was regardless of whether she had found my note or not. Her fear in coming to me now was not part of an act I had asked her to play along with. She truly was looking fearful of me. She even nearly stumbled and would have fallen had it not been for my general’s quick actions. But when he didn’t remove his hand quick enough I found my anger replacing my gratitude pretty quickly, snarling some threat at him to let her go.
But then she finally reached the steps leading up to my throne and the second she started looking up at me with those big blue eyes, doing so like some frightened doe…well, then it took everything in me not to react. In fact, I think I was scowling down at her and motioned with my fingers for her to not keep me waiting any longer. Something my general also warned, for she wasn’t helping matters.
However, the second she finally made it to the top of the steps I couldn’t hold back my reaction to her any longer. I suddenly stood which startled her enough to take a step back, forcing me to act the moment her clumsy steps would have meant a broken neck. Meaning that I ended up grabbing her quickly, and hauling her back to me, holding back from taking possession of her lips like I wanted.
Instead I found the only tenderness I could grant her in that bitter sweet second was a simple caress of the back of my talon running down her cheek. She closed her eyes at the gentle touch and my name was whispered from between her lips like a lover’s kiss.
“Lucius”
I found my head starting to lower, like a natural pull towards my Chosen One as was the power she held over me. To take those sweet lips prisoner like I was desperate to. In fact, I only just managed to stop myself in time, knowing this was precisely what I shouldn’t be doing! This then meant that when she finally opened her eyes again she found my gaze narrowed and my lips curling in a snarl, off the back of my frustration. Unable to stand witnessing her fear and now her disappointment, I spun her around to face my people, deciding now was a good time to make my point.
She shuddered against me and my instincts snapped, collaring her neck in a heartbeat. I didn’t want to hurt her, or scare her for that matter, but instead using it to bring her a step back and closer to me.
She was going fucking nowhere!
After this I lowered my head so I could speak directly in her ear but keeping in mind those that had the potential to hear me.
This was when I gave her my warning…
“Found at last, my little human.”
17
Demon’s Nature
Back inside Lucius’ tower…
Amelia
The moment I saw that my Lucius was back to the man I knew, so many emotions slammed into me all at once, with anger being at the very top of that list. But just beyond the upset, I was also mainly relieved to have him back, which was why the second after I slapped him, I threw myself into his arms, whether he was ready for it or not.
But of course, he caught me.
“I…I…was…so worried,” I said as I buried my head in his shoulder and let the flood gates open, pouring out my emotions through the tears that were now soaking his skin. I felt his hand cradling the back of my head as he held me to him, whispering words of comfort in between trying to gently stop my crying.
“Ssshh, now sweetheart, I am here…I am here.” He whispered this last part into my hair, giving me a squeeze as his left arm was wrapped around me. It was only now that I also realised that he had left the gauntlet on that hand, as I felt the strength in his hold at my side through his metal clad fingers. Although, it had to be said that like this, he was definitely considerably gentler with me than he had been. Which was what caused me to suddenly rip myself out of his arms and go back to being pissed off.
“And there she goes,” he muttered dryly to himself, but it was after putting space between us that I heard this and turned back around to face him.
“I think this is the part you start explaining what the fuck is going on, Lucius!” I snapped