Chapter 12 Ciprian #2
“I don’t fear what you are, King Negru. But I’m terrified of what you might do to me—on purpose or not.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to repeat my request to be called Ciprian. However, hearing the reason for it in her head forces me not to voice it.
The heart of our ensuing issue is trust.
She’s using my title to maintain a formality, a distance, to keep this conversation from becoming intimate.
Because she does not feel safe with me.
“I understand now, thank you,” I murmur, pleased that she’s provided me with guidance. This is probably the longest conversation I’ve had with a person who isn’t Marius. And I find that I’m also satisfied with that realization.
Reaching around her, I set the comb down, then rest my palms on the counter, caging her between my body and the sink before us.
“What would you like your safe word to be, Ms. Dalca?” I ask against her ear while holding her gaze in the mirror.
Her heart rate escalates. “Why? Are you going to make me kneel again?”
“Absolutely, yes,” I inform her softly, then kiss her thundering pulse. “I enjoyed your mouth, Viviana.”
“I’m n-not ready,” she stammers, her body tensing against mine.
Which has me frowning once more. “Not ready to provide your safe word? Or not ready to kneel?”
“Both,” she whispers, and her scent changes. “I need some time to recover. Please. I don’t want to suck your cock right now.”
“Hmm.” I kiss her neck, then nuzzle her throat. “Does that mean you would likely use your safe word on me if I attempted to feed you my cock right now?”
“Yes.” There isn’t a hint of hesitation. In fact, it comes out a little defiant. Angry. And her mind helps me understand why. Not that I expect you to acknowledge it or accept it, she’s thinking.
Hmm. My intended mate fully expects me to disregard her desires and fulfill my own instead.
Because that’s what I’ve shown her through my actions.
She seems to be oblivious to the fact that I’ve also been taking care of her—stopping when I knew she couldn’t take any more, healing her with my blood, and helping to groom her just moments ago.
I nod and brush my lips against her temple. Rather than speak, I thread my fingers through hers and pull her with me as we leave the bathroom to head through my bedroom to the sitting area once more.
Her steps are tense, her body even tenser.
Nothing I say will help ease her from this mental torment, so I decide to demonstrate intent through action.
Without speaking, I turn and grab her hips, then lift her to sit in my favorite chair.
Leaving her, I go to the bar to pour two glasses of red wine. However, as I return, I realize I should have asked her for a preference. So I set them down on the end table, then look at her. “Do you like wine?”
She glances at me and then at the crimson liquid. “I… I would prefer not to drink alcohol right now.”
I crouch down so that we’re at eye level with one another. “Tell me what you would prefer, please.”
She studies me. “Is this where you instruct me to unzip your pants and drink from your cock?”
“Only if that’s what you desire to imbibe,” I say, striving for patience. “But you just told me you’re not interested in sucking my cock at the moment. So what would you like, Ms Dalca?”
Her gaze runs over me. “You’re confusing me.”
“It’s not intentional.”
“I’ve gathered that.” She tucks her knees up and wraps her arms around them. “Can I be honest?”
“I would prefer that, yes,” I tell her.
“Then I would really love a cup of coffee right now. Or a jug of it.”
My eyebrow lifts. “A jug of coffee?”
“A pot,” she corrects. “Or… or a really large cup. With hazelnut cream.”
I stare at her for a beat, then straighten and go to call Radu again. He hesitates a little on the hazelnut part but says he’ll make it happen. I trust him to handle it, grab a bottle of water from my bar fridge, and take it over to Viviana.
Her eyes are wide when I take over the chair beside her. “I’ve shocked you.” It’s not a question but a statement; I can hear the startled alarm in her mind. “I’m not cruel, Ms. Dalca. If you need something, voice it, and I will do what I can to appease you.”
She says nothing for a long moment but eventually opens the water I set beside her and presses it to her lips. I observe her throat as it works, once again thinking about how it felt to fuck her mouth.
I’m hard. But I’m rather certain I’m going to exist in this state indefinitely now that I’ve found a potential mate.
Or rather, my intended mate.
There’s nothing potential about her anymore. She’s not a toy. But she is my pet. Only, I don’t view that term as negatively as she seems to.
“Calling you pet isn’t meant to be rude,” I say, recounting her earlier statement to the contrary. “I mean it affectionately, as in I want to care for you and your needs.” I pick up one of the glasses of wine and swirl it in the glass.
I’m about to ask if she prefers princess or another endearment when I sense Marius’s approach.
My spine stiffens, my gaze narrowing at the door.
I dismissed him earlier after Viviana refused to leave. So why is he still here?
His knuckles rap against the wood, then he pushes through without an invitation. “Radu has run out to find hazelnut cream for your guest,” he announces as he enters with a tray balanced on one hand. “I offered to bring up your late lunch.”
By offered, I assume he means he took the tray from one of Radu’s staff members and flew it up here without comment.
Which means my best friend is up to something. “Can I help you, Marius?”
“No,” he says, setting the tray down on the rectangular table situated in the middle of my seating room. “I’m here to help you, though.”
“Of course you are,” I deadpan.
He smiles and collapses on the couch across from me, then looks at Viviana. She’s still curled up in my favorite chair with her legs tucked upward. “You look famished, darling. You should eat.” He leans forward. “Would you like me to feed you?”
“Touch her and I will end you,” I growl, not bothering to mask the fury underlining my threat.
His smile only intensifies. “You have no idea how thrilled I am by this development.”
My jaw tightens. “You can go now, Marius.”
“But you should know, I’m keeping the guest wing,” he goes on, ignoring me. “It’s already been renamed as mine. Consider it payment for running the kingdom in your absence.”
I nearly roll my eyes. “I’ve been ruling. You’ve been delivering.”
He kicks his feet up on the table beside the tray and crosses his ankles. “Semantics.”
“Semantics that mean something,” I point out. “You act as though you’ll be relinquishing a hardship. Won’t you miss your harem?”
“Oh, I fully intend to keep them in my wing,” he says, winking at Viviana. “You’re welcome to visit, too, darling.”
“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” I ask him seriously. “Best friend or not, I will rip your heart out and feed it to you.”
His mirth is palpable. “She’s been here a day and already has your balls in a vise. I love it.”
“Fuck off, Marius.”
“No.” His feet drop to the floor, and he leans forward to uncover the tray. “I’m joining you both for lunch so we can discuss your return to the Strigoi Kingdom. And the presentation of your intended mate.”