by L. Hillis
“It’s okay, it’s a good memory.”
He cupped her face, “I hate to see you in pain.” Monique reached up and gave Danny a kiss, a kiss that was meant to be innocent, but turned hot real quick. Danny slid his tongue in her mouth, enticing her tongue to participate; it obliged. Monique stopped the kiss to lick the rim of his lips. Danny growled and pulled Monique closer, then went for her neck. Monique’s eyes rolled in the back of her head; he knew that was her spot.
She couldn’t help but moan. Then she rubbed him through his pants, making him moan. He turned around and led her to the stairs that led to an underground room. There was a minibar on the left, a door that opened up to a bathroom, a king-sized bed that had white and gold covers, and pillows that said “Prince.” Danny gave her a kiss that made her head spin. Monique stopped kissing him and said under lowered eyelashes, “I think I’ll be ready soon. Just got to think about it some more.”
Knowing fully well what she was talking about, he said, “Really?”
“I’m thinking about it, not a definite yes yet.”
He grabbed her waist and looked in her eyes with all seriousness. “I want only you forever.”
Her heart got ten times bigger. It all felt unreal; to go from James to Danny. He only wanted her. Her decision had now become clear. She was going to tell Danny but then he kissed her. Danny tried to put everything he felt in the kiss he laid on Monique’s lips. He walked her to the bed as he kissed her. He undressed her like he was desperate to see her skin. He salivated thinking about claiming her, making her his and his alone. The dress she had on made undressing her quick. He laid feather-light kisses on her inner thighs. Monique felt her body warm with excitement. Danny pulled her panties down slowly. He kissed up her legs and spread them wider, drawing lazy circles on her thigh. Monique moaned. He kissed her lips, causing Monique to close her legs. Danny pried her legs open and sucked on her clit. She moaned loudly and grabbed Danny’s head while he licked and sucked her lips. Then he slid two fingers in and out and she rode his hand.
Danny kept alternating between sucking, licking, and sliding his fingers in and out. Monique could feel the pressure building inside of her. He slid his fingers in her one more time and she screamed his name. During her orgasm, he felt the strong pulling to bite. His fangs dropped, his eyes turned red, and he held her thigh and sunk his teeth in. The bite heightened her orgasm. It felt so powerful that she had to close her eyes. Danny’s eyes turned back to sea green and he quickly lifted his head. He was going to tell her immediately; he was, but the pure bliss on her face made him forget. She had her eyes closed and was beautiful. He slid into her, forgetting what he had to tell her. Her eyes flew open as she joined the slow rhythm Danny started. He looked into her flawless face and said, “I love you.” She felt his emotions as if it came from her. A tear rolled down her cheeks. She said, “I love you too.” They were down there for two hours.
Monique felt the breeze across her face, while Danny held her tight. She leaned into his embrace feeling content. He said, “I think I will pay my father a visit.”
“That’s great baby.”
That’s the first time she’s called me baby, he thought and smiled. His phone rang, interrupting the romance, and he answered it. Monique heard a female voice on the phone. His face looked like it was drained of blood as the smile he had dropped.
“What happened?” He asked.
“It’s just so unbelievable,” he said. He paused; Monique assumed the other person was talking.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” then he hung up. His face looked emotional.
“Is everything okay?”
Danny grabbed Monique and held her. They stayed like that for some time with his eyes closed. He couldn’t believe the news he just got. Monique looked up and asked, “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
He looked in her beautiful, all-knowing eyes and said, “My father died.” She gasped, putting her hand to her mouth, “I’m so sorry baby.”
“I haven’t seen him since I left. Now it’s too late,” he said clenching his jaw. Monique suddenly felt overwhelming regret.
“Oh baby,” Monique said and gave him a hug. She felt weird as he didn’t return the hug.
She looked up into his face, and asked, “Are you okay?”
Silence was the answer she got; that silence ensued as he drove her back to her work. He also left without a word. Monique started to question everything she said. She couldn’t find anything she said wrong. Monique got in her car and drove home. She got home and took a shower. Putting on her workout clothes, she went to the park. Monique did some stretches and her phone rang, “Hello?”
“Hey, just wanted to tell you I’m leaving.”
“Ok, I love you, she said hesitantly.
“I love you too,” then he hung up. Monique looked at the phone completely dumbfounded. He said “I love you,” but she sensed the aloofness. Anger and regret were warring inside of her. Did he really want her? Was she just a human fling? Did I move too fast? Those questions riddled her mind. She needed to run now more than ever, as her heart felt heavy and her head confused. She just didn’t know what to do. At least, she understood why he was upset about his father but why was he upset with her? Monique did a few laps around the park trails. On her last lap, she ran thinking about her time on Danny's boat; she thought about them spilling their souls and the out of this world lovemaking, down to the phone call and how he acted after. Monique played the phone call she just had in her mind.
She bawled up her face and ran faster. Before she knew it, she had run the trails three times. When she was done, she was sweaty. Monique wiped her forehead with the rag and drank the water she brought and walked home still confused. The fact that she couldn’t figure out what happened between her and Danny ate her up so much. She got home and headed for the shower; the hot water washed away the day. Monique closed her eyes as the steam sipped into her skin. She hoped she hadn’t lost him. Everything was so good before the phone call. He was even going to visit his father before he got news of his passing. Monique couldn’t take the thoughts, and so she dried off and got dressed.
