Ain't Your Bitch(16)

N,



The herbs have been stashed in the cupboards for breadmaking. Mix it in whatever you can. The task must be carried out soon, before she can marry. The Black Hole will be quite pleased if you pull this off, and your work will be well rewarded.



X



“I can't trust anyone,” Helina whimpered, leaning against the dining table and shoving the plates and cups away from her. “I wish Terra was here. She would know what to do.”

Rereading the letter, she wondered at the phrase 'The Black Hole'. Was that someone's name? Their title?

She couldn't even trust Remiel. Helina felt only despair.



Climbing the stairs to her bedroom, she heard voices within. At first, she was guarded, worried that someone might be plotting another attack, but then she relaxed as she recognized the voices.

“What are you two doing in here?” She asked, grinning at her friends. Anais was wearing some of her necklaces, Remiel had her lips painted with her lipstick. Remiel blushed. Helina was sure that Anais had applied the cosmetics, since it looked awful and Remiel would never match colors so horribly.

She loved her friends. Having to lie to them and hide from them for too long would surely make her go mad. Helina suddenly wanted to curl up into a ball and cry.

“Sorry! We just thought we'd come up and wait for you, and we got to talking about how we used to play dress up.” Anais took the gold chains from her neck and placed them back in the jewelry box. “I hope you're not upset.”

Helina shook her head. “Of course I'm not! Just surprised you're up here.”

“So tell us,” Remiel grinned, wiping away the lipstick and staining the sleeve of her dress. “What is the prince like?”

“Is he as handsome up close as he is from afar?”

“What does his voice sound like?”

“Are you going to marry him?” Both girls closed in on the princess, making her laugh and put up her hands in surrender.

Helina sat on her bed. “He's… hard to describe. Intelligent, and definitely smooth. Yes, he's very handsome up close. He has freckles. Did you know vampires could have freckles? As for what he sounds like… his voice is deep, but not gravelly. He has a French accent. It's very romantic.” She grinned, blushing. “I don't know if I will marry him, though. I have to think, first. Get to know him.”

She almost told them her plans for the evening, but realized it wasn't safe. Her chest ached. She hated hiding things from them. Aside from her relationship with Edward, she had almost never lied to them before. They were her secret keepers.

Anais walked into Helina's private bathroom and dampened a washcloth, bringing it out to Remiel. As she did, she asked, “Do you want to watch a movie with us tonight? We're thinking something romantic. Anoud promised to set up the theater for us in your sitting room.”

A movie! It was rare for Anoud to allow human technology into the manor, and she so loved films. She started to accept, but then shook her head. “I'm sorry, guys. I'm pooped, and I have a lot to think about. I mean, I might be getting married soon.”

Remiel and Anais looked at each other, smiling. “Do you want us to talk to you about it?”

“No, that's alright. I'd rather be alone.” They looked disappointed, but tried to hide it.

Her friends stayed in the room with her for a few minutes longer, trying to coax her into watching the movie, but Helina didn't budge. They left, chattering about actors and sex scenes.

Once alone, she undressed herself and pulled down her hair. She couldn't make herself look as put together as Remiel and Anais could, so Prince Roman would just have to accept her as she was: without makeup, wearing a loose dress and her hair down.

Looking in the mirror, she had to admit she looked somewhat pretty. Rarely a fan of her own features, she admired how her skin glowed. It seemed she fared well during times of panic. Perhaps she should have someone trying to poison her more often.

Rolling her eyes at her own thoughts, she grabbed a coat and stood before her window. She had sneaked out many times to meet with Edward, but none of them felt quite like this. There wasn't the anticipation, the wonder.

Edward was normal, and predictable. That was nice when Helina's life was off course, but one couldn't say the same about her mysterious vampire prince.

Thinking of Edward made Helina exceedingly sad. She knew that if she got married, she wouldn't want to be caught having an affair with a cook. Certainly not before an heir was born. He was going to hate her.

Her chest ached, and she knew that the pain would only grow in the coming days.

