Somewhere in the back of her mind, Madeline knew this was going to happen. Calhoun was going to catch her, and she would have to bear the consequences for running away from him for the last few hours, where she had been stalling him with every opportunity she got.
Madeline could feel the tension rise in the room as she looked at Calhoun, who was watching her with his unwavering gaze. A small gulp escaped moving down her throat. Calhoun claimed that he was denied from being offered blood, but he had plenty of opportunities to do that here in the castle. One word from him and the servants would willingly offer their blood to him. But like him, Madeline was stubborn.
“I thought you were in your room,” said Madeline, taking a step back and she tried to reach for the lock so that she could open the door. While she was trying to open the door, Calhoun left the side of the candles and started to make his way towards her. His footsteps were nothing less to a predator that had caught his prey.
“Because of the burning lights in the room?” questioned Calhoun to her, his voice calm yet there was something underneath that felt as if he was controlling the tone of his voice. When Madeline successfully opened the lock, a sense of joy filled in her chest, which was short-lived.
The lock that were opened moved back to its place again, and another lock that was above the door which was not locked before locked itself, securing the door further.
“It seems like you enjoy the chase as much as I do, sweet Madeline,” said Calhoun when he came to stand right in front of her, “You not only denied me but you went as far as to trick and delay what is rightfully mine. Taunting the wolf is never a good idea.” He placed both his hands on either side of the door where she stood, keeping her in place.
Madeline felt a shiver run down her spine when Calhoun leaned forward and blew warm air at the side of her neck.
“I would have let it go, but I heard something today.” On Calhoun’s words, Madeline turned her head so that she could look at Calhoun, who stared back into her eyes.
“What?” she asked, unsure of what he heard.
Calhoun didn’t answer her question. He instead continued to stare into her eyes that looked dark because of the lack of light as he blocked the light coming from the candles. “Now tell me, what shall I do so that you are well aware of what happens when you deny me.”
“You cannot always do things as you want,” whispered Madeline quickly, “You told me before that you would drink my blood only once in a month. What about respecting my wishes?” she asked him.
Calhoun replied to her, “Hm, I did say that, didn’t I.” Hearing this Madeline wondered if Calhoun would step back, but he didn’t. He said, “I tasted your blood, and it’s hard not to think about not to have it. And coming to respecting your wishes, I am very respectful about it.” This had Madeline frown on what he was speaking about, “It was very rude of me to leave you hanging, but I would have never guessed that you would ask someone else on how to relieve yourself.”
Madeline’s eyes turned wide, and she felt her heart drop in her chest. No way he was listening to her and Lady Lucy! Her cheeks turned bright red, which was hidden because of the darkness in the room.
“I-I was just asking for knowledge,” Madeline stuttered. Was Calhoun always listening to what she was speaking? This was far worse embarrassing than any other time she had felt, “And it’s rude to be eavesdropping when two ladies are speaking alone.”
She saw Calhoun’s lips twitch at her words before the broad smile appeared on his face, “I was walking past the corridor when I heard the whispering. It is hard not to listen closely when people are whispering.”
Madeline couldn’t keep her gaze on Calhoun for too long as it only made her more embarrassed, “You tricked me,” she said to him.
“I thought it was you who did it to me. I must say, I was surprised that you pulled something so silly with me,” Calhoun’s nose touched the side of her earlobe before his teeth caught the upper lobe of her ear. He nibbled on it, enticing Madeline as she closed her eyes, flinching when he bit into it. “Don’t deny what you feel. I can see the need and arousal in your eyes. Don’t fight it, sweet thing, it might make the anticipation much higher but it will burn you out. I am just respectful of what you need. Why is it so bad?” he asked her in a whisper.
If it were possible, Madeline would have turned one with the door as her back was pressed against it, “You are turning it to your favour,” she replied.
“How is it in my favour when I am asking nothing but only want to give you?” Calhoun questioned her.
“You want my blood.”
Calhoun chuckled, “You innocent little thing. There are other things than blood. Asking for advice from my sister, when I can tell and help you in a much better way, why do you want to go roundabout with it? Do you not trust me?” he asked her.
Madeline’s lips pressed against each other. It was not about trust, Madeline said to herself.
