Poison Rose(Roses & Kings #1)

Her stomach dropped, the sound was animalistic, raw and primal. And it felt somehow…familiar. Like Reyna had heard it before,when she knew she hadn't. Reyna was sure of that, she had never heard anything like it, it was strange.

They'd all filed into the room, Cassandra guards entered first, Reyna was last. She was both excited and terrified of what she would see. And when she finally got her first look, Reyna was shocked, this beast is very big, bigger than the first one they saw,massive would be the right word.

And he's a beautiful and terrifying beast, his skin is a golden brown color everywhere. Except for his upper body which she couldn't decide if it was also golden brown. It was also glowing blue, like the other beast. He has long golden blond hair, and dark green eyes like emeralds. And they are glowing so bright like neon lights. His nose is straight and slightly broad, definitely not flat,his sharp fangs were visible. With his mouth open Reyna could vividly see how deadly those little daggers are. She involuntarily shivers. He was chained and shackled to the bed,just like the other beast.

He only had jean trousers, his broad chest and flat stomach opened, with intricate dark tattoos that started from his neck to his upper half,then stretched into his arms to his fingers like a sleeve. From a distance it looked like a breast plate, only it's a dark royal blue.

When he strained and struggled wanting to break the hold the chains had on him, one of the chains snapped. Reyna gasped loudly. He swung his head in her direction so fast, Reyna was surprised his head was still attached to his neck afterwards.

His brows creased,he tilted his head, his green eyes changed to red glowing orbs and was fixated on her. Reyna shivered, his eyes were so intense and focused on her she thought he was seeing into her very soul. Then he growled louder than all the other times,and began to twist and turn. Violently trying to unchain himself, all the while his red eyes were still on her, with an intensity that shocked Reyna. She didn't know what to make of it. She was entranced in those red orbs that seemed to call to something deep within her, suddenly she heard shouts and movements.

Reyna staggered, and took several steps back, her heart was beating wildly in her too tight chest. She felt hot all over,sweat trickling down her body,down her face and between her breasts. Cassandra immediately shielded Reyna with her body,her stand not defensive but a means to get his attention. The beast growled again, rattling the doors. Reyna trembled,both terrified of the fierce hard look on his face and confused why he would look familiar to her. Reyna can't even begin to explain the confusion she felt, not even to herself. Something huge was happening and she didn't know what it was.

“Move!” The beast growled menacingly at Cassandra. She didn't. Cassandra stood her ground. He growled and stared at Reyna.

“Come, Kitten!” Like hell, she would.

He strained harder and everything just happened all at once, suddenly the chains gave in and snapped with a loud metallic sound. The guards moved on him with menace, their taser in hands, trying to subdue him. He dropped the chains with a loud rattling sound.

“I really don't want to hurt you but I would if you get in my way.” He growled out in an angry guttural voice. They rushed him, more of them coming inside the door with guns instead of just the tasers, seeing him loose and free of his chains he is no doubt a predator. He was massive, close to seven feet tall with broad shoulders, without their guns with silver bullets they had no hope of stopping him, and they all could die.

He meets them head on,anger makes his face even harder and sharper than it was, his claws dark and sharp. He used both his hands to flung them away like they were paper mannequins, delivering punches that would incapacitate rather than kill. Growling and snarling loudly like the beast he is, he was so freaking fast that he was almost a blur. Moving with a litheness that could rival that of a cat in no time all the guards were thrown around the room, bloody. Moaning and groaning.

Blood gushing out of the injuries he had inflicted, none of which is fetal. The council women had run out of the infirmary screaming,at least they were active,unlike Reyna. She had frozen into place holding her dagger in a shaky, sweaty hand, her gray eyes wide with fear and that unknown emotion Reyna had no hope of understanding. He tilted his head and took a step towards her. Reyna counters his steps with two of her own, putting distance between them, it was then that Reyna heard movement from her left side and turned in time to see Cassandra.