Chapter 10
Two days later, she got a call from someone named Angelina.
“Who are you?” Monique asked.
“My name is Angelina, and I assist the king,” she said proudly.
“Why are you calling me?” Monique asked.
“Danny is now the king.”
“Really? He accepted it?”
“Yes. As you know, the king handles a lot.”
“His coronation will be soon.”
“That’s great!”
Dread filled Monique at her next words.
“He does not have room or time for a relationship right now.”
It felt like someone ripped her heart out. Anger replaced her sadness. “He couldn’t tell me that!” She yelled into the phone.
“As I said,” Angelina said through clenched teeth, “He has a lot to deal with right now. Sorry.” Then she curtly hung up.
Monique was so angry that her vision blurred from the hot tears that streamed down her cheeks.
Danny felt anger that branded his body with fire. He snuck away from Angelina, who always had something for him to do. It was almost like she was intentionally trying to keep him busy. He closed the door to his room and immediately called Monique. The phone rang all night but she ignored it. She cried through the night and woke with a terrible headache. She got up holding her head and searched for Tylenol. After one hour and after thirty minutes of lying in bed, she still felt ill. She called out of work, feeling like she was hit by a truck. Monique ran for the bathroom with a hand to her stomach and mouth. All she wanted to do was lay in bed and be left alone. The next day, she felt a little better. The phone rang as she was leaving for work. She locked up anyway and left.
Her days were all like this; work, home, ignoring phone calls from Danny. She deleted his voicemails. Monique knew it was him
because she answered by accident one day. As soon as she heard his voice, she hung up. She had enough to deal with. Besides trying to keep her food down, headaches were frequent and regular.
One day, she had Chinese and it did not sit well with her body. She threw up every last bit. These days everything seemed to be too much for her. A smell could send her to the toilet. On her fifth trip from the bathroom, she was assaulted with feelings of regret, sadness, and longing. Before she could look further into it, there was a knock at the door. James was standing there with a bouquet of flowers. He smiled and said, “Hey baby.”
Monique rolled her eyes and said, “I have a name.” She didn’t need this, it had been two weeks since Danny had been gone and she was still devastated.
“But, I liked that one better.” James said.
“I don’t,” she responded, in a rather cold tone.
“Are you not happy to see me?” he asked with a corny smile.
“No,” she blurted out, in a deadpan voice. “What do you want James?” She continued, with her voice void of emotion.
He went on as if she didn’t say anything. James looked at her from up to down, and said, “Baby you’re gaining. Are you stressed out?”
“Get out!” She yelled.
“But, I want to take you out. Get dressed.”
“No!” She said firmly.
“Oh come on, for old times’ sake?”
She looked at him like really?
“No,” she insisted, with her voice carrying anger.
“Well, I’m here for a few months. So, there’s time. See ya later baby.” Then he went out the door. She rolled her eyes when he left.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks eventually turned into a month. Monique felt like an idiot for falling for Danny. He was always going to go back and leave me, she thought, snatching her shoes. I was just a fling, she told herself as she hurriedly tied her sneakers. Monique left the apartment to go to the park. She was dressed comfortably today. Actually, it had been like this since he left. Joggers, sneakers, and a t-shirt. Nobody said anything about it; it was almost like they knew her heart was broken and they felt sorry for her.
Danny felt emotions of abandonment and anger, but he didn’t know where it came from. The last few days had been hectic for him, as he was dealing with his father's burial arrangements. He longed for Monique, and he had been calling her every day. Angelina was instructed to call her after a week of no response. She got no answer as well, but that didn’t stop him. Danny had Angelina call daily, but it proved futile as there was never an answer. Angelina put the phone back on its hook, and the continuous dial tone played as she hung up the phone. It went on like that for weeks. Then he couldn’t take it anymore. There was a physical ache for Monique and his heart needed her. He decided to call himself. It had been too long since he heard her voice or seen her. Danny dialed her number. It rang twice and then a male answered and said, “Hello?”
Danny looked at the phone quite confused, and said, “Can I speak to Monique?”
“She’s sleeping.”
“I’ll call back.” He said, right before he hung up. His nails grew long and sharp, his eyes turned red, and his breathing picked up.
“Are you ready?” Monique came out of the room, asking as she put on her jacket. After weeks of turning down James’ lunch date, she finally said yes. They went back to her apartment for her jacket, as it was October and getting chilly.
“Yep,” he said with a smile as they left.
“Sire, he is doing it again,” Angelina said out of breath.
“I’ll be back,” he said gutturally.
“You want backup?”
“No,” he answered with a little more force than he meant to. He didn’t much care at that point. That call had him on edge. Who is that man? What is he doing inside her home? Before he knew, it there was a hole in the wall. Angelina stood there with her hand on her chest. “Is everything okay sire?”
