16. Chapter 14 Arden

Chapter sixteen

Chapter 14: Arden

C amus comes to the cell at least four times a day to see me and at least half of those are for sex. I don't understand how he has the time or the energy for it. He's learning that he can make me orgasm in record time if he's rough, but tender with me. I hate that he knows my body so well.

I'm laying on my cot, fantasizing about the day I finally escape this hell, when he walks in. Gormon isn't with him this time. He opens the cell and reaches for my hand. With a furrowed brow, I take it. He pulls me flush against his body, and smiles down at me.

"You're in a good mood," I say, taking note of the fact that he has one arm hidden behind his back. "You're never in this good of a mood."

"Well today is a little different," he says with a smile.

"How so?"

"I got permission from Grandmother to take you out of the dungeon occasionally. Only for a short while to start. But it's better than nothing." He pulls his hand out from behind his back and hands me a clean dress. "If you're good, and you show Grandmother that you're capable of being obedient, we might be able to do this more frequently. Would you like that?"

I would love that. But...

I glance at my sister and say, "What about Dira?"

"If she wants to get out of the dungeon, she'll have to take that up with my brother. You're wilting in here. I can't continue to watch that happen."

"And what if I run?" I ask with a raised brow.

"I so hope you will. Because I will catch you. And you will taste so much sweeter when I do."

He tips my chin up and his mouth is on mine. I'm sure my breath is awful. I haven't brushed my teeth in days. He doesn't seem to care. He pulls away and smiles at me. He's being too kind, and it feels wrong. But something in my gut tells me to trust him. I ignore it, chalking it up to the mate bond. Camus is anything but trustworthy.

"Put that on, and let's go."

"Are you going to be okay here?" I ask Dira.

"I'll be fine," she grumbles.

I pull the dress on over my head. It fits like a glove. Camus' eyes rake over me and he lets out a growl of approval before kissing me again.

"Let's go," he says and pulls me by the hand out of the cell, and jerks his head at the guard indicating he should lock it.

It's the nice guard, today. He dips his head in my direction and says, "Have fun, miss."

Once we're out of the cell and away from the guards I say, "That guard is always polite to me."

"That's because he knows his place–and yours. You're mated to a royal. Your prisoner status doesn't mean anything. You're still a much higher status than him."

Camus leads me up several flights of stairs, and back multiple hallways. If I thought Feldorn Castle was big, this is absolutely massive. If I ran in here, I would never find my way out. He pulls me into a brightly lit room. There's an enormous round bed at one end, and the windows are covered in sheer, lacey curtains. This room is even bigger than the one that Zorvan stays in in Feldorn.

"Do you like it?" Camus asks.

"It's beautiful," I say, truthfully. "It's a nice change from the dungeons."

"Come here," he says, and he pulls me through a door on the left hand wall.

It's a massive bathroom with a skylight. The giant round tub is recessed into the floor, and steam wafts off of the top of the water. There's a chambermaid pouring oils into the tub, and another is setting up food on a tray next to it. My stomach lets out a loud growl at the sight and the scent of the food.

"Out!" Camus commands the other two women, and they scurry away.

"Come, let's get you properly cleaned up," he says and he tugs at the hem of my dress, lifting it over my head.

He strips his own clothes and chucks them to the floor, then takes my hand and leads me into the warmth of the tub. He sits on a bench on the far side of the pool and pulls me into his lap.

There's a basket of oils and soaps sitting on the edge of the tub. He picks up a small pitcher and begins wetting my hair. Then he pours a generous amount of soap into his palm and works it into a lather in the tangled mess of brown knots. He massages my scalp and I groan as I relax into him. Then he takes a comb and begins working it through the soapy strands.

"That's it, love. Just enjoy it. You're so beautiful, you know that? Washing your hair in the bathhouse brought me so much joy...I'll wash your hair every day for the rest of our lives if you let me." We sit in silence for a while before he says, "It kills me seeing you in that cell. You belong up here with me."

I belong in Feldorn with my mates

"I don't exactly love being in the dungeon either."

"I know, but Grandmother is convinced you'll kill me and try to escape."

