Word Count: 1800
This is not how I expected my night to go.
Only an hour ago, Vaia summoned me to her bedroom, for what I expected would be to do with her date with Marek tonight. I was right, but not exactly in the way I expected. As I walked in, Vaia had her duvet pulled up to her chin, surrounded by plush feather pillows and an extensive collection of tissues.
For twenty minutes, I sat at the edge of her bed, listening to her cry dramatically, as if a date with Marek determines how the rest of her life will play out. I didn't have the heart to tell her Marek is doing this for my benefit.
Eventually, after her shrill cries got too much, I hesitantly agreed to go on her behalf. In her strange reality, she is convinced Marek won't agree to another date if she doesn't go tonight. Somehow, I think she is right, so despite it not being in my best interest, I agree to go, and hope Marek agrees to another date with her.
The plan, to meet him and announce it's me, and hope that he will feel bad enough to agree to my terms. If I can do it once, maybe I can do it again.
Once I returned to my room, I was greeted by Jessa, already wearing the servant clothes Tai's people must have provided her with. After a quick catch-up, Jessa found out about my faux date tonight, and now I'm sitting in front of a mirror while she does my hair.
"Do you think this is a bad idea?" I ask softly.
"Do I think you going on a date on behalf of Vaia with this Marek guy is a bad idea? Yes, absolutely," she mutters in that perfectly Jessa tone of hers. "He's not going to be impressed."
I stare back at myself, hating how pretty I find myself. It's not in a vain way, I simply never get to see myself in makeup, with my blonde curls in perfect condition. Jessa insisted that I couldn't do in my usual attire; that the place Vaia and Marek planned to meet wouldn't suit me otherwise. As much as I hate her for it, I have to agree. This may not be a real date, but I'm still leaving the manor to be in someone's company at a nice eating place.
"But if I don't go, Vaia will likely kill me for ruining their date, even though she's the one who got sick," I mutter, releasing a stressed breath.
"At least you look stunning in that dress," Jessa comments, twisting the front parts of my hair back to pin them neatly, like I remember she used to do for Fran before work some days. "Maybe he will be happier you came on the date with him instead of Vaia."
Looking down at myself, I pray Jessa doesn't notices my crimson tinted cheeks which were previously pinched by Jessa to bring some colour to them. The dress I wear is simple, but looks proper enough to go out in public in. It's blue, to match my eyes, although far deeper in colour.
"But it can't be too friendly. Vaia wants it to go well, but not, 'Akara flirts with Marek' well," I remind her. I don't want Marek to flirt with me, to be interested in me. It would complicate our already tumultuous relationship too much.
Jessa sprays me with some kind of heady scent, nearly making me sneeze. "Do you feel weird about it?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you feel weird about going on a date with Marek?" She questions.
I let that question hang in the air for a moment as I think about it. Weird doesn't begin to describe how strange it feels. Once Marek knows at me, it won't be awkward. We will have dinner, he will agree to go on another date with Vaia, and everything will work out. And maybe I'll get something from Vaia again.
"He's not dating me. I'm doing Vaia a favour," I remind her tersely. In the mirror I see her faint smile. I didn't take me long to explain everything in detail to her, including the kidnapping, including my engagement to Tai. She was ghostly pale through it all, yet was surprisingly receptive, believing me without hesitation.
"But you're going to see him in a romantic setting for the first time. What if you develop a crush?" she says devilishly, nudging me with her elbow as I turn away from the mirror, finally finished with her incessant tweaking of my appearance.
"That's not going to happen," I tell her flatly. "I'm not going to pretend like he's not attractive, but he's Vaia's business now, not mine."
She grins. "Whatever you say, Akara."
+++
With Vaia's instructions, I made it to the quiet restaurant right on time.
Thankfully none of Vaia's escorts questioned it when I stepped into the carriage, not even giving me a second glance. It makes me wonder about her influence, about what she can make happen and not be questioned.
If this gets back to Taius...I can't imagine the reaction.
The town is bustling, people crowding the streets as they disappear into restaurants and bars and remerge. Almost everyone is of Jade Province origin, so they don't look twice at me as I weave through them, before finally escaping into a side alleyway, letting the darkness consume me as I think through my next move.
