by Tiya Rayne
Here in my room while I’m awake, is the other half of me. My heart tells me to run to her. It whispers for me to wrap her in my arms and hold her tight. It wants me to ignore the doubt and the vision of her lying underneath the Dark King. No matter how loud my heart yells, my feet stay planted. My hands dive into the pocket of my trousers.
My actions seem to give her pause. A hurt look spreads across her face. I can tell from the slightly puffy eyes and the redden face that she’s either been crying….. or fucking. Gods I hope it is the former.
She swallows and looks down at her hands. “You look different.”
I imagine I do. The last time I looked in a mirror, my face was paler from lack of sunlight. In spite of getting more than enough sleep, dark circles outline my eyes. My hair and beard has grown unruly. But who the fuck cares how they look when you’re constantly dreaming about your woman getting fucked.
“Bad dreams.” I say.
Her eyes widen as she stares at me. She looks away again.
“I’ve come to tell you something.” She says it so low that I can barely hear her words.
At that moment, watching her chew her bottom lip and look at everything but me, I knew that my greatest fear was coming true. You don’t watch a person for 15 years and not know everything about them.
“You were with him?”
Her head shoots up to me and in her gasp and wide terrified eyes, I see the truth. I roar my rage so loud I know that it can be heard in the entire elven kingdom. I pick up the nearest thing to me and toss it to the wall. The king chair smashes and splinters into pieces. When that does not sate my anger I turn and punch my fist into the stone wall. The pain is a welcomed release.
I hear her tears and sobs as the rain falls outside my window.
“I’m sorry, Assassin. I’m so sorry.” She pleads, but I cannot hear her apology or focus on the agony in her voice. The sound of my heart breaking and my world crumbling around me is too deafening in my ears. I turn to look at her and the pain on her face stops me cold. She’s hurting. Fuck, even now all I want to do is go to her and take her pain away. I don’t want her to hurt, even if I am dying inside. Maybe she regrets what they did. Could I forgive her? Could I take Lilly back knowing that she had been with the Dark King?
Yes! I loved her that much. I didn’t care if she had shared her body with him, as long as only I had her heart.
“It’s ok, Lilly.” I say as I take a step towards her.
She backs away from me as if my touch will kill her. I stop, confused by her actions.
“I…I…” She’s trying to say something else, but her sobs make her fumble over her words.
“I love him. I want to be with him.”
At her words my strength leaves and I fall to my knees. My last bit of hope leaves my body. It feels like my soul is seeping out my skin and falling to the floor at her feet.
“I just…..I just wanted to tell you that. I have to go. Please, please watch over my sons.” I miss the devastation in her voice as she begs for me to keep the twins safe. I am too focused on the absence of my soul.
“Tell me this,” I say, my voice sounds dead. I guess that is what happens when you are dead inside. “The dreams. Are the dreams real?”
Her face lights up, I see the first sign of happiness on her face since she showed up in my bedroom.
“Yes,” She whispers as if she’s afraid someone will overhear. “All the dreams are real, Assassin. All of them.”
At that moment, I know I’ve truly lost Lilly. The love in her eyes when she talks about the dreams of her and that fucking bastard, is a blow to my ego.
“Get the fuck out of my room.” I snarl at her.
Her face twist in confusion. How fucking dare she look hurt.
“Azriel.” She says my name in a plea.
I jump to my feet and storm toward her. Her eyes widen in fear. Even as dead inside and as angry as I am, I would never physically hurt Lilly.
“Do not ever call me that. Now GET OUT!” I shout and spittle flies from my lips.
She shakes before me like a leaf in a wind storm, her head lowers.
“Ok.” She replies, and then vanishes.
My room smells like her. That vanilla and powdery scent that I know all too well.
There is nothing left of me, I am done.
I trace out of my room and into the forbidden lands. I needed a stiff drink and a good fight. I would love to add a woman to the equation, but unfortunately the thought of touching another woman that isn’t Lilly still has no appeal to me. I can’t wait for that shit to fade away. Every second after she left my room, I feel my heart growing colder and colder.
