52. Chapter 52

Chapter fifty-two

T he crown regent left as soon as Haven made the deal with him. The feeling of evil in the air thankfully left with him. Haven could not believe what she'd agreed to.

In her heart she'd known as soon as he'd revealed the truth about her fathers death that she would have agreed to practically anything. At least she only agreed to marriage, the crown regent could've demanded something much worse. She had tried to word her promise as best she could, to leave herself an out, but she was not sure it would be enough. Two nights from now, she was set to marry.

Luckily Haven knew something the crown regent did not. Nik would never listen to his father. Even if he somehow got Nik down the aisle with Haven, Nik would not allow his father to rule over Drailia and Shaston with them. The crown regent assumed he'd be able to control Nik but Haven knew how much Nik hated his father. He'd never allow that sort of control over his life, not anymore.

Haven desperately needed to talk with Nik but she knew his father would likely be at his room now, delivering the news. Besides, even if the crown regent wasn't there, it was almost two in the morning. Nik was probably sleeping, as Haven should be.

After stripping out of her clothes, Haven drew a bath. Easing down into the deep tub, Haven hoped the warmth from the water would calm her shaking muscles and frazzled nerves.

A low moan sounded from Haven the moment the water covered her skin. It felt amazing. There truly was nothing like a steaming bath to wash away the filth of the day.

Haven must have passed out in her bath because she woke to cold water, shriveled fingertips and a pounding at the door. Haven quickly exited the tub and wrapped a soft white towel around herself, tucking the excess under an arm to hold it up.

Casting a glance at the clock as Haven darted from the bathroom, she could see it was almost six in the morning. Beams of early morning light fell through the balcony doors, the sun just beginning its ascent into the sky.

Whoever was at the door sounded mad, if the frequent and loud pounding was anything to go by. Haven took a deep breath and yanked open the door, finding a very angry looking Nik on the other side. Shoving his way past her, Nik began to shout,

"What were you thinking?"

"Don't be so loud!" She scolded him while closing the door behind him. Haven did not want to yell, she had a slight headache and the idea of conflict this early in the morning only made it pound harder. Apparently Nik did not get the memo because he continued shouting,

"Why on earth would you make a deal to marry me?" He sounded incredulous.

"Maybe I had no choice!" She shouted back. If she had to yell to get her point across then yell she would. Sending out a quick tendril of flame, Haven lit the silencing candle on her desk before continuing to shout,

"Your bitch of a father was waiting here when I got back to my room, he threatened Astrea and Roman. Then he moved on to my mother, proceeding to tell me all about how he'd already killed my father before finally shoving me against the door and forcing me to make a deal for my life!"

A guilty and shocked look crossed Niks face. Had he really assumed Haven made a deal with the devil for no good reason?

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Haven snapped

Nik took a moment to compose himself before responding,

"I'm sorry"

Haven nodded, accepting his apology. Maybe if Nik hadn't looked so sad and lost she would have found it in herself to yell some more but in that moment, she couldn't bear to add anymore weight to those already heavy shoulders.

"Why are you so against this?" Haven questioned. She wasn't exactly for the idea of them getting married but her feelings could never equal the broken and disgusted look on Niks face.

"We can't ever be together" He told her, his voice soft and solemn.

"Why?"

"It'll ruin everything. No one will support you if you align yourself with me. So many hate my father, hate me. I could never be a good king. I'm selfish, arrogant, rude, and I don't give two shits what most people think of me. I could never give you what you deserve." He looked away from her, down at his feet not allowing his eyes to reach hers.

Reaching up to cup his cheek Haven asked,

"Do you truly think so lowly of yourself?"

Nik didn't respond but his answer was written across his face, the self loathing he held was so strong it would likely drown him.

"You are worthy" She told him, injecting as much confidence as she could into her voice. He still couldn't meet her eyes.

"You may be all those things you listed but you forgot about everything else, you do care about others. I've felt it when you took care of me after someone broke into my room, I've seen it in the way you smile at the kids running around the castle, I've sensed it in the friendship you share with Delroy. You care about him and you care about me."

Haven reached between them, bringing his hand up to cover her heart.

"You are not the monster you paint yourself to be"

Nik tore his eyes away from the floor, finally daring to make eye contact. A few seconds passed, Haven knew he could feel the pounding of her heart just as she could hear his. Niks eyes trailed down to her lips, nerves causing her to bite her bottom lip. Haven watched his pupils dilate, watched his gaze wander from her lips to the pulse in her throat, further down to the towel that was barely hanging on and then finally back to her face where his eyes met hers one last time before everything changed .

Time stood still as he crashed his lips down to hers, searing a mark onto her heart and into her soul.

Wrapping her arms behind Niks neck, Haven pushed her body into his. Her towel immediately fell away, exposing her naked body.

A low growl escaped Nik when he pulled back to run his gaze down her body, his gaze full of heat.

Niks perusal lingered on the juncture between her thighs. Normally this was where she'd become self conscious, the fact that Nik could see all of her had a blush creeping over Havens entire body. It tinted her cheeks, the tops of her breasts, her elbows and neck.

Nik was back on her in an instant, smashing their lips together, bending down to grab ahold of her thighs and hoisting her against him. Turning so she'd land under him, Nik crashed them down to the bed. Their bodies pressed as close as they could get with Niks clothes still on.

