DragonClaw

Winter Butterflies are Permanent

              I tried vainly to break the kiss, but his hand held my shaking face in place. The kiss was bitter with frost, and winter butterflies fluttered in my stomach.  After a few minutes, the Dragonclaw pulled away, but just enough for us to speak. My breath came in short, shallow gasps, and I struggled to understand why he would kiss me.

              “Did you enjoy that, my little thief?”

             I was too horrified for words, so I just shook my head rapidly back and forth.

             “Really. Well, then I’ll just have to continue until you start to enjoy it.”

             He leaned down, preparing to steal my lips for the second time.

            I looked up, eyes wide. Not again! I scrambled for words, something that would get him to stop.

            “Why did you kiss me?” My voice sounded weak and miniscule.

           He hesitated a millimeter above my lips. Apparently, he hadn’t thought I would speak.

           “Two reasons, actually. Would you care to know?”

           His breath tickled my face, reminding of the painful incident from the moment before.

           “Yes, my lord.”

           “First, it was a temporary punishment. Since fate obviously doesn’t want you dead tonight, I’ll just come for you later this month. Which brings me to my second reason. When I kissed you, my ice entered your body, tainting your blood with frost.”

             He has to be kidding!

             Right……?

             “Now, I know exactly where you are at all times. All I have to do is track my power, and it will lead me straight to you. Also, if for some reason, I can’t kill you within a month, the ice will take over your system and freeze your body inside-out,” he smiled cruelly.

             So, I have at most a month left to live.

            “That’s nice of you. Steal my first kiss, tell me that murderous ice has entered my blood, and say that I have less than a month to live. Why don’t you just say that my life is ruined, as well as my siblings, because of you and your perverted tendencies!?”

             I exploded. Because of one kiss, Sakura, Yuki, and Soji would soon be left on their own, children in a hopeless world of ranks. They’ve already had to watch two guardians leave, and now they will have to watch another.

            The Dragonclaw’s hand reached up and cupped my face.

            “Perverted? I think that’s the first time I’ve ever been called that, given that I’m King and all. You know, I could speed that ice in your body up a little. Should I shorten it to a week?”

              I felt my body convulse in response. I looked at his other hand, and noticed that it was rotating in a sickly spiral, like it was winding a crank that had been left to rust for generations.

              “Please stop.”

              His hand slowed to a halt.

              “Fine, but it comes with a price.”

             Before I could ask what the price was, the Dragonclaw closed the distance between us, his lips touching mine once more. This time, I didn’t resist, in fear of provoking him again. Instead, I tried to match his motions, and sink into the biting cold kiss.

             I felt disgusted with myself.

               But if this is what I had to do in order to keep myself alive to protect my siblings, I would do it. I would do anything to ensure their safety and wellbeing, even if it meant I had to make out with my least favorite person, excluding my father.

              After for what seemed like a morose eternity, he pulled away.

              “Not bad for your second kiss.”

               My face heated up in embarrassment and anger.  But still I fought to keep the sting out of my next words.

                I didn’t succeed.

               “Thanks. I’m sure women are throwing themselves at you every second, so you’ve probably had thousands. Let me ask, do you always kiss them into a dark alley while handcuffed? Or do you hide that side of yourself?”

               He growled.

               “You’re my first time in an alley. And I’d have to say, it’s not one of my favorite spots. There are so many interruptions. It doesn’t help that the girl isn’t particularly obedient, and doesn’t even listen to the King of her own country. The handcuffs aren’t a first, though. Would you like to know how else they have been used?”

               He raised an eyebrow suggestively.

               “I would be glad to show you. Maybe you would be broken by then, and I’m warning you, the ice speeds up when it feels that you have become weak.”

               Poor women.

               They had to suffer through being with the Dragonclaw even in his bed. But from what he was saying, the women begged him for it.

                Ha.

               I highly doubted that. Who would choose him; he’s a selfish, arrogant, perverted prince of ice.

                “Maybe you can show me…..when I die.”

                 The Dragonclaw half hissed-half sighed.

               “Your loss. Goodbye, Chizuru.”

               With that, he left, his footsteps fading away in the night.