The Vampire King’s Captive

MARIA

“Talk about what?”

“Your past.” The words left his mouth like a whip, sharp and loud in the otherwise silent, almost dark room.

She flinched away from him as the word left his lips, recoiling at the flashes of imagery that went through her mind, evoked by those two words.

Her past.

His eyes darkened at her reaction. Where lust had once been, wariness and a certain hardness now took root. “Don’t, Maria.”

Well, she guessed she should be glad that he was now calling her by her name and not the annoying ‘sorceress’, although with the tone he used, sounding somewhat exasperated, she wasn’t really sure she liked him calling her name in that moment.

“Don’t what?”

It was crazy how the night had taken such a sudden turn. A few minutes ago, she’d been eating at his mouth like she didn’t have another day to live and now it was like a bucket of ice had been poured over her, extinguishing all traces of desire in her.

“Don’t try to run away from this.” He warned in a surprisingly even voice. “I need to know.”

She stared at him in shock, not bothering to hide it from showing on her face.

How did he just go from hot to cold in such a short amount of time?

How was it possible that this was the same man that had been kissing her a few minutes ago, ravenous in his need for her that he’d looked like he would die if she didn’t kiss him back?

She was still reeling from the onslaught of emotions his sudden words had brought. He’d taken them from one dimension to another in a span of seconds and she was still struggling to find her footing. Almost like how she felt when he traced with her.

That confused, heady feeling where it took her a while to come to terms with what just happened and where she was.

Why would he be asking her about her past? Where did that come from?

The only reason he would be asking her such a question was if he’d heard something and if he had, then it didn’t bode well for her. She didn’t even want to accept that he might have heard something. She didn’t want to.

But if she sat close to him like this, he was going to force her to answer.

She leapt out of the bed with a start and he must not have seen the move coming because he cursed, surprised, but he was also fast because she had barely taken three steps when his hand snagged her around the waist and he pulled her back and into him.

With nothing to break her fall, she landed on him in a sprawl, her back to his front, ass to his crotch. Undeterred, she struggled against him but his grip was hard and unyielding.

She froze when she felt him begin to harden underneath her.

His mouth dropped to her ear and when he spoke, his voice brooked no warning. “Stop.”

Unable to stop herself, daredevil that she was, she squirmed once more and he groaned, his fingers tightening like a band around her waist.

“Maria…”

His hot breath gusted across the side of her face, then he nipped at her earlobe, causing her breath to hitch, before his wet tongue flicked against it, making her already hot skin burn even hotter, her breaths coming out in short pants.

She did stop this time. The danger and finalty in his words were obvious and she knew better than to keep testing him, especially when he was like this.

But, gods help her, she couldn’t help it.

He was just so big, so warm and strong with him holding her like that and it didn’t feel like he was behind her. No, it felt like he surrounded her. It was like she could feel him everywhere.

She wasn’t even joking, she could feel him in front of her and he wasn’t even there. It was crazy.

Maria cleared her throat, but the words still came out husky. “If you want me to stop, then let me go.”

She felt him shake his head. “Not when I know you’re going to run.”

“I’m not going to run,” she explained. “I’m going to sit on the couch over there.”

His grip on her didn’t so much as lessen. “We can have the conversation with you sitting right here, Maria.”

She frowned. What conversation?

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It was then that she remembered her reason for wanting to leave the bed in the first place. He wanted to know about her past and she had no intentions of telling him.

Redoubling her efforts, she fought against him, wanting him to let her go and he must have realised that she meant it this time because he cursed softly before removing his hands from her body.

She staggered away from him, her legs unsteady.

“Why are you asking about my past?” She questioned, forcing strength into her voice in order not to appear weak. If she appeared strong, then maybe he would take her seriously. “Did you hear something?”

“No.” When he saw the doubtful look on her face, he dragged a big hand down his face and sighed. “Honestly, I didn’t.” Then suddenly, he looked up at her with hard eyes, his hands fisting and unfisting the sheets. “You do realize I’m being a fuck of a lot more accommodating right now, don’t you?”

He was. He really was.

But then there were several topics that she couldn’t talk about just because he was asked her to. Not only would telling him about it be risky because 1, he might not believe her and 2, she’d be leaving herself vulnerable and deliberately making herself vulnerable to a man like him was very stupid, but recounting her past would only reopen old wounds that had never fully healed.

But it still didn’t make sense. Why was he suddenly asking her out of the blue?

Easy; Because he wasn’t. He’d heard something and he wanted to confirm if what he’d heard was true.

Which was why she was asking so that she would know what he’d heard and know just how much to tell him. Or how much to bend the truth.

“You’re considering lying to me.”

The words had her blinking as she realized that she’d been staring at him this entire time although she’d zoned out while doing it.

Maria schooled her features, trying to smoothen her face into a blank mask. “I’m not.”

“Then answer my fucking question,” he snapped, showing the first signs of anger. When she blinked in shock and took a step back, he sighed and ran an agitated hand through his hair. “Damn it, Maria,” he muttered and shot up off the bed, pacing and making her all the warier with his height and restless energy. When he spoke again, his tone was softer, careful. “Just answer my question.”

“Not until you answer mine.” She was scared, but it didn’t stop her from lifting her chin. “Why do you ask?”

He stopped pacing suddenly, his big body freezing in the middle of her living room, looking so out of place yet right where he should be at the same time. Her throat dried when he swiveled suddenly and faced her, his green eyes filled with the familiar fire of anger and maybe hunger, but she couldn’t be sure.

“Okay.” He said, surprising her. “How about this? You answer my question and I answer yours.”

Chewing on her lower lip, she thought it through. It seemed fair.

“Who gets to answer first?”

He didn’t even need to think. “You.”

She blinked at his tone. She ruled off trying to change his mind; it was not going to work. Besides, what was actually happening here?

Why wasn’t he forcing her to answer and was asking her to instead? She’d been too lost in her own thoughts to think about that huge change before but now that she was, she couldn’t not think about it.

Why was he acting so strange?

First there was their kiss, his mention about her past and now this. What was going on?

If she wanted to find out why he was acting strange, then he had to answer her questions which meant she had to answer his own questions.

“What about my past?” She asked him, her choice made up. “Can you be more specific?”

The vampire pinned her in place with intense eyes. “What’s the deal between you and your father?”

Shit.

He knew.

He had to know.

Well, since he knew there was no point hiding it from him right? And why was she even protecting him-her father?

The only risk she took was him not believing her and he wouldn’t because obviously he’d heard something.

“Okay,” she said to no one in particular as she turned and walked over to the couch.

“Come here.” He offered, but she shook her head.

“I can’t…” She shook her head again. “I won’t be able to do this if I sit close to you.”

“Why?”

She swallowed and her eyes darted away. He wouldn’t understand so there was no need explaining to him.

She just felt… antsy. Unsettled. And ashamed that he was going to know how much of a monster her father was.

“I just can’t.” Then, so that he would let it go, she added, “Please.”

His jaw tightened, his face fell and he nodded, thankfully deciding to let it go.

Maria trudged over to the couch, dropped down on it and folded her hand on her laps, preparing to tell her story.

“My father is a tyrant.”