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She was awestruck. Shaking with emotion. Tried by a thousand feelings. And with a gentle and timid caress on his cheek, her lips descended on his, moving into a slow and tender kiss.



She gulped. Her hands shaking so hard at her sides. She balled them into tight fists, willing herself to stand straighter. Braver. It didn't help. She was still so afraid, so incredibly terrified of what was expecting her behind that wall. Who.
They had avoided this for as long as they could. Keeping her away. Confined within Nicholas' quarters, safe and hidden from the other gods. Nourished. Protected by the palace's charmed walls. But no more that was possible. No more after Wolf's impromptu visit, informing them that the god on duty had requested of her presence. Demanding for his promised audience. No more was she allowed to delay this, to hide like a fugitive. She had to face him, once and for all. Indulge him so that she could be finally free. Free to roam the palace's halls. The gardens. The lands. She was supposed to do this. Wolf had warned them. That there was no way around, no escaping this. She had to go through with this if she wished to remain in the gods' realm, safe and unharmed. Away from the demon's claws. Yes, apparently she was still in danger of being murdered by the demon, regardless of her...purity status. Even more so, now that it was known that she was Nicholas' soulmate. It seemed to further complicate things, that certain discovery about what she was to him. What she actually meant to the former god of night and shadows.
She hadn't even had the time to fully grasp what that meant for her. What it entailed. All she had gathered so far was that she was born for this. From the moment that Nicholas decided to become a vampire. Gods didn't have soulmates. But vampires did, and her fate had been linked to his from the moment that she was born. Bound to be his. A vampire's bride. A destined soulmate.
She watched Wolf hover his gloved hand in front of the stone wall, causing it to ripple like disturbed water. And only a moment later, a set of doors appeared. Creating an entrance where there hadn't been before.
The golden knight turned to her, his expression evidently unreadable as he calmly said with that grungy voice of his,
"You need not worry, princess. You are safe here. No god in this realm would ever lay a hand on you against your will,"
"However, I would advise you not to anger him. No matter what you do, just try not to," he warned.
Her eyes widened at the sound of that, staring back at him with nothing but renewed horror. What was that even supposed to mean? Was that his attempt to make her feel better about this, to help her relax? Well it failed miserably, because now she was more scared than ever. She was literally pissing her panties. How was she supposed to do that? How was she to avoid such a thing, when she hadn't the faintest clue about what he was like, what ticked him and what didn't. She had read about gods and mythology -like any other human being who had nothing better to do with their spare time- but she evidently hadn't thought that she would ever get to meet one, IN THE FLESH! Or be the soulmate of another, for that matter. Not to mention that all those books and articles were mostly just that; mythology. Lore. Nothing but a bunch of bedtime stories. She obviously couldn't rely on all that.
She instinctually startled a little as soon as Wolf pried those doors open for her, immediately stepping aside. Granting her access inside. Her hands clutched at the skirt of that silken dress covering her body, suddenly feeling so naked in it. Cursing the palace's choice to the moon and back. Why did it offer her this piece of garment? Why couldn't it just give her a pair of pants and a t-shirt or whatever? Why this instead? It was way too revealing, regardless of its ageless beauty. Her breasts were too visible beneath those two pieces of material that went over them and then continued over her back, the outline of her hips equally noticeable. Not to mention that it was white. Completely white. And to add to her ancient greek-styled attire, she had also received a pair of strappy sandals and arm bangles to go with it. She felt like an offering. A human sacrifice on the altar of the gods. And she was just stepping into the temple where she was about to get slaughtered.
She swallowed again, head turning to watch Wolf walk away. Swiftly disappearing down the hallway. Leaving her at the mercy of what was expecting her into those quarters. Who. And when she looked forwards again, she finally noticed him. Ares.
He was standing in the middle of a balcony, his sides flanked by the wide open french doors and silky drapes gently fluttering in the breeze. His back was turned to her, hands shoved into his dress pants' pockets. Outlining his firm and round buttocks. His broad shoulders. That muscled back. She would've been actually impressed by his chiseled frame, had she not feared him so much.
