Unlocking Adeline (Skeleton Key) (12 page)

After dinner, I finally excuse myself to go to the bathroom. Three damn maids followed me to help me with my dress and I sent them off. These outfits have absolutely no ventilation, so the key keeps swishing between my breasts. In the bathroom I move it so it’s latched in-between my garter. Because no matter how much sweat piles up, those damn straps are so tight, it’s going to cut of my circulation before it loosens up to release that key. The moment I reenter the room, Faith again finds me.

“Oh, there ye are! Ye must come! I must introduce ye to some more friends!” She smiles, like she hasn’t introduced me to her other three hundred friends earlier tonight. I follow her as she heads straight toward a group of women. Just as we get there, they all turn to look, the glares forming once we arrive.

“Ladies, I wasn’t sure if ye met my wonderful future daughter-in-law!” she beams. Not sure why, because I certainly am not her future anything, “Louise, Elsa, Marie, Clara. Please come say hello to our future queen.” She pulls me in front of her, practically putting me on a platter for the angry animals to feed from. I heard it. You heard it. She said Clara.

I look at each woman, all the same glare, but the one at the end stands out the most. The woman who looks most scorned. Clara. My dad’s supposed betrothed. “Um. Hey. Ho— how’s it going?” I say, my voice shaky. I’m not shocked that all the women just stand there staring, like I’m some sort of circus act. I probably didn’t curtsy when I walked up, or they have no idea what ‘hey’ means. Either way. It’s not until the one person I seriously hoped
didn’t
talk to me, does.

“Is he coming home?” I turn to her. Clara. “Is he ever coming home?” Her words sound pained. “I… I…” I don’t know what to say. “Because if he does he should take ye back home. Ye don’t belong here. Nor does the rottenness of what yer father has done to my family.” Her hatred catches me off guard. I was about to ask her if she needed a hug until she went and insulted me. And then my dad? I don’t think so. I take a violent step toward her when she lifts her hand, tossing a powdered substance in my face. I swat it away as the particles make their way into my eyes and mouth, causing me to cough. I try and jump at her, but I’m having a hard time seeing and my body is beginning to feel funny. No longer able to see anything, I hear a bunch of commotion. The room clearly has erupted into a panic, as I throw my hands out trying to block any further attack. Suddenly, I begin to feel dizzy on my feet. I stumble back, unable to catch my balance. “What in the… ba babb ba,” I begin to babble. Just as I shake my head, trying to make some sense of what just happened, my knees give in and I collapse. I don’t hit the ground, though. I’m caught instantly, warm arms entrapping me. I look up, my vision still blurry, to the stormy eyes of Locke. “Where ha—have you been?” My teeth begin to chatter. The room has suddenly turned into a freezer and my body feels like a human icicle.

“Shhhh… Don’t talk. It will wear off soon,” he soothes me, taking me away from all the commotion.

“Wh—what just happ—ened.”

“Ye were dosed with a wee bit of magic,” he says, taking the last steps and reaching the second floor.

Magic?
“I’m be—being serious,” I say, snuggling my nose into his chest. The scent of him so addicting I want to shoot it into my blood stream.

“Pevoeral powder. It’s meant to freeze a human. To a normal-blooded human ye would have turned into an iced statue instantly. Since ye have Wren blood running through ye, it’s just going to make ye a bit chilly for a while.”

My teeth are still chattering. “Magic? Yeah,
okay
. I’m not some gullible girl, you know. You don’t have to lie and make up stories.” I don’t even know if he can understand me with my face smashed into his gorgeous body. I hope he blames the possible drugging on why I’m about two seconds away from sucking on his shirt. We finally make it into my room; I hear Ellie squeal and him ordering her to leave. He sits us down by the fire, with me still trapped in his arms, while the heat begins to thaw my skin.

“I would never lie to ye,” he murmurs, brushing his knuckles along my now warming cheek. I lift my face out of his armpit to get a good look at him. It may be the first time I’ve ever seen Locke not look so fierce. Gentle possibly. His eyebrows are creased with concern, while his voice has a comforting tone to it.

“Why did that voodoo lady try and freeze me?” I stutter.

