Page 32 of Dark Captivation

I nestled into the front right seat. He took the one beside me as the lights dimmed and beautiful orchestra music pervaded in the theater.

“You know, we once made a puppet show together.” He craned his head toward mine prompting his seat to creak.

“A puppet show, us?” I tried to remember, only drawing blanks.

“Yes, using animal puppets we found in an old trunk in your attic. Yours was a fluffy white rabbit mine was an alligator with bulging eyes.” He made bunny ears with his finger as his voice cracked from laughter. “I wanted to make the show a comedy, but you- you insisted we make it a romance. One with Mr. Crocodile and Miss Bunny falling in love. Naturally we went with your idea. I never could say no to you.”

Our gazes crossed and so many emotions mixed together in the darkness of his eyes. Past the smile that wrinkled his cheeks, was an unspoken sadness, one that was thinly veiled by shadows of the past.

“Did we perform in front of an audience?” I asked as the background music lowered and the red stage curtains drew closed in preparation for the show to commence.

“No, it was just you and me, the way I’ve always wanted it.” His thick chest rose and fell stretching his suit as he steadied himself in his seat. His gaze burned a hole into my forehead.

“And just how did this love story end?” I asked as the curtains drew open and the overhead lights dimmed.

A demoness in a flowing white dress sang a beautiful melody in a pristine alto, luring in both mine and Malek’s attention.

The cast of actors took the stage by storm. Their costumes were straight out of second century Rome, the days of elegant aristocrats and courageous gladiators.

The lead actress, continuing her melodious singing as a tall and handsome male twirled around her like a swan flying, his deep soothing baritone harmonizing with her voice like two perfectly tuned instruments.

They sang in Italian, but I didn’t need to understand it to follow the story as it all played out in tantalizingly, fast paced action. The singing and dancing were perfectly choreographed, designed to steal attention and retain it.

This was a love story, passionate and deeply enthralling. I loved every minute of it and after around twenty minutes I checked to see if Malek was enjoying it.

Ignoring the show, he drank me in with his steely gaze and I wondered just how long he’d been watching me.

“What do you think so far?” I asked and his brows tugged upward.

His head quickly jerked away, as if he were embarrassed I caught him staring.

“What did you say?” he cleared his throat, hand to his lips.

I repeated the question.

He gave me a confused look. Making a sweeping gesture with his hand. “I can’t hear you over the music.”

I heard him loud and clear and couldn’t see why he couldn’t do the same. His mission became evident the moment he scooped me out of my seat like a ball of ice cream and gently deposited me onto the seat of his lap.

“Much better. Now what were you saying?” His lashes fluttered and he looked very pleased with our new seating arrangement.

“You could have leaned closer.” I folded my arms. “There was nothing wrong with my chair.”

“It was too far. I want you closer.”

“Beside you was too far away?” My eyes squinted but deep down I liked how much he wanted my attention. Watching this powerful, ancient conqueror with limitless power acting like a lost puppy stirred emotions in me I’ve never felt before.

“I’ve been without you for hundreds of sleepless nights. I don’t want you too far from me ever again.” He looked serious as a shark bite despite the fact that what he was saying was crazy.

“You can’t keep your hands on me every day for the rest of your life. It’s impossible,” I declared.

“Just watch me!” He sucked in all the air around him as if commanding it to come to him. It wasn’t just the air he summoned. His steady seductive stare, beckoned to me in ways impossible to resist.

“Nothing in this world will ever separate you from me again.” He said it in a way that sounded like both a promise and a warning. “I will keep you safe, Sunny. If it takes my dying breath.”

The temperature suddenly skyrocketed as if the box had filled with steam or hell fire, or maybe both.

Wrapping his arms around me like a heavy rope, he took my lips into his, drinking me into him.

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