Criss leans in and kisses her. She does and then she breaks it off. “I can’t Criss. I can’t.”
“I just had to. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, but I can’t do it.”
“I understand.”
“I have to tell you something.”
“You can tell me anything.” Criss is playing with her left hand.
“I met Eden tonight.”
Criss gets deadly still. Belladonna wonders if he is still breathing. “You met him?”
“Yes. He was in my dream.”
“What did he want?”
“To apologize.”
“I see.”
“He is going to clean up the mess tomorrow and see me.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Criss.”
“Don’t Criss me. I don’t trust him.”
“What is he King of?”
“It’s not important.”
“You are King of the Dark, what is he the King of?”
“I’ll let him tell you.”
“Okay.”
“Can I touch you?”
“No it makes things fuzzy. I’m trying to figure things out.”
“I’m just trying to take care of you.”
“Cooper can do that.”
“Not like I can.”
“Criss don’t.”
“I’ve been doing for how many years?”
“Criss don’t do that.”
“I’m the one that learned how your body responds. What you like. What you don’t like. I taught you everything. I know you better than anyone.”
“Criss not helping your case.”
“I’m telling you the truth. I’m tell you what you like. What you need.”
“I’m going.”
“Let me get you off.”
“Criss I’m going.”
Criss goes to touch her and Belladonna moves. Criss lays on top of her and kisses her. He slides his hands down her sleep pants. She moans loudly. “Just let me take care of you. It doesn’t mean anything. I’m just taking of you. I’m taking care of the love of my life. God you are so wet. I want you so bad. I know I can’t have you. I can’t wait until I can. When I can slowly make love to you. The way we used to. We only did hard and fast when we had to. I don’t enjoy it as much. You knew this about me. If you’d let me restore your memories, you’d know everything. God Bell cum for me. You’re so close. What do you need? I love you so much. Do you want to know that? I love you. I love only you. Forever. I’ve always only loved you. Cum for me. Come on Bell, you can cum. I will act completely normal when it’s over. I swear. Cum for me. There you go. That’s my girl. Oh god yeah”.
Belladonna once she gets done kisses Criss. Criss licks his fingers then goes back to kissing Belladonna. “You’re so wet.”
“It’s fine.”
“Do you want something else?” he whispers in her ear.
“No, I need to go back to sleep.”
“I can eat you.”
“No, I need sleep.”
“You will have him take care of you.”
‘’I’m going to bed.”
“Okay. I love you.”
“I love you.”
Belladonna woke up and woke up Cooper to make love. Which they did for the rest of the night.
The next afternoon there was a knock at the door. Cooper went to the door where a guy with long black hair was standing along with an eight-person cleaning crew. “Hello, my name is Eden I brought a cleaning crew to take care of the house.”
“Come in. I’m Cooper.”
Belladonna came into the kitchen with Destiny where she was face to face with Eden. “Hello Belladonna and Destiny.”
“Hello.”
“I brought these people to clean the house.”
“I’ll tell them where to go,” Belladonna says.
“Come this way,” Cooper says.
Cooper leads him into the sitting room as it’s cleaned up. Eden looks around the room as if he’s never seen it before. He sits down opposite of Cooper. Eden seems to be sizing Cooper up. Cooper chuckles softly seeing Eden as no competition. Belladonna comes in and sits beside Cooper putting Destiny in a boppy on the floor. “She looks just like you.”
“Yes, she is my mini me.”
“I saw you are having another child.”
“Yes, we are.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” they say together.
“I apologize to you Cooper for what I did to your home.”
“I don’t think an apology is good enough to be honest.”
“No, it probably isn’t. I hope the cleaners show that I am serious about my apology. I shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”
“What were you hoping to gather?”
“I was hoping to gather information about her.”
“Usually getting to know a person is a better way to do that.”
“I realize that now.”
Belladonna shakes her head.
“You want her to be your Queen?”
“She told you that?”
“We don’t have secrets,” Belladonna says.
“None?”
“None.”
“So, if you were to have sex with me you would tell him?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting.”
“What if I was to kiss you would you tell him?”
“Yes.”
“What if Criss was to kiss you would you tell him?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting.”
“I’m sure you get tired of hearing about Criss.”
“I’m used to hearing about Criss.”
“Did you hear about Criss last night?”
“I don’t think that is your business, Eden.”
“I only ask because she made love to you after being with Criss.”
“I know everything she does.”
“Okay. Just checking.”
“How would you know what I did or didn’t do?” Belladonna asks.
“Criss doesn’t secure his world. Anyone can watch.”
Cooper grabs Belladonna’s hands before she does something she’ll regret. There is a knock at the door and Belladonna gets the door. Criss and Gatlin are at the door. She lets them in. They go in the sitting room. Eden stands up. “Well look who it is the polar opposite brothers. King of the Dark and King of the No One Knows.”
