After eating my breakfast, I took a small tour of the castle to keep a map of where to go when I needed it and eventually found my way back to my room. Frita brought my lunch up to me instead of having me go to the kitchens again. I had been getting odd looks from the cooks and other staff and I didn’t feel comfortable going back down there again. It seemed as though time was moving slower than it normally did than when I was at the Sanctuary. I had chores to keep myself busy but instead I was stuck in this room until the King decided to join me. I wasn’t sure if I was a prisoner or a guest but it sure felt like I was a prisoner. No one knew who I was nor did they try to speak with me, except for Frita. She was in a way my servant and it was odd to have one when I was so used to doing things myself.

By the time dusk came around, I was seated on the cushion in front of the window, watching the sunset when I heard a knock on my door.

“Come in.” I said quietly as I kept my face averted from the door. I knew who it was by the settling sun behind the trees.

“Good evening, Raven. How was your day?” King Warrick asked me as he stepped further into my room.

“It was fine, but I suppose you could have warned me about Frita though. I’d never had someone to wait on me hand and foot. I’m used to doing things myself and not having someone else doing it for me. I also wanted to ask how this scheduling would work if you’re going to teach me about who I am? If I’m awake for the entire day, don’t you suppose I’d be tired or at least getting ready for bed by the time you woke up? Or did you expect me to stay up the entire day and wait around for you, and stay up all night while you taught me these things?” I glanced at him over my shoulder with a slight frown.

I’d had all day to think about these things, and if I dare say. I had a lot more questions that I needed answers to that I haven’t yet asked.

His gray eyes settled on mine and he gave me a crooked grin. “I expect for you to stay up a little later than normal tonight so you could sleep most of the day away and we could continue our lessons at night. But I do have a few things on the agenda I need to finish before we get started. Would you care to join me? Get you out of this room for a little while?”

I glanced back out the window to the sun already set and nodded. “Alright.” I stood slowly and adjusted my dress a little. I walked towards him and I watched his eyes travel the length of my body and back to meet my eyes.

The pink hue I saw the night before came back but I think it was for an entirely different reason because of the way his eyes smoldered before returning to their normal gray color. I stopped in front of him to keep some distance between us as I tried to push back my blush.

“This dress suits you well, Raven. The dark blue color really brings out your eyes. Come, let’s go to my office and then we’ll go to the library so we can start your lessons.” Warrick held out his hand for me to take and I carefully slid my hand in his after thanking him quietly for the compliment.

Once again, he pulled my arm through his and left his hand on top of mine as we walked to his office. I haven’t been down this way before and the paintings were very detailed. It seemed the King liked war paintings more than anything. I’ve only seen one or two paintings of landscapes so far. Maybe I just haven’t had the chance to see them all. We continued our walk and I admired each painting we passed, before I knew it he was opening the door for me and gently ushered me inside. I glanced about, admiring the dark wood bookshelves that housed what looked to be very old books and some new, barely touched. The walls were a dark gray with an accent wall behind his desk that was almost the same shade as my dark blue dress. His desk was the same color that matched the book cases and the two chairs set in front of it for visitors. I did, however, notice that there weren’t any windows. That’s probably in case he has to stay up during the day and do his kingly duties. Which makes sense.

Warrick walked around his desk and sat in his office chair. He waved a hand out. “Please, sit. Make yourself comfortable. I won’t be too long, I just have to finish some paperwork and then we’ll go to the library to find some books to help you navigate the supernatural world better.” He spoke quietly and leaned forward to rest his arms on his desk as I sat across from him.

“This is a beautiful office, it suits you.” My eyes widened in surprise as my compliment came out so easily and I glanced quickly away, ringing my fingers together.

I could hear the smile in his voice without looking up. “Thank you. It’s not a lot, it’s simple but it makes it seem more neat in here than it really is. I’ve been going through files to get it uploaded to my computer so I can put those in storage and some put away for safekeeping. It’s the minimalism that seems to calm me rather than cause me to be distraught with the chaos of the things I need to do.” He chuckles under his breath.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I looked up to observe him and the way he smiled almost took my breath away. “What’s the warmth from when we touch??” I blurted out to keep my heart from pattering out of my chest.

Warrick’s eyebrows raised momentarily in surprise at the sudden outburst and he smirked. “Couldn’t wait to ask that any longer, could you?”

My blush caused me to swallow and I squirmed in the seat, crossing my leg over the other. “You told me you would tell me anything I needed to know about the supernatural world. Well, would that be a part of it?” I watched Warrick sit back in his chair as he regarded me thoughtfully.

