Chapter 10
TAUREN
Dahlia was not where I expected her to be. After leaving Kennix to write the invitation, I climbed the dozens of stairs to my tower to find my chambers empty and the gown I’d left for her missing from the wardrobe.
It didn’t surprise me that she was awake.
I was cautious with the sleeping powder.
After seeing how small she was, I’d only sprinkled half a dose over her meal last night.
I’d heard too many stories of humans sleeping for days and waking up near-starved.
While I normally wouldn’t care, for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to put her through that.
It did surprise me, however, that she had taken the shoes I’d left for her and wandered into the castle, especially considering how nervous she’d been in the throne room.
The collar would stop her moving beyond the walls, so I wasn’t worried at first. Until I’d swept through the entire castle once, twice, three times. I even sprinted down the dank steps that led to the dungeon, checking every cell in case I had a guard with a death wish.
But she wasn’t in the dungeon. Nor was she in the ballroom, or the banquet hall, or in any of the nobles’ bedchambers.
My anger had reached its boiling point by the time I finally found her – laughing wildly, galloping around the stables on my ink-black horse… with my grinning little brother on his own mare, trying his best to keep up.
“Claren!” I boom across the grass.
His horse rears. Their laughter dies before his horse’s hooves hit the ground.
“Tauren,” Claren squeaks. Scrambling off his horse, his foot catches on a stirrup and he hits the grass with a thud before untangling himself and hurrying up to me.
Dahlia chooses instead to remain on my horse, trotting gracefully over to the two of us.
“Good evening, Captor,” she addresses me casually.
“Or should I say good morning, since the moon has almost fallen?” She glances up at the night sky, the glow of the moon dancing off her cheekbones and small nose.
When the seamstress asked me what sort of clothing I’d like for her time here, I described the first gown that came to mind.
That was a mistake. I realise it now.
The more I stare, the more anything I wanted to say dissolves on my tongue.
She looks just like she did at the ball.
Wine-coloured fabric sweeps low across her breasts and teases the soft curves of her hips.
She’s also not riding like a lady normally would.
Everything from her left hip downwards is completely exposed through the slit in the gown, and it takes several deep breaths for me to not reach for her. To not push her dress aside even more.
I force myself to turn to my baby brother. I’ll deal with him first.
“I suppose you’re responsible for loosening my princess’s collar?” I meet his fearful gaze. I didn’t even know the boy had learned magic yet. How much is he able to do now? Enchantments aren’t simple.
“I…” He closes his lips for a moment before continuing. “Dahlia helped me with some trouble in the hallway, and I returned the favour by allowing her to walk outside. She can’t leave though! I made sure I didn’t completely remove your enchantment!”
“You could’ve taken it off?” Dahlia leans against my horse’s neck. “Are you serious, Claren? I thought we were friends.” She’s pouting, but there’s humour in her tone.
“You’re my brother’s prisoner.” He winces.
“Wait? Brother?” She bolts upright. Her eyes flick between Claren and me. “How did I not see that before? If not for the hair you could be twins.”
“We could not,” I grumble.
At the same time Claren brightens. “Really?”
Frustrated, I drag my hand across my jaw. “Claren, return to the castle and stay away from Dahlia. You’re not to interfere with my plans again. Understood?”
His smile falls as he digs his boots into the grass. “Yes, sir.”
“Go.”
He scurries towards the castle without looking back.
“You should be nicer to him.”
I turn back to see Dahlia glaring at me from my horse. “You should not have left the castle.” I glare back at her. “And dismount from my horse before he kills you. He doesn’t take well to strangers.”
“Well, it’s a good thing we’re not strangers anymore.” She grins, running her slender fingers through his mane. “We’ve had such a lovely night riding through the gardens. Velvet’s such a sweet boy.”
“Velvet?” I spit the name out.
“Yes Velvet,” she repeats, “because his coat is so soft, like a beautiful velvet cloak.” She strokes his midnight flank, and the normally grumpy beast huffs in pleasure.
“You’ve got to be joking.” No more carrots for you, traitor.
“I’d love to take him on a ride into the forest.” She glances at the wall of withered trees bordering the stables.
“Perhaps you could remove whatever enchantment you’ve put onto this necklace for a few hours?
I promise I’ll come right back and then you can lock me away again. ” Her dark eyes sparkle.
“Nice try,” I deadpan, not matching her grin. “Now get off my horse and lead Claren’s. She’ll be less likely to bite you when you put her back in her stall.”
“Maybe I don’t mind a little biting.”
I almost choke on my breath before I realise she’s not talking to me.
