by Asia Marquis
Stepping back into the dining room, all eyes were on her and her anxiety came back. They watched Helina as she stepped back to her chair, sitting in it slowly.
This was only the beginning. If she married, she would become queen, and with that the world would rest on her shoulders. She shivered at the thought, and suddenly understood why her sister had resisted Helina's world. Why she had run away.
“Well?” Remiel squeaked. Her eyes were wide. The other members of The High Court shushed her.
“I will be getting to know this prince before I make any rash decisions. That is my final word on this. Now, if you will, I am going to finish my food and would like to do so in peace.” She held her chin high, hoping it didn't quiver. She felt awash with emotions, swirling in her stomach like a bad omen.
“That is good enough,” Givael said, running her hand over her creased forehead. “We will leave you, Your Grace.”
The room emptied. Even Remiel left, though she lagged behind, hoping that Helina might ask her to stay. Once alone, finally, she pulled the letter from her corset.
N,
The herbs have been stashed in the cupboards for breadmaking. Mix it in whatever you can. The task must be carried out soon, before she can marry. The Black Hole will be quite pleased if you pull this off, and your work will be well rewarded.
X
“I can't trust anyone,” Helina whimpered, leaning against the dining table and shoving the plates and cups away from her. “I wish Terra was here. She would know what to do.”
Rereading the letter, she wondered at the phrase 'The Black Hole'. Was that someone's name? Their title?
She couldn't even trust Remiel. Helina felt only despair.
Climbing the stairs to her bedroom, she heard voices within. At first, she was guarded, worried that someone might be plotting another attack, but then she relaxed as she recognized the voices.
“What are you two doing in here?” She asked, grinning at her friends. Anais was wearing some of her necklaces, Remiel had her lips painted with her lipstick. Remiel blushed. Helina was sure that Anais had applied the cosmetics, since it looked awful and Remiel would never match colors so horribly.
She loved her friends. Having to lie to them and hide from them for too long would surely make her go mad. Helina suddenly wanted to curl up into a ball and cry.
“Sorry! We just thought we'd come up and wait for you, and we got to talking about how we used to play dress up.” Anais took the gold chains from her neck and placed them back in the jewelry box. “I hope you're not upset.”
Helina shook her head. “Of course I'm not! Just surprised you're up here.”
“So tell us,” Remiel grinned, wiping away the lipstick and staining the sleeve of her dress. “What is the prince like?”
“Is he as handsome up close as he is from afar?”
“What does his voice sound like?”
“Are you going to marry him?” Both girls closed in on the princess, making her laugh and put up her hands in surrender.
Helina sat on her bed. “He's… hard to describe. Intelligent, and definitely smooth. Yes, he's very handsome up close. He has freckles. Did you know vampires could have freckles? As for what he sounds like… his voice is deep, but not gravelly. He has a French accent. It's very romantic.” She grinned, blushing. “I don't know if I will marry him, though. I have to think, first. Get to know him.”
She almost told them her plans for the evening, but realized it wasn't safe. Her chest ached. She hated hiding things from them. Aside from her relationship with Edward, she had almost never lied to them before. They were her secret keepers.
Anais walked into Helina's private bathroom and dampened a washcloth, bringing it out to Remiel. As she did, she asked, “Do you want to watch a movie with us tonight? We're thinking something romantic. Anoud promised to set up the theater for us in your sitting room.”
A movie! It was rare for Anoud to allow human technology into the manor, and she so loved films. She started to accept, but then shook her head. “I'm sorry, guys. I'm pooped, and I have a lot to think about. I mean, I might be getting married soon.”
Remiel and Anais looked at each other, smiling. “Do you want us to talk to you about it?”
“No, that's alright. I'd rather be alone.” They looked disappointed, but tried to hide it.
Her friends stayed in the room with her for a few minutes longer, trying to coax her into watching the movie, but Helina didn't budge. They left, chattering about actors and sex scenes.
