WRITER'S POV
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were asleep," he said, inching closer to her.
"I didn't get to see your face properly at the wedding because of the veil, but now..."
He reached out and touched the ends of her hair.
"You are breathtaking."
His gaze wandered over her body, pausing at her chest before he slowly, almost reluctantly, dragged his eyes back to her face.
Evania quickly pulled the sheets up to cover herself.
He smiled.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to touch you."
She blinked.
"What?"
"I won't touch you until you tell me to, princess."
Was he serious?
"Why?" she asked. He could be deceiving her.
"Because you're scared of me."
His hands caught her hair again, playing with it between his fingers.
"If I were to touch you now... you'd see me as a monster."
His eyes were on hers now.
Evania's heartbeat quickened.
It was true. She was terrified. It took everything in her not to hide under the bed the moment he entered the room.
"Thank you," she said, feeling a little grateful.
"Go to bed now, princess," he said, getting up from the bed.
And like a spell, she immediately drifted off to dreamland.
~~~~~
"My lady? My lady, it's time to get ready."
The sun's piercing rays struck Evania's eyes as she opened them.
"Get ready for what, Lili?" she asked, rubbing her eyes as she sat up.
"Breakfast with the king. He's already waiting for you," Lili said, going through her wardrobe.
The king.
He had spared her last night.
But what if he was saving her for later? After all, vampires were terrific liars.
Either way, she didn't want to upset him after he spared her.
~~~~
Lili picked out a blue off-shoulder dress with white pearls lining the neckline.
Her long hair was styled in a ponytail, decorated with silver pins and her favorite white hair clip.
Lili led her to the dining chambers where she would be eating with the king.
And there he was, sitting at the table, casually going through a book. Some strands of his hair fell over his eyes.
Evania had been too terrified yesterday to notice it-but now, in the quiet of morning, it was impossible to ignore.
He wasn't just beautiful... he was dangerously so.
Enticingly attractive... if only he wasn't a vampire, she thought.
Clutching her dress tightly, she stepped into the dining hall, her footsteps echoing softly against the vast, silent room.
"Good morning, Your Majesty," she said, bowing slightly before taking the farthest seat away from him.
He looked up from his book.
"Good morning, princess. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, I did. Thank you," she replied.
He tilted his head to the side.
"Princess, don't you think you're too far away?" he asked.
"I'm comfortable here, thank you." She forced the most beautiful smile she could manage.
"Come closer." His dark voice cut through the room.
"What?"
"Come closer. Or do you prefer I come over there and carry you myself?"
Was he serious right now? She thought to herself.
"I... don't want to sit next to you," she said, her hands knotted under the table.
"But I do. Come closer now, princess, because if I come over there, you'll be having breakfast on my lap."
She got up with a slight frown on her face and walked over to his side, pulling out the nearest seat.
She sat quietly, her face down.
He chuckled.
"Do you really fear me that much, that you can't look at my face, Princess?" he said, touching the ends of her hair.
She flinched but didn't look up.
She was afraid of him.
Evania. The pride of Sweetenburg.
She was beauty incarnate-golden blonde hair that glowed like the sun, deep blue eyes that resembled the clear sky and the ocean, strawberry-pink lips that would make any man go feral.
She was divine.
His queen. His wife.
It was a normal phenomenon for humans to be scared of vampires, but he could tell her fear was beyond that.
~~~~~~
They ate in silence, and only the clatter of their forks and knives could be heard.
As Theron looked at her, he could see that she really liked the food-her cheeks were stuffed.
He almost laughed.
She was adorable.
"Is the food to your liking, Princess?" he asked, trying to start a conversation.
She nodded.
Perhaps he had gone too far with the threat.
He had only wanted to sit close to his cute wife.
"Are you upset with me?" he asked.
She dropped her fork, then turned to him, their eyes locking.
"No, Your Majesty. Why would I be upset?" she forced a smile.
He could see tears forming in her eyes.
She seemed to notice that he had seen them because she got up immediately.
"I'm full. Thank you for the meal."
She bowed, then left.
He didn't stop her.
He knew she feared him-or worse, hated him.
Theron sighed, leaning his head against the back of the chair.
It had taken everything in him last night not to touch her-and also this morning.
He wanted to caress those bare shoulders...
But not yet.
Not yet, but soon.
~~~~~~
"How dare he?"
"Did he think he could do whatever he wanted just because he's my husband?"
"The nerve!"
Evania sat on her bed, fuming with anger.
Lili opened the door.
"You called, my lady?"
"Yes, I want to paint."
Painting was her escape-her quiet refuge when everything else felt too loud.
It was strange, really.
Whenever stress or anger built up inside her, she poured it onto the canvas.
Every brushstroke, every color she chose carried the weight of what she couldn't say out loud.
And when she was happy, it showed just as clearly-lighter strokes, brighter hues, a softer rhythm.
A neigh interrupted her session, causing her to pause.
Lili hurried to the window, her eyes widening.
"My lady, you have to see this!"
Evania dropped her brush and joined her at the window.
She gasped.
Tears of joy filled her eyes.
The king was holding the reins of her horse.
"Evernight!"
She rushed downstairs and gave the horse a big hug.
Evernight seemed happy to see her too.
She had been so sad that she couldn't bring her to Ravenscar.
Her father had said she might impose.
So how was she here?
Evania turned to the king.
"Did you bring her here?"
"Yes, Princess," he said with a smile. "Are you still upset with me?" he asked, walking closer to her.
He towered over her, making her look up to see his face.
Why was he so handsome?
She looked away.
She had forgotten about her anger the moment she saw Evernight, but she wouldn't tell him that.
"Thanks for bringing her. I'm grateful," she said, caressing the horse's mane and nose.
"Would you like to go for a ride?" he asked, his hands behind his back.
She hadn't ridden in a while, and she really missed Evernight.
She nodded.
"We're not getting on the same horse."
He laughed softly.
"Don't worry, Princess. I'm just going to walk with you while you ride."
"Good."
Evania tried to get on Evernight, but she couldn't.
"Curses,". she said.
"Need a little help?"
The voice was low.
Right against her ear.
She flinched.
How did he get behind me so fast?