Page 77 of The Time Of Queens

“Are you cold?” he asked when he felt me shiver at his touch. I shook my head before admitting,

“You keep me warm with your touch.”

He rumbled a pleased sound, before I felt his lips at my ear so as he could tell me,

“Then I plan to warm you further, for I am eager to get you home.”

Without giving me a chance to respond, he commanded his horse with a dig of his heels, making it go charging off, the sudden movement causing me to grip on tight and yelp.

“Have no fear, for I would never let you fall,” he told me gently, holding me tighter as if to prove his point. And this time, I allowed myself the comfort of relaxing back into his hold, sighing with contentment, as I was finally free to be this way around him. As if a huge weight that had been bearing down on me had finally been lifted. One that I myself had placed there in hopes of getting out of this without hurting yet another version of my husband.

The arguments within my mind were a constant contradiction that was mentally exhausting. I wanted him to choose me for me, to love me not because of the Fates. Yet with that being said, I hadn’t wanted him to claim me, so it would make it easier for me to run from him when the time came. In all honesty, I didn’t think it was him that I had run from after he kissed me…

I had been running from myself.

Running from the hurt I knew I would once again be forced to inflict on him. But, as for now… well clearly,it was too late for that.Now I could have felt bad, berated myself and punished my heart by feeling guilty from seeking comfort in his arms when I knew what would come of it. Or I could admit to myself that I was only human, and we all had our faults. We all had our vices and our temptations.

And for me…

It was and always would be, Draven.

So, I soaked up his touch as it caressed my soul, knowing that the closer we got to the house, the sooner I would get to feel so much more. I knew this when the heavens opened and the rain started to crash down. His stable hand was already at the south part of the house, ready to take his horse so we didn’t have to even get to the stable yard. Draven no doubt mentally sent word to Vincent to have him order this. Because clearly my husband had plans for me and, those, he was eager to see through. Because his horse had barely even stopped when he was dismounting. This after first tapping my leg and prompting me to do the same in allowing him to help me down once more.

The rain was now coming down even heavier, making him grip my hand and pull me towards the house. However, seeing as we were closer to the impressive conservatory, he led me towards the sweeping stone steps instead. I couldn’t help but giggle as we ran up towards the entrance, the water soaking us to the bone. Then using both hands, he pulled the doors open, and the sight of his muscles stretching the fabric of his wet clothes quickly had me panting for a different reason.

But at the first crash of lightening, I yelped, running inside and laughing at my own reaction. A reaction that was soon stolen by the beauty of the paradise around us that had me gapping in awe.

The large structure had thirteen stonework arches in length. Each with plated glass windows held there without conventional window frames, making it look seamless. It was five arches deep, which made it an enormous room. The vast interior was bridged by a great curved glass roof. As for the floor, this was a light-coloured marble, with raised beds that were edged in even more stonework. It even had stone baskets full of flowers on the rear wall that had been expertly carved. Giant ornamental urns were dotted throughout the vast greenery, breaking up the array of exotic plants such as palm trees and exotic anthuriums.These were known for their vibrant leaves and blooms. Fragrant flowers filled the air with nature’s perfume along with offering pretty bursts of colour. I could see an impressive collection of orchids, too, with unique and striking flower shapes. A diverse mix of colours that evoked a sense of exotic luxury.

There was even an array of different cacti. Some standing tall like spiked guardians of the plants, with their large, sculptural shapes casting shadows. The big round, fat ones, sat much lower, with their intriguing textures and deadlier looking barbs.

The striking beauty gave me the urge to spin around with my arms spread wide, foolishly telling him something he already knew.

“Have you ever seen a more beautiful sight?” I said, taking it all in. My hair was loose from, first the ride, and then the run in here. Meaning it was now unrestrained and free to move with me. However, it was only when I stopped spinning that I saw Draven and the way he was looking at me. His heated purple gaze was now free to fully emerge, quickly turning his dark depths into something more intense and Demonic.

“No, I haven’t,”he replied, the growl of his words sending a shiver through me, and one that didn’t ease when he took long, determined strides towards me. His intent was clear… he looked like he wanted to eat me. But clearly, whatever he planned to do, he wanted privacy to do it.

I gasped when the vines and greenery started to grow quickly up the glass panels. Naturally, this was done to block us from view. Growth that only stopped when it was high enough to accomplish this.

But that wasn’t all he wanted to do to ensure we weren’t disturbed. Next was a rose bush that grew either side of the doors, spreading out until it took over the whole door, purposely entwining its thick, thorny branches around the handles, effectively locking us inside.

Or should I say…locking the rest of the world out.

All of this happened with every step he took towards me, making him look like some God of Earth’s elements as thunder rattled the glass, whilst lightening flashed out again, continuing its angry light show. Meanwhile, the rain fell, for the storm raged overhead, with its heavy droplets creating its own song tapping against the glass roof.

As for Draven, the second he reached me, he took my face in his hold and told me,

“Now I finally get to claim you, for this time,is mine.”

Then he kissed me, making me moan in pleasure as he swallowed up the sound. The kiss was so deep and so profound that I felt as if my soul was being consumed within it. The duel of our tongues clashing, tasting each other in that age old dance where two people naturally found their own rhythm. That perfect kiss when you didn’t even need to try, it simply happened as if you had been made for one another.

And as the storm continued its own angry dance of the elements, the world outside could have been ending and we wouldn’t have known it. We wouldn’t have cared, for in this single moment he was right…

It was our time.

Which was why, it was only when the kiss ended that I noticed the marble floor was now gone, replaced by lush, thick green grass. My eyes widened in surprise, but I didn’t have to question why for long. Not when he turned me around and started to rid me of my dress. His deft fingers made short work of it, as I soon felt the heavy weight of wet material slip from my shoulders.

I felt like a butterfly emerging from its dark cocoon, and my white corset and underskirt matched that of my pale, milky skin.

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