The Enchanting Rapture (#1)

Chapter 23

Annika 

     She was all over the place. Her head was in the skies with her feet on the ground. Her heart was on a silver platter, presented to Soren for the taking. 

     Annika was floating in a tranquil sea of bliss, yet he was her anchor, holding her close with the strength of a thousand men. 

     His hands clutched onto her possessively, caressing, driving her to insanity. He guided her around the dance floor, as though every move played in his mind. Soren never once looked away, never looking around to watch out for other dancers, it was like he knew just where to shift them as they glided effortlessly between the couples. 

     Annika was breathless. He had stolen it with one fierce look. 

     Soren could keep it as long as he kept staring at her like that. 

     As they moved, her dress flared, creating a beautiful swirling skirt around her legs. Her hair whipped around at their dancing, moving with the flow of her body. 

     She felt absolutely beautiful, absolutely wanted. She felt powerful.

     It was a shocking and new to shed all darkness that crowded her mind, to shine a light into vast room of shadows. 

     And nothing else existed. Soren was the center of her world. He was her shelter, and for the first time...

     Annika felt like she was home.

     They had not known each other long, but time was not significant. He held all the significance in the world. 

     Nothing felt more real than what was happening then. What was between them, it was real.

     Annika was no longer the little, naive girl who was first set into slavery. 

     She was a woman who had been through experiences, in which she had taken lessons from. In life, people were hurt by others, and most of all, by those they held dearest. It was terribly ironic, but Annika understood why. 

     If someone were to hurt her ever again, her first person of choice would be him, because it was easier to forgive those you cared so much for, whether people admitted that or not. It was the truth. 

     Soren brought her to life. Now all she wanted to do was share that with him.

     And so they danced for what felt like eternity, but it was an eternity she would gladly participate in.

     "Would you like to leave now? I want to be the only admirer of your beauty for the rest of the night," Soren breathed out in a hushed tone, as though his words were a secret she was meant to keep. 

     Annika nodded and Soren immediately had them exiting the ballroom. Everything was a blur. The people were a haze of glowing colors. Her eyes stayed trained on him. 

     His fingers were intertwined with hers as he pulled her forward, away from everybody else. The light blonde of his hair flashed with gold gleams, caused by the candle lights. 

     The carved muscles were very apparent under his suit. Annika could not keep her eyes off. 

     Her heels clicked against the marble floor, and she noticed the dancing had increased the pain of her feet by an intolerable amount. 

     Finally, he stopped by a balcony, pulling Annika into the space. He shut the curtains to close the doorway off and turned to gaze at her with his gorgeous black eyes.