She had her gun out while he was distracted with Reyna, she didn't hesitate. She aimed for his knee and pulled the trigger. He grunt/growl his left leg buckle, he reached for her mother. And flung her out of the way like she was a bug. Reyna gasped then screamed when she saw her hit the wall and slump, she groaned,her lip split, dark red blood stained her teeth. She was trying to crawl back up.

Her dagger completely forgotten, Reyna threw it away and rushed to help her mother, careful not to turn her back to him. But before she could reach her, he grabbed Reyna, his glowing eyes searching her face. Then he placed his large hand on her chest right on her left breast.

“Get your filthy hands off of me, you monster.” Reyna spat her fear momentarily gone.

“Hush Kitten,I just need to know.” Know what? Whether or not she's good to eat? Reyna struggles trying to get free of his hold.

He didn't let her go, only tightening his hold, and waited. His glowing eyes staring at her with something Reyna didn't understand. He didn't try to grope her or squeeze her breast. He waited patiently. It seems he was waiting for something to occur. Reyna was terrified and shaking at first but when he didn't do anything, she scrunched up her face in confusion. Her heart beat began to go back to normal, when suddenly a sharp pain exploded in her chest like she had been stabbed with a hot poker-not that she knew how hot poker in the heart felt like.

But Reyna imagined this must be how it felt. She gasped/moaned and her knees gave way to the crushing pain pelting every part of her. The beast swept her to his body and sat down right there on the floor in the hospital room staring down at her. The intensity of his gaze would have shocked her if she wasn't in such agony.

He looked at Reyna as though they were the only ones in the room, as though she were the answers to all his prayers, prayers he hadn't even known he'd made. While she writhed, gasped and convulsed her eyes filled with tears that were running down her shocked face. Reyna couldn't breathe, the pain was so intense she thought she was dying, waiting for the infamous light at the end.

“Hush, beautiful Kitten,it will only last for a minute.” He muttered repeatedly in his deep rumbly voice. His eyes looked sad, he kept brushing strands of her light brown hair back from her face with his large hand gently. Crazy beast. What the hell is he talking about? The sadistic fucker, he did this to her and now he's….sad? Reyna didn't understand him at all.

“What did you do to m…me?” Reyna whispered weakly, the sharp pain was beginning to ease up. She could finally breathe more easily now. Her dagger was just a breath away behind him, if she could just reach it, then she could stab him and get away from this crazy monster. She stretched her fingers until it touched the silver dagger, her fingers curled around the hilt.

“Nothing, It's nothing sweetheart, it's just the way it's supp…” He jerked slightly when Reyna stabbed him with the dagger between his ribs. She tried to wiggle out of his hands, but he didn't let her go. He tightened his hold and groaned.

“Probably deserves that.”

Reyna thought now he would attack her,tear into her neck with his deadly fangs, but he didn't. And he sounded almost proud that she had stabbed him. Reyna couldn't be sure, she didn't trust her feelings anymore. The beast held the hilt of the dagger and yanked it from his body, thick dark red blood trickling out of the wound. He flung it away,still holding unto Reyna with his other hand. Then he jerks again and hiss. Reyna twisted around in time to see her mother holding a gun,she shot him again and again.

“Get away from my daughter, monster.” Cassandra kept pulling the trigger until she'd empty the whole clip. His body slump, he wasn't unconscious,he was bleeding from multiple gunshots and definitely angry, but otherwise alive. Cassandra pulled Reyna out of his embrace and he let her. She checked Reyna over, searching for injuries. But he didn't harm Reyna, well, Reyna didn't know exactly what he did to her, to cause her that excruciating pain. But she didn't think it was to kill her, after all he'd had his chance to kill her if he had wanted to when she stabbed him but he hadn't.

Reyna glanced at him where he was growling and seeming to gain his strength back, he was digging out the bullets with his claws. Reyna winced, she couldn't wrap her head around the fact that he's been pumped full of bullets and not just ordinary bullets. But silver bullets, and he is still not dead. Her eyes snapped up in her lying position in Cassandra's arms still weak—when more than a dozen guards rushed into the room with new chains and shackles, they quickly chained, shackled and secured him up. Until they were sure he couldn't break this new chain, then they placed him back in the bed. And added some more chains to tie him down to the bed.