Calhoun was enticing her with different feelings. Feelings she didn’t believe she was capable to feel and the ones which she didn’t know it existed within her.
“Are you scared I will hurt you?” he asked her, his words gentle on her ears.
“You know it’s not that,” Madeline could feel her mind and her heart turning fuzzy with him being this close to her. When she had asked Lady Lucy’s advice, she had made sure to look around, to see that no one was listening to them but who knew that Calhoun was around the corner.
“Then what is it?” Calhoun’s voice continued to stay calm, but his eyes told otherwise. Even with the minimal lighting in the room, she could see something lurking behind those eyes. It was the big bad wolf who was in there, “You are going to be my wife. I am not my father to leave or throw you away. I know I said I will hold myself back, but it’s hard, Madeline when you are in front of me.”
“How about if we stay in different places? I with my family, back home until the wedding,” that was one way to keep things the way usual marriage took place. But it seemed like Calhoun disliked the idea as Madeline heard a bang against the door next to her.
“Don’t stretch it,” there was something unnerving the way Calhoun said it.
And though she was supposed to be entirely scared with the way he said those words, it only stirred something inside her. Madeline lowered her gaze. She could feel her thoughts corrupting in the company of the bad wolf. This was so unlike her, thought Madeline to herself.
“To the question that you asked Lucy, there are variations. People like different things,” stated Calhoun, “It is always best to explore it with the partner on what you like.” His words were sensual, and Madeline could feel her eyes rolling back, wanting to close it as her breath turned short.
“I-I didn’t know that,” replied Madeline, not meeting his gaze yet. Every word that left his lips felt like they were sinful and inviting. She could only be thankful that she had not spoken on whys and hows with Lady Lucy.
Oh, dear lord! Madeline cried in her mind.
“Of course, you wouldn’t. This will be your punishment,” Calhoun said. Madeline’s eyes instantly snapped up to look at him. Her eyes grew even wider than before. “For teasing me, by running away from me, making me to wait. Not to forget, I haven’t missed the point where you went as far as to switch seats in the dining room. You sure have grown to be courageous.”
Gulping down the ball of nervousness, Madeline answered, “I thought that was how a queen should be. To stand her ground.”
“How convenient,” came the sarcastic remark from Calhoun’s mouth.
Madeline was trying to learn from Calhoun. If he could play with words, she would need to know them too, but it wasn’t affecting him the way it affected her. She was weaker compared to Calhoun. By words, strength and his ability to seduce was nothing less than a poison spreading in the body, leaving a person unable to think anything.
“I was worried that you would do something in the dining room,” she confessed.
“Do what?” Calhoun was interested in what Madeline had on her mind. He would be more than pleased to demonstrate it to her. His hand left the surface of the door, and it went to settle on the side of her waist.
Her toes involuntarily curled when his hand touched her waist. Her legs squeezed and Madeline prayed for herself that she would survive today, but with the way Calhoun was looking at her, survival didn’t look like it existed anywhere close.
“T-that, you would place your hand on my leg,” she whispered. She had taken precautionary measures to sit at the table before Calhoun would show up. If he were to make her father stand and switch the seats, somewhere, it would be rude to treat his in-laws in such manner.
Calhoun stared at her intensely, “You are right. I would have done something more than just place my hand on your thigh.”
The thought itself had Madeline blink her eyes quickly. Her lips trembled as she thought of the possibilities.
“Why would you do something like that when my family is around?” she asked, her eyes looking back at him.
“I like to see you embarrassed and squirm. I wouldn’t do it with the knowledge of anyone, it would be just something between us,” one side of his lips pulled up. He ran his tongue slightly towards his lips, and Madeline noticed his full lips.
“I am feeling dizzy,” Madeline said, her breathing was shallow and her eyes were closing in on her.
Calhoun couldn’t be more pleased to hear this, “That’s what the peak of arousal feels like. Imagine being pushed further and further towards the edge,” his words were nothing less to a devil who was drawing her to him; here it was more like the den of the wolf with promising words, “It seems like you are quite the masochist to torture yourself.”
“I wouldn’t be feeling it this way, if it weren’t for you,” she blurted through gritted teeth before realizing what she did.
“What a beautiful confession,” Calhoun stated, his own eyes turning alive, “I haven’t delivered the punishment yet for what you did earlier this evening.”
