Forced To Kill The Prince

by Hollie Hutchins

  Cassie pulled back from Ronan, out of his arms. She wore a literally faraway look, casting her sight to the dusky sky where the first stars of night were beginning to appear. “I don't know, Ronan. Like you said, there’s a life that I’ve made for myself, a life out there. It’s a life that I’m used to.” She looked back at him. “I guess you must have done a little talking to the court, helping them see the right thing to do here, didn’t you?”

  “As I once said,” Ronan admitted, “I can’t change the laws. But being a Prince, I have some influence.”

  “I know,” said Cassie. “You’re a very persuasive man.” She looked at him now with sparks in her eyes. “It’s a lot to ask, Ronan, expecting me to give up all of space. You’re going to have to show me how persuasive you can really be. The skylight on your bedroom is fixed by now and it’s all been cleaned up, hasn’t it?”

  Taking her meaning and feeling the hardness rise in his trousers, Ronan smiled at her. “Yes…yes, it has.”

  She held out her hand to him. “Well, then…persuade me.”

  Ronan took her hand and they walked as briskly as Cassie’s use of the cane would allow back up to the house. Reaching his bedroom, they stripped naked and leapt into bed, and Ronan mounted and persuaded her all night long.

  Secretly In Love With My Best Friend

  ~ Bonus Story ~

  A Dragon & Shifter Paranormal Romance

  I grew up my whole life with three constants in my life.

  1) I am an orphan. My parents wanted me. But they lost me.

  That’s just something I have to accept. It hurts. But what’re you gonna do?

  2) My best friend and secret love who doesn’t love me back, Thomas.

  My Tom-Cat. This fucking dork. I know everything about him and he knows everything about me. I trust him with my life and he’d do anything for me.

  3) I have some form of undiagnosed ADHD or something.

  I see things. Things that everyone agrees, aren’t there.

  So there must be something wrong with me.

  Would be nice if any of those things were stable. My parents didn’t want me, because I didn’t have powers like they did. To see monsters.

  Until I did.

  Thomas is a monster and has lied to me our whole life.

  What the f*ck, Tom.

  The things I see are monsters.

  When is my life gonna make sense? Someday soon? Hopefully.

  * * *

  Chapter 1

  “We didn’t want you!” The faceless voice taunted me, the sound shrill as it twisted a metaphorical – and physical – knife into my gut. Blood poured to the ground as I panted. “You spent your whole life searching for us. And you know what? If we wanted you, you would’ve grown up with us. Not being traded from family to family as it seems not one of your foster families ever wanted you either. If you had two brain cells to rub together-”

  There was an ax in my hand. I couldn't tell why or how it got there, all I knew was the painful taunts had to stop. Any means necessary, it didn’t matter how. My arms ached from the effort as I went about slashing wildly at the nondescript body in front of me. I tried my best not to cry. They didn’t deserve to breathe, much less be able to say such a thing.

  The vision in front of me melted away. I was treated to the sight of some sort of image. A small little diner, in the middle of nowhere with woods. It has a sign next to it, Camp Doluka, Indiana. Aren’t you not supposed to be able to read in dreams? Oh what did it ever mean?

  A second later I feel the blood of victims – but it was cold? – pour over me and I was jolted out from my dream. My eyes popped open as I saw a bucket of water over me and I shivered. “You perv!” I screeched like a banshee at him, covering myself. Of course, today is the day I decide to sleep with a white cotton shirt and no bra!

  Thomas didn’t even look. For a moment, I kinda wished he did. He was beautiful. He had freckles dotting his nose and a perfect chiseled jaw, brown glittery eyes, and wavy hair. He would be someone’s perfect guy – Why do I hate the thought? Ugh. I know why. It sucks but I can’t even deny it! – Honestly speaking, if he wasn’t a total dork who constantly had to make the worst jokes.

  “Aww, come on!” He pouted at me, sticking his plump bottom lip out. “I only wanted you to have a splash! You usually have such a dry sense of humor.”

