Chapter 25
Alice
Iwalked around the grounds, taking in the majestic castle that stood high and proud over the Kingdom.
Instead of imposing and cold, it came to represent comfort for me.
A safe haven. Home. Behind those walls, I found peace as I'd never experienced before.
And it had nothing to do with bricks and mortar, but the man who ruled that castle with a fair but firm fist.
Even though I was far away from anything that resembled home—like, in another dimension far—I didn't miss my old life at all.
I missed certain people, of course. David being one, but even the sting of losing him was starting to fade to the point that my memory of his features was muted.
I wondered whether it was a consequence of being in another world or if something more supernatural was at work.
Still, I couldn't help but be completely enamored by my surroundings.
I'd never seen grass so green or sky so blue—and that was only the parts I was allowed to explore.
Acheron wanted to ease me into everything, so I was still kept well away from other Vampires.
Not that I minded. I'd found a nice little spot just on the fringes of a sparse forest. A tall tree towered over a giant rock that had just the perfect piece carved out to fit me snugly.
I usually lay there, gazing up at the sunlight winking at me between the trees.
Or I'd sit and read under its shady protection.
Everything was all so familiar to me. I knew where to go, my feet leading the way before my mind caught up.
I knew there were huge iron gates that surrounded the Kingdom and were protected with a spell to keep unwanted visitors out.
I knew there was a school that housed youth and trained them in ancient language, combat, and the arts.
I knew there was technology unlike any we had seen in the human world, and it was used daily within these walls.
As the sun rose high in the sky, I made my way back to the castle, my body already strolling to my favorite place in the castle—well, apart from Acheron's room—the library.
The first time I visited it, I found it so overwhelming and intimidating that all I did was run my hands along the thick spines.
There were very few books in English; the rest were in Latin, ancient Greek, Sanskrit, and Arabic.
As I inhaled the scent of the leather-bound books, another spicy scent suddenly filled my senses.
Acheron.
He was here.
I gave a slight shiver and tried to contain my excitement. Since I insisted on the very stupid idea to abstain until I was divorced, I had suddenly become very horny. It was tough trying to stay away from someone you were inherently drawn to.
"Would it kill you to carry some Stephen King?" I complained. "Or some Marian Keyes?"
"Alice."
I immediately dropped my fingers and turned. There was something about the way he said my name. A deep longing attached to pain.
He held up some wrinkled pieces of paper.
"You are divorced."
My mouth dropped open. "What?"
He stalked closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "You are divorced," he repeated.
"B-but how can that be? It's only been three weeks."
"I have my ways."
"But I haven't signed anything."
"I have my ways."
"But—"
"I have my ways," he growled. He threw the papers aside, and they floated carelessly to the floor. "Now, are we done with that nonsense?"
"I—"
He reached out and cupped my face. "I've waited an eternity for you. You already know what it's like when we make love. To receive my bite. I refuse to wait a moment longer."
"May-maybe we should talk first. There are still some things I need to—"
"Are you afraid of me?"
His eyes changed from black to blue and back again. My core ached with desire.
I shook my head, then nodded.
His hand tightened on my chin. "You are? But I can sense your arousal. Your desire."
I shook my head, licking my lips and causing his eyes to darken again. "I'm scared of how badly I need you. I'm scared of how overpowering my desire for you is. I'm scared that I'll disappoint you. In my memories, I was this wanton siren who knew exactly what to do. What if I disappoint you?"
I'd seen the type of people he attracted and who he slept with. Beautiful, perfect creatures who were his equal in more ways than one.
"I can feel your jealousy."
"Have you slept with Tatiana?"
"Yes."
I flinched. I mean, I knew he had, but it still hurt to hear it confirmed. "Are you still sleeping with her?"
His fingers stroked my cheek. "What kind of question is that? I have not slept with anyone since I discovered I had a mate."
Shocked and confused, I frowned up at him. "But-but according to Von, your heart started beating as soon as I was born."
"Yes."
"So you knew that you had a mate thirty-four years ago."
"Thirty-four years, six months, and fourteen days."
My eyes bugged. "You haven't slept with anyone in all that time?"
His eyes moved away from mine, and my heart sank. It was stupid of me to think he hadn't done anything sexual. After all, I'd been married.
"You know that I had visions of you, usually at important points in your life."
"Yes."
"The last vision I had of you was on your wedding day. I was so incensed that I had planned to fuck the nearest person."
I flinched, and he lifted my chin, not letting me turn away.
"Through my visions, I could feel your emotions. You were not happy for a lot of your life, no?"
I waited for my memories to stab me, as they usually did when I thought back on my childhood. The hurt lingered, yes, but not as strongly as before. "Yes. I-I felt like something was missing from my life. I didn't feel anchored anywhere. I had no family, except for Dav—"
"Do not say his name in my presence."
I rolled my lips, a quiet thrill shooting down my spine at the thought of his jealousy. "Even before he was my—" Acheron's eyes darkened in anger again, so I cleared my throat. "Before he was anything, he was family. The only person I had."
"Until now," he arrogantly corrected. "But even before now, you had me. The day you married, I was very angry. I was determined to be done with you, so in a fit of rage, I summoned two women to service me."
"Two…" I choked out.
"But I couldn't get your image out of my mind," he said. "And that was when it hit me. Your emotions. I had such a visceral response to the image of you, the thought of you being forever lost to me, that I had suppressed your emotions."
I swallowed hard, recalling that moment in my life. It was a happy day; I wasn't going to deny that. But it was also sullied with sadness.
"The night before…before…I dreamed of you. I woke up in the middle of the night sobbing and completely inconsolable. I felt such deep sorrow, such profound loss. I remember the memory now, of what I dreamed. I was so happy to see you, as I always was."
I lifted my hand to stroke his cheek as my mind took me back to that poignant moment.
"But you were sad. You told me it was too late…
and then everything around me collapsed.
Your Kingdom, it all turned to dust. You walked away, and I was unable to follow you.
And that was the last dream I had of you. "
Until recently, when they started up again.
"That is exactly what I felt. Once the smog of fury passed, I recalled how you felt in my vision. You were sad and lonely. Confused and conflicted. I knew then that you did not wish to be married, not really. You did not understand it, but you missed me. You needed me."
"Yes," I whispered, my heart twisting painfully. "I did."
"Who am I?"
"Acheron…"
He slid his hand into my hair, tightening the strands in his fist.
"Who. Am. I?"
My breath stilled, eyes shimmering. "You are Acheron. My mate. My King."