The Vampire's Reluctant Bride

The Vampire's Reluctant Bride: chapter-23

Chapter-23

 Amelia tried not to stare as he stripped off his jeans and tee-shirt a few feet away from her. Although he was facing away from her, the little she saw confirmed that he looked every bit as drool-worthy as she had imagined him to be.

Feeling more than a little awed, she shed her own clothes, till all that remained was her bikini. She began folding them, mesmerized by the flexing muscles of his back as he did the same.

When he had brought her to the beach first, she had been captivated by the charm of the shady trees almost extending to the water’s edge. The white sands had contrasted the cool blue of the sea and she had breathed in the salty air, rejoicing in the spray of the water as it hit the intermittent rocks bordering portions of the beach.

But then, he had suggested a swim, and the magnificence of her surroundings had paled before the sculpted physical perfection that was her husband.

“Can I turn around now?” he called, reminding her that she had asked him not to watch while she changed into her swimwear.

“Yes.” She breathed, knowing he would be able to hear.

He turned slowly, allowing her time to change her mind, if she so wanted... but she was too caught up in admiring him to notice. If he looked delectable from behind, he was a thousand times more scrumptious from the front.

She worked her way upwards from his feet; noticing the smooth planes of his flat stomach as it flared to those broad shoulders. She felt a blush creeping up her cheeks as she neared his eyes, knowing he would have seen her ogling at him.

Only, his eyes were fixed a few inches below the base of her neck; his expression hard.

She looked down at herself, hoping she had not had a ‘wardrobe malfunction’...

She didn’t, but the tiny ornate silver cross nestled between her breasts caught her eye. She looked back up to confirm that that was where his eyes were trained.

She touched the cross lightly, “Does this bother you?”

He scowled, “I married you in a church, Amelia.... do you honestly believe that religious paraphernalia affects me?”

“They don’t?” She asked, confused. If they didn’t trouble him, why was he looking so murderously angry?

“Disappointed?”

The ugly inflection in his voice surprised her, “What are you talking about, Lucius?”

“Ah, you don’t have to pretend, Mia...” he told her dryly, “ You never used to wear that cross before... you only started wearing that once you realized that you were stuck with me as your husband... hoping that it would drive me away, no doubt.”

A sharp pain shot through her, almost as if he had stabbed her; with those words. He honestly believed that she wanted to drive him away?

“Cariño?” he questioned, noting the distress on her face. Although he still looked furious, something softened in his eyes.

Amelia shook her head, not wanting him to see just how deeply his words had cut her. Unshed tears blinding her, she scampered back the way they had come... just wanting... needing... to be alone. However, the absence of any following footsteps after a taking a couple of steps had her tortured heart contracting harder and she dashed sightlessly into the woods.

She hoped she was moving towards their tree-house, but the green foliage looked the same everywhere. The stinging tears blinding her eyes made it even harder to make out where she was headed, but for the moment; she just wanted to run... run till the exhaustion numbed her mind...And her lovelorn heart.

A low hanging branch caught her bare legs making her wince to a stop. She looked down to see the red lash already beginning to form an ugly ridge.

Rubbing it absently, she looked around, trying to see if she could catch a glimpse of their tree house.

“Mia...”

She whirled around.
Lucius was standing closer to her than she had anticipated.

 How had he followed her without her knowledge???

His eyes were doing a quick inventory of her skin- checking for injuries. A frown creased his brow when he saw the angry red welt on her thigh; but he said nothing as his eyes moved swiftly down. She saw his frown turn into a look of pure horror as they reached her feet and wondered if she had injured herself without even realizing.

“Don’t move.” He whispered, his eyes frozen at her feet.