Danny turned with a fierce look on his face and walked away. The car was waiting for him when he got outside. Danny didn’t have to give him the address, he already knew and seemed to be waiting for him. They pulled up to the quaint house and could hear the yelling. Danny heard a woman crying, and so he jumped out of the car and raced to the house. Danny sped through the front door to see the culprit with his hand raised. The woman covered her face, preparing for the blow. Shock registered on the man’s face on seeing the king. He quickly lowered his hand.
“Sire,” he said with an English accent, “What are you doing here?” The woman who was cowering was now on her knees facing him.
“I heard you were harassing and abusing my constituent.” Danny said.
“That is a lie, I haven’t touched her,” said the man.
“That’s not what that black eye she was nursing last week says.”
He lifted his leg to kick her “You told him? Worthless piece of...”
Danny caught his leg with lightning speed before he finished his statement and flipped him on his stomach. He looked back up at Danny in shock. The woman looked at Danny with wide eyes.
Danny said, “If I ever see you here again or her with a black eye, you will leave with a black eye.” His eyes glowed red, and his teeth and nails were still long and sharp.
The man scurried out of the house. Danny felt hands grasp him from the back. As his feature turned normal again, he turned around to see the woman hugging him.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Anytime.”
Two little boys came out of the room. “Are you okay?” One of the boys asked, with tears in his eyes. The woman ran to her kids and hugged them.
“I’m okay and will be from now on,” she said, wiping the child’s eyes.
Both boys hugged her. Danny thought it was the perfect time to leave, looking at the private moment. He slipped into the back of the limousine feeling good. His face lightened with a gentle smile. This was what he loved the most about being king, But then again, he thought about what Monique said about being king and changing things. He missed her but was now too ashamed to see her after how he acted. Perhaps she had moved on with the man who answered the phone, he thought. That made Danny mad all over again. Humans didn’t love like wolves, or did he consider himself a vampire? He shrugged as if someone could see him. I won’t let her go. She is mine, he thought, as he squeezed his fist. He had to think of something else or her place would be the next stop and that would mean trouble for the guy as he would be shredded. He remembered being so upset about his father, and was now upset with himself that he let anything get in the way of seeing him. When he got to the castle, he was immediately taken to see him. His body laid still in a large room with a large black canopy bed. The bed was a king-sized bed with black covers. The canopy had dark brown curtains that were closed. Danny slowly walked to the bed, pulled the curtain back and saw his father with his hands laying on one another. The king looked less threatening now. He had gray hair and wrinkles all over his face. When Danny left, he didn’t have gray hair; his skin was also not wrinkled.
“He changed when you left you know. No more of the stuff we used to do.” Angelina softly said.
It deeply saddened him that he stayed away for so long - he stayed away for that long for nothing. Everything else went by fast; planning the funeral and watching people talk about him. They talked about a completely different person than the father he knew. The stories made him out to be a saint. He heard nothing of the yelling, arguing, and killing.
Soon, Danny had to assume roles, as the royalty he was. He was seeing over England, making sure they were still profitable, and fell into his duties easily. Danny sat on his king-sized bed in his room; the sheets, covers, and pillows were beige, and the room a light brown. He knew he should be thinking about his father lying three feet away but his mind had other plans. Danny sat wishing he was caressing Monique’s soft skin, and her supple lips; he loved the way the taste of those lips. As he thought of it, he envisioned her smile. He t
ook away that smile being a jerk to her. Feeling remorseful, he wanted to call her, but he thought, What would I say to her? I treated her too badly. Angelina interrupted his thoughts with her audience, saying something needed his attention. In no time, he was put to work .He got up to walk with Angelina.
Days and weeks flew by without Monique. He needed her during that time. He had Angelina call many times, but she always claimed she was unable to reach her. Danny had Angelina call back one evening, but a male answered and said she was busy. He walked through the royal garden, as he came to his starting point and started stretching. He turned on his music and put his earbuds in, letting the music soothe his busy mind. He was going crazy without Monique. Running was the only thing that calmed him.
After one month of not talking to her or seeing her, he assumed she had moved on with the same guy who answered a month ago. He thought his father dying before he could see him one last time was bad, but being without her was definitely worse. Then there was his mother who was trying to reconnect. At times, Danny got calls from an unknown number to his cell but when he would answer, no one would respond. He ran three more times through the garden. When he was done, he made up his mind to call Monique again. Danny walked into the castle, to his room and took a nice hot shower. He closed his eyes as he put his face under the water. It ran over his body. Steam filled the air from the shower. He rubbed the soap down his body, and then she materialized in his head. The way she looked in her red dress when he took her to dinner; a hint of delectable cleavage, toned arms and legs, and that beautiful butt that was too hard to ignore. Danny looked to see his soldier saluting. He lathered his hands and grabbed his member, going up and down its length. Danny’s face twisted in concentration as he thought about Monique taking him in her mouth. He went faster, as imaginary Monique swirled her tongue up and down his length.
He gripped tighter, as she took him in her mouth. So warm, he thought. Then she swirled her tongue around the tip, and that was it! He swirled his hand around the edge and every muscle tightened as he came. Danny still felt wound up, as if this wasn’t evident he had to see Monique.
