake…” Her voice trailed off as the images of her father’s past flooded her vision.
“Yes.”
Nyx’s simple answer made her stomach churn.
“I did not know that was your family, Romi,” Nyx said, a thick sense of sadness and guilt in his tone. “I’m so sorry.”
Romi shrugged and shook her head. “It wasn’t you who did all of that, and you couldn't have possibly known that you would meet someone whose father survived that tragedy.”
“I did not do anything to stop it.”
“You were probably just a kid back then anyways,” she whispered. “That’s why my dad hates you so much, and doesn’t want me around you.”
“Wait, you talked about me with your dad?” Nyx asked, panic forming in his eyes.
“Yes, I did. He noticed something changed in me. We were casting spells in the conservatory,” she told him and noticed his perplexed expression. “Yeah, don’t even ask.”
Nyx shrugged his shoulders, but remained wordless.
“Anyway, my energy’s colors changed. It was always green and blue, not a hint of purple or anything remotely warm. This time it was filled with pinks and oranges and purples. I could also hold my energy for so much longer than usual, and it lit up the whole conservatory. It was something so amazing, I can’t even describe it. I couldn’t even begin to tell you how blissful it made me feel,” she explained, her eyes eventually filling with tears. “What did you do to me?”
“I could ask that very same question,” he stated and turned to the notebook on the table. “I write songs about my life, about my feelings, never about a person. People let me down, and I don’t ever want to deprive a song of its potential because
of a connection to a person who is no longer in my life. My songs are about feelings, longing, and wanting to find my place in the world. Then I met you, and everything changed. I started to write a song about you, and the way I feel about you, which sounds so fucking insane because I don’t even know you, even though it feels like I do.”
“I know what that feels like,” she whispered. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Nyx.”
“I can’t stop thinking about you either,” Nyx admitted and placed the notebook back down on the table.
Romi slowly approached him and took his hand, sliding her fingers between his. “Then don’t,” she whispered and looked up at him.
Their eyes met, and Nyx’s free hand rose up to her face. His skin was warm against her cheek and her senses exploded inside her. Her lips parted as he traced an invisible line below her bottom lip, causing Romi’s body to quiver with desire. He leaned in and kissed her lips with an equal amount of passion, urgency, and softness, which was exactly what she needed at that moment.
Releasing his hand, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer to her. His warmth enveloped her, clearing her mind of anything and everything. All that mattered to her at that moment was Nyx. The pressure of his body against her made her want more, and her hands slid down his shoulders, finding the hem of his shirt. Her hands slipped underneath the soft fabric and found his skin, his rippled muscles. Her mouth broke free from his and he kissed her neck, causing her vision to blur with desire. She threw her head back as Nyx’s lips kissed her neck, traveling down her chest. She unbuttoned her shirt and it slid gracefully off her shoulders and down to the floor. Her hands tugged at Nyx’s shirt as well and he pulled it over his head and dropped it to the ground.
The heat inside Romi’s body exploded into a fiery inferno as Nyx scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his bedroom. The coolness of his soft sheets was welcoming in contrast with the fire burning inside her body—and his—and she groaned happily.
Nyx stood at the edge of the bed, staring at her intently and she couldn’t help but silently gaze at him in wonder. He was the closest thing to a perfect specimen she had ever seen. His broad shoulders, his perfectly sculpted torso, his strong jawline, and the incredible way he made her feel everything with such intensity—Nyx, in his entirety, was perfect for her, and she never wanted to be without him.
Ever.
Romi bit her bottom lip and in an attempt to be sexy and seductive, she slowly slid off her pants, holding her gaze with his. It seemed to work, as Romi noticed a definite shift in Nyx’s tracksuit pants and she raised an intrigued eyebrow.
“You should really stop that. You’re killing me,” he whispered in a husky voice.
“I’m not doing anything,” she whispered in return. “Not yet, anyway.”
A smile crept onto Nyx’s lips and he slid his own pants down as well. He slowly made his way onto the bed and positioned himself so that he hovered over Romi.
Romi studied his every move, taking in every inch of his body, etching it in her mind. Her arms around his shoulders brought him closer to her, against her, and she brought one leg up, resting her calf on the small of his back. She felt Nyx hesitate for a moment.
“What’s wrong?” she panted.
“Nothing. Everything is perfect, as long as it’s perfect for you too,” he whispered, brushing a lock of red hair off her face.
Romi smiled warmly, happiness seeping from every pore in her body. “It couldn’t be any more perfect if you tried.”
Nyx smiled again and nodded slowly before kissing her again. His hand moved down to her thigh and he whispered against her lips, “Is this okay?”
“More than,” she whispered back.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
His hand pressed against the soft fabric of her underwear and Romi already felt the fireworks going off inside her panties. The warmth of Nyx’s hands met hers and a moan escaped her throat as he pleased her, still kissing her neck. The waves of pleasure crashed over Romi one after the other until she felt as though she floated six feet above the ground.