“Reyna are you okay? Can you stand?” Cassandra asked her face now back to its normal iciness that Reyna was used to. She wished she could bring back the woman who had seemed scared and worried about her. It breaks her heart every time she sees a glimpse of a warm mother she had hoped for, only for her to be replaced by the cold woman who considers loving someone to be a weakness. But there was nothing she could do about it.

“Yes I'm okay, and I can stand.” She stood up on shaking legs, the all consuming pain Reyna had felt a moment ago was completely gone. In its place were new weird sensations that were bombarding her. Her whole body was tingly and buzzing,vibrating with something new. Her breasts felt heavy and fuller, her nipples were jutting in her uniform and there's a strange wetness low between her thighs.

“Kitten come to me.”

His voice was a deep rumbly growl guttural more beast than man, he's trying to take a glimpse of her as the injured guards were helped out of the room. He sounded much better even if he still bled. He raises his head and sniffs the air again, then breathes in the air hungrily as though he's been underwater for a long time and this is his first breath of fresh air. He shakes his head trying to gain some semblance of control.

“Fuck!” He growled, in a deep guttural voice,after he's finally gotten control of whatever it was that made him crazed. His growls did strange things to Reyna and added to the tingles.

“You don't only look utterly delicious kitten, you smell even better.” His green eyes were so dark and heavy lidded,trapping and pinning Reyna's. Her body was still acting weird. His gaze intensified every feeling,her nipples beaded so tight they ached, she also felt an ache deep in her lower belly, it's strange. Reyna had never felt anything like it,but she hid it, she had to. She was already doing things out of character, hiding behind Cassandra? Letting her shield her? That's not her.

Though Reyna didn't know how this beast was able to make her feel this way, she already knew that all sorts of reactions are a weakness in her mother's eyes. The beast sniffed again and groaned, his green eyes blinked and changed to a glowing red, then kept changing red and then back to green. For a moment the face of an animal,a wolf to be exact, had waiver over his face. But it was gone in a flash.

Mark—who had come with re–enforcement and the council women who had also come back when they finally saw that the beast was now under control—gasped, and took several cautious steps back. Even Cassandra flinched, it was a slight almost unnoticeable reaction that made her seem human.

She stared back at him, with that intimidating glare her lips still split and unattended. It seemed to have bounced off of him. He doesn't look intimidated, but frustrated, menacing.

“Fuck kitten! this is pure torture, you're making it worse.” He said, sweat dotted his forehead and dripped down the side of his face, his chests and stomach was smooth and tight, not an ounce of fat in sight. There's a light sheen of sweat there as well. Reyna's confusion must have shown on her face, because he chuckled though it was strain, the veins of his head bulging.

“You don't know what I'm talking about, do you sweetness?” Reyna didn't answer, it seems her confusion stole her ability to think, and speak, she only stared at him.

“Of course you don't.” He spat almost accusingly, glaring at Cassandra as if she was somehow at fault, for whatever he's rambling on about.

“Firstly you don't speak, or look at me like that beast.” Cassandra ordered coldly, ice dripping with every word, her eyes blazing.

“And secondly, what are you talking about? Nobody has done anything to you yet! and believe me, when you are being tortured you won't have the strength to be this insolent. I will make sure you pay for what you did. Attacking me and my people, not to mention my daughter, that was very stupid, you will suffer.” She threatened.

“I can't wait, when do we begin?” He asks boredly, his eyes fixated on Reyna, where she stood close to Cassandra instead of hiding behind her, like the coward she was so not! It's true that the second growling had startled her,and the strength he showed was unbelievable. Reyna didn't beat herself up for it. It's understandable,after all she'd never seen a beast before, she's dealing with the unknown. And the way he'd flung their guardians around like they were made of plastic,it frightened and intrigued her, anyone would react that way. Not to mention the way he'd almost change into a wolf, that more than anything fascinates her.