It was almost beginning to feel stifling in this office, finally realizing how truly alone for the first time we were. I wasn’t necessarily uncomfortable but I wasn’t comfortable at the same time. My skin was too tight and I felt warm all over as I noticed how his shirt was pressed against his chest, it was almost too tight. I could feel Warrick’s eyes on me as I felt myself begin to lose control and he stood up to walk around his desk and sit in the chair next to me. When he sat back in the chair, his knee bumped into my foot and I uncrossed my leg. My spine stiffened as I regarded him. My heart was in my throat at his sudden proximity. I thought him being behind his desk was too close for comfort when he decided to make it more troubling for me with him sitting right next to me. I didn’t understand the feelings I was having with him being so close and all I knew was that I felt too hot and my dress was too tight against my skin. It felt like I couldn’t breathe.

Warrick leaned over, resting his chest against his forearm on the chair. “Do you feel that?”

I looked at him sharply and subconsciously leaned away a little. “What?”

He smirked at the movement and stared into my eyes as his eyes glowed a light red. “The feeling I’m too close, but not close enough. The stifling heat in the room when you realized we were alone. I may be cold to the touch but being this close to you, my body's on fire. For you. I burn for you, no one else. And I haven’t felt like this since I was a young vampire, simpering after women all over the world because I was young and dumb. But you, you are it. I am the one who found you and I get to teach you all of the things you need to survive in this world, this dangerous world we live in. I get to watch you grow into yourself, know who you are becoming. From this innocent girl who knows nothing outside of the human realm into the power she wields, not only over me but all of my race.” He slid out of his chair and onto his knees in front of me, placing both hands on the arms of my chair and I sucked in a deep breath at his nearness.

“What are you doing?” I whispered quietly.

“A King never bows before anyone but his Queen. One day, when you’re ready, I will fully bow to you, little dove.” He slowly took my hand in his and looked up at me with his eyes shining a deeper red. “I promise you here and right now, I will do anything to protect you even if it makes my life forfeit.”

I swallowed and looked at our hands as mine was burning at his touch. “Why do that? You don’t even know me and we only met just yesterday.What does this have to do with my question?” Even with my saying that, I know I would do the same for him.

“I have been searching for almost a millenia for the one who will be my life. The one who is my mate. And I finally found her, in you.” He lifted his hand to caress my cheek and the warmth from it made me close my eyes as my breathing became heavy. I felt his breath fan across my face as I pushed my cheek against his hand further, lifting my own hand to cup his.

My heart was pounding inside my chest and the fuzzy feeling in my stomach I was getting made me feel a little queasy, not a bad thing it seemed. I gasped in a sudden desperate move to get away from the feelings inside me, I jumped up and spun, slamming my back against the bookcases.

“You’re bewitching me. What is it you are speaking of? What am I to you? What is a mate?” I exclaimed as my hands were shaking against my sides. I was ready to run if need be, I liked and enjoyed the feelings he caused inside me but he was a vampire. In the note my mother gave to me, for me to read one day, she told me not to trust everyone. That they would use me. How did I know I could honestly trust this vampire?

Warrick seemed surprised by my outburst so much he hadn’t moved from his spot in front of my chair until he slowly came to. His eyes had turned back to their normal shade of piercing gray as he slowly stood with his hands outstretched.

“I’m not bewitching you, little dove. And I’m not trying to evade your questions, I’m just trying to help you understand the emotions you’re feeling right now a little better, but I can see that I am failing at it terribly. I am sorry that you feel that way and I hope that one day you’ll learn to trust me. I know I haven’t given you much time to really trust me since we only just met. I only have the best interest for you. As I said before, I promise to protect you from any harm that might come your way because of the connection we have, the mate bond is more powerful than you may think. It is unbreakable. Our souls are connected just as much as our bodies are here in this room. It’s what you might say soulmates are. They have a deeper connection than just a love here or there. This is special, something to be revered. It is a rarity nowadays that my people find their one true mate. I have been on this earth for a very long time and I have looked everywhere for my mate but only come to find out it’s you. And I am not disappointed. The mate bond won’t be completed until we, well, we make love and mark each other. But I don’t expect that from you right now, or any time soon for that matter. I want you to learn to trust me. I will wait for you.” He smiled softly at me before turning and walking behind his desk to start working on his laptop.

I looked down to the floor for a moment to catch my breath and I inhaled deeply before exhaling. I slowly made my way over back to my chair and sat down to let him finish his work.