Armageddon

Vladimir appeared deep inside a darkened forest. The earth was wet here, with a slight fog playing at the roots of the trees around him. Puddles of water spotted the ground and a warm breeze danced through the branches ahead. Vlad felt his body jerk, forcing him to drop to his hands and knees. He called out in anger, willing to stay in the form that he was. His blackened nails returned to their skin tone color and he stood up, dusting off his knees. The King stood before him, his gaze was cold and unrelenting.

“I ordered to you be your true self,” he growled.

“This is my true self, for better or worse,” Vladimir responded.

The King clenched his fist. “Do not mock me, boy.” The younger of the two folded his arms, giving his father a tired look. The man shook off his anger after a moment. “I have brought you here to give you a job. This job is of top secrecy. Your Human pet must never know.”

“Do not call her that.”

“Be silent.” The King sat on a large root, hiding his shaking hand beneath his robes. “My boy, the female is betrothed.”

Vladimir jerked, his person freezing nearly completely before he relaxed ever so slightly. “So? Human arrangements are fickle things, she left him for me.”

“Do not delude yourself, she left him behind so she could die. She entered the woods not knowing you were waiting for her,” he waved his hand dismissively, leaning back against the tree. He seemed out of breath. “This wasn’t a prearrangement, he fought for her hand in marriage like our traditions do. They’ve been bound by fate. You must break the bond; you must sever it! Otherwise, there would be no future for you with her.” His aged gaze held Vladimir’s, who remained uncertain.

“She would hate me... if I did that...” He lowered his head, his heartbreaking.

“You have two choices. Kill the lad... or release her.” The King awkwardly rose to his feet, his knees seeming to want to buckle under his weight. He stumbled to his son and rested a hand on his shoulder. “The assassin Digjaya has returned, he was just here giving me his report. I’ve already told him about the situation. I’m sure he’ll come to speak with you directly in due time.” He patted his shoulder, walking past him. “I trust you’ll do the right thing,”

Tia felt a chill across her and slowly opened her eyes. She laid across an empty bed, her body nearly completely exposed. Her skin darkened several shades and she quickly pulled up her gown’s straps and closed her legs. She sat up and looked around. Vladimir stood at the other end of the room, his arms folded and his gaze unrelenting. She grew uncomfortable and looked around once more.

“What time is it?”

He stared at her. “I’m not certain,”

“...How long have I been asleep?”

“You fell asleep in my arms,” he didn’t answer the question, but seemed more amazed with the realization. She rubbed her arms, trying to decipher the emotion in his eyes. He shifted his weight and looked down at the ground, his jawline hardening. “Do you love him, your fiancé?”

“What?” She didn’t recognize the sound that had just come out of her. He looked at her, a certain coldness about his gaze that nearly brought her heart to a stop. “How do you know about that?”

“Don’t answer my question with one of your own,” There was a certain danger about him.

Defiant anger welled inside her of and she stood up, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at him. A flicker of amusement glittered in his eyes. “Oh, excuse me. Am I not allowed to have a past?” She glared at him. “That shit is so far behind me. Not only did I disown my family, but my father also went so far as to remove me out of his life when he shipped me to the Borders. I’ve only ever met the bastard of a fiancé once in my life when he won the stupid tournament and my father hosted a celebration of our engagement. And then, to top it off, I went into the Dark Continent and basically committed suicide! My past life is over, it’s gone! I’m here now, for better or worse.” She folded her arms, her anger dampening as he slowly approached her. By the time she was done with her rant, he was standing over her once more, looking down at her with a certain softness about him.

“Prove it. Prove your past life is over. Give yourself to me. Marry me,”

“What?” Her voice cracked. He bent down, leaning in so close she fell back onto the bed. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as he knelt before her.

“Will you be my bride?” He was approaching her with a hot determination that made the blood in her body rise to her head. Before his lips could close in on hers, she quickly lashed out, placing the entirety of her palm across his mouth. The reaction seemed to get him to stop as he studied her curiously.

“Are you nuts?” She felt her face getting hotter and hotter. Her eyes darted about, unable to look at him. “W-what do you think you’re doing? You’re not making any sense. We only just met. I’m only seventeen years old. I’m an infant compared to the world you’ve shown me. I’m Human. You’re... you’re a wolf. You’re a Prince, I’m just a-.”

His mouth started moving then, the sounds of his mumbles filtering between her fingers. She nearly winced when he started speaking. Her eyes traveled back to him, giving him a cautious, sideways glance. Her argument seemed to frustrate him. Their eyes met and he paused long enough to kiss her hand before gently removing it from his face. The blush to her face darkened tenfold.

“First of all, your hand is sweaty. Secondly, you’re not making any sense. I can see that you’re blushing, I can hear your heart flying. I can tell your pulse has quickened and I can smell the scent coming from between your legs-,”

She screamed and pushed at him, rolling across the other side of the bed and crouching down, hiding her face in the blankets. An emptiness filled him when she was no longer in his grasp. “Don’t say it! You’re talking too much!” She cried; her level of embarrassment maxed. He gingerly crawled on top of the bed, slowly creeping up to look down at her with a warm passion.