“I cannot answer that. But she will be taken into custody. Questioned for her actions. As Princess of Wren, ye will be asked to testify on her actions. State claim on what ye want to happen to her.” Yeah,
What?
I want nothing to do with that. As I’m pondering how in God’s name I would face that woman again, I notice Locke has begun stroking his hands down my body. The feel of his fingers digging into my skin, feeling each curve, thaws my body faster than the fire before us. I close my eyes, relishing in his touch, wishing for things I know shouldn’t even be crossing my mind. “What are you doing?” I whisper, snuggling more into this cradled hold on me. If he admits to me that he wants me, I’m going to approve. I’m going to allow him to search me all over.

“I’m looking for the key ye took.”

Oh, that big ole jerk
!

Man, I am so stupid. His words register and I push away from him, separating us. I get to my feet, wobbly at first, but manage to stand on my own. I thought he wanted me. And
how did he even see me snatch that!
I put some space between us by walking toward my bed.

“How dare you accuse me of stealing,” I scold him as I back closer to the bed. He gets up, matching each step of mine, closing in the space between us.

“Dare I what? Is it not true that ye stole that key right from under my brother’s nose?”

Damn! “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Sticking my chin up and feigning innocence.

“So ye lie, then?”

“Pffft, no! Why would I take a key? And where would I even put it? Up my dress?”
Shut up, Addie.
Rule Number one. Don’t admit where it is!

I watch his eyebrows rise just a tad. “So what is it yer saying, then? This key that I supposedly watched ye steal from my brother is not hiding up yer dress?” He takes the final step separating us as I stumble back into the bed frame. Playing cool and collective is much easier when there is a chunk of space between you and your nemesis, and when your nemesis is
not
built like a god and looks like sex.

“Are ye wearing the key, Adeline?” he whispers, the sound of his voice smothering me. He is trying to use his alluring charm and it won’t work on me.

“No,” I whisper back
. Ugh, okay, definitely not fighting his seductive ways
. I need to get him away from me. In my head I lift my hands and push him away from me. Possibly scream for help. But I do none of these. I allow him to raise the back of his hand and drag his knuckles along my flushed cheek.

“Where possibly can ye be hiding the key then, Adeline? Is it in between these plump breasts, ye taunt every man in that ballroom with?” Dragging his hand down my neck to the crevice of my collarbone. He swiftly wraps his free arm around my waist, slamming our bodies together. It makes no difference, the ridiculous amount of layers I have on, the heat from his body seeps right through. It brings with it a tingle of sensations, ones that are foreign to me.

“Can it be underneath all this material, strapped to yer bare flesh? Mmmmm?” He hums as he brings his mouth to my ear, his breath hitting my lobe, causing goose bumps to spread in its wake. My lips part, mainly because I need my mouth open to get more air into my lungs.

“Maybe I should lift up all these layers of clothing and explore underneath, pressing my fingers around yer smooth thigh, working my way up, inch by aching inch, until I find what I’m looking for.”

He has me, dammit. I try to swallow, so I can tell him to go to hell, and that I certainly don’t have the key strapped around my upper thigh, but my attention is too focused on his fingers grazing down my hips. Lifting up my dress, his rough hands work their way up my legs and closer to a place where I have begun to ache. Adding to his assault, he bends down and presses his wet lips to my chin. One, two, three soft kisses burning into my skin as he works his way down my neck.

I’m going to tell him to stop, but I bend to give him better access instead. His touch is igniting something within me, and I can’t help but want more. “Please,” I whisper, unsure if it’s a plea to stop or continue. Locke groans, and quickly releases me. Wrapping his hands around my waist, he lifts me off my feet and tosses me onto the bed. Climbing on top, he bends forward, placing his mouth on the exposed flesh, just above my collarbone. I don’t know what is happening or why I am allowing this, but I have never wanted something so badly in my life. His grip tightens, and if we didn’t have a million layers between us I would wrap my legs around his waist to bring him closer. The only word racing through my mind right now is friction. I want friction. My little nub is pulsating, and I can’t think of anything but our bare skin touching and the slight back and forth movement.

As if reading my mind, he brings his hand underneath me, allowing our bodies to grind. “Ohhhh God,” I moan, the unfamiliar sound pouring from my lips. The anticipation of what he plans on doing to me has my eyes closing. His hands, oh God, his hands make their way down my dress and under my fluff trap, and I can feel his warm fingers slowly brushing up my leg. I know that in just a few seconds he’s going to make it past the key strapped to my thigh and to my aching warmth.

Past they key.

