ILL-FATED JOURNEY™

Chapter 17

He was on his third drink when he heard the light knock at his bedroom door.

"Come in," he commanded without looking.

He smelt her before he saw her, the soft spicy honeyed scent that haunted his dreams.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked simply, and he finally looked at her. The first thing he noticed was her hair in a bun on top of her head.

"Take your hair down." He commanded softly rising from his dark red velvet winged armchair setting down the glass of vodka as he did so.

She looked like she wanted to object but instead, she began pulling it down. The curls cascaded down to her waist and immediately he stepped behind her, reached out, and touched them, pulling a few tresses to his nose breathing in deep.

"Take your clothes off," Vlad commanded without opening his eyes.

She did as she was told and let the nightgown fall to the floor at her feet. Vlad walked around her looking his fill, his eyes roaming her body from her hair to her toes. He was smiling at her until he looked into her eyes, there was nothing there. No desire, no passion only a sense of resolve, it was a look of a prostitute. He was a means to an end, nothing more.

He closed his eyes and stepped away from her, he felt ill. He wanted her badly but not that bad. "Put on your clothes and get out." He commanded softly, returning to his drink.

She picked up the clothes and used it as a shield, but she didn't leave. "I came as you asked, I am prepared to do as you asked..."

"No, you are not." He replied without looking at her.

"I don't understand... I did as you wanted...what about my mother?"

"What about her?" He countered almost crushing the glass in his meaty grip.

"Can I see her?" She asked and finally, Vlad heard some emotion in her voice. He turned to face her and said honestly "Yes, you can see her."

She made a small squeal of joy and her eyes lit up and just like that, his woman was back. She was in his arms before he was aware he had moved. His mouth ravaging hers, she was back, he had missed her so much!

Vlad picked her up and carried her to his bed, still tasting her sweet mouth as he did he put her in the center of the bed and made to take off his clothes.

"What are you doing?" Azura asked trying to cover herself with the bedding. She didn't know what was happening. One minute he was kicking her out, the next he was kissing her like he was going off to war or something.

Vlad grinned as he replied "I'm doing what I should have done years ago. Make you my wife, in truth."

She looked at him confused then gasped as she looked below his waist, she frowned then instantly closed her legs.

Vlad's grin grew wider as he assured her pushing her legs apart "Don't worry sweetness, it's going to fit just fine, better than fine." He grew serious as he lay between her legs, just staring into her eyes before he kissed her.

It wasn't like before, he took his time teasing her tongue into a dance with his until she was moaning and wrapping her arms around him. He kissed her like he wanted to do nothing else, he didn't touch her anywhere else either, just his lips on hers, their tongues dancing.

Vlad came up for air and gasped "What are you doing to me?" then returned his mouth to hers, deepening the kiss. His hands fisted the velvet bedding, then his mouth moved to her nose, her eyes, her hairline then back to her lips before moving downwards. He rained kisses on her cheeks and jaw then down her neck, to her collar bone then finally to her breast. He lingered there, ensuring both were thoroughly kissed before moving lower. By the time he kissed her panty line, she was panting wildly beneath him.