“Take them off,” she whispered hoarsely in his ear, and he obeyed. With her calf again resting on the small of his back, she applied pressure, allowing him to slide inside her, and he groaned, his warm breath against her face.
Starting a rhythm which was slow and steady, perfect to start off with according to Romi, she grabbed his shoulders and stared into his eyes. The gray colors swirled around like smoke, hypnotizing her. Her senses intensified even more as she was drawn into him suddenly, feeling everything he felt, and more. It was overwhelming at first, but for once in her life she knew what it felt like to love someone and have them love her exactly the same way in return, if not more. The emotions inside her, connected to him, allowed her life to now make sense to her. She now had a purpose, a dream, a mission, a reason to live!
It was him, and without overthinking it, she knew that it had always been him, even though she wasn't already aware of it. Romi knew what Rhaena had planned for each of the four Dragon Princes, and that each one of them would face even worse challenges when they finally met their True Mates. Nothing would come easily to the princes, and Rhaena had made sure of that.
Romi cleared her mind of all that clutter which seemed to invade her mind so suddenly and she focused on her and Nyx. That was all that mattered at that point.
His rhythm sped up, the desire building up inside both of them at a rapid pace. She held onto him as if her life depended on it and dug her fingernails into his back as she was finally pushed over the edge of her climax.
“Oh my god,” she panted as a powerful orgasm ripped through her, with Nyx following shortly after.
His body jolted against hers, soft groans escaping his lips. When his body grew still, she noticed the drops of perspiration which formed on his forehead. She reached up and ran her fingers through his thick hair and smiled at him.
“Are you okay there, Your Highness?” she asked cockily.
Nyx cringed playfully and shook his head. “Please don’t call me that.”
“You don’t like it?” Her tone was playful.
“I don’t. It makes me feel like an imposter.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I am nothing like my brothers, or my father, and being associated with them, with the family name and the history of everything, it’s just a heavy burden, and in a way, a curse as well. It just makes me feel like shit for no reason.”
“Well, that won’t do,” she whispered and kissed him on the lips. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he whispered in return.
In one swift motion, Nyx positioned himself beside her and wrapped his arms around her. Without saying a word, Romi placed her hand against his heart and felt it pounding rapidly in his chest.
Beating for her, and only her.
5
Nyx had to admit that playing guitar in the nude wasn't something he had ever done, but it felt freeing. Not that he would do it all the time, but there was something sensual and also relaxing about having his guitar against his skin, without a shred of clothes on.
He and Romi were still in bed, in a cloud of soft sheets, fluffy pillows, and overwhelming emotions. Romi had brought his guitar for him a short while ago and requested that he play something for her she had never heard before. Nyx protested, of course, but he finally gave in.
The notes of the guitar filled the air around them and left Romi in awe as she watched him, although Nyx was convinced she was still euphoric from the orgasmic state she was in. It had been so easy and simple with her. Not only the sex—which was mind-blowing—but everything with Romi was just on a whole other level. Everything about being with her, beside her, was easy, and it gave a much deeper and more profound meaning to the idea of being someone’s perfect person.
Romi lay beside him, covered in a light sheet, her pale skin glowing in the moonlight. Her red hair created a fiery halo around he
r face, and her sapphire blue eyes bore into his soul in ways he would never be able to explain or understand.
She was everything he had ever wanted.
He did not sing a single word, as words weren’t needed at that point, and the corners of her mouth curled up into a smile.
“That was beautiful,” she whispered as the last notes faded into the silence.
Nyx smiled shyly and rested his hand on the curve of the guitar. “You’re beautiful.”
“Have you always loved music?” she asked.
“Ever since I could remember. My mother encouraged me, but my father thought it was a useless thing to spend my time on. He wanted me to be a warrior, like Oryn and Pyre. Then he realized that I wasn’t as strong as them, physically or mentally, and my thinking was different. I wasn’t cold and calculated like he was. Then I found that I had a gift for pretending to be someone I’m not. Of course, he saw right through that. He never asked me to go on a ‘hunting trip’ as he liked to call it. I stayed with my mom a lot. I never got to watch a massacre, not that I wanted to. When Pyre and Oryn would come back afterwards, they’d share stories and I’d feel sick to my soul.”
“You did not belong in that family,” she pointed out.
“Neither does my mother. I’m a lot like her.”
“I know.”
“I thought that you knowing so much about me would be disturbing as hell, but I’m not,” he admitted. “I finally feel like I don’t need to pretend anymore, and it feels so good to just be myself.”
“I can imagine.”
“Best of all is that you know everything about me, my family and what they did, and you’re still here.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Nyx. I promise you that,” she said as she reached for his hand and held it tight for a moment.
Nyx squeezed her hand. “And I promise to never let anything happen to you, and that I will never pretend, ever again. You have me forever.”
“Lucky me,” she giggled and sat upright.
Nyx let go of her hand and studied her for a second.