Chapter 56

“Aurelia isn’t going to be happy that she missed Leo’s first shift,” Achilles mused as he tucked Leonardo into his crib.

Seraphina stroked her hand down Achilles’ arm as she looked down at her sleeping baby. “I know, I’m just glad we got to witness it…”

Achilles kissed the top of her head and with a final glance at Leonardo, pulled Seraphina into their bedroom.

Seraphina went to sit at her dressing table and began to brush the tangles out of her hair. She caught a glimpse of Achilles stood behind her with a smile playing around his lips.

She let out a long sigh before turning around to meet his eyes, “Achilles, what are we going to do about Lady Briseis? And there’s still the matter of the missing children… So far, we only know that they’re protected from physical harm. I don’t want to begin to think about the emotional trauma they are suffering… Where ever Lady Briseis has them hidden; it’s blocking all of our locator spells.”

Her grip on the hairbrush tightened until her knuckles turned white.

“Calm down my sweet flower, it will all be okay-“

“How? How will it be okay Achilles? That wretched woman is responsible for the death of our babies, she had kidnapped 6 innocent Dhampir children, she assaulted you!” Seraphina’s eyes spilled over with tears.

A frown marred Achilles face, “What do you mean she assaulted me?”

Seraphina’s face softened as she looked at Achilles. Guilt had been eating away at her for the way she handled the situation with Lady Briseis. Is was not Achilles’ fault what had happened, he was the victim yet, she had only thought about how her own feelings were hurt.

“Achilles my love, she spelled you and tried to force herself on you… I am so sorry I wasn’t there to support you through that time… I should’ve believed you when you first told me of the spell, I should’ve supported you, not blamed you or forced you to bear the consequences… I am sorry,” Seraphina shook her head, tears streamed down her cheeks.

Crawling on his knees to sit before her, Achilles took Seraphina’s hands within his own.

“You do not need to be sorry my sweet flower, I should’ve been more careful around her-.”

“NO!” Seraphina interrupted him. “Had the situation been reversed and a man had spelled me into laying with him, you would have shown me only love and support and comfort. I was not a partner to you that day and you are not to blame! Lady Briseis shouldn’t have tried to force herself on you, you are not responsible for the actions of another.”

Achilles’ eyebrows furrowed together, “I am not a victim Seraphina.”

Seraphina pulled him into an embrace, “No my love, you are a survivor.” She kissed the top of his head before nuzzling her face into his face.

“And Lady Briseis will die for all she has done,” she mumbled against him.

Achilles returned Seraphina’s embrace, tightening his arms around her waist he buried his face into her breasts and inhaled deeply.

He hadn’t thought of the situation with Lady Briseis as an assault, he was angered by the situation but seemingly, for the wrong reasons. It had caused Seraphina upset and almost damaged their relationship; it wasn’t until tears brimmed in his eyes that he thought of how much it had affected him. His shoulders slumped as he pressed closer to Seraphina, he felt weak, emasculated, damaged…

What frightened him even more was, if Seraphina hadn’t found them, hadn’t temporarily broke the spell… Lady Briseis would’ve had her way and sealed his fate and he never would’ve known, he wouldn’t have known that he was forced, that she was not who or what he wanted. He wouldn’t have had the consciousness to know she had ruined his life.

But she had still managed to ruin his life, she had taken almost everything he held dear. She took his babies lives and with their loss, took a part of his sweet flower, Seraphina.

Achilles shuddered as he tried to hold back a sob. Seraphina gently pushed his shoulders back and cupped his face in her hands; her eyes flicked over his face before she settled to look him in the eyes.

“Why don’t we take a bath? We can wash up and then retire to bed?” She smiled at him.

Achilles thought for a moment, he wasn’t going to ever let anyone make him feel weak again. His mind, body and feelings were his own and he wasn’t going to let anyone, especially not Lady Briseis dictate them again.

A wide grin broke out on his face, he stood and picked Seraphina up, wrapping her legs around his waist he carried her into the bathroom.

Seraphina giggled into the crook of his neck, “The water will be cold my love.”

Achilles grin widened as he balanced Seraphina’s weight on one hand and held out the other. The bath began to bubble as steam rose from the surface of the water. Seraphina pulled back to smile at him.

“Showing off are we my Prince?”

Achilles threw his head back in laughter before walking over to the edge of the bath and dropping Seraphina into the warm waters, still fully clothed.

Her head broke the surface of the water and she tried to hide her smile with a glare.

Achilles’ deep laugh echoed through the bathroom. Seraphina stood in the water and crossed her arms as she pouted at him.

“Are you going to leave me in here all alone?”

Achilles stifled a groan as her now wet dress clung to her skin, hugging her curves. He could see her hardened nipples through the thin fabric of the dress, her skin glistening with droplets of water.

His pants immediately tightened as his member strained against the material.

Unbuttoning his shirt, he stepped forward as he dropped it to the ground. Continuing his prowl to Seraphina, he moved his hand down to unbutton his trousers, allowing his hard rod to spring free.

Seraphina’s breath hitched and her pulse quickened as she admired her lovers form. She had forgotten just how perfect he was, how much she missed and craved his touch. Her stomach coiled with painful desire as she felt her thighs becoming slick with her arousal, even under the water.

Achilles stepped down into the warm waters and waded over to Seraphina. She licked her lips as he came to stand before her, looking up at him through her eyelashes, she bit down on her lip as she trailed her hands over his chiselled torso.

Catching her hands in his, Achilles arched an eyebrow at Seraphina. He held her hands firmly in place as he ducked his head under the water and wrapped an arm around her hips.

He lifted her up so that her legs wrapped around his shoulders and pushed through the water to place her on the edge of the bath.

Now was not the time for teasing, he needed to taste Seraphina more than he needed his next breath.

Seraphina had barely steadied herself on the side of the bath before Achilles ducked his head back down and buried his face into her dripping flower.