Gatlin smiles and sits down in the chair next to Belladonna. She feels safer having Gatlin beside her. Criss takes the chair diagonal from Belladonna. “Hello King of Misery.”
“Gatlin that makes it sound so bad.”
“I can’t help it what you’re King of.”
Belladonna keeps her face neutral as does Cooper. Eden waits for some sort of reaction but there is none. “What have you all been discussing,” Criss asks.
“We were discussing your activities last night,” Eden says.
Criss looks at Eden without giving away anything. You can however see his anger under the surface. “You really should protect yourself. You can see EVERYTHING that goes on. You taught her well I guess.”
Criss flies across the room and has Eden pinned to the floor. “Say anything like that again and I end you. END YOU.”
“Understood.”
Criss gets off him and goes back over to his seat as if nothing happened. Eden slowly gets up and straightens himself. He has a slight tremor. “Would you like some water?” Belladonna asks.
“Yes please.”
Belladonna goes to get him some water. Criss ends up in the kitchen with her. He says nothing he just touches her face and then goes back into the sitting room. Belladonna comes into the room with his water. In the time she has been gone a man from Eden’s team has come in. He is standing in the entryway. Belladonna assumes this must be Dimetri. He is keeping his eyes on Criss. Belladonna wants to laugh but keeps herself in check. “I would like to apologize for my part in ransacking your hom
e,” the man says.
“You are Demetri?” Belladonna asks.
“Yes I am.”
“If you ever do anything to destroy something of mine again, I will break you.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Who is at the door now?” Cooper asks.
Cooper goes to the door and it’s Nicolae. Cooper fills him in on what has been going on telepathically. Belladonna hugs Nicolae when he comes into the room. Nicolae sits on the floor with Destiny. “Nicolae, this is Eden.”
“Oh yes the destroyer of the house.”
“Never been called that before.”
“Well now you have a new name.”
“I guess I do.”
“So, what were you wanting today, Eden?” Belladonna asks.
“I wanted to talk to you alone actually.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Belladonna looks around.
“I see that. Maybe another time.”
“Maybe not,” Cooper says with a devilish grin.
“Cooper, I mean no harm to you. Not of you. I don’t want to step on your toes or anything.”
“Well, my house says otherwise.”
“I will make up for that. I swear.”
“Well until you do this is how it’s going to be.”
“Understood. Well, I will go. The cleaning crew will stay here until they’re done. Agnus is the one in charge. I will introduce you to her. She knows to make sure everything is hundred percent before they leave. If you need anything call for me or Dimetri.”
“We will,” says Cooper.
Eden leads Belladonna to Agnus. Belladonna says a few words to her and then walks Eden to the door. Eden stops her and grabs her by the shoulders. “I deeply apologize for what I did yesterday. I will make up for it. I swear it.”
“It sounds like it was right up your alley King of Misery.”
“I’m more than that. I’ve been that for decades. It isn’t who I truly am.”
“Sure, it isn’t and Criss isn’t King of the Dark.”
“We are more than our titles.”
“You should go.”
“Yes Queen.”
“Thank you for having me over.”
“You’re welcome.”
Dimetri and Eden left. Cooper waves at them. He then locks the doors tight. “How do we get rid of everyone else?”
“I don’t know, Coop.”
Coop sighs and they go into the sitting room where everyone else is sitting. Destiny has fallen asleep in the boppy. They are all sitting around talking. “I don’t like him,” Nicolae says.
“I already didn’t like him,” Criss says.
“Ditto,” Gatlin says.
“I don’t care for him,” Cooper says.
“I think Criss scared the hell out of him,” Belladonna says while laughing.
“Oh yeah,” Cooper and Gatlin say.
“I’m sorry I missed it.,” Nicolae says.
“It was not to be missed,” Cooper says.
“He shouldn’t have opened his mouth,” Criss says rubbing his temple.
“What exactly did he say?” Nicolae asks.
“Not important,” Criss says.
“Okay I will just tread on thin ice with Criss when it comes to Belladonna I’m going to assume?”
“Yes.”
“Got it.”
Gatlin starts laughing. “Poor Nicolae is going to be trying not to talk about anything now.”
Nicolae laughs “I’ll figure out the boundaries.”
“I’m leaving. I’m spent now. Belladonna can you walk me to the door?” Criss asks.
Belladonna walks Criss to the door. He stands at the door and looks down. “I didn’t know anyone could look in on us. It won’t ever happen again I swear. I am incredibly embarrassed. Especially because of what I said to you was supposed to be between only us. Dear lord the fact he said anything like that makes me want to rip his head off. God. That’s private. Dear god. I know people know but it’s something else for me to share it with you like that. I’m going to kill him.”
“Criss I shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t have. That was proof I shouldn’t have.”
“Did Cooper not know?”
