Heart of Darkness

Skender watched Roxana sleep peacefully beside him. He wanted to wake her up, take her and make her cry out again despite having taken her multiple times last night. Every time he thought his hunger would be quenched it only left him more hungry to know the feeling of having her body wrapped around him. She was warm, soft, and felt at home and she welcomed him with equal desire.

And God, he was right that her body was made for his and she could handle all of his hunger. All the hunger that came back now after hundreds of years of numbness. He didn’t have to be careful or treat her like a fragile woman. She was just as wild as him and he loved it.

Rolling in bed she moved closer to his side and he opened his arm for her. She snuggled against him and he knew she was half awake. He ran his fingers up and down her back and she shivered and moved closer, putting on leg over his and resting one arm on his chest.

He smiled. She was just like her friends. The cats. He was also beginning to like this comfort but the lords were trying to reach him through the mind link. He had told them he would be back today but now he just couldn’t bring himself to get up and leave. He shut the link and decided to at least have the morning with her. He couldn’t just get up and leave.

Roxana’s hand came to rest on his chest, right above his heart. “I don’t think I can get up today.” She mumbled.

“Then don’t. I’ll bring you food in bed.”

“Mhmm.” He could feel her smile against his arm. “Do you have to go today?”

“Yes.”

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. “Will you stay if I tell you?”

He raised a brow. “It depends on how persuasive you are.”

“That shouldn’t be difficult.”

“No?”

“No. You men are easy.”

“You men?”

“Well, demons are even easier it seems. You are hungry all the time. How much persuasion could you possibly need?”

“You are right.” He said and she chuckled. “So can I eat now?” He pulled her closer and nibbled playfully at her neck.

“Alex!” She laughed, trying to push him away but he got her beneath him. The sound of her laughter alone filled his chest with warmth.

He grabbed her wrists and held her down, pulling back to just look at her.

“What is wrong?” She asked softly.

“No morning has felt so right.” He told her.

She smiled. “It is a perfect morning.”

“I have a gift for you.” He said releasing her wrists. Now would be the perfect time to give her the golden button.

****

Roxana sat up and watched Alexander walk away and pick up his trousers from the floor. He looked through the pockets and pulled out something that he didn’t show her until he got into bed.

Holding his hand up in front of her he let the golden button slide from his hold and hand from its chain.

Roxana reached for it, stunned. “How did you get it?” She knew it was hers since it was in the chain she put it in.

“With some demon magic.” He joked.

She looked at it in her hands. She had thought she lost it forever and tears filled her eyes. “Alex.” She croaked, gazing at him.

He took it from her hand. “Let me,” he said and reached to put it around her neck. It fell between her bare breasts. They somehow looked even firmer than before. Her hair also caught her attention and she grabbed a few strands. It was much smoother and shinier. Her skin looked healthier.

“It is the blood,” Alexander said. “You already looked exquisite. Now you look…” His eyes finished the sentence even if he couldn’t find the words.

The man was insatiable. After how exhausted he made her last night she expected him to be less “hungry” as he liked to call it. She had expected more pain this morning but his blood was doing some magical job. She just felt a mild soreness that she didn’t mind. It was somehow sweet and reminded her that she had done some exercise last night.

“Are the scars on my back completely gone?” She asked.

He nodded.

“Well, if this is what happens then I need a spoon of your blood in my tea every morning. This is absurd.” She wouldn’t need soap or oils. She would wake up looking like this. No wonder he looked like that with all that magical blood running through his veins.

Suddenly he grasped her hand and held it still in his. He looked at her with a serious expression. “We are already mated now, Roxana. I plan to take the next step and make you my queen.” He told her.

Her heart skipped and she became nervous again.

He frowned as if he knew.

“Can you still read my mind?” She asked almost panicking.

“No. But I can sense your feelings. We are mated now.”

Oh right. He explained that.

“What is wrong?” He asked grabbing her chin gently.

“I don’t know. I am not used to having people work for me and… ordering them. Having them serve me. It feels strange and I feel bad.”

He dropped his hand with a smile and tilted his head. “You don’t order around. You are better than me in that aspect. You have a natural way of talking where you involve people and make it sound like a team effort. You will win everyone’s hearts and they will want to serve you.”

“Well, then the courtiers won’t like me. I am not a princess or a lady.”

“They complain about everything so don’t worry. After a while when they find a new problem and they will move on.”

“Then what about..”

“Roxana?” He cupped her cheek. “What are you truly afraid of?” He asked.

She clenched her jaw. “I just… it doesn’t seem real.” She was scared something would go wrong.

“Is it about your nightmare?”

She looked at him. It wasn’t that she feared her own death. She feared for what would happen to him if she died. What would happen to her family if they were still alive. They would be heartbroken like she had been when she found out that her father had died.

“I just don’t want to separate from you.” She told him.

He leaned in and placed a kiss on her forehead then pulled her into his arms. “We are not going to separate. I won’t let that happen.”