  I groaned at his stupid jokes, “Get out, You Dork!" I yelled, throwing my pillow at him. How I spent my entire life around such a dork and stayed even half-way sane, even I don’t get.

  Grabbing a towel to wipe all the water off myself I huffed. It would be nice if I were able to think of something else. Wouldn’t it be grand to forget that whole awful dream? But a girl who’s used to thin cotton blankets and scratchy towels isn’t going to forget anything that fast. Memories were all I had since being a kid, and I wasn’t one to let go of anything.

  Abruptly, I froze as I came to a decision. I needed to leave. Staying here, never chasing my dreams? Being stuck in a place I can barely stand with people I sort of tolerate for my entire life? Honestly, in my book, that would be the craziest decision I came to. I need to see the world. I need… I need to see that damn diner! As Immediately as possible.

  I have never been the type of girl to ignore any itch that I wanna scratch, and that might be one of the worst things about me. Impulsivity might as well be my middle name. Throwing all my things into my duffle bag haphazardly, I was for the first time glad, that I didn’t have much to pack. I ran a brush through the untamable mass of curls on my head, so overzealously that I paid the price of yanking tangled hairs straight out of my head. The sting of the pain was nothing I needed to concern myself with at the moment.

  I heard the snap as a few bristles fell out of the brush and I cursed inwardly. “Unbreakable my ass!” I snapped, now I had to waste more time pulling the bristles out of my hair.

  “I always thought you were a hothead but this is ridiculous.” He commented as he heard the static noises my hair made as I brushed through them. His large hand reached in and helped me remove the bristles. It almost felt… good. He was so gentle. So sweet. UGH!

  His hand stilled as his eyes wandered to my bed. Looking at all the stuff that I had stuffed into my duffle bag, he put his hand to his heart. “You’re leaving me? Et Tu Brute?”

  I should’ve never told him that my last name is Brute. Or the last name I was given is. My full name ‘Jenna Alice Brute’ was all I had from my parents, written in locket found around my neck. I wished he would stop using it as a joke. I mean, This isn’t the first time he’s made this joke. In fact, he’s made it 8 times this week! And it is Tuesday!

  Huffing at him, I pouted and looked away. “I have to go…” I declared, probably a bit melodramatically. I am a thespian, after all. “I may never see you again. But I have a quest and I must leave. I am sure you will one day love another.”

  Thomas snorted and put a hand to his heart. "Oh, woe is me. A lowly Tom-Cat whose Genie has left." He threw himself onto me so I cushioned his fall when he fell to the ground.

  I snorted at him. Everyone called me Genie. I don’t even get it. I mean, my name us Jenna. Barely any comparison. I mean Tom-Cat and Tom fit. But, I digress.

  “Get offa me!” I shouted, pushing him away as my cheeks flushed. His muscular body was pressed against mine and, oh my god, I both wanted my space and never wanted his delicious form anywhere but on my own. Tom can never be serious. Not even for five minutes. It was basically impossible for him.

  Thomas smirked and looked down at me, a strange glint in his eyes. It made my pulse quicken and I had to put a lot of effort into not just beginning to hyperventilate. It was strange, but it was gone as fast as it came and I relaxed.

  For a moment I relaxed. After that, his pink tongue came out and licked my face. His tongue had a strangely sandpapery texture. “Ewww!” I yelled, pushing him off me as I wiped his disgusting saliva off of me. “Disgusting, Dude! Why would you even-”

  “I
can always just come with.” He offered, so nonchalantly as he cut me off, that I cocked my head at him. What? I guess I should be used to this by now. He was always up for anything. No loyalty to a place or his friends or anything. What even makes my Tom-Cat tick? Not… that he’s mine or anything. Or that I even want him to be.

  “I…” I was torn. Do I say no? Can I just send him away? I don’t really want to. “Fiine.”

  The way his entire face lit up ticked me off for some reason. Idiot. Overly excited, endearingly adorable, idiot. His eyes glittered like precious gemstones and his lips curled into this grin, that I wanted to punch off his stupid face. Ugh. This is seriously unpleasant.