I pull away and duck beneath the water to rinse my hair. I stay under the surface and let the lack of air sting my lungs, transporting myself back in time to the night Zorvan broke our bond. I resurface and wipe the water from my eyes. Camus is staring at me with an intense need in his eyes.

I continue our conversation, "With what magic? You're giving me an insanely high dose of suppressant. And you're a centuries old vampire. I'm no match for you."

"Careful. That almost sounded like a compliment." The corner of his mouth turns up in an adorable lop-sided grin as he stretches his arms out on the edge of the tub. He's lounging comfortably as he speaks.

"Yes well, evil, bloodsucking leech or not, you do have a couple of redeeming qualities."

"Are you trying to seduce me?" He asks, his adorable grin transforming into a devastating smile.

"Is it working?" I ask. That sounds a lot like flirting, Arden.

"If I had known that all I had to do to get you to behave was give you a bath, I would have done this the day you arrived." His smile fades. "I did a lot of thinking last night. I want you to be up here. I want you to be mine in every way. Not just an incubator for my heir.

"I want to properly mate you and declare you as mine for the kingdom to see. And should I take Grandmother's throne, I want you to rule beside me."

My heart beats rapidly in my chest. Zorvan never once offered that to me. He had the ability to give it to me, and refused and then he sent me away.

But...

Even if I wanted to, I can't give Camus everything he wants from me. He's keeping me from my other mates. I'm in love with his half brother.

He frowns, studying my face. "You don't want that from me."

"This is going to upset you, but I'm in love with Livarius. I was before I mated with him. And while I'm happy to split my time between the two of you, I don't get the impression that you're one to share. Especially not with him. And your grandmother would never allow him to take up residence here."

I won't tell him about the others yet. Especially not about Zorvan. Cyndair might find more use in making an example out of me than producing a child.

Camus stands and wades toward me. "I am a very jealous fae. I don't believe that my brother could ever give you what you need."

"And tell me, if you know me so well, what is it that I need?"

"Power, status, money, and most importantly—dozens upon dozens of orgasms."

He lifts my legs so they wrap around his waist and impales me on his solid length, and I gasp. He works his cock in and out of me, and I tip my head back and moan.

"I don't need those things from you Camus," I say, making eye contact.

"Then what do you need? I will give you anything."

"I need you—" I moan.

"And?" He grunts.

"Your brother."

He climbs the steps out of the water and carries me—still wrapped around him—to the bed. He throws me down, pulling out of me as he does, and climbs up my body, pinning me beneath him.

"I'm more man than you'll ever need. How could you possibly need someone else when I'm giving you half a dozen orgasms a day?"

"Because I love him," I say.

He wraps a hand around my throat and slaps one of my tits with his free hand. He loves slapping me. He loves the sound the impact makes. I've started to enjoy it over the last few days as well.

"You could love me just as much. Give me a chance to make you love me."

"You can't force love, Cam. It's not like sex. You can't just take it."

He scoots up my chest and slides his cock between my breasts.

"I bet I could prove you wrong. Let me prove you wrong." His eyes are desperate.

"I'll make a deal with you," I say as he begins fucking my tits. "You have three weeks to make me love you. If you succeed, I'll stay. If you don't, you have to help me get back to Feldorn."

His thrusting stops.

"No."

"You don't think you can do it?" I taunt.

"I know that no matter what, I would never let you go. I would kill us both before I let you return to that place; to that evil prince and his pack."

"Zorvan isn't evil," I protest.

"Zorvan? You address him by his first name. You don't have to call him anything more formal?"

"I don't make a habit of addressing my kidnappers with pleasantries," I snip.

He stares at me for long seconds then resumes his thrusting. "Open," he commands, and I open my mouth for him, knowing it's no use to fight him.

His cock slides in between my breasts and the tip slips between my lips.

"Fuck your mouth feels good. But I need to be inside of you. On your hands and knees, beautiful."

I do as I'm told, my body ready for him. He lines himself up with my entrance and slides inside, not stopping until he bottoms out. He lands a punishing slap on my ass cheek as he pulls almost the whole way out of me and slams back inside.