“You Humans really don’t wish to hear the truth, do you?” He asked, lowering his head down next to hers. She tensed in response. “Well Tia, that is one thing you are going to have to get used to around here. The Fae don’t lie. You are attracted to me; your body wants to hear these sweet nothings. You crave my thrust.”

“Oh my god,” she hid deeper into the blanket.

“Tiana,” he stepped off the bed and held her once more from behind, his arms protectively wrapped around her shoulders as he drew her into his lap. She made sure to drag the blanket with her. “I would give you the world, I would make sure you would never want for anything as long as you live. You would be happy here, with me. Protected, loved. I would cherish every moment with you like it would be my last,”

“I won’t answer you, I can’t. I don’t have one yet,” she mumbled into the fabric. He wondered if he would have been able to make out what she said if not for his super hearing. His ears went back.

There was a growl to his voice. “We’re not leaving this room until I get what I want,”

She was nervous to ask, but her curiosity overcame her fear. “What do you want?”

“You.” He placed his face as close as he could to hers, the blanket blocking his path. She stiffened in his grip before turning to break from his grasp. He tightened his hold on her, using one hand to gently tug at the blanket. “Give yourself to me.” It wasn’t a request, but there was a gentleness to it. Her grip didn’t loosen.

“You don’t know what you’re saying,”

“You are the one who came here, remember? And wearing lingerie of all things,”

She hesitated. “This is all I have to sleep in, you mean to say it isn’t you supplying them?”

“Why would I...” He trailed off. She dared a peek at his distant expression. “Alexander,” he growled. He caught her looking at him and used the opportunity to land a kiss on her brow. She quickly hid her face once more. “My Retainer seems to think he has a sense of humor. I’m sorry for your discomfort. I’ll give the task of picking out your clothes to Rose,” A silence fell upon them before his aggravated voice filled the room once more. “How long are you going to hide from me?”

“Until you release me and come to terms with the fact you aren’t getting what you want. Also, stop kissing me.”

“But you’re pleased whenever I do,” he argued, leaning in to trail her arm and shoulder with little kisses. A shiver crept upon her and she leaned away from him, giving him a sharp look. He instantly took advantage of the situation and had her against the bed, one hand curling behind her neck while the other pressed against her lower back. His lips pressed against hers in a hot moment and his steamy breath filled her mouth as his tongue penetrated her.

Her body swelled with heat, pooling in a certain spot, and she gripped his shoulders, trying to pull him off her. She wasn’t even sure if he could feel her struggling. His knee parted her legs as he continued to gracefully slide her on top of the bed. With her pinned beneath him, he let his hand slide against her hip, his tongue devilishly playing with her own, captivating her mouth. His fingers found their way beneath the garment and they inched their way up, gently sliding against the curve of her breast.

He was between her legs. She couldn’t knee him in the Johnson. She wouldn’t bite his tongue, that would be rude. He was a very good kisser and that would be a waste. Suddenly deciding what to do she reached up and gripped his ear in her hand, making sure to dig her fingernails into it while yanking it to the side. Vlad yelped in response as he was pulled off her.

Once free she attempted to make a break for it, only for his hand to snake out and grip her ankle. She froze in an upright position, very gingerly turning her head to look down at the defeated Prince. He laid on his side, his hair tousled. One hand covered his ear with the other held her tightly. A pouting look was plastered across his expression. She instantly noticed a bulge in his pants and the blood rushed back up to her head once more. She refused to look away from his face.

“This is not making me comfortable,” she pleaded.

“Tia, you are not understanding the situation you are in,” he warned as he sat upright, scooting next to her. “I literally cannot let you go, I’m barely able to restrain myself as it is. Call it a wolf instinct, every fiber of my body wants to take you right now. My love for you is the only thing holding me back, prolonging the inevitable. While you were asleep, I was summoned to my father’s council, where he informed me of the missing parts of your background. It only made my decision that much more resolved. I will have you; I won’t let anyone else touch you.” A fiery passion came over him and his eyes glazed over with heat. “I will make you my Queen,”

There was a certainty about him, and Tia felt a clear danger. She had made a mistake with coming here. The chances of escaping with her virginity intact seemed to plummet.

He moved in once more and she leaned further back, her hand resting against his collar bone. Surprisingly enough he hesitated, though she noticed only a sliver of the Vladimir she knew looking at her out from those ruby red irises.

“Even if it meant rape?” she pleaded, begging for him to hear her.

A crooked smile played at the corner of his mouth and her heart sank. “It’s not rape if its willing, and I know just how wet you are down there.”

“That’s disgusting,” she argued, pushing harder against him as he leaned in more. “You aren’t the Vladimir that I know, what’s come over you?”

He was on her now, his lips brushing against hers. “I told you, I’m almost completely consumed by instinct.” He dropped his head into the curve of her neck, his voice the voice she recognized. No longer hot or steamy with passion and desire. “This is not how I wanted it to go down, I wanted to wait until you were ready. Why did you come to my room?” Anger came over him and his fingers slid into the locks of her hair.

He yanked her head back with a quick motion and lifted her leg with the other. She felt him press against her pelvis and heard the bands of his pants coming unraveled. She gripped his wrist with her hand, the other quickly grabbing at his chest. She was unable to see what was happening, but a growing desire was indeed taking over her body. The pain of her hair being pulled seemed almost deluded by the natural desire to procreate, yet her vision began to blur as hot tears formed.