A Romance Sort of Thing

Chapter 26: Beyond Power

We sat in silence, studying the ancient grimoire. Trying to shrug off the awkward tension from yesterday.

I gazed at my arms. The blackness stopped spreading when I pushed Ryuu away but it wasn't going away either. It looked ugly like I was turning into a creature from some medieval tale.

"Hey. We will find a way to fix this, okay?" Ryuu reassured me reaching his hand out, playing with a curled strand of my hair, watching it move in awe.

"I have never seen someone so beautiful on the inside and outside" he whispered.

Gently, I pushed his hand away even though I craved his affection. I was scared to touch him. To be captured into his dangerous allure.

"We can't be touching. Not until we know how to be together without destroying each other" my whole body ached with sadness as the realization dawned on me.

He nodded as he moved away from me. Something about the extra space between us made me feel cold. Empty. Lonely.

"I have to go do something," he said as he got up and left the room without looking back once.

I sighed, laying the book down to curl up in the bed. I wanted to be close to Aaylah. I wanted to be back in Nishiba where I at least felt safe. I wanted this nightmare to end.

---

I awoke from the sudden knocking on the door.

"Darling, there is someone who is waiting to meet you," Queen Amelia's voice rang through the room as she swung the door open.

I climbed out from the warm blankets realizing I slept in my clothes. I had fallen asleep. I quickly finger brushed my hair as I followed her. Not sure where we were going or who we were meeting.

"Who are we meeting?" the sleepiness failing to leave my voice.

"My darling, it's the King!" her enthusiasm was strong. "He can't wait to see to see you, his daughter-in-law."

We stepped into a chamber, the coldness seeping through my skin and down to my bones. The walls a dark gray while dim candles lit and outlined every side. A bed covered in dark red blankets laid to one side. A chair sat in the middle of the room.

"My love," Amelia sang, "we're here."

A dark figure shifted from the corner where a dark couch laid diagonally from the chair. A tall man approached with an evil smile. His face youthful but his eyes weren't just pitch black, they held a glimmer of red. A black crown laid on his head, parts of it I could tell were made from bone.

"At last, I get to meet my stepdaughter. Its a pleasure," he grabbed my hand with his, they were hot and his nails were long, black and pointy. He planted a kiss on top of my hand, it left an alluring sensation.

"Sit, darling," Queen Amelia gestured towards the chair in the center.

I was lost for words. I couldn't process what was happening. The pit of my stomach hurt, all of this felt wrong. I slowly walked to the chair and sat down, eyeing the two. Amelia went behind me while the King in front. He looked down at me with an expression I couldn't recognize. It sent shivers of fear down my body.

"You're a quiet one," he stated.

Again, I couldn't pull myself to talk. The mixture of fear and awe held me back. He kneeled down, reaching his hand to my chin. My mother, placing her hands on my shoulders firmly. She was holding me down? Why?

"Wha..." I tried strongly to get out my question, "are you..." it was like a heavyweight was on my voice, "doing?"

He laughed. A laugh so dark all I wanted to do was to be hidden, hidden from his dark eyes. The grasp he had on my chin.

"She's a strong one," he smiled wickedly.

"I know she is, she is my offspring after all," Amelia's voice was cold.

The king gripped tighter on my chin causing the alluring sensation to seep in. He lifted his index finger, I could feel a sharp sting as his nail cut my cheek. The warm blood flowing down onto my neck.

"S-stop!" I spat with all the energy I could muster.

The king just smiled as he lifted his other hand to cut into my other cheek. The stinging pain turned into something different. A feeling of intoxication, a feeling that I could easily lose myself in.

"Don't worry my love, you will enjoy this," he leaned forward, looking me in the eyes.

I could see the red and black. I could see the power and pleasure. Mixing and churning. He smelled of burned wood. He broke eye contact leaning in more, licking the blood from my neck and across the cut on my cheek. Making me gasp and grip the chair. It burned, it burned so deep. I could feel the power seeping through, so much power.

"My Queen!" I heard a faint voice.

The King went to the other cheek to do the same thing. This time the power was much stronger, making me moan in the intoxication of it. All I could see was red, all I wanted was to be touched with this power. The heat burning down my body like fire.

"I beg you!" I heard faint arguing.

The King let go of me, my body lost all energy as my head dropped. I slowly felt the powerlifting from. His powers block me out, I heard my wolf whimper faintly. Someone lifted my head and in front of me kneeled Ryuu. His face expressionless but I could sense the panic on him.

---

My eyes opened vaguely to see walls passing by. I could hear footsteps and felt someone's arms underneath me. My head was pulsing with pain, I tried to lift it but couldn't.

"Hey, it's okay," I hear Ryuu's voice.

"W-wha..."

"Shh. You need to rest. I am getting you out of here, don't worry. I found a way to get us out," he said quickly.

"H-how?" I let my eyes closed as I listened.

"Rose. She told me of a way out. Now rest."

Audience:

**Will they escape?

**What does everyone think of Rose?

Thank you for everyone who read this far, I am super excited to have gotten this far with some readers supporting my book. (:

xoxo