Rudraksh

15 - All You Are Is Mine. (Edited POV)

"Moon ?"

He sighed and retrieved his hand.

"Shivanya ?" He called again and I opened my eyes.

"Why are you here ?" I looked away from him. He looked the same as always, a gorgeous sinner with blood on his hands. He was swathed in his usual chrisp black Bandhgala suit, his young face shaven clean. And his black hair just a little dishevelled complementing his wild brown eyes.

"Well I was in my office, minding my own business, finalizing a very important deal and then I hear my lovely wife, despite of her high fever, refused to take the medicine. What's a man to do ? Make a guess."

"I hate you." He sighed again but I could literally hear him smile... I'd came to know him that much.

"Now now, come on, get up."

"Go away."

"Shivanya ? Get up and take this medication. Now."

"I said go away !" He seized both my wrists in one hand and pinning them above my head, leaned close to me.

So close, our lips almost touched, setting me ablaze and I remained against his warmth, oddly hoping to step into his fire. I resisted that ridiculous temptation to kiss him. Then he whispered in his deep menacing voice,

"You have fever, Madira. Get up and take this medicine before I raze the entire town of Somm because I swear to Mahakal if something happened to you, I will." I looked at his hand beside my head. A work of art with those veins and gold rings. Then I looked at his eyes, feeling his warm breath against my cheek that seemed to seep through my skin and reach my heart.

If one thing I learnt in those three days... It was that Rudraksh Rana did what he said. Always. When he tried to help me up to a sitting position, I swatted his hand away and pushed myself up. I was weak, too weak to fight him. I felt it. He made me drink a glass of some hellish bitter liquid.

"Here." Before I could protest, he gently shoved a grape into my mouth to sweeten the bitter aftertaste of the medicine.

His fingers remained on my lips. Suppressing a smile, he traced my lower lip and I fought that wave of heat that surged through my body. When he broke the contact, that spot was left with a blazing need of more.

"Let me out of here."

"I'm afraid, I can't do that."

"My people need me ! I have a pack, a state... A whole Kingdom to look after !" I seethed, leaning forward til my face was just an inch away from his. He took the shameless advantage to push the wavy locks behind my ear and caress my cheek with the pad of his thumb.

Look of utmost affection in his pretty eyes.

"And I'm not keeping you from it. Do it from here... This Haveli is as much yours as it is mine. You can rule them just fine from here."

"And leave my Haveli and my family to the mercy of those vile creatures ?!" I slapped away his hand that was cupping my cheek.

Looking at his hand, he smiled.

"In that case... I don't think the Kedars are short on fine warriors to protect their home." He said and got up, making his way towards the door. He did it all the time whenever I struck a conversation on my wishes.

"They are and I'm very well capable of protecting my--"

"And yet there have been three Naga attacks in four months ? I know you are a warrior who is well capable of protecting herself but... I can't... I just can't let you out there. The truth is I don't trust the security at all."