I get an odd look from the bartender as I take a seat at the bar.
“Barrel wine.” I say.
Immediately the memory of Lilly drunk in that bar off the strong wine comes to my mind. I awoke to Lilly’s lips wrapped around my cock that next day. The memory, which once brought me great joy, now turn to ash as I think of those same lips wrapped around the Dark King’s dick. She was in love with him. How could she do that? How could she turn off the love she had for me and give it to another. Nearly four weeks ago she was in that bed with me, telling me she loved me and now she tells me it is him that she loves.
The bar keep puts the tankard of wine in front of me and I swallow it down.
“Did not expect to find ye’ here.”
I don’t turn at the sound of Drago’s voice.
He takes the seat next to me. Without having to ask, the bar keep places a tankard of amber liquid in front of Drago. He stares at me in silence for a moment. I guess he is wondering why I seem to be ignoring him.
“I come with news of the human.” He pauses, waiting for some type of reaction from me.
When nothing comes he continues on. “I understand now why ye’ trusted me with her. I admit, my intentions were to betray ye’ both to get what I wanted. But ye’ knew that as soon as I got to know her I would never hurt her. I’ve lived a very long life, Assassin. So many centuries spent angry with everyone but the right person. I put up a wall so thick around me that no one could get pass it. Yet, she did. And she wasn’t even trying.” He chuckles at this realization. “She is completely oblivious to everything. And by the gods, does she cause trouble everywhere she goes.” He throws his head back and laughs.
“If you do not mind, Drago, I would like to drink my wine in peace. And I definitely do not want to hear about that fucking human.” The words hurt to say, but I didn’t want to hear about Lilly. It was too soon.
“What is wrong with ye’?”
“You are free of your charge, Drago. Trust me, Lilly is safe and where she wants to be. No need to protect her.” I snarl the words out and drink the last bit of my wine.
I slam the tankard down and the bar keep automatically replaces it with another. Before I could lift the tankard to my mouth, it is snatched from my hands and flies into the wall. I’m lifted out of my seat, my back pinned to the bar and an angry Drago breathing over my face. He does all this, and never even touches me. It is then that I notice the glow in the wolf hounds eyes.
“I was happy sitting in exile before ye’ brought me into this shit.” Drago says leaning over my pinned body. “Ye’ do not get to back out now because ye’ godsdamn feelings are hurt.”
I fight the hound’s invisible hold and push up from the bar. Drago takes a step back putting space between us. We stand facing each other, both of our chest heaving in anger.
“Fuck you!” I shout. “You were supposed to be helping me. Where were you when he was choking her and slapping her? Where was your loyalty when he was fucking her?”
Drago’s eyes narrow into slits. The red irises almost vanishing.
“I was standing by her side when he choked her. I was standing with her when he hit her and grabbed her arm. I have been doing my godsdamn job. I’ve been with her every step of the way, and every time I go to step in, she has handled the situation. She’s a warrior. No matter
what gets thrown at her, or how far she is backed up against the wall, she fights her way out of it. She would not be here at this fucking bar crying like a bitch because her feelings are hurt. I do not give a shit who warms her bed at night, but I will kill everybody in the Locke to keep her alive. I am loyal to her. And she is loyal to everybody except herself.”
“Well if you are so much on her side then you do not need my help.” I turn back to the bar keep and signal for another drink. I feel the heat of Drago’s stare on my back as I take another sip of my tankard.
“Ye’ are a coward, Assassin.”
I ignore him. He may call me what he wants, but his words do not penetrate the ice block in my chest.
“I’ve seen the Dark King lie, kill, and cheat his way to Lilly. He has damn near changed everything about himself just to be near her. And though I think he does not deserve her, he has done a shit ton more than ye’ are doing. If ye’ allow her to go so easily without a fight, then ye’ do not deserve her either.”