“I am Queen of Marlenia and you've just…” Her mother began head held high, voice dripping with self importance.

“I don't give a fuck who you are woman! If you are here to kill me then get on with it, I don't like your stench. You're such a fool, hiding here in the mountains blinded by your hate. You would doom your people because of your ignorance and stubbornness to see the truth. If you kill me you lose a potential ally.” He growled, The silence that followed his statement was deafening. For long painful minutes no one did or said a word. Except for him.

“Come here Kitten, don't be scared, I won't bite.” then he adds.

“.....Unless you begged me to.” He winked, like he wasn't chained to the bed. And Cassandra and the council weren't here.

Reyna felt her cheeks flushed hot, she wondered why? Reyna doesn't even know what he meant, but she finds she likes the way he talks. It's different from the way people around here speak. For a few seconds it was just him and her. Reyna was in a trance, he was speaking to her,not angry that she had stabbed him. He was disrespecting her mother, and Reyna didn't care.

Her body didn't care. It was a miracle that she didn't fold and did as he commanded and went to him. Because for whatever reason she wanted to. She wanted to touch and stroke him, find out if his body was as hard as it looked. Reyna was appalled by her line of thoughts. It was all new, strange and frightening these feelings and urges flooding her senses.

The only thing that grounded her was the wrath of her mother and what might happen to her if she slipped and showed what she's feeling. Cassandra's hate ran deep,and right now she is livid with rage, no one has ever insulted her this way. No. One.

“The day I ally myself with abominable beasts like you would be the day Marlenia falls! Make no mistake, the only good beast in my eyes is a dead one. You have made a big mistake by coming to my Queendom, disrupting our peace, frightening my daughter, and disrespecting me. I will make you regret your decision to ever come here.”

“Your daughter?” He asks more to himself, his left brow slightly arching in thought. He doesn't look scared that Cassandra is threatening him.

“Very well, the end to your Queendom is near. Surely you realize, since I found you the others will definitely find you too. But you choose to doom your people because of ignorance and bigotry.”

Cassandra seethe, so angry. But immediately she straightened up, back ramrod straight,face neutral. she regally smoothed her hands over her straight pencil skirt, she looked at her guards, gave an almost imperceptible nod.

And before Reyna could do anything, not that she would, or even knew what to do. The guards descended on the beast, and tasered him, he convulsed violently, but didn't utter a sound. And Reyna…felt that pain as though she was the one who's been tasered, not physically, no. But Reyna couldn't explain it, even she didn't understand it. It's like a discomforting feeling.

Tears flowed freely, and Reyna doesn't even know why. She was mortified. Reyna doesn't cry easily. But she was crying because a beast she had never seen or had known before today was being tasered. Or maybe it's because she had never seen anyone being tasered before. Even as she thought it she knew it was the former.

But why should she care about his pain? The most logical explanation is, he definitely did something to her. Fortunately Cassandra thought Reyna was crying because he'd frightened her, that means Reyna's not going to be scolded for showing weakness, at least not right then.

The torture only lasted for a few minutes but it felt like forever. Reyna was surprised that four guards tasing him at the same time didn't kill him. When they finally let him go, and moved away from him, he looked weak, and close to dropping,he'd probably have if he wasn't chained and shackled to the bed. He looked into her eyes and smiled wickedly, then he turned to Cassandra and said.

“Fools all of you,hiding here, thinking you're safe. You'll need us or they will fucking kill you all. Easy picking...all of you” Reyna trembled more violently than before,now terrified.

And then he passed out, the room was silent after that vague announcement, or was it a threat? It certainly felt like a warning of what to come. But Reyna didn't know, maybe she's imagining things, she definitely was terrified.

Hi Lovely people, so this is a long chapter. Enjoy, and please don't forget to comment, like, share, and leave a review