Deva ripped her door open with too much force. She couldn't help the headache that was crawling its way to her temples. It felt like she was sitting in that room all day absorbing information with the council. It was required, for her best interest, to get acquainted with more queenly duties.
Of course Adamarius being there too was an upside and a rather wonderful blessing. Queen Emma's intentions were to get Adamarius familiar with the way their world worked. She also figured Adamarius and Deva could use the time to form a friendly bond with each other since she wasn't aware of their little romance.
Adamarius accommodated to Deva's needs. He listened to her and helped her in ways she figured a king would. Every decision he gave was diplomatic and righteous. He was slowly and most assuredly sneaking into her heart.
Deva's horrid mood got worse at the sight of someone standing uninvited in her room.
"Get out of my room Red. Now is not the time to bitch about anything."
Red made no attempt to leave which made Deva contemplate the many different ways she could get rid of the red puddle standing smugly to spite her.
"Darius told me about how you want to get rid of us. Are you really going to banish your future nephew?"
Deva never thought of the baby as being her nephew. Technically it would be if she married Lucian.
"You're just mad you won't live here anymore and have everything catered to your needs. Let's not forget you're actually not important. You never were and never will be."
Red gritted her teeth to stop herself from pissing Deva off.
"I'm carrying a child with royal blood."
Deva causally walked to the table closest to the window and poured herself a strong drink. She had made a request to have liquor stored in her room instead of always seeking it out herself.
"And that's supposed to stop me? I'll be Queen soon. I would remain in eternal bliss if I never have to see your face again."
"What about Darius' face? Could you really live without him?"
She wished she could answer yes but it would be the biggest lie. Deva knew eventually she'd give in, possibly over much time, and see Darius just to know for herself he was fine.
"Why do you hate me so much? I know why you hate me now?" Red cradled her plump belly. "But you've hated me from the very beginning."
It was true. She had no reason except that she was a bully. She admitted, if only to herself. Red was just something, someone to throw her frustration on. She was in a horrible predicament. The brothers had abducted her and insulting Red for throwing herself at the brothers was Deva's release.
"It doesn't even matter anymore. I got plenty of reason now. But I have to ask. Did you do it to spite me? Did you have sex with Darius because you knew I had feelings for him?"
Red coiled with the idea knowing it was uncomfortably itching at Deva's brain. "Yes. It didn't take much effort on my part though. He was very willing."
Deva emptied the contents of her glass. "How does it feel trapping a man with a baby, knowing he never has and probably never will love you?"
Red laughed like it was a joke. "The funny thing about love is that it can blossom and grow over time. He'll love me. You won't be there to remind him of what he had. He'll have me, us." She smiled down at her child. "We'll be enough."
Surprisingly Red wasn't naïve enough to think Darius would magically fall in love with his child's mother. Yet she had a plan.
Why was there a sudden pain in Deva's heart? It was true. Without her there to disrupt his life Darius would move on. Wasn't that what she wanted for him?
"I guess then I'm doing you a favor. You're welcome." Deva was growing weary of the grotesque conversation.
"It is quite sweet though. I, Amber the girl you loath, will end up living happily ever after with the man you love but can never have."
"If you don't leave my room in the next few seconds I'll be sure to banish you to a desert where the vultures can feast on your corpse."
"Like Darius would actually let that happen." Red started towards the exit.
"Kill you? That would technically free him from all obligations and finally give us a second chance." Deva laughed at the possibility. "Careful Red. He did call me the love of his life. Who knows what he'd do to reunite with me after that baby is born?"
Deva could feel the stiffness in the air. Red was struck with a haunting sense of fear.
Deva hit the punching bag with mustered force causing more sweat to run down her toned tanned body. Even though she was half vampire she still had the capability to sweat thanks to her lycan roots. Strangely enough she was happy about it; it made her feel somewhat human.
Her black short shorts and dark grey sports bra clung tight to her body and were drenched. She hit the bag harder and almost sent it flying back into the wall.
After another ten minutes of hardcore stress relief she heard the door to the gym open. It amazed her that she didn't even have to look behind her to know it was him.
"Having a bad day?"
"You can say that." She found that punching the bag was a good way to get all the bent up stress from the long day with the council off her chest.
"You wanted to see me?" He sounded a bit confused.
"Yes."
With her back to him she bent down to grab her water. She made sure she stretched her sore muscles around her toned legs as she bent down farther giving him a good view. Half her butt cheeks were already hanging of her shorts, which they could technically be categorized as underwear. There was a reason she was wearing booty shorts instead of her regular sweat pants.
She heard him softly cover up a groan and knew her plan was working.
