Chapter 19 Seduction
CHAPTER 19: Seduction
Seraphine's POV
I couldn’t believe what had just happened. One moment I was standing there arguing with the Lycan King with my chest full with anger and grief and the next moment… I was kissing him.
Kissing him…!
My lips were still tingling when the thought finally caught up to me and my heart was racing so fast it hurt. I pulled back slightly but not fast enough to pretend it hadn’t happened. I had felt it deeply amdnd this time, I was certain he had felt it too.
That pull.. that wrong unholy pull of the mate bond.. the cursed bond between lycan and human.
I had felt it since the first day I stepped into this place.. since the moment our eyes met in that cold throne room. It was silent thread tugging at me no matter how much I fought it and I had told myself it was nothing but this? This was real!
We finally pulled apart slowly and reluctantly. Our faces were inches apart with our breaths uneven. Neither of us spoke and for once even the Lycan King had no sharp words, no mocking smile and no cruel laughter.
He just stared at me and gods help me, his eyes looked… confused and that scared me more than his anger ever had.
I stepped back suddenly, breaking whatever fragile spell had wrapped around us.
“I... I need to go,” I said quickly. “I’m tired. I need to sleep.”
My voice sounded steadier than I felt but he didn’t answer and be didn’t stop me either.
I turned and walked away before I could do something stupid... like look back or worse, stay. I could feel his eyes on me the whole time heavily and burning into my back and following me until I disappeared down the corridor.
Only when I reached my little room did I finally let out the breath I had been holding.
I closed the door and leaned against it, pressing a hand to my chest. What had I done?
I changed into my night clothes and crawled into bed but sleep refused to come and my mind wouldn’t slow down. Every time I closed my eyes I saw his face, felt his lips and felt that pull again twisting deep inside me.
I hated it.. I hated him and somehow… I wanted him. The thought made me feel sick.
He was my enemy, a lycan and a king whose kind had destroyed my home. Red River Village, my family and my people. How could my body betray me like this?
I felt dirty like I was betraying the dead just by breathing the same air as him and by reacting to him at all but this cursed bond had poisoned my thoughts, my instincts and my heart!
I rolled onto my side clutching the blanket and my jaw tightened as another memory surfaced... his face when I had accused him earlier.. the way his denial had looked… real.
That bothered me more than I wanted to admit. What if he truly hadn’t been there?
No. I shut that thought down hard. Lycans were liars. He was clever and powerful. Of course he could fake sincerity. I couldn’t let doubt weaken me not when my guard was already slipping.
Still, sleep didn’t come easily and when it finally did, it was restless and full of nightmares..
Author's POV
Unbeknownst to both Seraphine and Aric, they had not been alone.
From the gardens below the balcony, hidden behind tall hedges and deep shadows, a pair of sharp eyes had witnessed everything.
Vespera…
She stood perfectly still with her fingers clenched so tight her nails bit into her palms. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as fury burned through her veins.
“That human filth,” she muttered under her breath. “Witch. Snake. Curse her!”
She had been certain... absolutely certain... that Seraphine was nothing more than a political bride and a human offering meant to keep the peace.. elsomeone Aric would tolerate at best snd ignore at worst but that kiss…
Vespera’s stomach twisted painfully. She couldn’t read Aric’s thoughts anymore and that terrified her.
If she waited… if she did nothing… she would stand by and watch as a human girl stole the place she had fought for, bled for and waited for.
No. She wouldn’t let that happen. Not to her.
Decision made, Vespera turned sharply and headed toward the palace and by the time she reached Aric’s chambers, her face had already shifted into something softer and vulnerable.
The guards outside straightened when they saw her.
“My lady,” one greeted, bowing.
She didn’t even look at them. She knocked on the door once and then again.
It took longer than she liked but finally the door opened. Aric stood there with his shirt loose and hair slightly tousled. His expression was unreadable but it certainly wasn’t pleased.
“Vespera,” he said flatly.
Her heart sank a little at the lack of warmth but she smiled anyway and slipped past him into the room.
“I needed to see you.”
He closed the door behind her without a word.
Trying to ignore his mood, she glided over to his decanter of wine and poured herself a generous glass.
“Rough night?” she asked with her voice dripping with false sympathy.
“Something like that.”
Time for phase one.. she took a slow sip of wine, letting her eyes travel over him. She ran a hand suggestively down his arm.
“Perhaps I can help you… unwind. You seem so tense, my king.”
He gently but firmly removed her hand.
“Not tonight, Vespera.”
Fine. Phase two it was.. If subtle suggestion wouldn’t work she’d go for the grand reveal.
With a dramatic flourish, she untied the silk belt of her gown and let it fall open, shrugging it off her shoulders to pool on the floor. Underneath she wore lingerie of black lace and silk that had cost a fortune and left very very little to the imagination.
She struck a pose confidential that the sight would vaporize any thoughts of a scrawny human girl from his mind.
Aric’s eyes flickered over her once and there was a faint flicker of… something. Appreciation maybe but it was quickly banked and replaced by that same infuriating weariness.
“I appreciate the… effort,” he said gruffly. “But I’m tired. I just want to sleep.”
He was tired? Tired? She was standing in front of him in a masterpiece of lingerie and he was tired?
Vespera stood there for a long silent moment with the rejection burning hotter than any anger. This was unprecedented, this was a crisis and the human was affecting him more than she’d ever dreamed possible.
Fine. If allure and seduction wouldn’t work, she’d play her final card. The one she knew he was weakest against.
Her lower lip began to tremble and then a single perfect tear traced a path down her cheek and then another. She brought her hands to her fac and her shoulders began to shake with silent heartbroken sobs…