**DAPHNE**
“A crime?” I whisper, falling into the chair he offers me. “What type of a crime?” I ask.
His eyes find mine. “Please eat. We will discuss this later.”
He is hiding something from me. I can feel it.
“Did he tell you to fetch me? Did the king say I was to dine alone with you?”
Ash laughs, rolling his eyes. “No. He did not. In fact, should he find out you are here with me I am certain he will become enraged.”
I gasp. “Then why am I here? I-”
“Do you want to go back?” Ash spits at me, his tone heavy with disdain. “Would you rather be in his rooms? I’m sure I can arrange it, if that is what you desire.”
I shake my head no. “Of course not, but I just-”
“You think the king is a good man, do you? Because he stood up to his son? Because he considers you one of his precious things?”
“No,” I whimper, my eyes filling with tears.
“I thought you wanted me to save you from him! Have you changed your mind?” Ash unbuttons his tunic, then removes it and tosses it aside. Now he is shirtless, and his body is a perfect design of muscles and shadows over flesh. My eyes are glued beneath his neck, my breath coming in quick gasps. “Did you like the king’s hand on you? Fondling you? Between your legs?” He steps in front of me, ripping me from my chair and pulling me to his bare chest.
His eyes are a dark gray, filled with anger as tears begin to fill my eyes. I will not cry! I will not! I hiss at him, “Are you going to hurt me?”
His mouth falls open in shock, his grip on my wrists weakening. “Probably,” he answers, before yanking my head back and diving into the cascade of brown locks at the nape of my neck.
I feel the wet of his tongue glide over my ear and I shudder. “Ash,” I whimper, and he groans, nipping at my earlobe.
“You are driving me beyond what I ever expected to feel for anyone, and I have no idea why.” Then, he pulls back so that I can look up into his eyes as one arm encircles my waist. Holding my body to his, he sighs. “You are magic, Daphne.”
“What are you doing?” I ask, lifting a hand to stroke his face and another to grip his shoulder.
He smirks, his full steel gaze along the bare of my throat. “I am saving you, little dove. From the king and from myself. I do not yet know how, but I-” he stutters, “-I will.” Then, he swallows as he attempts to release me, hissing when I do not let him go.
I press harder against him, until I can feel his desire digging into my stomach. “Don’t stop. Please,” I beg.
“Enough,” he whispers, his voice strained.
His discomfort sparks my bravado as I slide a hand down over his trousers, to encompass his throbbing member. The shiver that passes over him has wetness pooling between my legs.
“You are making me want the strangest things,” I say in admittance of the hold he has over me. “Things I have never thought I might enjoy. Things that might be pleasurable, if only they are done to me by you.”
“I said enough,” he snaps, shoving me away from him and taking a seat at the table before the fire. “Eat.”
I turn around for just a small moment. Long enough to hide the tears of rejection that escape my eyes. I wipe them away and then sit down.
The look he gives me now is full of pity. I decide to ignore it, to ignore him, and do as I am told. I eat quietly, tasting nothing but the wine. The flavor of it is different somehow. Mystical and sweet. My body begins to burn and my vision swims. I feel like I am overheating and suddenly Ash is no longer in his chair.
“Ash?” I cry out just as I feel his hands on my shoulders. He is standing behind me. I can feel him loosening the ties on my gown. Leaning my head back, I dizzily stare up into his face. “Why am I so hot?”
“Hush little dove,” he commands soothingly, his hands diving in the front of my bodice, over my corset. They find my breasts and squeeze each of them equally. I moan, arching upward, like a fish leaping from the water. It is almost as if I am not in control of my body. “Do you have any idea how angry it made me to watch you laughing with the king?” He growls at me, his face next to my ear.
I shudder, not answering him. His fingers are pinching my nipples now and I am about to lose it completely. “Ash! Please!”
I am heaving with wild desire, my breathing is labored and sweat glides down my brow. I spread my legs as the chamber spins around me and suddenly I am in his arms. I clamp my eyes shut to keep from passing out as I feel him lift me from the velvet armchair. I cling to him as he carries me toward his bed. My dress has been removed somehow and when he presses me into the mattress to untie my corset, I blink, struggling for control.
“I want you,” he chokes out. “I want to tear a different scream from your mouth with every plunge inside of your soft body. I want the entire palace to hear you call my name as you cum. That is what I want.”
I open my eyes when I feel the cool breeze fall over my breasts, my nipples hardening beneath his liquid silver gaze. I’m incoherent, and somewhat lost as I lay there, my body weak with surrender, the strange wine coursing through my blood.
“Want?” I ask, noticing that I am completely naked beneath him.
“Nothing more, nothing less.” He smirks, “At least. That is all I want, right now.”
Something is wrong with me.
Something is wrong with him!
What is it?
The wine?
I do not know where I find the strength to stop him, but I do. I grip both sides of his face in my hands, and I say, “No, Ash. Not like this.”