Deva finally stood up releasing him from the torture and turned to face Darius. His eyes were dark and narrow as he took in her appearance. The way his eyes were eating away at her glistening skin put to rest the doubts. He would never want anyone the way he wanted her.
"Yes. I want you to know that I'm going to go along with your plan about the warehouse."
His face sparked with joy. "You are?"
"Yes. It's a very good idea and I even brought it forth to the council. They love the idea just as much as I do."
His bright smile over powered his face. "That's incredible news Deva."
"I thought you might be pleased." He stared into her eyes and she continued. "I want you to help lead the project."
"What? Are you sure?"
Deva nodded. "Yes. It was your idea. I want you to be a part of it."
He stared at her for the longest pause. "Deva...what about what you said the other day?"
Yes, she remembered exactly what she told him.
"Do this project; see it through and hopefully by that time your son will be born. Your family, especially your father, deserves to see what you can do. After that I'll ask you to leave again."
For a moment he felt like she might have had a change of heart.
"Thank you."
The room fell quiet as they held each other's gazes. She hated the feeling she got when she stared into his deep baby blue eyes. It was as if nothing was wrong between them and nothing else mattered. He had a way of erasing everything just by looking at her. Deva couldn't let herself get sucked in.
"If that's all you wanted to talk about I'll go now." Darius pivoted towards the door.
"When someone tries to attack," she prolonged her question making Darius turn to her bidding, "Do you hit them full on or test their footing?"
She jabbed her fist forward aiming for his chest. Darius catch her movement just in time for him to block it.
"I, personally, would test them first."
He gripped her wrist but she already twisted her body and positioned herself in front him so she could punch his abdomen with her elbow. He grunted from the force she used. Deva wasn't holding back. She knew he was a strong vampire and could handle the beating.
"Keep your girlfriend away from me before I start testing her footing." She hissed.
His muscular arms tensed at the mention of Red and they wrapped around Deva's small frame. His hold was tight but Deva knew with her hybrid blood Darius was no challenge to her strength. She pushed his arms away. It was like Darius forgot she wasn't human anymore.
"It's not like I keep her on a leash." He responded and she took his comment as somewhat of an insult since she was now a lycan.
"Well maybe you should," she then brought up her fist and successfully punched him in the jaw. She didn't wait for him to recover before she threw her other fist up.
He quickly anticipated her attack and caught her hand and twisted her arm behind her back before she could do anymore.
"Tell me Darius is she always a ball of sunshine when she is with you because I suspect behind all that caked makeup she's still a bitch."
Deva's heaving chest was right up against Darius'. He could feel and hear her staggering heartbeats and it was a reflection of his own.
"She's not all bad Deva. There's some good in everyone."
She laughed. "Then hers must be hidden deep, deep down somewhere."
She inched closer letting her bare stomach crease into his torso so she could feel his abs. The hostile nature she was bestowing on Red was just the cause of insecurities. Red was most likely right. With Deva out of the picture Darius could find a way to love Red.
"Does that mean you believe there's some good in Marius?" She noted Darius' hand squeeze tighter around her wrist which was still behind her back.
He didn't reply but his eyes did get a shade darker.
"Could you love her?" Deva felt a pit in her stomach and her voice cracked. "Could you really stop loving me?"
His beautiful eyes widened in surprise. But she kicked his legs to knock both of them over before he could answer.
Darius released his hold on her wrist once they dropped. Deva was on top of him straddling his torso. She leaned over brushing her lips ever so lightly on the skin closest to his neck. His still form told her he was doing all he could to control himself while she took seize of the moment.
She knew he could easily push her off but was satisfied when he didn't even try to. Her mocking lips grazed a trail up to his jaw and down to his ear.
"Just remember Darius no one can make you feel the way you feel right now." She whispered, "No one but me."
She stood up with as much confidence as she could. Just as she was about to open the door, she was pulled back and then forcefully pushed against the wall. Deva felt half of her face being cupped by a large hand and a warm sensation flow down her body.
Darius pressed his full rock hard body against her and she quickly opened her eyes to his leaning form. His barely stubble cheek was grazing her own while his hot citrus breath brushed her ear. Heat was building inside her; this was definitely not part of her plan.
"And sweetheart I want you to remember that whatever rebound you get to replace me will never love you or care for you as much as I do."
Darius softly placed a lingering kiss on her cheek.
"Was it real?" She painfully asked. "Or was I just your ticket to the throne?"
She would be able to see through his lies.
He looked dumbfounded that she'd even have to ask, then furious for her even thinking it.
"Who put these ideas into your head?"
"It doesn't matter."
