Willow blinked rapidly as her mind played the scenes of her painful past. She thought she was past the stage of feeling pain. Past the stage of shedding tears. Yet, a few traitor tears slipped past her control.
Looking at her tears, Lothaire felt the pain in his chest area that he thought long dead to tears. What is this woman doing to him? He wanted to grab her, wipe her tears and kiss those plump lips to make her better. But he restrained. She needs this. She needs to unburden her heart and he shall remain far. He clenched his fists tightly to stop them from doing what he wanted to do.
"Well, at that time I didn't grasp, but later when my mind cleared from the fog of grief, I realized that the murderer..." Willow's voice hitched at that word, the pain still new on her heart, "could be only a vampire," Willow wiped her tears with her right hand, feeling lighter.
"That's why you hate my kingdom, hate me," Lothaire stated, nodding his head, understanding her reason.
"Not... not you," Willow whispered, looking at her hands.
Lothaire has the grace not to question her statement. She doesn't think she can manage to explain the answer. She is not ready to face herself.
"You must have known who is behind it. Otherwise, you won't be focusing on other things. Who did it?" Lothaire diverted the topic to give her space.
Willow bit the corner of her lower lip. "It's... it's the vampire king"
Lothaire jerked, taken aback.
"Are you sure?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Willow countered, scoffing at him for doubting her.
"Just asking," Lothaire lifted his hands as if he was surrendering.
Willow chose not to reply.
"Why would a king want to kill your parents?"
"That's what I'm going to find out"
"You were thinking of killing him before you stepped foot on this kingdom. Am I right?"
Willow shrugged.
"Dammit Willow. Don't you know how dangerous that is?"
"No one said it would be easy"
"You won't be alone," Lothaire informed her as if it's already settled.
"Won't I? You will go against your king for me?"
"I don't think I have much of a choice what with him trying to kill me"
"Isn't it strange? Why would the king want to kill you? I agree he collected other vampires too but he never kept any of them separately unlike you. Then why do you? Why is he so goddamn bent on capturing you? What's so special about you?"
"Damned if I know," Lothaire said, his hands grazing his hair, his eyes avoiding hers.
"If only you could remember something. Then this would be so much easy"
Lothaire turned and faced her fully.
"Would you have stayed with me if I regained my memory?"
Willow took a minute to answer him.
"I... I don't know. I don't know what your personality is, what kind of person you are. I can't answer it without the facts"
"Why do you need facts Tinkerbell? Can't you peek into my eyes, my soul, and sense it?"
"I'm a Fae, vampire. Not a mage to sense your emotions"
Lothaire covered the distance between them, his body hair's breadth away from hers. He cupped her face, looked into her eyes, and said, "I would never intentionally hurt an innocent Tinkerbell. With or without my memories. You should know that by now"
She stifled a surprised gasp at his sudden proximity. Goosebumps erupted on her skin.
Willow knew what he said was true because, even when he was starved, chained, and had gone half-crazy with hunger, he didn't kill her. Not then, not yesterday. So, she knew that he is one vampire she can vouch that is not so bad.
"You are just saying that to get into my pants, aren't you? Tough luck vampire. Playtime is over," Willow said instead of acknowledging his remark and pushing back out of the danger zone.
Lothaire grabbed her arms firmly but gently before she could escape from the bed. "I don't need words to get into your pants Tinkerbell. And you know it. Do you want me to prove it?"
Willow turned scarlet. What is with this man that makes her feel things she would never feel normally?
"Bones," she breathed, her voice turning husky.
In response, Lothaire covered the distance between their lips, pressing them gently but with an urgency that threatened to swallow them both.
Willow gave into the kiss, needing comfort from him after she rehashed the past. Her hands soon became busy.
Lothaire tucked the scrape of the cloth that was keeping him away from what he needed. His eyes feasted on her, lingering on the marks he left on his body. Pride filled his chest as his gaze traced his claim on her, leaving a trail of heat on her body.
"We shouldn't," Willow tried to protest feebly.
Lothaire cut her protest with his tongue dipping into her core.
"Oh!!!" Willow exclaimed, not expecting it.
He soon got busy, his shoulders brushing the inside of her thighs as he played with her opening with his tongue and fingers.
