Nothing more

Nothing more


When she accepted my hand, I froze. Her fingers felt so natural against mine, but when had this human ever broken my barrier that all humans are annoying? I wanted to make her smile, to hear her laugh at my words and moan my name at my actions. I wanted to claim her, to own her..... keep her. But I didn't quite understand why.
Are you all right?" His voice was soft, hesitant, and woke me from the spell he had managed to cast over me.
I nodded firmly. "Always. I'm just thinking about tonight's business."
Her lips curved downward for a moment as if disappointed, but she recovered quickly.
"A sweet hug." She smiled, but the expression didn't reach her eyes as she tucked her hand into the crook of my elbow.

I patted her hand as she reminded me of the terms of our contract. A companion for a month. A contract we had already broken when I dedicated her in my limo, with my chauffeur on the other side of a bulkhead, but if it made it easier for her to get into my family's home, I wasn't going to argue. She was by my side, and my fingers still smelled of her body and her desire.
Those two things were all that mattered.
My mother's butler, Charlie , greeted us just as we entered through the wide front door, and as he watched Amara , he hesitated. I shook my head with a slight shake of my head. No title tonight.
He raised his voice above the chatter. "Arthur and his guest," he announced.
The room fell silent, the atmosphere morphing into something predatory and self-conscious as heads turned toward us. Nostrils flared as curious gazes settled on Amara .
I rested my hand on hers again, in a deliberately possessive movement designed to ward off any challenge. As my father's rightful heir and his new king, my people were to respect my status and my obvious right.
The electricity of vigilance still crackled in the air, and I brought my hand to Amara's lower back , resting my palm against the skin exposed by the cut of her dress as I walked toward my mother. My mother was standing next to my uncle, my father's brother, with a group of friends and elders from our village, but she looked up as soon as I approached her with Amara.  
As if her attention had really been elsewhere. They were simply better at appearing disinterested.
"Mother. Uncle. " I bowed my head respectfully as I greeted them all. It didn't take long for my uncle to appear sniffing around the vestiges of power, offering his protection, no doubt.
"Arthur . " My mother's eyes widened as she rested her gaze on Amara ". And...? "He gestured toward her.
"Miss Amara Harper " I replied, my hand still possessively on Amara's skin . I pulled her closer to me as she offered her hand to my uncle.
"How do you do?" Her voice was clear but calm, and I drew small, distracted circles on her back with my thumb. I wasn't quite sure if I was reassuring or comforting her.
"
"What a surprise. " My uncle's voice was loud, and I tensed my jaw as he took Amara's hand , engulfing hers with his huge palm. I was irritated by his lack of discretion, and also by his touching her when it wasn't his.
Mom leaned toward me to give me her usual air kiss, but her lips lingered near my ear.
"The one? " she whispered." Your virgin?"
I nodded.
"Good. "Then he pulled away, his eyes sparkling as he looked back at Amara ." You're a beautiful little thing " he said, and Amara's cheeks flushed.
I rolled my eyes. Of course Mother knew she was more than pretty. There was no one here who hadn't caught Amara's scent , though I was probably the only one who knew she was my true mate, so perhaps no one could guess her true power nor the power she could unleash on me, my ability to hold my throne and rule with absolute conviction.
As my mother and uncle continued to watch her,Amara stirred a little, twiddling her fingers in front of her. I waited to see if they had anything else to say, but apparently not, as they turned their focus back to their friends, probably to engage in a conversation that I was not yet ready for Amara to hear. My mother looked like she was about to burst if she couldn't announce to someone that Amara was the one.
"We'll go for a drink " I said and we pulled away from my mother's tight group.
The bar was on the other side of the room, and conversations were muted as we passed; whole groups of people stopped everything they were doing to watch us walk by.
"Is everyone okay?" Amara kept her head looking straight ahead, but her gaze shifted from side to side as if she was aware of the unusual scrutiny but didn't want to address it directly.
I smiled. "Yes. It's weird that I have a..." I hesitated. There were so many things I wanted to call her. "A companion, nothing more."
"Really?" Her steps faltered as she looked at me. "I thought that..."
"What?" I smiled as I looked into her eyes.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, have you been popular?"
I laughed as we reached the bar, and the hired bartender immediately turned his attention to us.
"Sir?"