Her attempt to get out of his grip was blocked by his determination to clear her lack of faith in him.
"I loved you." His thumb brushed her lips and he wished they weren't forbidden. "Everything about you. This kingdom would have meant nothing without you."
He paused, exhaling the fearful regrets telling him not to speak what was in his heart.
"And if you would have chosen me but wished to have run away from this, I wouldn't have hesitated. I will always love you."
Darius yanked opened the door and stalked out without another whispered caress.
Deva felt her heartbeats running a marathon in her chest.
She collected her thoughts and grabbed her sweater from the chair on the far corner. Lucky for her it was so large that it covered most of her revealing body. She didn't want to go parading around the castle in almost nothing. As soon as she rounded the corner to her room she found Jeffrey searching frantically for her.
"My lady the King would like a word with you."
Entering the study room she found the King in his usual spot behind his desk. He didn't even glance up when he heard her. She sat down with no friendly greeting and waited for him to tell her what he wanted.
"There has been much talk around the castle lately."
Deva raised her brow. "You didn't call me over here to gossip now did you?"
He leaned back in his leather chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "No. I asked you here to talk about you and Adamarius."
"What about us?" She crossed her arms over her chest as well.
"I have witnesses who have seen you frolicking about like infatuated teenagers."
That was a lie. They never publically showed any affection towards each other.
"You had me followed." She narrowed her eyes accusingly.
His jaw was wired shut but of course he didn't have any words now.
"So I see you don't approve."
"As future queen to our throne it is your duty to choose one of MY sons." He exaggerated with authority.
"You mean Lucian. I have to be with Lucian, your golden child." He was her only option. "It's crazy how that happened. It almost seems set up." Like Darius got Red pregnant by force.
It wouldn't surprise her to know the King had something to do with it. Was she brave enough to call him out? Without proof, no.
"Would it be that bad? Lucian will make a great king. And he will also make a good and loyal husband to you. He deeply cares for you."
She knew he would. "I won't deny that. But what I need right now is some time for myself before I become a slave to this kingdom. Let me be selfish. Let me please myself before I get crowned. That's all I ask."
"Your relationship with the lycan is?"
She'd have to lie. "It's not serious. He is just a distraction from the chaos of my royal life."
King Asher believed her and with that accepted her request.
"I forget how young you are. None of us chose this life Deva. I will grant you your timed freedom. Please discreetly handle your affairs but don't hurt Lucian any more than you have to."
Would she really marry Lucian? She had no other choice. He was the only other available prince. She had never taken into consideration what he might go through once he found out about her and Adamarius.
He would feel hurt and betrayed. Could she really do that to him? She had already chosen Darius over him. If Lucian found out that she had yet picked his other brother over him again she was afraid it would crush him. He wasn't home long enough to figure out what she was up to with Adamarius.
Her bombarding thoughts were interrupted when she heard Darius' voice coming from one of the rooms. Deva quietly tip toed, careful not to be noticed. She never planned on eavesdropping but once she heard her name being mentioned she had to stop and listen.
She could see Darius standing tall and tensed as he hovered over Red. Red was cowering back in her seat while Darius ranted.
"Deva is the future queen to the throne," he shouted too loudly. "You have no business upsetting her or even talking to her."
"I had the intention of making peace with her," Red justified.
Darius' jaw clinched as he calmly crossed his arms over his broad tensed chest.
"Then what went wrong?"
Red sat quietly placing her hands in her lap. After a moment she raised her lashes to Darius and said, "She's always hated me. I know you don't want to leave here. I thought that maybe if I could apologize then she might change her mind."
Darius' tone got softer. "That still doesn't answer how it went wrong."
"She wants us to have a miserable life. I told her that without her in your life that maybe you could eventually learn to love me and our baby." Red dropped her gaze to his feet. "She didn't like that."
Darius clinched his jaw but made no sudden moves.
"She also said that once this baby is born that your hatred for me and love for her might make you want to kill me."
Darius released a deep breath and knelt down in front of Red. She had glossy eyes and tears already streaming down her rosy cheeks. Darius wiped what he could to comfort her.
"I will not kill you Amber. You are going to die of old age."
"You're going to leave me as a human?" She wasn't pleased with the idea.
Darius nodded. "This life isn't a blessing. It's a curse. I'm saving you the trouble of finding that out for yourself."
"But Darius-"
He wouldn't let her finish. Instead he lifted her into his arms. "You should rest. Your feet look swollen."
Red bit her lip to keep from undermining him. She was hoping over time she could persuade him to change his mind.
"All you need to worry about is staying healthy for our son. I'll handle the rest." He was going to take care of his family.