Nik ripped his shirt over his head as best he could with one arm propping him up while Haven went for his belt. The feeling of their bare chests pressed against each other had Haven emitting a low moan. Just the feeling of his bare skin against her nipples had her on the verge of what seemed like the strongest orgasm she'd ever felt.

Nik moved his mouth down Havens neck where he bit and kissed her skin. When he reached the juncture of her shoulder and neck his lips peeled back, exposing his fangs. He appeared to struggle with something for a moment before running the tip of his fangs across her skin. Havens whole body quaked when he did that. The space between her legs ached and pulsed, her toes curled and her magic pulled taunt, ready to explode at any moment. Nik moved on from the juncture of her neck and shoulder, kissing back up her neck and leaving her skin scorching hot and ready for more.

Haven huffed as she struggled with his belt for a moment before Nik reached one hand down to help. Chuckling lightly he asked,

"Something you want?"

Haven could only nod, the pulsing between her thighs had taken control of her brain, halting all rational thoughts.

Nik removed his belt. He leaned back to shrug off his boots, his pants followed.

The fact that they were both completely naked in the same room had whatever rational thoughts left in Havens mind running for the hills. Nik landed back on top of Haven, kissing her mouth fiercely. The feel of his cock trapped between them had spasms shooting down Havens legs. Widening her legs, Haven grinded against him, spreading her wetness and earning a loud groan from Nik.

"You keep doing that and this won't last very long" He told her

"I don't care," She whispered back, "I just want you."

"I want you too" He spoke low, seemingly haunted by the answer.

Reaching down between them, Nik ran his fingers over the apex between her legs. A loud groan escaped him at the wetness he found there.

"All this for me?"

Haven nodded, bringing his lips back to her. His thumb rubbed her clit a few times before he tore his hand away, reaching to grip his cock. He pumped himself a few times before lining up with her opening. He tore his lips away just a fraction to ask,

"Are you sure? "

"Yes. As long as you are?"

Nik responded by pushing into her slowly. Inch by inch he fed into her, breathing ragged and rough. Once he buried himself to the hilt, his hand moved to grip her hip, holding both of them still for a moment.

Fireworks exploded throughout her body as Haven twitched underneath him. Sex normally didn't feel this earth shattering and they'd only just begun. Haven absently wondered if every time between them would feel like this.

"You feel like the heat of the sun after a rainy day, like the cool of the lake after hours of training. You feel like a run through the woods, like freedom and happiness" Nik punctuated each statement with a light kiss across her lips.

A tear streaked Havens cheek as she opened her eyes to glance up at him, finding the look on his face was nothing short of amazement. She was positive she wore a similar expression.

Releasing her hip, Nik twined their hands together. Their lips reconnected as he finally began to move inside of her. The friction on her clit from his body coupled with the insane passion between them had her worked up and ready to come within minutes.

Haven was glad she'd lit the silencing candle before they'd begun. If someone was within earshot there was no second guessing what they were doing. The sound of the wooden headboard banging into the wall was more than enough, add to that the sounds being made by the both of them and it was overly clear exactly how Haven and Nik felt about one another.

Havens sounds and feelings reached a new high as Nik leaned slightly away from her, untangling their hands and using his to press her legs further apart as he continued to drill into her.

Nik left small bruises on her breast as he kissed across it, towards her nipple. The feeling of her nipple in Niks mouth had her clenching around him and on the edges of an insanely intense orgasm.

Haven reached one hand out to her side, clenched in the sheets and the other down to grip Niks ass, feeling how he thrust in and out of her. Raking her nails across him, she was sure she'd left a mark. He didn't seem to care, in fact, he groaned deep and said,

"I'm close"

"Me too" She told him, her words hoarse.

"Let go," He whispered, finally letting go of his grip on her thigh and reaching between them to finish her off by rubbing circles into her clit, "Haven, let go"

Havens orgasm ripped through her body. At this point, she was sure her screams could be heard even over the silencing candle.

Nik grunted as she clenched around him, locking them together and finishing deep inside her.

The two stayed locked together for minutes, waiting for their breaths to even out and their heart rates to go somewhere near normal. When the last of his tremors subsided, Nik pulled out of her and rolled onto his back, taking Haven with him. Her head now lay on his chest, listening to the racing of his heart.

"That was," Haven began

"Incredible" Nik finished. His hand stroked a lazy path up and down her spine, lulling her towards sleep.

Haven tried to pull away, "I need to clean up" She spoke, feeling the evidence of his orgasm leaking down her thighs.

Nik smiled, a purely territorial male smile .

"I'll clean you up," He kissed the top of her head and told her, "Just rest for now. You've got a little while before you need to be up for training"

Haven listened, snuggling back into the comfort of the bed. Nik stood, walking into the bathroom and exiting with a small hand towel. He came back to lay next to her, her on her back and him on his side.

"Spread your legs," He told her softly

Haven widened her legs, allowing him to reach over and wipe away the evidence of tonight.

"You don't have to worry about pregnancy," He started, "I take a tonic that prevents it."

"Me too" She responded sleepily, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Are we going to get married?" Haven asked. Nik didn't immediately respond, allowing her to drift further into sleep. Maybe it was the fright of earlier tonight, sleep deprivation, maybe her mind was playing tricks on her but Haven swore she heard him say just a few words before she drifted off to sleep,

"On my life Haven, we'll never be married."