Page 13 of Taken By the Devilish King

"Prepare a feast for the future queen. I shall join her promptly." I let go of the comms button and glance at my brother. "You are correct. I need to court and satiate her. And that's what I plan on doing. I trust you will take care of all other matters in my absence?"

My brother winks and punches my arm.

"Go get your queen."

I give him a firm nod and have him follow me out of the watch room. I make sure to lock it behind me. The only one that should be laying eyes on her is her future husband and king. No one else.

I descend to the servant quarters and make sure they follow my instructions to the letter. There is no room for error here. I won't accept any mistakes, especially if they breach the distance between Ayla and me.

When it's time, I let them go first setting everything up and I enter her chambers once they're all gone.

I find her by the table, taking in all the delicacies prepared just for her. There's all kinds of Malbec wine from everywhere around her world. A cheeseboard as big as our heads. Belgian chocolate truffles by the kilo. Three different kinds of salad—Ceasar, Greek, and Papaya, her favorites. A big, self-warming bowl of salted popcorn with sugar-coated chocolates, and chargrilled corn-on-the-cobs. Water and fruit juices are also available as is a selection of dishes from all over Asia.

"What do you think?" I ask her and stand by the end of the table as she slowly turns her attention to me.

"What is all this?" she asks.

"A feast tailor-made for you."

"For me?" She glances at the contents of the table again and after moments that feel like centuries she turns back to me. "These are all my favorite things. How did you get these?"

I smile and take a step forward sensing joy emanating from her like rays of the Earthly sun.

"I had scouts prepare for your arrival."

Her face appears perplexed and her eyes search mine, for what I do not know.

"But...how do you know all these things? Did you read my mind?"

"As I have stated previously, I am one of the biggest fans of your work. I have watched all your interviews, read all articles. There's not a thing written about you I have not seen."

Even all the nasty comments from pathetic little humans with nothing better to do than attack a thing of beauty like Ayla Kyle.

Oh how I wish I could squash each and every one of them. Because I know where they live. They may think they're anonymous, but that's only to their fellow Earthens. To me, they're as easy to track as pieces of the comet Deux that adorn our skies ever since we destroyed it before collision.

"You did research on your victim then." Her face is marbled and if it weren't for my empathy I wouldn't have been able to read it, but the strands of blackness thrumming through her mind to mine give her deepest thoughts away.

"Not a victim but a bride. And I've been doing my research for the last fifteen years, not because I planned on abducting you, but because I fell in love with you."

She huffs.

"How can you be in love? You don't even know me?"

I take another step, and when her emotions don't deteriorate, one more.

"But I do, Ayla. How could I not? You're beautiful, sexy, kind, affectionate, funny, talented, vulnerable and compassionate. You've never said one bad thing about anyone even though we both know you've been harrassed and bullied your entire career for one thing or the other. The question is, wouldn't anyone fall in love with such a being too?"

She leans against the table, and with cautions takes a couple of popcorn kernels in her hand.

"You still put me to sleep. You abducted me. Wouldn't you ask first, if you loved me."

I take another step. I'm only a meter away from her now. If I reached out by hand or tail, I could touch her, but I don't.

"Forgive me. I'm simply following Vyperian customs."

"Your customs are to abduct people and invade their thoughts?"

"Invading your thoughts is not my choice, but abducting you was. Vyperians believe abduction is a show of strength and courage."

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