MANIPULATED Book B (Sequel to Tempted)

H

You know it's Mid-Wake, and when you get to his office, it is empty. You're just going to have to wait for him until he gets back. So you lay on the couch, letting the ends of your dress drape over the side, and stare at the ceiling patterns.

Your hand rests on the bare part of your chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath, each beat of your heart sending you deeper and deeper into a calm state. Anti is contained. And now Dark can be king.

Dark walks in, not startling you like usual. You were expecting him this time.

He sees you and a look of disapproval comes about. "I thought I told you to stay in your room."

You sit up. "You should know me enough to know that I don't follow the rules very well..."

"And you saw him."

"How do you know?"

"I told you I know when you go somewhere you're not supposed to. I forbade you-"

"I didn't want to see him. He grabbed me." You laugh. "He even tried convincing me to help him."

He raises an eyebrow. "You didn't?"

You smile and stand to walk towards him. You say with a hint of sweetness in your voice. "Of course not. Why would I help the man who wants to kill me?"

He says nothing and holds his cold expression. But you have progressively gotten closer to him as you speak. "I want to stay here in the castle. With you." You rest your hand on his chest and flatten his lapel. "My king."

The corners of his mouth almost twitch into a smile of satisfaction, and he relaxes his shoulders.

You step back but stumble over your feet. He catches you at your hips. You feel a little lightheaded.

"You're dizzy. Shall we share a cup of tea? We can sit and talk."

He already summoned two cups suspended in thin air and hands one to you. You sip it and immediately the fogginess in your head disappears.

Much better. Your senses have sharpened a bit, like a new awakening has sprung within you from the Black Rose Tea.

You look down at the cup. "Anti said this tea is poison," you say mockingly.

"He also says my kiss is toxic."

"That's not true?" You ask.

He exhales through his nose and let's his tea float again. He suddenly approaches you and takes your chin in his thumb and forefinger, then he kisses you.

You, to your surprise, somehow find yourself kissing back. Letting your tea float away and dropping your hands to your sides. But to your disappointment, the kiss was over too quick.

You feel fine. No, more than fine. You're perfect. Dark looks at you with expectancy for some sort of reaction. He just proved both you and Anti wrong.

You have no words to express what is stirring inside you right now, so the only thing you can do is take his head in your hands and kiss him again. This time it lasts a lifetime.

His hands fall to your waist as you fall apart in his arms. You almost lose control of your actions, but he seems to be the one who wants it. He slowly backs you up against a wall, and entraps you in his kiss. Warmth spreads from your lips and throughout your whole body.

Your fingertips trace up his suit and around his broad shoulders, finally being able to explore every curve of his anatomy. From watching him walk in the hall, to dancing with him, to now submitting yourself to him is everything you could have ever wanted.