"At last, I am graced with your presence, little dulcet," he spoke, startling her a little.
She watched him turn around, the move so smooth. His gaze then trailed to where she stood, the mildest hint of surprise dancing on his features as he took in her attire. He let his eyes roam over her, bottom to top, the girl feeling so squirmish under his scrutinising stare. She didn't like it. She didn't like the way that he was looking at her. It was too unsettling. She just wanted to be over with this already. What did he even want with her?
Her body jolted as soon as she watched him take a few steps in her direction, her heart starting to gallop in her chest. She didn't dare move though, her hands clutching so hard at the sides of her dress. He stopped just a few inches away from her, those blue eyes of his pinning her to the spot. Making her freeze, and feel so small under his stare. So vulnerable.
He rose a hand and waved it in the air once, the girl flinching, right before she heard the unmistakable sound of those doors closing. Sealing shut. Effectively trapping her in there with him.
She couldn't contain that tiny little whimper from escaping her, eyes growing wide as she fearfully stared up at him. What was he doing? Why had he done that?!?
She continued to stare up at him with wide eyes, body softly trembling. She remained where she was though, Wolf's warning ringing loud and clear in her head now. Do not anger him. She was willing to bet that trying to run away from him would only lead to that same unfortunate outcome. So she decided to stay put, no matter how loud her mind was screaming at her to do the exact opposite.
She watched him tilt his head to the side, gaze narrowing just a little bit. Expressing a pensive stare.
"Am I that unsightly?"
She blinked. Brows furrowing with confusion. What?
"It would seem that every time you lay gaze on me those tears start to fall from your eyes. Am I that unsightly to you?" He spoke so calmly, the girl momentarily growing even more confused before she suddenly remembered that he had snuck inside Nicholas' quarters just a few days ago. He had spoken to her. Seen her tangled in those sheets, with nothing else to cover her body. Scaring her to no end.
He was the reason. He was the reason why Nicholas had found her like that. Frightened and bawling her eyes out.
But...why could she not remember anything about that until now? Had he somehow locked that certain memory into her mind, making it unaccessible in his absence? He was a god after all. A god with hell only knew what kind of powers.
Her eyes grew wide again, only now feeling the sting of those tears pooling into her eyes. Suddenly feeling so trapped. Helpless. She could understand now why he had strictly forbidden Nicholas from accompanying her, or even escorting her here. So that he could freely do whatever he pleased to her, without even giving her the chance to remember after.
More tears started to spill over her cheeks after that grim thought, her shoulders softly shaking. Watching as Ares remained still. Quietly observing her with those intense blue eyes of his. She was so incredibly afraid now. Who knew what he was planning to do to her. And the very moment that she saw his body move again she flinched like cornered prey, readying herself to fight him. Or even run if she would get the chance. But surprisingly enough, nothing happened. Not only that he hadn't bothered to come any closer, but he also went to sit as far as possible away from her, sprawling himself over a chaise longue.
"You can sit. Or not. Do whatever you please," he waved a dismissive hand in the air, not even bothering to look at her again as he then extended his palm and produced another gaming console out of thin air. Proceeding to ignore her as he started to play.
Very well then. She swiftly turned upon noticing all that, just about to head straight for the doors and get the hell out of there when his voice abruptly stopped her.
"Except that,"
She froze mid-stride, watching those doors disappear before her very eyes and turn into a solid stone wall. Sealing her shut in there with him. Trapped and at his mercy.
She made a tiny and despondent sound, hands balling into tight fists at her sides. She really felt like crying again now. That was the stupidest move that she could've ever made. How was she ever going to get out of these quarters now? How was she going to escape? She was trapped in there with him now, into a doorless room.
The balcony, her mind whispered, and before she even knew it she was already turning around, making her way to that widely-open space in the wall. Completely unaware of that gaze that subtly tracked her movement.
She approached the marble-carved railing, that certain action of hers actually managing to unsettle the god on duty. Making him rise from his spot, readying himself to jump into action if the situation requested of it. He was even toying with the idea of sealing the balcony shut as well. Just to keep her from harming herself.