FOREVER KNIGHTS: #16 To Keep Her

Night Manor, Mane Country

CHAVIAS

Sabine awoke to morning light. A little startled as she looked around Chavias’ chamber. “I hadn’t meant to fall asleep.”

Twisting off the bed, her bare toes encountered the volume underfoot. She’d knocked it off in her slumber.

Guiltily collecting it and straightening the pages, she grimaced at the bent corners.

Suddenly her head shot up like a surprised bird. She clutched the coverlet over her scant deep blue nightdress.

She senses me. Chavias recognized.

Her blue eyes seemed impossibly huge as she looked around the empty room.

He stepped from the against the wall. Clad in only thin black breeches. Feet and chest bare. Too exhausted to manifest more clothes.

“You’ve been reading more in it?”

“Yes.” She blushed. “You don’t want me to?”

“It’s not that you read my words. But that you might ask things I haven’t the cour-age to explain.” His eyes fell briefly. “Or worse, that you might view me as I do.”

As something evil.

“I don’t.” She shook her head stubbornly. Tossing silver blonde hair. Revealing skin at her throat that looked beckoningly soft.

Chavias yearned to touch her. Groaning aloud.

“What?” She asked leaning forward. “Are you hurt?”

“Oh, I’m hurting.” His face was pained.

“Why?”

Oh…He nearly laughed at the irony.

“For you, Sweetheart. To be closer to you.”

“You are close to me.” She blinked in surprise.

“But I want closer.” Unable to resist he caressed her dainty jaw to the curve of her chin.

“I’ve never felt so intimate with anyone.” She swallowed. Crawling to the edge of the bed next to him.

Desire swelled within him at the smooth curve of her back and buttocks revealed beneath the dark nightdress. Made of a fabric so filmy it left little to the imagination.

“I trust you completely.” She rose to her knees and pressed her palms to his bare chest.

You shouldn’t be! He was sore tempted to lift her and toss her onto her back. And make love to her until her body is flushed and sated.

“How can you!” He gave her a sideways look. Wondering if she was mad. “Can’t you see what I am? I’ve betrayed everyone I ever cared about.”

I could betray you. I could seduce you…

“You had to trick them all into thinking so. To save your life and theirs.” She ca-ressed his forearm at his side. “But you’re true. Pure of heart. And bearing an unbearable situation to help balance good and evil in Ardae.”

A profound thing to say.

“How can you think that?” He tilted his head down to look in her beautiful face. His arousal melting away as he met the innocent sincerity on her face. Catching her around the waist he set her on her feet.

Making her position somewhat less tempting.

“I know it.” She said. Warm breath caressing his shoulder. As her hands reflexively landed on his chest for balance. Burning warm imprints on his chest.

“How can you feel so real?”

“I can manifest at different levels depending on how strong I am. How much energy I have. Sometimes it is only minimal.” He explained.

“Why were you so sad when you came last time?”

“I’m not proud of the things I do as the warlord of a demon.”

“You kill. You write of it. What could be worse?”

“You don’t truly understand the ugliness. Murdering another human being, Sweet-heart, is bloody. Smelling of urine and sickness. They scream, they cry and beg. And like iron itself, I run them through remorselessly.”

“But you do feel remorse… I understand what you do.”

It doesn’t make it okay.

“You can’t!” He caught her face in his palms.

You’ve no idea what you’re saying!

“But I do. I think you’re beautiful. Here.” She curved her fingers into the dense hair over one pec. “I can feel it’s heavy beat. Like a strong animal. Solid flesh and human pain. You’re no cold-hearted beast as you describe.”

But I am.

“You’re a man shattered in anguish.”

“And you think to pick up the pieces, do you?” He said bitterly.

You can’t. It’s too late for that now.

“No. I wish to rebuild you. With your help.”

Some creatures are too broken. And like a wild dog they’ll turn on the hand that tends them.

“I barely bring you to my home and already you talk of changing me?” White teeth flashed as he teased. “Just like a woman.”

I can’t think of all this darkness anymore. I come here to escape it.

“I’m no ordinary woman.” She said solemnly.

Clearly a given.

He groaned. “You think I don’t know?” He brushed hair back from her face. “I’ve never seen anything like you in all my existence!”

“Really?” She blinked huge sky blue eyes up at him.

“Very much so.” He caught her hands and pulled them from his chest.

So, I can better think. Her touch muddles my brain. But Chavias felt naked without her touch. Mind filled with thoughts of being intimate with her. Touching her, holding her, and kissing her soft neck. A deep desire to show her all the emotion she’d tindered in him. Feelings he’d once thought lost.

“But I fear I must go, Sweet One.”

“Then go. As long as you come back.”

“As long as I breathe. I’ll return. I vow to you.”

I could hardly stay away.

“I’ll hold you to it.” She returned.