Forsaken (book 3) (The Charmer series) (18 page)

Turning up his lip, he ever so slowly gets down on one knee, then on to the other and bows his head.

              “Charmer, never disobey me again! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” he roars.

             
“I understand,” I tell him reluctantly.

             
“Good,” he replies happily, a smirk merging on his lips, “Now, I will let this one pass, but
do not
mess with what is mine again. You were not to know this time, but next time I will take yours,” he explains, his hands waving over the other’s heads.

Nodding my head to him,
I look at my friends sadly for putting them in such danger.

             
“Knees,” he tells me with that same smirk.

I don’t waste a
minuet before getting down on my knees and bowing my head down. Closing me eyes as tightly as I can, I wait for moments to pass before I feel a hand on my shoulder.

             
“Sweet, you did beautifully,” Angus smirks at me, instantly making my worry go and a weak smile form on my lips.

Chapter 16

Sitting in my father’s chair with a glass of wine in my hands, I swirl it around the glass, whilst images of tonight haunt my woken moments.

How have I come to be this person, the Charmer, me!

Making deals with the devil, sleepover’s with a Dark Prince, a Witch Princess as a sister and the most beautiful men/ Werewolves as my friends and family.

The destiny I have chosen to take may not be the safest choice,
nor the smartest, but the choices I have taken were from my heart.

I love Ruk dearly, I always will, however, I am losing this battle. Everything time I do something that I think will help him seems to get us all further into danger.

I wish to god that he would snap out of this before it is too late, if it isn’t already.

I long to be held in his arms, for him to tell me he loves me, that no one can hurt us, but that is a dream. Im learning that dreams do not come true, even when you chase them an give them
your all. I am truly lost in so many ways, I feel alone even when surrounded by friends.

"Why are you still awake?"

"Just thinking," I reply to Richard as he sits opposite me in an arm chair.

"Yeah me too."

"Yeah?"

"After tomorrow, it is my last day here, and as fantastic as it's been," he says sarcastically, "I have to get on with my life," he explains.

"I didn't think you were going to move
in Richard," I laugh.

Shaking his head a light frown forms on his brow.
He wants to talk, but I can see how reluctant he is to.

             
“What is it?”

"
I can feel you in my head, wrapping your hand around me heart," he explains full of emotion.

Getting up to crouch before him, I place my hand on his knee, getting him to look me in the eye.

"I don't want love; my heart cannot take another round. What I do want is to have you as a friend. I know that sounds odd after what we have been through, but that's just it, we have had an adventure of our own. Sure, it's come to an end now, but you were there for me like a friend would be. I know my dad half threatened you, but I'd like to think we see differently. I don't want to fight you Richard."

"I can do that, just as long as we are clear. Do not fall in love with me, I will
break you terribly, and I will not love you, as I am incapable of such emotion."

"That's fine by me," I smile up at him, so obviously he has to ruin it, being the arrogant ass he is.

"I still want to bend you over the chair, fuck you until you beg release," he says with a grin.

"Really, I was thinking about laying you down by the fire. My naked body riding yours until we realise together," I tell him in a sensual tone. "Well it's late, good night," I sing cheerfully as I get up for the floor and walk out of the room.

"Don't play with..."

"Fire, you will get burnt," I finish the sentence for him with a raised brow.

"Touché," he replies before slouching back in the chair.

As I lay in bed and
nightmares replaying, I hear a deep troubled scream. Knowing that it is coming from Richard, I switch on my side lamp, look at the time and head to my bedroom door.

The last time he woke up at
2am also, I wonder if he is always like this.

Stepping up to his door, I cree
k it open and close it gently behind me.

"Richard," I call softly as I walk to him.

Surprising me and making me let out a scream, his hand flicks out and causes me to stumble back.

"Damn, my nose!" I breathe out thou my teeth.

And in doing so, causing him to awake from his nightmare.

"What are you doing on the floor?" He asks suspiciously.

Rolling my eyes at him, I get up and sit on the edge of the bed, which makes him move over so that he isn't touching me.

"What do you dream off?" I ask him gently.

Rubbing his hands over his face, he sits up, switches on the lamp and looks at me closely.

"Why do you come to me?" He questions back.

"Because you sound..." I don't finish as I'm not sure how to, I want to say scared, but I think it will make him close up.

"You worry for me," he asks as a joke.

"In a way, yeah I suppose. Talk to me, you can trust me."

"I don't need a councillor Zara," he says in disgust.

"I'm not offering to be that, I'm asking you to trust me as a friend?"

"You have dreams, nightmares?"

"Yes."

"And what about?
Black pony’s, sweets with holes in?" He asks sarcastically.

"No, more like the people I love getting hurt, taken from me. Demitri making me into a
pet, the Witches killing my family," I tell him sadly.

"You should not worry about things that will not come true," he tells me almost sympathetically.

"What do you dream of?" I ask again.

"Hell,"
he breaths out.

"Why?"

"I can't go back," he says simply, without emotion.

"You can redo your wrongs. Do well; you can still be the Dark Prince and not have to murder for wrong reasons."

"You have no idea of my life, what I have to do," he states getting annoyed.

"I've seen what you are capable of, and I know that you can be good."

"Stop it! I will not fall for this trap!" He argues as he steps out of bed to pour a glass of whiskey.

"Trap?
I'm doing nothing. You are paranoid. Be who you want to be, I'm just saying there could be more to you then anger and revenge."

"You would say that would you, you were born a Charmer."