“You can bite me all you like, you beautiful boy,” she purrs to my horse as she slips off the saddle. Scratching under his chin, she whispers against his face.
My horse snorts happily.
“Let’s move.” I push past her to take his reins. I’ve never been jealous of a horse and today will not change that. Although the doe-eyed looks he keeps giving to Dahlia as she follows behind with Claren’s horse are not helping.
After handing the horses off to the stablehands, I find Dahlia wandering through the old brick building. She’s light on her feet. It almost looks like she’s dancing as she glides between the stalls.
When she lifts her arms and leaps, landing without a sound on the stone floor, I pause, watching her.
She is dancing.
There’s no music, but she doesn’t need it. Her body twists elegantly, her arms swaying like reeds around a lake. Starlight filters through gaps in the roof and kisses the soft curve of her breasts as she arches her back, exhaling.
I can’t help it. My mouth waters.
“It’s rude to stare, you know.” She looks at me through heavy lashes.
“Until your betrothed gives me what I want, you belong to me.” I move closer. “So I will stare all I like.” I stop when I’m a few feet away, letting my gaze pour over her small body.
“And what is it that you want so badly from him?” She tilts her chin up, ignoring the obvious hunger in my gaze.
“He stole something important from me.”
“What did he steal?” she pushes.
Maeve’s blonde curls flash over my vision.
Soft laughter rings in my ears. “It doesn’t matter,” I dismiss, not wanting to feel that familiar pain in my heart again – a pain that thanks to Elheart has made itself far too comfortable.
“All that matters now is that I have stolen something important from him.”
Dahlia scoffs, pushing away from me to practise her dance again. “I’m not important to Lord Elheart.” She pirouettes with ease. “My father arranged our marriage. We’ve never met. He probably didn’t even notice me at the ball.”
In that gown? I seriously doubt it. “A letter arrived a few hours ago from his messenger,” I say to distract myself from her perfect figure.
“Really?” She stops mid-turn. “What did it say? Is he coming for me?” There’s an urgency in her tone. It makes my chest prickle with something unpleasant.
“He is displeased but has not yet agreed to a trade.” I adjust the cuffs of my shirt. “So I have decided to up the stakes.”
She tilts her head, smirking. “Oh? And what will you do?” She draws closer. “Will you tell him you’re torturing me? Will you put me in your dungeon and whip me?”
“No, but that can be arranged.” My voice is tight.
Dahlia grins, and I want to catch it with my lips and swallow it.
Clearing my throat, I continue. “An invitation has been sent to Lord Elheart for our wedding next week. He needs to understand that if he cannot give me what I want, then I will be keeping you here permanently as my wife.”
“Your wife?” Her smile vanishes. “You can’t just… I’m not marrying you.”
The unpleasant feeling in my chest becomes a sting. “Your wishes mean nothing. As Lord of this court, if I decide we are to be married, then that is what will be.”
“I’m not marrying you.” She steps back, anger growing in her tone.
“And I don’t care what my father has agreed for me.
Marriage is supposed to be about love, romance, and I certainly haven’t had any of that from you or Lord Elheart.
” Her lip curls. “If you want me as your bride, then you’ll have to drag me down the aisle in chains. ”
I almost laugh. She’s cute when she’s furious. “Then I will be sure to gift you the daintiest chains to match your wedding dress.”
Her face flushes red with anger. Adorable. “If my fiancé isn’t interested in your stupid deal then you’ll send me home.”
This time, I do laugh. “No.”
“Send me home!” she yells.
“You are forgetting who has the power here, my darling.” I march towards her.
She stumbles back. We keep moving until she’s pressed against a wooden stall, my arms either side of her head.
“I am the lord of this court and you are a mere human girl. You would be wise to remember your place.”
Her chest heaves, but she holds my stare. Challenging me. “My family will come for me.”
“Your family is not here.”
Something breaks inside her pretty eyes, but she doesn’t let it break her. Lifting her chin, she pauses for a moment, then her gaze drops to my lips.
My smile falls. “Dahlia?”
“You’re a monster,” she says quietly, before leaning forward and doing the last thing I expect.
She kisses me.
My shoulders sag. Her tongue runs along the seam of my mouth, and I melt. Parting my lips, I welcome her in, dropping my hands to her waist, her hips. She moans as one of my hands dips to her rear. I squeeze it like it’s mine.
“Monster,” she says again between moans, and I deepen the kiss.
I don’t notice her angling herself until it’s too late.
One hand pushes against my chest. The other grips my shoulder, while her leg swings up hard towards my groin.
The pain is blinding. “FUCK!”