CHAPTER 26: LEAVE

At that point, Aria had heard enough as she turned to look right at him with gritted teeth.

"Let me down!" she said, wanting to get out of his arms where she was, but it soon became clear as Zyren continued walking without so much as pausing that he had no intention of doing so.

By the time they got to the front of her room, Aria could barely keep her eyes focused as she leaned onto his shoulder, even as her breath came in gasps.

But Zyren did nothing as he stepped into her room.

Rymora, her maid, had been waiting inside, seated on a chair, when she saw Zyren, the king, step in with Aria in his arms.

She instantly dropped to her knees, still bowing her head, when she heard a sharp order that had her jerking back up.

"Get out!" Zyren ordered, and Rymora didn’t hesitate to do as he asked, but not before a glance at Aria was enough to tell her that something wasn’t right, considering how flushed her skin was as Aria failed to hide her face with her red hair, as much as she tried.

Still, Rymora knew better than to disobey or even hesitate, dashing out of the room as fast as she could before slamming the door behind her.

The sound of the door slamming shut was enough to rouse Aria from the daze she found herself in as she moved to lift herself, only to feel Zyren’s arms around her tighten further.

"Easy there!" he spoke, too softly for Aria to like, as she felt his fingers run through her scalp down to her neck in a way that made shivers run down her back.

Before she knew it, she felt her back hit the bed, but she had only raised her eyes to look up when she saw Zyren shrug off the coat he wore, and the singular action was enough to jerk her mind to reality.

"I’m fine!" she gasped out, scrambling back as she glared at him, her body still trembling even as she spoke, "You can leave now!" Even as the roaring in her head got louder.

’Present yourself! Present yourself to him!’ But Aria only balled her fists even tighter than before as she internally screamed back.

’I’d rather die!’

Zyren didn’t leave. He had just shrugged off his coat when he slowly began to undo the buttons of his shirt, to Aria’s shock and dismay.

"You said you wouldn’t force me!" Aria belted out, even as fear crept into her bones.

"I’m not going to, but I might as well get ready for when you begin to ask for my help!" he said, even as he unhooked the first two buttons of his shirt, baring just enough to make any woman salivate over the muscles visible from his neck down.

"You’re a heatblood! Your blood will always feel a need to bond with vampires."

"...And when it comes to you, the only choice you’ll ever have is me!" He finished, even as he stood right beside the bed without making any moves to get on it.

"Leave! I’d rather be alone!" Aria responded, even as she scrambled off the bed, her eyes darting to the side door where she intended to escape, but she had just moved towards it, jerking the door open**, surprised to find a bath and what looked to be a relieving area.

Aria’s intention was to instantly close herself inside it, only to push the door shut and find an obstruction there in the shape of Zyren’s hand.

"I won’t force you, but when did I ever say I would step back if the situation presented itself?" At that point, Aria had had enough, and she had just opened her mouth to speak when a warm feeling suddenly spread through her body with enough force to send her to her knees as she gasped.

"Did I mention that it’s only going to get worse? If you don’t satisfy your body’s needs, then it will get worse until your mind can no longer think of anything else!"

But Aria was too far gone to pay attention, as her entire body shook, and she felt the most painful pleasure she had ever felt slide through her lower belly.

It was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Her memory recalled what Zyren had done to previously relieve her, but everything she had grown up learning kept her from doing such a thing.

"I-I can’t!" She mumbled over and over to herself, even as she slid her hands under her gown, wanting to do it herself and get it over with.

"I can’t!" She gritted out, digging her nails into her thighs as she spoke again, this time to Zyren in a clearly pleading tone.

"Can you ple-please—" ’Leave,’ she wanted to ask, realizing that without his presence, she just might be able to, but before she could finish, she felt him pick her up, to her shock, as she gasped.

She was shocked to feel him toss her back to the bed the next second, before she could finish what she had been on the edge of saying, pressing her back-first into the sheets as she felt him behind her. His legs sliding up her thighs, even as her lips were too powerless to refuse him.

Not when the need in her body seemed to have doubled within the space of a second.

"Relax!" he whispered into her ear with a proud smirk on his lips, even as his red eyes blazed with impudence. "I can help you!"

And he did. His hands sliding up her thighs, even as he pressed her into the bed with his body.

Aria was too far gone to care as she felt him rip off the undergarments she wore under her gown. His touch was enough to make her gasp and moan, sounds she would never have dreamed she could make.

Zyren only chuckled in response, with a look of satisfaction in his eyes, intent on taking his time, enough to make sure that this time around, she would remember every touch.