"I think you have feelings for that bastard of a prince," Camus accuses, grunting as he fucks me. "I think you're such a little slut that you want his cock and the cocks of all his little bootlickers inside of you. Is that what you want?"

"No," I moan out, but I can't help the way my pussy clamps down on him at the thought.

"I don't believe you," he says and he slaps me even harder across the other ass cheek.

He fucks me relentlessly like he has something to prove. And maybe he does. The sounds of our bodies slapping together fills up the room.

"This ass is perfect," he hisses out and slaps me again. "I'm going to fuck your tight little ass soon. Do you want that?"

"Would it matter if I didn't?" I ask between moans.

"I suppose not," he says and I can hear the grin in his voice.

He presses his thumb to my ass and slowly starts to work it inside of me. I hiss at the sting of him stretching my tight hole.

"Fuck that feels good," I mutter, enjoying the sensation.

"Maybe you could handle me and my brother at the same time. Is that what you want? Us to fill up both holes with our cocks and fuck you raw?"

"Yes!" I cry out as I come undone. I tighten around his thumb and his cock and ride wave after wave of ecstasy.

Camus groans out his release and collapses on top of me. He stays inside for a moment like he always does, then slides out and lays on his side beside me.

I roll over and face him. His brows are furrowed as he looks at me. "I really don't believe you. I think you do have feelings for The Cruel Prince. I just can't fathom why." He shakes his head as if my feelings are irrelevant. "Whatever the reason, he's an idiot for letting you anywhere out of his sight. I could never let you leave. Then again, it's not like you were fated to him."

My blood turns molten at his words. I have to grind my teeth together to stop myself from saying anything. Camus appreciates me more than Zorvan ever did. Zorvan was just another man who took me for granted. Just like Todd.

"Where did you go, love?"

My gaze refocuses on Camus, and our bond calms my nerves. "Nowhere."

"Please stop lying to me." His voice is pleading.

"Why are you so desperate for me to give you more of me?" I ask. "Why can't you accept our…relationship for what it is?"

He ignores my questions. "Tell me where you went? It was somewhere dark. And whatever you shift into is insanely powerful. Even with the suppressants we've been giving you, your eyes changed. Tell me what's wrong."

"I can't," I whisper. I don't trust him not to tell his grandmother.

My stomach lets out a growl reminding me that I haven't eaten yet.

"Wait here," Camus says with a sigh and goes to retrieve the tray of food. He places it on the bed and cuts a piece of meat for me and holds it to my lips.

I open my mouth to tell him I can feed myself just fine and he shoves the fork into my mouth. I chew slowly and swallow, his eyes on me the whole time.

"Are you going to strip me of all of my autonomy?"

"Soon enough you'll have to go back down to the dungeons and I want you to be pampered and feel cared for while you're up here."

Something in him has changed in the last two days. When he first came down to the dungeons he was cruel and cold, but all I feel from him now is warmth.

"What changed with you?" I ask.

"What do you mean?"

"You were bordering on evil my first night in the dungeon, but now you're treating me like a princess. It feels like you actually care."

He pulls me into him so that I'm straddling his lap, and cups my cheek. "I'm not a good man, Arden. I never have been. I've always taken after my grandmother in that way.

"All I've wanted for my entire life was to take the throne. I've always needed to prove that I was the strongest and the smartest in order to make that happen. You were just another requirement to make that happen. I won't apologize for who I am or what I've done. I certainly won't apologize for mating with you."

He absently runs his hands up my side and brushes his thumbs along the underside of my breasts, making my skin break out in gooseflesh. "But things are a little different now. For the first time in my life I want something other than power. I want you. I want every piece of you. I want to start a family with you. I want to take the throne and I want you to be my queen."

"I don't know the first thing about ruling a kingdom," I say with a laugh. "And besides, your grandmother is going to take any child we make, right? Just like she has with all the shifter children. We won't be able to actually start a family."

"She wouldn't do that."

"Wouldn't she?" I ask.

He stares at me for a long moment. I can see a hint of fear in his eyes. He knows what I say is true.

I sigh. "My father was taken from me when I was a teenager. My mother when I was barely an adult. If they're going to be yanked away from us, I don't want to have any. That's no life to give our children."