  Chapter 2

  It took less than a day to pack up all our belongings and stuff ‘em in some bags. We were just orphans without any rich adoptive parents, after all. Tom-Cat had rich folks, but they died and he can only get a little bit of his money at a time. He wastes most of it immediately. I try and give him good advice, but he never listens. And then he gives me this innocent pout that I can’t even deal with. Idjit.

  While walking out of the apartment we shared, I carried my one duffle bag. Dumb Tom-Cat kept sending me texts to hurry up. I mean, holy shit. He sent twenty in the past hour. What is even wrong with him? Not generally, because there is a lot that’s wrong with him. But what’s wrong with him right now. It’s almost like he wanted to leave just as much as I do. Which is nothing like him. And he has no reason to want to rush to somewhere that he barely even gets the point of going.

  “Holy shit,” I face palmed. So Tom-Cat used his money to get a new car? It’s awful. It’s an ugly incredibly beat up purple thing with cheetah print seats. He probably got it old and ‘pimped it out’ or maybe, he did the opposite? I refuse to call this ‘pimping’. “Are you from the 70s? What the hell, dude?”

  “It’s awesome!” He argued, pouting. Damn him, he made me feel weird whenever he did that. How dare he use my emotions against me… without even knowing I feel them?

  I flicked his adorable button nose, before tossing the suitcase in the back. “You are an idiot. It’s tacky and nobody thinks it’s cool!” I couldn’t help but reply.

  He was scowling now. He's so adorable when he does that. I punched him in the arm as I climbed into the passenger seat of the car. "Dork," I added as an afterthought.

  "I'm not a dork." He sounded offended, but from the grin on his lips, as we started driving, I could tell he wasn't genuinely mad at me. “I’m the coolest – and totally the hottest – dude you’ll ever meet! Ask anyone.”

  “You think I’m gonna spend my whole life around dorks?” I teased him. “I mean, I once saw you ride a skateboard straight into a garbage can.”

  “Aww. Come on!” He was pouting like a child now. It wasn’t fair that anyone can be that cute. Dumb freckle-faced, Dork! “I thought everyone forgot about that by now. I was like, twelve at the time.”

  "Sorry, Babe," I smirked at him. “I’m never gonna forget it. It’s too amazing.”

  “Yeah, Yeah.” He replied as he continued to drive us. This trip wouldn’t be as long as it would be if I left without him, I could tell. “Of course, I’m not the girl who almost once tried to eat a Urinal Cake because she got totally wasted and was told it was a cake.”

  I growled at him, my face turning bright red. “S-Shut Up!” I huffed, turning away and staring out the window. “Don’t bring that up anymore, you clown. I was blackout drunk in the first place! So it doesn’t count.”

  The laughter that came from his lips almost made me forgive him. Almost. It is amazing how happy he can be. Especially when he was disowned from his ‘new, loving’ familes four times.

  One of the times was something really weird that almost stuck out to me. Something about arson? I brushed it off though. I've never taken much stock in anyone's arguments against him. I knew him since we were kids, and he was a good guy. He was too innocent to have hurt anyone in the past and too kind to try and do it in the future. And if someone can’t see that, I can’t really put much faith in who they are or what they have to say, can I?

  “How are you single?” It came from my mouth without the consent of my more rational mind. I didn’t mean it like that! It’s just… I was curious. Not ‘cause I like him! He’s a dork. It’s just, I’ve noticed that some people like him. For some bizarre reason.

  “Huh?” He seemed almost as confused as I was when I first figured out l like him. “Honestly,” He gave me one of his most dreamy grins. I felt jealous all of a sudden, and I have no idea why. “I’ve never really been interested in the girls that I know like me.” He seemed to be trying to say something, but no matter what I couldn’t piece it together in any way. “I’ve had my eye –”

  “Keep your eyes on the road, Idiot!” I barked at the idiot who was driving the car, as he was starting to drift. How can he be this genuinely stupid? Doesn’t he have any brains rattling around in that silly skull of his? “Of all the moronic, inconsiderate things..” I muttered, looking out the window as I bristled with indignation at how unfair the universe was to pair me up with a guy like that.