Though those words sting me, they do not break my will. He has no idea what it feels like hearing Lilly tell me she was in love with the Dark king. I cannot fight for her, if I have no life inside of me.
“Go away, Drago.” I drink again from my tankard.
“Come Phoenix, we have no more business here.”
I watch as the black and silver wolfhound walks over to Drago. Even the beast seem to look at me disappointed.
The heavy tension in the air leaves the moment Drago vanishes from the tavern. I finish my tankard.
“What are you doing here, Assassin? You’re not welcomed here.” I hear the crowd of men when they enter the bar. The smell alone was enough to alert me. I place my empty drink down, and toss some coins to the barkeep. Finally, the reason I came to this bar. I turn to meet my victims, stretching the muscles out of my neck. I materialize my sword, rolling my wrist with the sword in it.
I smile. “Gentlemen, glad you finally came. Now, who will be the first to die?”
They charge at me all at once.
Chapter Fifteen
“You fucking idiot shifter. I said put the godsdamn flowers over there.”
The shifter nearly pisses his pants as he picks up the white lilies and place them in the right place.
“What the hell is going on in here?” Ofilla strolls into the dining room, her brown hair pulled into an intricate braid that hangs over her shoulder.
“Whatever it is, I hope that it has something to do with the single moon coming in three days.”
I smile at her as she approaches. “Actually, witch, it does. Tonight I will be asking Lilly to marry me.”
After having a taste of Lilly last night, I can no longer deny myself. The taste of her sweet pussy was like ambrosia on my tongue. I’d never been so fucking hard in my life. Feeling her tight cunt squeeze my fingers as she came. Watching her face as she found release and knowing that it was my tongue that brought her to her orgasm, it was addicting. It is all I can think about this morning. When she started crying last night, I first thought I had hurt her. I was rough with her, but I could not control myself. Still, the thought of hurting her left me feeling exposed. I soon realized, Lilly was upset with herself because she enjoyed it too much. My sweet human felt conflicted because she wanted me, yet she still wants to be loyal to the assassin. Usually I would be livid by her devotion to him, but I am too happy to let that bring me down. Besides, soon she will be just as, if not more, devoted to me. I’ll make sure I add it to the vows.
“You seem extremely confidant she will say yes. Has something changed that I don’t know about?”
I chuckle. “I have full belief that she will agree.”
Ofilla studies me, her eyes squinting. “Just in case, you may want to have a backup plan.”
Her doubts gives me pause. Would Lilly possibly turn me down? Maybe I should have a backup plan? I push those thoughts out of my head.
“Any news about what’s missing from the prophecy?”
The moment Ofilla brought it up I have been worried about it. Everything was falling in place for me. I did not need something popping up messing things up from me. I needed to know what lay ahead. It is the best way to prepare for it.
She sighs. “No! I am still unsuccessful in this. It seems the only person that knows the missing information is Avalia.”
“We will not fret. As long as we get Lilly to say I do, everything will fall in place.”
I look up at the sound of the dining room doors opening. Phillisius walks into the room, a triumphant smile on his face.
“Why is everyone in such a good mood today?” Ofilla queries as she watches Phillisius approach.
The elf bows to me before standing straight.
“Revenge feels amazing.” He declares proudly.
“So it worked?”
“Like a charm.”
“What worked?” Ofilla watches us intently.
I pat Phillisius on the back.
“A brilliant plan. Phillisius gave Lilly and the assassin two different dreams. While Lilly’s dreams were filled with love and sex with the assassin, the assassin was having dreams of me and her.” I chuckle at the naughty dreams I weaved for the assassin. That little trick required a shit ton of dark magic, but it was well worth it.
“He had those dreams every night for two weeks.” Phillisius beams. “My spy says he was going mad. Locking his self away in his room. Not speaking to anyone.” We both laugh at the thought of the assassin going crazy.