"Children? You want to make more than one?" he asks with a halfhearted grin that quickly fades. "What happened to them? Your parents?"

"They're apparently both being held prisoner in the mortal realm. I thought they'd died. I was going to figure out a plan to get them back once I got to Kildara."

"Why were you going to Kildara anyway? I know that your grandfather is Ardeth, but why wouldn't you stay in Feldorn?"

"Zorvan banished me after he found out that Nuvian was my father. He said 'villiany runs in my blood' and that he couldn't have me in Feldorn any longer."

"From what I've heard of him, I'm surprised he didn't kill you on the spot."

"He threatened to. And almost drowned me," I say with a laugh.

Camus' eyes go black, and his fangs elongate in rage. "I will kill him if I ever see him again."

"I won't let that happen," I say, placing my hand on his chest. "For as much pain as Zorvan caused me, there's a piece of me that still cares for him."

"Were you two..." he sighs and looks at the ceiling like he doesn't want the answer to whatever he's about to ask. "Were you lovers?"

"There was a spark there. But it ended before we ever got together," I answer truthfully. The empty space inside of me that his mate bond used to occupy is aching.

Camus' brow furrows. "You loved him, didn't you?"

I look away from him, unsure how to answer. "It was a little more complicated than that."

"You're still keeping things from me. How can I convince you to talk to me?"

"I learned the hard way that trusting the fae is not a wise decision. What if you tell your grandmother what I tell you, and she uses it against me."

"I swear to you that I will not tell a soul anything you tell me in this room."

"Make me a deal," I insist, holding my hand out to him. "Swear to me that you will not ever speak of any of this outside of this room."

"I swear on the Stars and the Moons that I will never speak of this conversation, or anything else you tell me in confidence inside or outside of this room," he vows and instead of taking my hand, he kisses me.

I feel his magic push through my body where our lips connect, and I gasp at the sensation. I cannot wait until I can actually use my own magic, because the few times I've felt the thrum of it through my body has been incredible.

"Now tell me so that I can finish feeding you."

Now that it's on the tip of my tongue, I'm anxious. When he found out about Livarius, he forced the mate bond on me. What will happen when I tell him about Zorvan.

"Zorvan and I are fate bound."

Camus' eyes darken. "Tell me you're joking."

"I wish I could. It doesn't matter, though. He rejected the bond when he found out about my dad. That's why he sent me away."

"Is he the only other one you're fate bound to?"

His question catches me off guard. I wasn't going to tell him about the others just yet. I open my mouth, but I can't form the words.

"Answer me, Arden," he growls.

"No," I whisper.

"Fuck!" he says and pulls me into him, gripping me to him like he's afraid I might disappear. "Does Mandira know?"

"No. She only knows about Livarius, and as far as anyone knows, that was just a happy accident."

"Was it not?"

"I don't think so, anymore,"I say, shaking my head. "His scent appealed to me from the start, just like yours."

"You can't tell anyone about this. Not even your sister. Do you understand me?" his voice is hushed.

"You didn't ask about my other mates," I say.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that no one—especially my grandmother—finds out."

"Why?"

"The seers. They told her that a new fae with multiple mates would be born some time this century. And that that fae could either be her savior, or would spell her demise. The only other thing the seers could tell her about this fae is that she was a hybrid.

"It's no coincidence that your mother is Ashylan, and that your father is a dragon shifter. Let me come up with a plan, and we'll get you out of here. Someplace far away where she can't find you. Probably the human realm."

"No. That's what my grandmother did and she was..."

Something is clicking in my brain. It's just like when I realized the Stars methods for bringing us together. I just can't put that last piece into place to see the whole picture. But then it shifts, and falls right where it belongs.

"History is repeating itself," I mutter, staring at the mattress.

"What do you mean?"

"My grandmother was running from someone powerful—someone she and my grandfather believed was too powerful for them to fight. What if it was your grandmother?" I push away from him and make eye contact. "My Ashylan grandmother was pregnant to my shifter grandfather when she left Feldorn. What if your grandmother thought their child—my mother—was the one from the seer's visions?"