Past the…

“Shit.” I open my eyes and raise my head in lighting speed. This results in head butting Locke, causing him to lose his grip on my thigh. Quickly sitting upward, “What’s wrong?” I don’t answer. I lift my arms and push on his heaving chest. As soon as he loses a bit of his balance, I lift my right leg, bringing it back and lodging it below his rib cage.

And then I kick.

With all my might.

Not expecting it, Locke falls backward trying to grab for the bedpost. Failing, he falls right off the bed. I use this time to scramble off the bed, forcing air into my lungs.
Holy shit, what did I just almost allow to happen?

He stands, quickly brushing off dust from his clad pants. “What the hell was that for?” he growls, as I fight my eyes away from the fullness in his pants.
He didn’t really want you, Addie. He wanted the key.

“
Really
? Did you think I would fall for that? Nice try, pal.” I huff, offering him, once again, my high chin. “Next time you want to attempt to seduce me to see what I’m hiding, at least do a good job of it.” I lie. God, am I lying. His hands feel like they are still on me, burning heat into my skin. I don’t make eye contact with him, because I will surely give myself away.

He takes two powerful steps toward me. I fail, and my eyes finally meet his and, shit, he looks pissed. “So what yer saying is that I wasn’t turning ye on?” he questions, his eyes searing into mine.

“Pfft, you call that trying to turn a girl on? That’s sad. I suggest you practice before the next time you make another attempt.” I swipe my hair away from my sticky face. Because girls don’t sweat when they are turned on and halfway ravaged.

“Ye were more than turned on, Adeline, and if ye didn’t just have a freak out, I’m pretty sure ye would have offered me more than just that key back.”
Ugh, probably.

“Ha!” I bellow. “Nice try, but not a chance. News Flash, I don’t like jerks. And you’re the head of that class. I gave in because I felt… felt… sorry for you. That’s it. So don’t mistake my sympathy for attraction.” I end, pretending to pluck at my cuticles.
Oops, that’s it.
Over poking the bear, no matter what realm it is, never has a good ending. Because he lunges at me.

“Locke!” I squeal, as I’m lifted off the ground and tossed back onto the bed. My back hits the soft mattress as my head bounces, allowing my hair to fall from its pins.

“I personally agree with ye. I will definitely try my seduction on someone else. Possibly a peasant girl tonight, who I guarantee will melt under my touch. Who will submit to my every word and offer her whole body for me to take whatever I please. And when I do, I won’t be thinking of ye. So ye are right. I wasn’t into that either. Because all’s I wanted was that key. Now give it to me.”

His words kinda suck.
Okay, big time suck.
First, the thought of him getting it on with one of those stupid mean maids causes a swirl of jealousy in my stomach. Not sure why, because I hate this guy. But also because, put our strange situation aside, I would let him touch me in ways I have only dreamt a man would. But he doesn’t want me. I’m just a nuisance to him and that makes me angrier.

I sit up on my elbows, defiantly. “No can do, asshole.”

“Ah, yer vulgar mouth does not become ye, Adeline.” He says, from where he’s standing at the foot of the bed.

“Bite me, the answer is still no.” We stare at one another, a battle until the anger turns into something else. He may be fighting the urge to strangle me, but the way he is staring at my lips says otherwise. He has another urge. Without further notice, he attacks me, climbing on the bed and draping his body over mine. His needy mouth drops down, just a hairsbreadth away from mine. I’m going to fight him if he tries to kiss me again.
God, please kiss me.
His eyes close and he drops his head as a knock sounds from on the door.

“Miss, I thought to bring ye some warm nightly towels, Oh!—” Ellie squeals, turning her head. Locke quickly jumps off me, adjusting his attire. “Ellie, it’s fine, I was just leaving,” he grunts, taking his attention away from her and back on me. I’m still sprawled out on the bed when he speaks.

“May I advise ye to replace the key before sunrise? Christof will want to know where the armory key is when he sends his men out for practice. The earlier the better, I’m sure he will be curious on why his betrothed has it.”

With that he turns and storms out of my room.

The armory key?
“You have to be kidding me!” Infuriated, I find anything that is in reach and throw it in the direction of where he exited. “God! I hate you!” I huff at the door. I exhale a deep breath and stand, trying to yank off my dress. Ellie offers, bringing out her hands to assist me. “Do ye need assistance, Miss?”