Once alone, she undressed herself and pulled down her hair. She couldn't make herself look as put together as Remiel and Anais could, so Prince Roman would just have to accept her as she was: without makeup, wearing a loose dress and her hair down.
Looking in the mirror, she had to admit she looked somewhat pretty. Rarely a fan of her own features, she admired how her skin glowed. It seemed she fared well during times of panic. Perhaps she should have someone trying to poison her more often.
Rolling her eyes at her own thoughts, she grabbed a coat and stood before her window. She had sneaked out many times to meet with Edward, but none of them felt quite like this. There wasn't the anticipation, the wonder.
Edward was normal, and predictable. That was nice when Helina's life was off course, but one couldn't say the same about her mysterious vampire prince.
Thinking of Edward made Helina exceedingly sad. She knew that if she got married, she wouldn't want to be caught having an affair with a cook. Certainly not before an heir was born. He was going to hate her.
Her chest ached, and she knew that the pain would only grow in the coming days.
Opening the window, Helina grabbed the tree branch that had been crafted by her gardeners to reach out for her. Anoud didn't know that she paid them extra to give her a way to escape now and then. He often threatened to have the branch cut down, but never did, and she never got caught out alone.
Terra taught her a few tricks before she left. She was always sneaking around the manor, getting into trouble, even before the twins were teenagers.
The princess easily climbed into the tree, and then down it with the branches placed perfectly for her steps. Her coat, a black fur, was held close against her chest. The night was cold. She worried she would have to set up an environmental sphere for the picnic, which would no doubt wake up every guard that was meant to watch for magic.
August shouldn't be so cold, especially not with the environmental spells around the grounds. It worried her to think that the temperature drop could be a spell, a curse on her home.
Pressed against the manor wall, Helina crept along the side until she noticed a faint glow coming from the roses. Peeking her head out from around the corner, she saw that the roses were dotted with fireflies, illuminating the night.
As she stepped closer, the air became warmer. Her goosebumps went away, and she saw handsome Prince Roman in the middle of the roses, on a blanket. Wine was set out for them, a red wine that the prince sipped from as she approached. There was a smile on his face.
For a second she worried this would be the last thing she saw before she was assassinated, but she forced those thoughts away.
“Did you put up an environment to make it warmer?” She asked.
The prince nodded. “Yes, it's a trick I learned from my nanny. She was a witch.”
“You can do magic?” She was amazed. Perhaps he was stronger than she imagined, though the sun didn't seem to bother him.
“A bit, and it tires me easily. It's not natural for me, like it is for you. Come. Sit.” He swept his hand over the blanket. It was cerulean blue and soft to the touch. The perfume of roses carried through the whole garden.
Opening a wicker basket, Roman revealed breads and cheeses. “From France,” he commented, handing her a piece of bread. Taking a bite, she was amazed that it was still warm.
“It's so good!” She chowed down, enjoying the food thoroughly as she was still hungry from having barely picked at her
dinner with The High Court.
Smiling, Roman placed a hand on hers. “You look lovely. I think I prefer you dressed down than in flowing gowns, though you're beautiful in either situation.” He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her face. His hand slid and gently glided against her cheek.
Blushing, Helina looked around. Three of her guards and two of his were standing around them, but facing away to give them privacy. Seeing her own men there made her feel at ease. Her shoulders relaxed.
“I have to say, and I hope this won't offend you,” he said, gulping and looking down at the ground. “I have only ever had my eyes on you. I find you enchanting, and no woman has ever made me feel so unsure and sure of myself all at once.”
Helina watched his mouth move and felt that hers needed to be upon it at once. Leaning over the basket, she kissed him, hard. His breath caught.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her only to lay her down on her back. His lips were soft, and sweet like cherries and wine. Her tongue flicked against them, and then in his mouth.
She'd never gone so far so fast with a man before, but she knew then what she wanted. She wanted this man, and she wanted him now. He kissed her deeply again, tangling his fingers in her hair. He pressed his body down against hers, trapping her below him.
