Anything For Rachel

Calvin.

Even as the door clicked shut with her on the other side, I had to battle myself not to rip the door back open, toss her back into the bed, and stay hidden beneath the duvets and pray that no one ever finds us.

I had to force myself to swallow back my desire, and the memories of her warm soft skin against mine, and stride across the hall into my own room. Her scent was everywhere here too now. I loved it, reveled in it, and bathed myself in it. Her scent hanging around the room means she's here. She's real, no longer a fantasy of mine, and even better, she loves me. She's forgiven me, and my black soul feels light again.

She's taken all the broken pieces of me and mended me back together, making me even stronger than before. I knew this was why the people had feared her before, she had and still has, a hold on me like no other. I don't give a damn when I'm in her presence, I am reckless, and I am overcome with love. It's true that she weakens me as a ruler, a single glance at the clock, telling me I'm already over an hour late for my appointments is evidence of this, but I just don't care. I don't give a damn that the guards in the hall saw me emerge from her room with my ripped shirt and missing a shoe. I don't care that I'm late for another senseless meeting where the council will likely give me fake compliments, then follow them with more requests. I don't care about anything but that woman in that room, and the little part of the both of us out there with Pedro.

Remembering my mission with Rose gives me incentive to dress quickly and make my way to the first council meeting so that I can make my appointment with the head of the unit appointed to track and kill the rebels that threaten her.

Distractions are everywhere on my way to the conference room: people wanting to talk, guards needing orders for the day, and official's trying to take the moment to kiss my ass. But the majority of the distractions lie in my own mind. Rachel's eyes as the roll back slightly, her perfect red mouth opened, the noises that come out of it....The way she digs her nails into my shoulders, the way she breathes out my name...over and over...

"Calvin!" Octavia snapped at me from down the corridor, stepping out of the conference room and pulling the door shut behind her. She rushed to me, giving me a knowing look, disapprovingly for once, then she shook her head. "Do you know how late you are?"

"Of course I do." I told her, pointing to the watch on my wrist.

"Well, they are not happy."

I sighed and we began walking that way. I noticed that she was abnormally quiet today, but I made a mental note to call her on it later, not while the council is within ear shot.

I pushed open the door and allowed Octavia to pass in front of me, pulling out her seat for her and then I moved to my place at the head of the table.

Although Octavia told me they were less than pleased by my tardiness, they didn't dare convey it on their faces...not to me. The fake smiles, and the overly enthusiastic head bows were something I had become accustomed to with this lot.

"Your highness, so nice to have you join us." Master Marco crooned.

I nodded my head to him, not giving him the pleasure of my eye contact. "Yes, I apologize of course for my timing. I was otherwise engaged." I said dismissively and they nodded, pleased little servants to their king. I see through these people like glass, but they are convinced that I'm a fool. "Catch me up please."

"Of course." Miss Angela smiled too warmly. "First we covered the issue of the blood shortage." She told me. "As we discussed in the last meeting, our supply has been depleting at a much higher rate than is usual."

"How are our numbers?" I quizzed her and she swiped her long red fingernails across her tablet a few times.

"This time last year we were near a maximum of capacity with 102,837 bodies here in Castrum de Petra. After King Gordo's death, and the rebels, we dropped to 100,012, not counting the twenty eight humans we had here at the time of course. Our normal supply amount from the two feeder schools here in Ireland were more than covering our need then, right up until the lockdowns, but this year, we only have 98,647 bodies at present, which I expect to jump higher as the competition begins, and our supply for the next three months is already down to only a few weeks' worth." She said gravely.