Resting my back against the wall, I allow calm to wash over me. I shouldn't be so nervous; this is just Marek. Vaia told me they had agreed to meet here, so my heart rate refuses to relent, as I anticipate his arrival. It's completely possible that he wanted this date with Vaia, and will be offended that I came along instead of her.
All of a sudden, he appears around the corner.
The glimpse of him in the light before he sinks into darkness with me is brief, but enough for me to truly see him. He's dressed nicely - similar to the dinner we had with Tai - his hair done neatly, while still retaining that classic Marek messiness. It stuns me into darkness for a long moment, as I feel his proximity, but cannot full see him.
"Is all this darkness and dim lightening necessary, Vaia?" he questions, an amused lilt to his tone. Hearing him call me by her name makes me shiver, an unsettling feeling twirling around my stomach.
"Marek...We should talk."
"You're sick...yes I heard. Thankfully as a Summoner, I can't get sick," he comments, the amusement in his tone making it easy for me to envision the soft smirk he likely has.
Does he not realise it's me from my voice alone?
My senses tingle as I hear his steps forward, and before I know it, I can smell his familiar scent of cinnamon and pine, the heat from his body emanating upon me. It's not as though we haven't been close before, but something feels different about this moment, especially knowing he thinks I'm Vaia right now.
"You don't have to come so close-"
My back is pressed painfully against the wall, his finally few steps toward me cutting me off.
I can hardly see him through the veil of darkness, but I feel the space between us diminish, until his hands find me, cupping right below my jawline. I want to gasp, but I'm frozen with shocked, startled at his brazenness. It's all I can do to not pull away from the strangeness of his touch. Marek has put his hands on me before, but not like this...it's too intimate.
Vaia didn't tell me their relationship was far enough progressed for Marek to go touching her like this with few words shared. I thought what Vaia had was nothing more than a crush, and that Marek was doing this to get in her good graces.
He pulls me forward, and before I can react, his lips find mine.
I'm shocked, stilled as I feel the gentle press of his lips against mine, unbelievably soft. I don't know what to do, how to react, as thoughts race endlessly through my mind.
Marek is kissing me. Kissing me.
I should pull away, my promise to Vaia echoing in the back of my head. But he smells divine, and despite the simplicity of the kiss, I feel desire streak through me. It isn't the first time I've thought like this about Marek, so with that in mind, I don't pull away. And as he deepens the kiss, I react back.
Sliding closer, I shiver at the feeling of his hand coming around my waist, pressing firmly enough to let me know that he's not going to release me anytime soon. And I don't want him to.
Sinking myself deeper into this hole I have dug, my hands come up to his face, feeling the smoothness of his skin, the warmth he exudes.
His mouth moves against mine with renewed vigour. The taste of him is addicting, the way he touches me, appropriate enough, but still elicits enough pleasure to have me weak. This is my first kiss....consumed in passion, desperation.
Then his mouth is off mine, leaving me breathless and almost disappointed. That is until his lips find my jawline, then my neck, where his kisses turn primal. My breaths are short, accompanied by the slightest sound of whimpers of pleasure as his teeth scrape gently upon one spot.
But this is wrong. He thinks he's kissing another girl.
The thought blasts through the forefront of my mind, just as his hands move up to delve into my hair. Vaia's straight brunette locks would feel different to the touch than my curls, so I pull away. Dazed, I'm not sure what made me pull away quicker; the idea of him finding me out, or knowing he hasn't intended to kiss me.
"I'm going to be sick," I say, pushing away at his chest. He doesn't go to argue, instead letting me back up a few cautious steps, my heels stumbling over the slick concrete.
And then he lets me leave, rushing down the alleyway without turning back. And he doesn't follow me.
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If you guys want to read ahead, you can read more of KING'S POSSESSION on Radish! It's chapters ahead of Wattpad (:
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I'm officially rewriting Alpha Jasper's story now on Radiah! It will be following the same storyline with the same characters, but with revised scenes and some new ones!
I love Jasper's story so much that I wanted to go back and rewrite it. I hope you guys will enjoy it, you can find it now on Radish (:
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~Midika 💜🐼