“No, he knew. He knows everything I do. I didn’t tell him every little thing that was said. Cause we don’t discuss that. I’m sure he’ll have questions about that. If that is something we use and if I’m fine with it now. That is just. God. I shouldn’t have done it.”
“Sweetheart, it was me. Please don’t throw away everything because Eden decided to piss on it. Please. Was it bad of me kissing your back?”
“No, it wasn’t but then you talked about the stuff from when I was thirteen. I should have stopped at that point, but I didn’t. I was turned on by it. I shouldn’t have been. I was a child. Dear god. How sick am I? I can’t do this Criss. I need clear boundaries with you. Everything is fuzzy with you. Very fuzzy. You touch me and I forget everything. I can’t keep doing that.”
“Okay Bell. I will stop. Okay.”
“Okay. You mean it?”
“I mean it. I’ll let you figure out everything. Just kissing your back. Okay?”
“Okay thank you.”
“Not a problem.”
“I should go.”
“I should too.”
“This is beyond nice,” says Belladonna as she looks around. They are on the top floor of a hotel. The room has twinkle lights and candles throughout it. There are rose petals all over the ground. In the vases around the corner of the room are white and red roses. There is a string quartet playing in the far corner. Belladonna has on a red satin dress with a plunging back. Cooper is dressed in a black suit. Belladonna is beyond impressed with the New Year’s Eve celebration Cooper has set up for them. The waiter starts bringing out the food and Belladonna just enjoys the night.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Cooper asks as they dance.
“I am more than enjoying myself. I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven. No fifty guys trying to get my attention. Okay not fifty but you get the point. No fighting. No drama. It’s nice.”
“We can stop the drama.”
“I know I can. What if Mercedes vision is wrong?”
“When have Mercedes visions ever been wrong?”
“Never.”
“You do it and everything settles down.”
“You’re right. Tomorrow I’ll do it.”
“I’ll be with you.”
“I know you will be.”
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
“I will.”
“What?”
“What you just asked.”
“Thank you.”
“I always keep you safe.”
“I know you do.”
“Now just calm down and relax.”
“I can do that.”
“Good. I love you.”
“I love you.”
Belladonna thought about the past few days and what she had learned. Mercedes found a way to get Eden to leave her alone. Not only Eden but Criss. It would determine if Criss really was interested in her or just having her as Queen. Mercedes saw it as clear as day. Tomorrow Belladonna would bring her vision to fruition. She was nervous about it but she knew it was the only way to end everything that was going on with Eden’s constant attention and Criss’ jealousy. Tomorrow would be the day it all stopped.
Kisses were peppered along her back. She knew it was Criss living up to their agreement. “I didn’t think you were ever going to show up, Bell. Happy New Year. I missed you. I want to start the new year right. I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to do. No more begging. If you say no, I’m not going to do it. That’s my new year’s resolution. We’ll see how long I can keep it.”
“I don’t think you can keep it that long. Happy New Year.”
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
She felt herself being pulled out of the dream and back to C
ooper. He looks at her. “You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Get some sleep.”
Belladonna went to sleep and ends up in Cooper’s forest. Cooper comes out from behind the trees. “I figure this might be better.”
“Yes, it is,” Belladonna says smiling.
“Come here my Queen.”
Belladonna goes over to Cooper who kisses her as he lays her down on the ground. He kisses her neck and bites her. I love you. This has been the best New Years of my life. This is going to be the best year of my life because of you.
Cooper motions for her to bite him. I love you. I think either Criss or Eden or both are trying to get in. I’m not sure. I’m just letting you know. We should be fine. But if you don’t want to go any further it’s fine. Ball is in your court. I don’t want anyone to see you. But Criss as seen you at this point. I don’t know what all Eden has seen.
“I don’t want to stop. I want my husband. My mate. My King.”
“Whatever you want my beloved.”
Chapter 11
Harperion is letting Belladonna use his altar for the ceremony today. Cooper and Mercedes are with her. She takes the white lilies and places them on the left side with the bowl of water on the right side she places the white and black salt along with an athame. At the front of the altar on the left is a white candle and the right is a green candle. Harperion puts a circle of white salt around the altar. Belladonna lights the dragon blood incense on the altar. She takes the athame and cuts her hand putting the blood into the water. “Gods I call upon you for your strength and protection to see me through as I renounce the King of Misery and The King of The Dark. They hold no power over me or those that I love. Lubeo eos turbamini. A corde meo. A vita mea. A mea somnia. A mea in aeternum. So mote it be.”
The candles blew out and a strong voice repeated “So mote it be.” Harperion clapped his hands together. He took special effort taking the altar apart. Mercedes helped him. She handled the blood. Cooper hugged Belladonna. Kissing her head. Harperion came back after everything had been handled. “It was a success. Whenever they answer you that means that what you asked for will be handled. Do you mind if I check something on you?”
Queen: Part One Page 16