Do I Disgust You?
THE DANCEFLOOR
This is Elyria, my lady. Only the strongest survive.”
Although the dance continued, Elora felt great discomfort in the presence of the Crown Prince. Her legs were beginning to tire and the need to race out of the suffocating ballroom and perhaps the castle filled her.
“To survive, you must pick a side.”
Elora wasn’t foolish to not recognize Lucian’s intention. He wanted her to work against her husband. But she was aware that he wasn’t trying to help her. The first prince of Elyria was only trying to use her, to turn her into his puppet. She realized one thing: the two princes were nothing but mortal enemies.
But she didn’t let it make reign in her mind. After all, she would be able to return to Yvlies soon after she eliminates the second Prince.
“Your highness, the evening is getting too cold,” she spoke softly. “I must take my leave now.” All night he’d filled her ears with scornful, unsettling words about her new world. The weight of his words was too heavy for her to remain in the presence of the vampires.
“You still owe me an answer, my…”
“I don’t.” The words slipped out before she could stop them. She immediately clamped her mouth shut. Her eyes lifted to his and shivers grazed down her spine when she saw them darken. She’d just angered the Crown Prince.
Their bodies broke apart, she twirled with the music but just before she could return to his arms, a hand seized hers from the side and she collided with another cold hard body.
The scent of wine and leather wrapped around her like a velvet cloak.
Elora’s breath caught in her throat. Her mouth fell open and her gaze lifted and met with a familiar silver-blue eye.
“You…you,” she stuttered.
Rafael took the lead in the dance. “You sound guilty, princess,” he said through his teeth. “As if caught doing something you shouldn’t.”
“I wasn’t.” She was only overstimulated and filled with the need to leave. Luckily, the music ended. Without a second thought, she turned her back to him, gathered the side of her skirt, and hurried out of the ballroom. Once she was out of the ballroom, she began to race down the empty hallway.
Rafael watched as she ran out like a frightened mouse. In an instant, he was right before her, blocking her path in the middle of the hallway.
Elora’s breath caught. Her legs flattered and her body swayed backward. But before she could hit the floor, his hand swept around her waist and pulled her upward, crashing against his chest.
“And where do you think you’re running to? You could’ve hurt yourself,” he scolded.
“Home. I don’t want to be here anymore,” she said quickly.
She tried to push away from him but her effort was rendered fruitless as his hold on her was imposing.
“Then I’ll bring you home.”
“No…no.” His touch burned like flames and she struggled even more only to be suddenly pushed against the wall.
“What had I said about doing as I say, Princess?” He slammed both his hands against the wall, caging her in as he towered over her.
She pressed her back even further against the wall. Their gazes locked and for some reason, she couldn’t look away.
It was the first time that she was seeing his face in a brighter setting and heavens, if she’d thought that he was handsome before, she wouldn't know what words to describe him now. And surely, she knew that she shouldn’t be affected by his beauty but the repeated skips of her heart told otherwise.
“What are you doing?” Elora let out a shriek when he suddenly started to sniff her from her neck down to her shoulder.
“That spineless thwart.” He gritted his teeth. His cloak came off and without another word, he wrapped it firmly around her, her entire body except her face covered with the fabric. “Come, I’ll carry you home.”
“No. I’ll go the way I came.”
His eyes shut close. She pressed her back further against the wall, her fist clutching the edges of his cloak tightly. Had she angered him? Silence stretched between them and after a minute that seemed like an hour, his eyes opened again, this time they gazed at her with something unreadable. Perhaps anger, she couldn’t tell.
“Your highness…”
“Do I disgust you?” He sharply cuts in, his eyes staring down at her wide forest forest-kissed eyes. “You had no issue when his hands were all over you. You had no issue when he asked you for a dance.”
“I…I.” Her mouth opened but her words were stuck in her throat.
“I thought so.” In one sharp move, he dropped both hands that were behind her head and turned away from her. “I’ll get out of your sight this instant. The servants will come take you to the carriage.” His voice was low and flat, yet it carried a hint of carefulness, like he was afraid to disgust her even further.
With that, he began to take steps away from her.
Elora panicked. She hadn’t meant it that way. He must have misunderstood her. “Wait.” She didn’t know when her legs shot a step forward behind him. He paused, his shoulders rigid as if carrying the weight of the world on them.”I…I didn’t mean it that way. I was only…”