  Stop looking at me like that! It’s not 'cause he was looking at me like I was special. And my blood was not boiling over the mere fact that he was going to tell me about whatever (stupid, clearly not good enough, airhead, most likely blonde) girl he was into! He could’ve gotten us killed! That’s why I was mad. Get your priorities in order, why don’t you!

  His mouth curved down into a frown and his shoulders slumped. Now I kinda feel like an asshole. Well… good. Focus on the road this time. Not on some girl who was clearly no good for you. Usually, he was a lovable idiot, but he didn't feel so lovable right now. Idiot.

  The rest of the road was quiet. He had deflated and every moment it pissed me off more. What the hell? He usually never shuts up, no matter what I say to him. He must be obsessed with this dumb girl. I mean seriously, all of a sudden he’s listening to me? What? How?

  When it was getting dark, we decided we needed to go to a hotel. I mean, we were already here in Indiana “Uhh, we can go to a nicer hotel with one bed instead of some seedy motel with two. Especially if we tell em it’s out honeymoon.”

  It made fiscal sense, sure. Plus, it’s true that it’s not like we haven’t done it before. But still. Just… I know my Tom-Cat is a cuddler. The idea, of his body pressed against mine, made me flush for some utterly unknown reason.

  “You pervert!” I shouted in my shrillest, venom-spitting voice. I don’t know how he makes my voice go to that annoying, almost impossible octave. I punched him roughly in the shoulder. “Now I know why you wanted to go on this trip with me.”

  He rubbed his shoulder and whined. He seemed less depressed right now, that’s good at least. “I honestly don’t see what your problem is? It’s not like I’m even into you or anything.”

  Okay. I am allowed to be offended by that, right? Even if we aren’t together? Hopefully, I am because I feel a fire lit up my belly as my cheeks flush a deep red. How dare he! He definitely just insulted me! Am I not hot enough? Or funny enough? It’s because he prefers blondes, isn't it! He said that to me once in passing. Grr. This jerk!

  “Hmph!” I crossed my arms and turned away from him. I planned to snub him all night.

  “Aww. Come on!” He pouted. “Geniiie. I wish you wouldn’t be so mad at you. I swear I’ll stop being such a Brute!”

  I groaned at his puns. God. How come he is so dumb? I can't even really be mad at him because it’d be like being mad at a puppy. A dumb, pouty faced puppy. How dare he be so cute and endearing?

  “Ugh! Fine.” The smirk on his face when I relented made me want to be mad at him again, but that would be childish. And I am not childish. I am an adult. A mature, grown adult who just went across the country to visit a diner in a state I have never been in, on a whim. Hmm. Maybe I’m not actually that much of an adult.

  “Yessss!” He fist-pumped in the air as he drove up to the hotel. This dork. I just knew
that this is going to suck. He sucks.

  I looked around as he paid for the room when we got into the hotel. It was actually really nice. The air smells like bubblegum and mint. There was an aquarium and everything looked fancy and high class.

  Turning back to look at him, made all my thoughts go dark again. He was definitely wasting my time by flirting with the receptionist instead of actually getting anything done. Ugh. I recognize that tone of dumb giggle anywhere. The ’oh, you’re so charming. Why don’t you take me out?’ giggle. The desperate stupid laughter that just made my skin crawl.

  Looking out of the corner of my eyes, I huffed. Of course. She was a strawberry-blonde twig thin, overly tall thing with a big rack. Why would I ever assume otherwise? Idiot. I have to put a stop to this right now!

  I am not overreacting either. You are overreacting. Great. Now I’m talking to myself like some kind of freak. Greeat.

  “Honey. Sweetie Pie…” My voice was sugary, but harsh underneath it. I have always been told I have a tongue like a dagger. He needs to remember that now. That we are supposed to seem like a happy couple in order for this ruse to work. So no one questions why two 17-year-olds are taking a cross-country journey all alone. "Have you gotten the tickets yet? You aren't wasting the time of this nice girl, are you?"