Opening the window, Helina grabbed the tree branch that had been crafted by her gardeners to reach out for her. Anoud didn't know that she paid them extra to give her a way to escape now and then. He often threatened to have the branch cut down, but never did, and she never got caught out alone.

Terra taught her a few tricks before she left. She was always sneaking around the manor, getting into trouble, even before the twins were teenagers.

The princess easily climbed into the tree, and then down it with the branches placed perfectly for her steps. Her coat, a black fur, was held close against her chest. The night was cold. She worried she would have to set up an environmental sphere for the picnic, which would no doubt wake up every guard that was meant to watch for magic.

August shouldn't be so cold, especially not with the environmental spells around the grounds. It worried her to think that the temperature drop could be a spell, a curse on her home.

Pressed against the manor wall, Helina crept along the side until she noticed a faint glow coming from the roses. Peeking her head out from around the corner, she saw that the roses were dotted with fireflies, illuminating the night.

As she stepped closer, the air became warmer. Her goosebumps went away, and she saw handsome Prince Roman in the middle of the roses, on a blanket. Wine was set out for them, a red wine that the prince sipped from as she approached. There was a smile on his face.

For a second she worried this would be the last thing she saw before she was assassinated, but she forced those thoughts away.

“Did you put up an environment to make it warmer?” She asked.

The prince nodded. “Yes, it's a trick I learned from my nanny. She was a witch.”

“You can do magic?” She was amazed. Perhaps he was stronger than she imagined, though the sun didn't seem to bother him.

“A bit, and it tires me easily. It's not natural for me, like it is for you. Come. Sit.” He swept his hand over the blanket. It was cerulean blue and soft to the touch. The perfume of roses carried through the whole garden.

Opening a wicker basket, Roman revealed breads and cheeses. “From France,” he commented, handing her a piece of bread. Taking a bite, she was amazed that it was still warm.

“It's so good!” She chowed down, enjoying the food thoroughly as she was still hungry from having barely picked at her dinner with The High Court.

Smiling, Roman placed a hand on hers. “You look lovely. I think I prefer you dressed down than in flowing gowns, though you're beautiful in either situation.” He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her face. His hand slid and gently glided against her cheek.

Blushing, Helina looked around. Three of her guards and two of his were standing around them, but facing away to give them privacy. Seeing her own men there made her feel at ease. Her shoulders relaxed.

“I have to say, and I hope this won't offend you,” he said, gulping and looking down at the ground. “I have only ever had my eyes on you. I find you enchanting, and no woman has ever made me feel so unsure and sure of myself all at once.”

Helina watched his mouth move and felt that hers needed to be upon it at once. Leaning over the basket, she kissed him, hard. His breath caught.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her only to lay her down on her back. His lips were soft, and sweet like cherries and wine. Her tongue flicked against them, and then in his mouth.

She'd never gone so far so fast with a man before, but she knew then what she wanted. She wanted this man, and she wanted him now. He kissed her deeply again, tangling his fingers in her hair. He pressed his body down against hers, trapping her below him.

It didn't take long for both of them to be naked. Their hands wandered over their skin, exploring and grabbing, groping and manipulating. Roman rolled over and pulled Helina on top of him. She pressed her warm slit against his cock, and then slid down his body.

Roman closed his eyes. Helina slid her hand up his thigh, gripping it at times. She wanted him to feel how badly she wanted him with each movement her body made. She wanted him to know how badly she burned for him. It felt like a sin, to be burning for a vampire.

Roman sighed happily when she wrapped her hand around his meat. It had some of her juices on it, sticky and wet. His cock wasn't just warm, it was hot. He felt more alive than she expected.

She tossed her hair back and licked her lips. Merely holding his huge cock forced a moan from her lips, a shiver down her spine. The muscles in her lower abdomen tickled, her cunt became hotter and wetter.

Her eyes flicked up at to his face, and she saw that he was watching her. The moon and fireflies lit their bodies up as they played. “I'm going to suck your cock, now,” she said, her voice breathy and low. She felt slutty, free, and completely sexual. It felt good. Her own hand played with her cunt as she swallowed his cock. It twitched as her tongue touched the sensitive head. Roman muttered a curse under his breath.