It didn't take long for both of them to be naked. Their hands wandered over their skin, exploring and grabbing, groping and manipulating. Roman rolled over and pulled Helina on top of him. She pressed her warm slit against his cock, and then slid down his body.
Roman closed his eyes. Helina slid her hand up his thigh, gripping it at times. She wanted him to feel how badly she wanted him with each movement her body made. She wanted him to know how badly she burned for him. It felt like a sin, to be burning for a vampire.
Roman sighed happily when she wrapped her hand around his meat. It had some of her juices on it, sticky and wet. His cock wasn't just warm, it was hot. He felt more alive than she expected.
She tossed her hair back and licked her lips. Merely holding his huge cock forced a moan from her lips, a shiver down her spine. The muscles in her lower abdomen tickled, her cunt became hotter and wetter.
Her eyes flicked up at to his face, and she saw that he was watching her. The moon and fireflies lit their bodies up as they played. “I'm going to suck your cock, now,” she said, her voice breathy and low. She felt slutty, free, and completely sexual. It felt good. Her own hand played with her cunt as she swallowed his cock. It twitched as her tongue touched the sensitive head. Roman muttered a curse under his breath.
Her hand moved up and down on his cock as she licked up his precum.
“Ah,” he sighed. His fingers scratched against his bed, his thighs strained and flexed. Helina took that as a sign that she was doing well. She went deeper, using her tongue to play with the shaft as the tip slid down her throat.
She held herself as long as she could before she pulled away and gagged. He didn't let her breathe more than two breaths before he pushed her face back down onto his cock. The violence of it was unexpected, but hot. He held her down until the last second, letting her pull away and gag again.
Edward had never been rough with her, and she knew then that she needed it. She needed a strong man that she could trust, someone that she could surrender herself to.
Prince Roman's thighs quivered below her. She coughed again, trying to control her gags. Then she stood, slid a hand across her nipples, and straightened her shoulders. “I'm going to ride you, now. I'm going to ride you until you cum in me.”
“Oh, fuck yes,” Roman groaned. When she climbed on top of him, he grabbed her hips. He wanted this as badly as she did. But Roman stopped her. “Not yet.”
“Please! Please fuck me!” Waiting for him was almost unbearable.
His fingers scratched down her sides, leaving red streaks that claimed her as his. Beautiful, territorial, sexy. Roman's hands reached beneath her and pulled her chest towards him, so that he could suck on her breast.
He kissed her collar bone before moving down, his hands pushing her thighs apart. He spread them wide, pushing aside her panties and exposing her pink flesh.
“I can't wait to taste you,” Roman said. It was a little bit embarrassing for him to say that, and she blushed a deep red. When he nibbled at her pussy lips, though, she stopped caring and gave in. His fingers pushed aside her thin panties. Roman explored her velvety insides, pulling them wide and exposing her clitoris. It was a little bit swollen.
Roman was seemingly driven wild with desire. He dipped his tongue into her folds. Tasting her. Savoring the experience. Dragging a finger up and down her folds, he teased around her clitoris, never fully touching it. She gasped, raising her ass to try and trick him into touching her. She needed some release!
“Please!” she begged, feeling hot.
Roman didn't give in. He seemed to be enjoying torturing her. A wicked smile crossed his face and he licked her folds again, lapping up her wetness but never once touching her most pleasurable spot.
“I am begging you, Roman! Please touch me, stop teasing me!” She thrashed in passion.
Roman watched her face contort with frustration before finally giving her what she wanted. His tongue slipped over the hood covering her clit, and she jolted upright with an “OH!”
She gripped his hair, directing his mouth to apply pressure in certain spots. He understood her motions, and it felt good. It felt so damn good. His tongue darted all around, still teasing her, only sometimes pressing against her clitoris. She moaned and whined and grunted, trying to come close to orgasm, but Roman had complete control over that. It was maddening.
