Initially, the kiss was only meant to keep her from hurting herself, but I found myself getting lost in it, wanting more, wanting it always…
My heart was pumping furiously, and I felt hot all over. This was the first time I had ever kissed a she-wolf. It wasn’t as bad as I thought.
I was pulled out of my musings by a sharp sting at the tip of my tongue. Crystal had bitten me.
I pulled back and flicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth. Instead of being dissuaded, the metallic taste only seemed to urge me on. I tightened my hands around her wrist and went in for another deep kiss.
Before long, I was on the bed with her, burrowing as close as I could get against her body. I didn’t want to be apart from her for even one second. Now and then, I would pause to give ourselves a chance to breathe, but I wasn’t willing to end our little entanglement just yet.
The feelings that washed over me were intoxicating, and I wanted nothing more than to indulge myself.
I didn’t let up until I felt Crystal completely stop squirming.
I took a deep breath and wiped the corner of my mouth as I gazed down at her. For once, she looked peaceful, lying there with her eyes closed.
She was asleep. More importantly, she didn’t seem to be in pain anymore.
I didn’t know how long I sat there, just staring at her quietly. Emotions that I had been suppressing bubbled into the surface. I recalled the moment when I learned that Crystal had been captured. I could almost feel the terrifying chill that had raced down my spine back then.
What would have happened if I had arrived a little later? Would she have died? Or would she have lived the rest of her life as a vampire’s blood slave?
Either way, I didn’t like the fact that she had to go through that by herself. I gnashed my teeth together as I pictured the horror she must have suffered.
A sliver of reason came over me, and I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. Still, it felt like my heart was still burning with rage and sorrow. If only she had alerted me that time, that she had spotted Arron, I would have gone with her. She wouldn’t have been caught.
My eyes drifted back to Crystal’s face, to her rosy, luscious lips. A voice inside me whispered that I had to punish her for being so impulsive. Another rough kiss ought to do it…
The breath caught in my throat. I had no idea what was happening to me. It was like I had become a whole other person.
I peeled my eyes off her face and looked down at her arms. The scratches were still fresh, though thankfully, they weren’t that deep. The forces within her had finally subsided, and she doesn’t seem to be struggling against them anymore.
I reached out and pressed my palm against her forehead. Her temperature had gone down to normal. I could also sense the blood curse slowly recede.
But then my attention was grabbed by the black lines on her body. They were getting more and more prominent, and it made me a little nervous. By the looks of it, the power of the black witch had won over the other two.
I sighed and tucked Crystal under the covers.
I wanted to rage at her for her recklessness, but I couldn’t bring myself to even get mad at her. All, I wanted was for her to be fine again, and revert to her witty, feisty self.
If… If she really died, I didn’t know what I would do. I knew that I would hunt down whoever had hurt her and let them suffer a hundredfold of what she had endured.
As soon as the thought formed in my mind, I felt a burning heat on my back, as if a flame was held up against my naked skin. I got up and strode over to the dressing room. I took off my shirt and checked my back on the mirror. There, just a little under my shoulder, was a small, black mole that I had never seen before.
Rufus’ POV
I paused, a little surprised by what I was seeing.
As far as I knew, I didn’t have a mole like that. Had I simply never noticed? I thought about it long and hard, but I couldn’t get a definite answer.
I seldom had to look at my back, I didn’t have any reason to. But I was pretty sure I didn’t bear this mole whatsoever.
I scowled. If it weren’t for the burning sensation that came along with it, I wouldn’t have cared for a second that a mole had magically appeared on my skin. But just as suddenly as it had come, the burning pain vanished. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought that I was just imagining things.
I peered at the mole for a while more, but since I couldn’t come up with any explanation, I dismissed it and put my shirt back on.
Then, as I was doing the second button of my shirt, I heard a commotion from outside.
I was in no mood to see anyone at the moment. My men were stationed outside, anyway, so I ignored the noise and continued to dress myself.
Just then, however, Arron’s sweet, childish voice flitted through the door.
I paused. Was it yet another illusion? I waited for a couple more seconds, only to hear Arron call out to his mommy.
I quickly donned my coat, straightened my sleeves, and strode out.
I opened the door to find Arron surrounded by the guards, who were coaxing him patiently. “Little boy,” one of them said in a gentle voice, “I’m really sorry, but you cannot go in unless the king grants his permission.”
Arron looked up, his wide eyes brimming with tears. “But Mommy is inside. I want to see her.”
It was then that he spotted me. He raised his stubby little arms and reached for me, sobbing now. “Sir, where is my mommy? Is she inside?”
The guards moved, and I crouched in front of the boy. I gathered him in my arms and wiped his tears. “Yes, your mommy is inside. She is safe, just like I promised.”
Arron scrunched up his face in confusion. “Then why am I not allowed to see her? You’re lying to me, aren’t you? Mommy isn’t back. You’re just saying that to make me quiet.”
The little guy was rambling now, his words coming out of him in rapid succession until he choked and stumbled with his sentences. Amused, I stroked his back and picked him up. As I turned toward the door, it didn’t escape me how the guards gaped and gasped.
Crystal was in a crucial state, and she was still hanging in limbo. I didn’t want anyone to come and disturb her before she fully recovered, but I didn’t have the heart to deny Arron.
I always felt that the boy was much smarter and more sensible than most children. Seeing him heartbroken just broke something in me.
I patted his head, my voice soft as I said, “It’s not what you think. I did save your mommy. But she is still sleeping right now. I will take you inside, but you have to promise me to be quiet, okay? And don’t cry, or you will wake her up. You can cry all you want later, and I will hold you while you do, is that okay?”
“Yes, I understand.” Arron bobbed his head in earnest. He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and squared his shoulders. “Please let me see Mommy. I’ll just take a peek and leave after I make sure that she is all right. I won’t wake her up.”
“Good boy,” I smiled and tapped his nose. Then I pushed the door open and carried him inside.
Rufus’ POV
I watched Arron curl his lower lip and sniff back his tears as he caught sight of Crystal on the bed. In the end, he couldn’t help but let out a muffled sob.
In any case, the brave boy heeded my instructions and kept as quiet as he could. Even so, he still reached for his mother, as though he would never be at ease until he touched her.
“Mommy…” Arron whispered as he leaned closer to her. He almost fell off my arms. I had to hike him higher against my waist and pull his arm back.
“It’s okay. There’s no rush.” I carefully set him down on the floor and patted his head. “Go ahead. Just remember not to wake her up.”
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