“Finally, when the seed had been fully planted in the assassin’s head, Phillisius “persuaded” Lilly to tell the assassin that she didn’t love him anymore,” I chuckle knowing exactly how he got Lilly to do it.
The plan to put a spy in with the twins was my idea. I needed some type of leverage. I never knew when I might have needed Lilly to cooperate with me. Now, I know that threatening her boys would have only pushed her away from me with irreparable consequences. However, just because I couldn’t use the leverage, didn’t mean that someone else shouldn’t use the leverage.
“You should have seen his face. He was devastated. A broken man.” All three of us throw our heads back and laugh.
I had no sympathy for the fucking elf. He did not deserve Lilly no more than I did. I knew Lilly did not love me when I had Phillisius snatch her from the elven kingdom, but I was determined to have her any way I could get her. If the assassin so foolishly let her slip through his fingers then it is his lost.
“This is perfect,” Ofilla squeals. “Phillisius has gotten his revenge on the assassin. Soon the human will be your wife and you can finally have your heirs, and then we will kill my sister.”
“With the assassin broken, he will be of no use to the elven queen. Without her ruthless bodyguard, she will be an easy target. Who says the good triumphs over evil?”
We rejoice in our victory. In three days Lilly will be mine for good. I have strengthened the barriers around my kingdom. There will be no way the elven queen’s army will be able to get through my protection. The moment Lilly says I Do, no one will ever be able to take her from me.
Chapter Sixteen
“Lilly, you have to calm down.”
Medina stands over me as I lie on the cold floor of my bathroom. I’ve cried so much that I have made myself sick.
“He….He…” I sob so hard my body shakes.
I can barely catch my breath. The nausea rolls in my stomach and I’m on my knees leaning over the toilet as I throw up, again. Medina grabs my hair and holds it back.
“Do ye’ want me to kill him for ye’, Lilly?” Drago calls from the other side of the bathroom door.
He is the one that found me this morning lying in bed crying into my pillow. Soon after he walked in, I was up rushing to the bathroom to throw up. Medina walked in shortly after.
“O for fuck’s sake, you’re not helping.” Medina shouts towards the door. “Lilly, that is enough. Get up!”
When my stomach is empty and I am le
ft dry heaving over the toilet, I finally sit back. Medina wets a cloth in the sink and lays it over my feverish head.
“It’s all my fault. I can’t believe I let Nevy do those things to me. How could I hurt Assassin like that?”
“Did the Dark King force ye’?” Drago sticks his head through the door.
He is standing on the other side of the door because he said he hates to see women cry.
“If he did, I’ll kill him for ye’”
I sniffle and use my arm to wipe the snot and tears from my face. “He didn’t force me, I’m a cheating whore that allowed it to happen.” I start crying again.
Drago turns red in the face, his burgundy eyes turning into horizontal slits.
“Who called ye’ that? You tell me now! I’ll bloody kill them.”
“ENOUGH!” Medina shouts. “Drago, stop trying to kill everybody. Lilly get up from that floor and clean your face. You are not a whore. You are a woman with a sexual appetite that allowed her body to take pleasure in a man that you care about. That does not make you a whore or a bad person, it makes you normal.” She huffs out the last part and sweeps her hair out of her face. “I’m no expert when it comes to love, and the one time I tried it I failed at it horribly. But I believe that when you love someone, truly love someone, then you can forgive them for their mistakes. And if anyone deserves forgiveness, it is you.”
I am shocked by her heartfelt words. That is the nicest thing Medina has ever said….to anyone. I’ve seen another side to her lately, but I still would have never thought she would have opened up like this. Her honesty leads me to ask my next question.
“You were in love before?”
She shakes her head and laughs. “Why do it not surprise me that that is what you would focus on? Yes, Lilly, even I am capable of love.”
“What happened?”
“I too would like to know this.” Drago says leaning fully against the wall beside the open door.
Medina rolls her eyes. She sits down on a chair inside my bathroom. I never understood the need for chairs in bathrooms.
