Page 189 of Twisted Sins

Rudra’s heart skipped a beat, watching her laughing with sheer joy. She looked beautiful and spirited. Each time he thought he couldn’t fall more in love with her, she proved him wrong.

He loved her beyond anything in the world and would do anything to see her happy. He recalled the time when he had almost lost her to a poison dart. While she lay in a coma, the sheer grief and agony he felt had overwhelmed him. It was Nandini’s mother who consoled him and restored his hope, saying that her daughter was a fighter. He had then held Nandini’s hand and willed her to return to him.

After several prayers from her loved ones and him, Nandini woke up from the coma.

And now, his beautiful, spirited wife was back where she belongs.

He watched her with a smile as she approached him.

“I finally did it!” She had been training his eagle. His eagle was only used to his instructions and didn’t allow anyone else, not even his warriors, to command it. But Nandini somehow had his eagle listening to her command.

“I had no doubt you would,” he said.

He knew when she put her mind to something, she wouldn’t stop until she achieved it. That’s how his stubborn wife had managed to seduce him and steal his heart.

With a smooth move, he got onto the horse behind her.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“I’m always ready!” she replied.

He laughed, knowing that his feisty wife would always be ready for an adventure.

***

Holy land,

Singoor desert.

Nandini ran her thumb over the stubble on his chin. “I miss Rudra Kabali,” she stated, her eyes twinkling at him.

He let out a chuckle, pulling her closer. They were in the holy land tent on the mountaintop, where they would be spending a night before leaving for the Thakvar mansion for a week’s visit.

“I don’t know why you’re thinking of that savage demon,” he teased.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I fell for that savage demon, not for Rudransh Kapoor.” She traced her finger down his throat to his neck. “Although you’re not too bad either.”

A few weeks ago, they flew to London to visit his family. During that time, Rudra had shaved his beard. Although he looked dashing and hot with hair tied and in suits, she missed the rough beard of her demon husband.

“I promise not to shave again,” he said. “Not even for a board meeting.” There was a deliberate pause. “Although I’ll have to wear suits during the board meeting.”

She giggled, trying to imagine the expression of the board members seeing Rudra in the Kabali heir clothing, including the horns headgear.

She felt him tracing her hand softly. “There’s still some swelling,” he said. “You shouldn’t have gotten a big one.”

Her eyes fell on her right wrist where there was a tattoo of the Kabali clan insignia. It wasn’t big, barely a couple of inches, but her demon husband hated to see her in the smallest of pain. She got the tattoo a couple of days ago as a surprise to him.

“Just like Skandamai said, I’m embracing my destiny, which is being the Kabali clan head’s wife.”

The old seer had been beyond ecstatic seeing Nandini and Rudra when they returned to the Kabali mansion after Goddess Shakti statue was returned to the Singoor temple.

Nandini was touched by everyone’s happiness. Rumi and Uma hugged her. And so did Girja, who was now accepted by the clan since everyone found out the truth about Bhalla. Girja was grateful that her warrior husband’s honor was restored.

Tantra’s men, who were children stolen from Singoor, were also being rehabilitated to bring them out of years of brainwashing. Soon, they would be reunited with their families in their respective clans.

Things were falling into place, and peace was once again being restored into Singoor.

There was a deep chuckle. “I remember the time you didn’t want to be my wife. You drugged me in this tent and escaped.”

---