"No I was born a frightened orphan, I lived a life of hurt and sadness, never fitting in, never loved. But I changed that by coming here, I met people who cared for me, and in return I cared for them. You make your own life Richard, you should know that," I sigh and lay down on his bed.

"You want me to change?" He asks with a raised brow.

Shutting my eyes, I make myself comfortable before answering him.

"No, I like who you are...I know weird right? Like I said, I think there is more to you, more behind the scary Warlock."

"You like me?"

Even with my eyes closed I can imagine the cheeky smile he wears.

"In a way. I like how you look after yourself. You feel sorry for no one; you speak your mind, even though it's almost never needed."

"What else?" He asks mischievously as he transports himself to lie beside me.

"Oh I'm not doing this ego thing. I had years of it with Den," I laugh.

"Ok one more thing?"

"It's hard...I think...maybe how you take life as it comes."

"Do you want to know what I like about you?"

"No I don't th..."

"Well, there is your cute butt. The way your hair falls down your pert
breasts, and then how your legs seem to go on forever..."

"Ok, I'm gunna go," I laugh as I swiftly get up from his bed.

"Why?"

"It's
2am. I wanted to see you were ok; you are, so I'm going. Goodnight Richard," I call as I make my way to the door.

"Stay again?" He asks, and in his voice I hear the vulnerability.

"Why do you need me here?" I ask with a light frown.

"I like you," he shrugs.

"You like me?" I ask in shock.

"Umm you
’re ok," he sighs.

"Am I the first person you ever liked?" I ask sadly.

"Being liked by me will not help you in any case," he sighs.

"Neither will
liking me. Looks like we are the same after all."

I tell him with a weak smile as I make my way back to him.

Lying down beside him with my hands on my stomach, I hear the thunder of his heart and his breathing deepens.

"Have you ever slept with a girl?"

Laughing a real healthy laugh, I flick my hand out at him to stop his laughter.

"I mean, slept,
sleeping, even had a conversation that went two ways?"

"Oh in that case no, neither will
I again. Zara, can you not see that love is not what you think it is; it is full of hurt, upset. Why would you put yourself though it?"

"Because I long to be loved, I want someone to love me as I much as I love them. Why do you not want it?"

"It's overrated. Commitment is something I could never do. Flowers and promises are for the stupid. I will give you some advice, take some time off, forget about love, let go and be 22 before the 3 years are up and you become a mother. Just enjoy life, kill a few people, sleep with many men, and drink until you pass out."

"Advice!
You mean turn into a girl version of you?"

"It will make you happy, I promise."

"I thought you didn't do promises?"

"In this case I will bend the rules," he laughs.

"Ok well thanks anyway but I'll pass on that. Goodnight," I say and turn on to my side.

Waking up, I crack open my eyes to see Richards face inches away from mine and my leg and arm wrapped around him, while he lays sleeping soundly.

Removing myself from him carefully and slowly as to not wake him, a fake cough causes me to hold him tighter.

"Get off me Zara!" Richard laughs, followed by my father’s deep rough tone,

"Yes I think that is a good idea."

Feeling relief and excitement, I jump from the bed and into the arms of my father.

"I have missed you," I tell him, holding onto him like a frightened child.

The realisation of Lucifer’s words recall in my mind. My father could have been murdered days ago and I wouldn't have known if Lucifer hadn't negotiated his life with me.

"I'm sorry I have taken longer than arranged, I had a few hiccups," he smiles down at me beautifully before looking at Richard who
lays in bed without a care in the world.

"Child, why are you in bed with the Dark Prince?"

"Oh, we, uh, it isn't what it...we stayed up drinking together and I passed out on his bed," I try to convince.

Raising a
brow at Richard, he soon gazes back at me.

"So I hear many adventures have been
had?"

"You know
" I ask in confusion, I have obviously missed something.

"Your mother has been watching over you as always" he speaks gently
.

"Oh good.
Well, Im glad I haven’t got to replay it all back to you?"

"Your moth
er has filled me in, but I have known small factors of your destiny since I were a child. My mother was a wise, powerful Witch, respected worldwide. Many of her gifts were pasted to me."

Looking at him with wide eyes and a wider mouth, words are unable to form.

"Fascinating," Richard chimes in.

"Wait! You knew
this would happen, you know my future?"

"I know only small snippets, but at anytime your life cou
ld change."

As my father laces his arm over my should
er, I face him with tears my eyes.

"You knew, all this time you knew?" I ask in a sorrowful tone.

"I could not tell you anymore then I had," he explains sadly.

"No, I didn't mean it like that. You were trying to warn me away from Ruk, you knew this would happen, and you tried to stop it. I'm so sorry for speaking to you the way I did, I know you wanted the best for me. But I am happy, I would not regret a single moment with him," I smile to him.

"What of Ruk?"

"I love him, bu
t I can’t fight for our love alone. The more I try the less it works.

             
“No one can understand what you have been through, but you learn with every step you take in life. I don’t want to speak out of line, however, I think it is time you let him go Zara. Your life is bigger than this, him,” he tells me cautiously.

             
“Im scared and lonely,” I whisper to him as I wrap my arms around his neck and hold him tightly.

             
“I know child, we all are,” he says whilst rubbing my back lovingly.

             
“Ok, I’m off,” Richard states in a bored tone.

Turning to face him, he wears a look of annoyance, until I smile at him, then we all see the faint smile he tries to hide.

"You should stay together. Tomorrow is the day I believe?" My father speaks to the two of us.