“Take me, Roman. Cum in me. I want it,” She said. And those were the magic words. Roman stared up at her for a second, watching her to see if she was just pleading for release. But no.
She wanted him to cum in her badly. It came over them both like a 'eureka', a sudden understanding of what they both desires. That desire drove them both wild, their hands and bodies moving faster, hungrier than before.
He slid her down the bed. She sat up, running her hands from his pecs to his hips. His pubic hair was well trimmed. His cock... was huge. It was standing upright, thick with blood.
Roman wrapped his hand around his manhood, his fingers moving up and down his shaft. “Spread your legs,” he commanded. Her stomach leaped and did turns at being given an order. She liked it.
Laying back, she spread her legs wide. She even pulled her pussy lips apart, unashamed. He came closer to her, and she wrapped her legs around him, locking him into position. He placed himself against her entrance, savoring her heat before entering her.
She gripped the blanket beneath them and moaned. Her inner walls rippled and moved, gripping his cock within her. She pulled him in deeper. She didn't care if the guards or even The High Court could see her. All she wanted was to be one with Roman.
He pushed himself back in slowly, then pulled out again. And then he picked up speed. She screamed as his cock hit her in just the right place, and the pounding just came harder after that. His thumb rested on her clit and rubbed with each thrust.
With her legs wrapped around him, and his hands holding her hips, he pulled her onto his cock and fucked her hard. He twitched, and she knew he would cum soon.
“Oh fuck, oh fuck! Don't stop!”
He kept fucking her until he came hard within her, his hot sperm pounding against her insides. Everything about him was so hot. Weren't vampires supposed to be cold?
He groaned and, once his balls were spent, he collapsed on top of her. He laughed as their foreheads bumped together. Rolling off of her and rubbing his forehead, he took her hand and held it tight.
“I'm sorry, I hope I didn't push any of that on you,” the prince said. “I just knew that I needed you.”
She shook her head. “No, I needed you too. It's weird how quickly it came on.”
His eyes flashed worry. “I think you should ask your oracles about it. I'm
worried we were spelled into this.”
Helina considered that, and then nodded. “You might be right. That scares the hell out of me, but you might be right. Still, it felt so good. I don't regret it. Do you?”
Prince Roman flashed her a huge grin. His freckles were cute, now that she really got to look at them. “No way!”
The prince and princess spent a few stolen moments, holding one another and discussing, of all thing, politics. Helina didn't find it particularly sexy, but she did find it soothing. She found it soothing because Prince Roman also wanted to be a kind and benevolent ruler for his country. He wanted to stop the human slavery and find other ways to get their blood. To right their wrongs, and seek a truce with the werewolves and witches.
It had made him the enemy of some powerful vampires, but not once did Roman seem scared or worried by that. Helina was intrigued by him. Most importantly, she was impressed by him, and she looked up to him. He made her want to be a better ruler.
A final realization came upon her more slowly, creeping up on her until it came all at once and she gasped. She knew she wanted to marry him.
Helina woke, but kept her eyes shut. She was tired, after having only gotten a few hours of sleep. She tried to relax back into her dreams, but something was bothering her. Something wasn't right.
The birds weren't singing. All was silent, and there was a strange smell in her room.
Cracking her eyes open just a bit, all Helina saw was red. Strange, there were few red things in her bedroom. Had she fallen asleep in a servant's bed by accident?
Opening her eyes more, she gasped and sat up, screaming. The red was blood, and it covered her entire bed. It stunk, badly, like dogs and pain.
Prince Roman burst into the room, holding a sword in his hand and with his men behind him. “Princess Helina! Are you hurt?” He had dark circles under his eyes, wild with fear, and wobbled a bit as he stood.
“It's werewolf blood! I need to get it off of me, this is poison!” Kicking the bedsheets off of her, she rushed into her bathroom and threw her clothes off. She felt powerless. She puked, hard.
