"So yes, I do want to bite you."
"Then do it." The fear that it would hurt suddenly disappeared.
Lucian stared at me surprised. "It might hurt." He warned.
Despite his warning, I bared my neck for him then wrapped my arms around his and tugged him closer. He hesitated for a while but then buried his face in the curve of my neck. His tongue swept slowly over my skin as if he wanted to savor the taste. I buried my fingers in his hair and tilted my head to the side giving him more access.
Lucian sucked and nipped at my neck until it ached and tingled with a strange sensation. It was almost as if I wanted to be bitten. As his teeth grazed my skin a sigh escaped my lips.
It was coming.
I held on to him and I shut my eyes tightly both in anticipation and nervousness. Lucian grabbed my hair and tilted my head back. Then he flicked his tongue over my neck one last time before his sharp teeth pierced into my skin.
I whimpered in pain, but it was quickly replaced scorching heat. A heat that inflamed the blood in my veins. A heat that made everything else fade away except the need to be taken. I became hot and needy, slowly getting lost in a raving l.u.s.t. But then suddenly I remembered. I was pregnant.
I shot my eyes open. "Lucian." I gasped.
I didn't know much about pregnancies but losing blood was probably not good for the child and from the wetness dripping down my neck I was concerned.
Lucian took his time, licking the blood away from my neck before pulling back. His lips were stained with my blood but with a swipe of his tongue, they were back to normal. Quickly I placed my hand on my neck to see if I was still bleeding, but I wasn't. I let out a sigh of relief then gazed at Lucian who was studying me carefully.
"What is wrong?" I asked.
"You tasted different this time and your pulse...it's strange but it's like you have two separate heartbeats." A frown settled on his face.
Two heartbeats? It took me a moment to digest what he said.
"Lucian...about that...I came here to actually tell that...I am pregnant."
Lucian stiffened and the room went quiet. I could hear my own heart race and it felt like forever before he said, "What...did you say?"
"I said you will become a father soon," I told him a bit louder and with more confidence.
Slowly, Lucian took a few steps back and then turned away.
Oh, God! He was not happy.
Hopping down from the table I went up to him. I put my hand lightly on his shoulder. "I understand if you are not happy."
Not having a good relationship with both his real father and the one he believed to be his father, could explain his reaction.
"Happy?" He turned to me carefully and grabbed my arms. "I am not happy Hazel. I am lucky. You make me the luckiest man on earth even though I don't deserve it."
I could see a mix of emotions in his eyes. Happiness, sadness, and worry.
"You deserve every bit of it," I assured. "And you will be an amazing father."
His hands slid up to my face, holding it gently. "Hazel, you are a blessing in my cursed existence."
I didn't know whether to be happy or sad by his words so I just leaned into him and kissed him. It was instinctively as if he would find comfort in my kiss. I hoped so at least. Lucian kissed me back, this time holding me gently in his arms while kissing me tenderly.
These kinds of moments made me want to never leave his arms.
Lucian spent the rest of the day by my side. To be more correctly glued to my side. He followed me everywhere, showering me with hugs, kisses, and praises. He kept telling everyone to take special care of me since I was pregnant, and he even arranged a special cook after finding out about my nausea and loss of appetite.
"You will serve my wife and only her. Make sure to especially find out what she likes and…" He kept rambling on to serve me healthy food and to serve on time or any time I feel like eating. He was even specific about telling the cook to not serve food that had a strong scent.
Later on the day, Lucian arranged for a midwife to come and educate the servants on pregnancy so that they could take better care of me. This caused the maids to swoon over Lucian.
"The King is so romantic. He takes such good care of his wife."
"He is so good looking and gentle."
"The Queen is so lucky. He even crowned her on his own coronation ceremony."
"Oh, I wish to find a man like that."
I stood outside the room where the maids received their lecture about pregnancy and listened to their chattering. They could not stop themselves from praising Lucian and squealing over him.
"Should I seduce him?" One maid whispered to the other.
At this Oliver scoffed and Callum's lips curved into a smirk.
"Shall I teach her a lesson?" Oliver whispered.
If I was the old me I would have waved it away but after getting myself a bit educated I learned that it could be good to sometimes let people know their place. "Bring her to my chamber," I ordered. Oliver nodded and went inside.
I turned my heels to go back to my room but all of a sudden the floor under my feet swayed. My hands instinctively searched for something to grab on to but I only grasped thin air and almost fell before I felt strong arms carrying me up.
"Excuse my behavior. I'll just take you back to your room." Callum spoke.
"Callum put me down I can walk on my own." I protested.
"His Majesty will not spare my life if I let you fall."
"You are my guard now. No one will hurt you without my permission." I told him.
At that, he just smiled.
Once we arrived at my chamber he put me gently on the bed. "Do you want me to call the midwife?"
I shook my head. "I am fine now."
Shortly after Oliver came with the maid. He held her by the arm and walked her inside. When they were close enough he put one hand on her shoulder and pushed her down on her knees.
