Once Betrayed Never Forgotten

Chapter 16: A Steamy Encounter

Before the scream can escape from my lips, a cold, strong hand clamps around my mouth, muffling any sound. My heart pounds in my chest, and I freeze, fear gripping me.

In the next instant, I feel a cold breath tickle my ear, and a familiar voice whispers, “It’s only me, silly child. Now, if I let you go, do you promise not to scream? I don’t particularly feel like hearing you wail like a banshee while I’m trying to relax.”

Aleksandr, I think to myself, relief flooding through me. I manage a nervous nod, and his grip loosens, his hand falling away from my mouth. Even so, I demain still, my gaze fixed on the water, my cheeks burning as if he can see through my thoughts.

The water, previously warm against my skin, now feels icy as it clings to me. I’m naked, vulnerable, and the cold air nips at my skin, sending shivers down my spine. I don’t dare turn to face him, fear mingling with embarrassment.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, my voice a whisper, my heart still racing.

He chuckles softly, his presence a magnetic force behind me. “I could ask you the same. This is my personal bathing spot, you know–I have no idea how you even found it. Were you really that desperate to see me?”

I try to ignore his teasing, focusing on the task at hand: finding my discarded nightdress. But it’s gone, vanished into the snowy landscape. Aleksandr’s lips brush against the skin of my neck, a touch as light as the falling snowflakes.

His voice is low and seductive as he murmurs, “Silly of you to come out here alone, where no one would hear you scream.” His tongue darts out, licking my neck, and a shiver runs down my spine.

Cold and heat intertwine, a contradiction that leaves me breathless.

I let out a soft moan, my senses heightened by the ethereal atmosphere. The snow falls gently, a cascade of silver under the moonlight, and the world seems to slow around us. My cheeks flush with warmth as desire courses through me, despite the frigid air.

His touch is unexpected, his hand cupping one of my breasts. My nipple hardens at his touch, and a gasp escapes my lips. His voice, a tempting melody, pierces through my daze. “I’ll ask you again, my wayward mortal step–niece–in–law–what are you doing bathing in my private hot spring? It’s rude to go where you’re not invited.”

Suddenly snapped out of my daze, 1 whirl around to face him, my eyes narrowed. I’m ready to give him a piece of my mind, my thoughts racing to form a retort. But the words die on my lips as the realisation hits me–I’m still stark naked, while he’s dressed in a lush black velvet robe, clearly

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Chapter 16: A Steamy Encounter

intending to bathe, I blush furiously, my gaze locked with his cold blue eyes. His eyes sweep over my body, lingering with an intensity that leaves me feeling utterly exposed. The corner of his mouth quirks up in an evil grin, a smirk that ignites a fire within me. Desire flickers in his icy blue eyes, and I can’t help but feel a mixture of annoyance and something more as his gaze lingers on.

1. me.

I manage to find my voice, my tone laced with irritation. “Now see here-”

Aleksandr interrupts with a chuckle, his voice dripping with amusement. “Ah, my dear Arianna, quite the sight you are. You really have a knack for finding trouble, don’t you?”

My cheeks burn hotter, my irritation growing. “It’s not like I chose to be here! And it’s not like I can just conjure up a swimsuit out of thin air.”

He smirks, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Well, I’m certainly not complaining about your choice of

attire.”

My jaw tightens, and I cross my arms over my chest, feeling very exposed and vulnerable. “If you’re just going to stand there and make inappropriate comments, then I’m leaving.”

He raises an eyebrow, his expression mocking. “Oh, but the fun has only just begun.”

Before I can respond, he steps closer, his fingers trailing down my arm. A shiver runs down my

spine, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through me. My heart races, my breath catching

throat.

“Relax, Arianna,” he purrs, his voice like velvet against my skin. “I promise I won’t bite.”

in my

My cheeks flush even deeper, a mixture of embarrassment and something else burning within me. “You’ve

strange way of showing hospitality.”

He chuckles, his laughter like a siren’s call. “Ah, but isn’t the unexpected always more exciting?”

I feel a sudden rush of warmth and to my horror- wetness between my thighs as he trails a finger over my hip and closer to my throbbing sex, sending shivers of electric desire through my entire body.

The world seems to stand still as I face Aleksandr, the tension between us palpable. He chuckles gently, a sound that both soothes and ruffles my nerves. In an instant, embarrassment washes over me, and I spin around again, mortified, the icy air prickling at my skin as I attempt to hide my shame. I’m freezing and shivering, the reality of my exposed state hitting me full force.

But then, a sudden warmth envelops me from behind, and I find myself engulfed in a bright red

Chapter 10: A Steamy Encounter

cape–crimson and lush–that feels unbelievably warm and soft against my skin. Aleksandr’s arms wrap around me, his touch reassuringly strong. The cape appeared out of nowhere, much like the food in the dining hall that appears as if by magic. I’m warm now, cocooned in the folds of the cape, yet anger still simmers beneath the surface.

“How did you find this place?” His voice is gentler this time, a hint of curiosity in his tone. “It’s impossible to find unless you’ve been here before.”

I take a deep breath, the warm air inside the cape a stark contrast to the cold outside. “Seraphina brought me here. She said it was for the ritual cleansing before the Blood Moon Ball.”

He laughs, the sound rich and melodious. “Haven’t you realised by now? She’s a prankster. There’s nothing she loves more than playing tricks and causing mischief. She knew I’d be here preparing for the ceremony. This is her twisted way of having fun.”

As if on cue, ghostly, high–pitched laughter–like the tinkling of bells–floats through the grove. I can’t help but roll my eyes, the anger dissipating into reluctant amusement. Seraphina, the mischievous little spirit, probably delighted in watching this unfold from the shadows. It’s hard to stay mad at her, even though she’s been orchestrating this chaos from the beginning.

With a sternness that belies his playful nature, Aleksandr calls out, “Seraphina.” His voice carries a

summoning tone that seems to resonate with the very air around us. From the dense dark foliage of the fir tree, a black shape darts out–an enormous black bat. It’s Seraphina, transforming from her animal form into a little girl as she descends gracefully to the snow–covered ground. She bows

low before Aleksandr, giggling mischievously.

He commands, “Take our guest back to her chambers and help her prepare for the ball. No more tricks, Seraphina. Go.”

With a nod and a grin, Seraphina turns to me and takes my arm, urging me to follow her. As we move towards the door that leads back into the castle, I can’t resist a final glance over my shoulder. My eyes catch sight of Aleksandr’s black velvet robe discarded on the snowy ground, a dark blot against the purity of the white. He’s naked, his silhouette framed by the swirling steam rising from the spring.

Through the mist, I glimpse his form–broad, muscular, and sculpted as if from pale granite. The starlight paints his skin in silver hues, every part of him defined, hard, and perfect. My heart races at the sight, a mixture of desire and longing coursing through me. He’s an enigma, a creature of both cold and fire, a contradiction that’s impossible to ignore..

Seraphina tugs on my arm, her voice a sing–song call, “Come on now,” as she ushers me through

the door and into the castle’s interior.