Willow pulled his hair, wanting more. Lothaire didn't mind. He increased his pace adding another finger until she couldn't take it anymore. Lothaire licked the release out of her, tasting her wetness with his lips.
He then trailed the kisses over her abdomen and gradually moved forward until he reached her breasts. He squeezed them with his hands, tucking the nipples between his fingers.
"Please Bones. I want it now," Willow begged him unashamed in her demand.
"Soon Tinkerbell. Tell me what you want," he buried his head in her long blond tresses, enjoying the silky smoothness, and whispered near her ear before tugging the tip of it gently with his teeth.
"You inside me. Now," Willow moaned as his mouth took her nipple inside his mouth.
"Your wish is my command," Lothaire growled, removing his pants.
He then took her amidst the grunts and moans. His body pinning her to the bed, he raised her left leg placing it over his shoulder, and slammed into her, stretching her, making her his. This made his length hit her g spot, entering deep into her.
Willow threw her head back, her nails clutching his ass as euphoria tore through her once again. Before her spasms could subside, Lothaire also joined her, spending himself inside her once again.
"You know if you are not chained and locked in that cell for god knows how long, I would have been worried about you taking me without any protection. This is thrice in a row," Willow said, her breath coming out in pants once they cooled as they lay side by side. She is not afraid of getting pregnant by him as such cases between different races are rare. Very very rare.
"Should I feel glad that I was locked?" Lothaire asked with dry humor.
"You know what I mean," Willow rolled her eyes.
"Let me see your back. I must have drawn blood," Willow grabbed his arm to move him.
"I like it Tinkerbell when you play rough with me"
"Good. Because this will be the last time," Willow said sternly.
"We will see about that Tinkerbell"
"I mean it, Bones. We can't do it," Willow trailed off as her eyes landed on his back for the first time.
"What the hell!!" Willow screeched, looking at his back.
His back is covered in runes, many small runes that are hard to intercept where one ends and where one begins. Willow has never seen anything like this.
"Do you know anything about this??" Willow asked him, alarm rising in her voice.
"About what? The markings? They were made during my captivity," Lothaire shrugged as if burning one's skin with runes is normal.
"Oh my god!! I don't even know half of them. Who could do this to you? Why?? Don't you think I should be made aware of this sooner?" Willow glared at him though it's lost on him as he was facing the opposite direction.
"How would I know? No memory, remember? I don't think it is important to inform you"
"How would you know what is important and what is not?"
"It's not like I know every mark on your body, though, I'm tempted to find out"
"Focus Bones. This is important"
Lothaire sighed. "What do you want me to say? I don't remember when they were placed except, I was in deep pain when I woke up in that cage. Is that what you want to hear?"
Willow swallowed the lump when she imagined him in pain.
"No. But you could have said something about these markings before now"
"Frankly, I forgot about them being there. After a while, you get used to them"
"How long is a while Bones?"
"A few years," Lothaire shrugged.
Willow wanted to retch, imagining him getting tortured for a few years. How much must he have gone through!
She admired his strength to come back intact from that. Marking a rune on one's body is extremely painful, more painful than a silver knife cutting your skin. And he has several of them.
A tear leaked from her eye. Lothaire turned to her and cupped her face. Looking at the tear, he did what he couldn't do previously.
He brought her close, wiped those tears, and kissed her lips, taking away the pain, her sorrow. The sorrow she is feeling for him.
"Don't pity me Tinkerbell. I can take your anger, your passion, but not your pity," Lothaire said over her lips.
"It's not a pity, Bones. Only a fool will pity you. Even when I rescued you, you didn't get my pity. Not then, and definitely not now. I admire your strength, Bones. Your will to live"
Willow touched his chest, her hand over the place where his heart was. She is scared that she is starting to feel something more for this vampire.
Something that would never work out. Removing her hand she climbed down the bed, her eyes avoiding his once again.
It's time she starts maintaining her distance from him. Nothing good will come out of this liaison.
Lothaire sensed her withdrawal but was hard-pressed to do anything. She will get the space she craved... for now.
"Willow," Lothaire called her as she was about to leave the room. When she looked back without turning to face him, he said, "thank you for letting me know about your past. I'm sorry about your parents."
Willow is lost for words. Hence, she just nodded and moved on.