I knew this maid. Jessica. The one who made my life into a living hell while working in the kitchen. Now she dared to speak that way.
"Jessica!"
"My Queen." She trembled and kept looking down at her hands.
"Do you know why you are here?" I asked.
She nodded.
"Why?"
"I...I wasn't nice...when... in the kitchen." She stuttered.
At least she remembered.
"That's not why you are here," I told her. "Do you find my husband attractive?"
At this, she looked up at me and shook her head violently. "I wouldn't dare, My Queen. I...I apologize if I said something." She rubbed her hands together as her forehead got lightly beaded with sweat.
"So you are saying my husband is not attractive?" I asked.
I wanted to torture her a bit.
Her eyes widened. "I wouldn't dare…"
"Do you find him attractive or not?" I cut her off.
"I...I…" She shut her eyes tightly as if it would make it all disappear. "He is…" Just when she was about to speak Lucian entered the room.
He paused when he took notice of the situation. "What is happening?" He asked.
I reached my hand out gesturing for him to come and sit next to me. Lucian took my hand with a frown and sat by my side. He looked around questioningly.
I turned to Jessica. "Jessica. His Majesty his here. Why don't you look at him and tell me if you find him attractive or not."
Jessica shook her head and looked down even further.
"It's an order," I said more sternly.
She lifted her head hesitantly, shaking and sweating even more. Her eyes darted around before she could look at Lucian.
"Now tell me. Do you find His Majesty attractive or not?" I asked.
She squinted her eyes and her face twisted in fear. For a short while, I felt bad for doing this but then I remembered how much my hands and feet would ache after washing the same clothes over and over again. How my skin would burn under the sun and how my head would throb from all the heat. It made me angry again.
Jessica nodded slowly.
"I didn't hear you," I said.
"His...His Majesty is attractive." She breathed looking at him in both fascination and fear.
"See, it wasn't so difficult," I told her with a smile. "You may leave now."
She turned her gaze to me, her eyes wide in confusion. She probably thought this was some king of trick and that I would kill her later. Maybe a few sleepless nights would make her think twice before saying inappropriate things or making someone's life difficult next time.
She stood up slowly her legs wobbling. I nodded for Oliver to help her go back since she had a hard time standing still. Oliver grabbed her arm to hold her steady and helped her leave. Callum followed them leaving us alone.
As soon as they were out of sight I turned to Lucian. "Was I too harsh?"
Lucian smiled and patted my head. "Well done." He said. "This way you punished her yet showed her that you can be merciful. Where did you learn this?" He asked.
"I read a few books," I told him proudly.
He kissed my hair. "I see you have been busy without me."
"Of course. I want to be someone worthy of you."
"You are more than worthy. I am the one not worthy of you." He said.
"Why? Because you couldn't protect me? Or because you couldn't remember me? Both those things could have been avoided if I had been less selfish and let you marry Klara. Instead, I let you die and while I was here crying over small things you were alone in that dark place dying over and over again. That you felt so guilty and lost your memory makes me feel even more guilty. I know you did your best to protect me but I can't say the same. So don't ever feel guilty or say that you are not worthy of me. I don't want you to hurt anymore. Just don't. Forget about torturing Pierre or anyone. Just be with me and let me make you happy."
I have had enough of him hurting. I knew very well I was the one lacking yet he was the one to always apologies. Why was he the one apologizing when he was the one who died protecting us?
"Hazel…" His voice cracked as if he was about to cry. Then he turned away as if he didn't want me to see him like that.
I stood up in front of where he sat and grabbed his face between my hands, making him look up at me. His eyes were wet with tears.
"Lucian. With me, you don't have to endure alone. Whether it's happiness or pain, share it with me." I said.
Lucian wrapped his arms around my waist and buried his face in my chest. His shoulders shook uncontrollably while he cried silently in my arms. I held him closer and stroke his hair until he released all of the pain and sorrow that he could. Then we lay in our bed, holding each other in silence.
"Thank you." He finally spoke while staring at the ceiling. He seemed embarrassed to have cried like that.
Why did men feel embarrassed about crying?
"For what?"
"For everything." He said.
"Then can I ask for one thing?
He turned to me. "Ask for anything."
"Can your mother stay here? I need her now that I am pregnant with a demon baby. No one knows what to do more than her."
That was actually just an excuse. I wanted Lucian to get closer to his mother. I know that he had been worried about here the few days that she was here. When she was uncousious I had found him several times in her room, sitting next to her bed waiting for her to wake up. He had made sure to bring physicians to look after her health but once she woke up he avoided her most of the time.
Except for one evening, when I had promised to walk Irene around the garden since she had difficulty walking alone. When I arrived I already found her getting help from Lucian. He lent her his arm and she held onto it tightly while he patiently walked her around the garden. I was happy to see the progress but also frustrated since none of them said anything.
"If that's what you, then she can stay here as long as she wants." He said.
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