245 Touching Him

Brad took one more look at Cari and shook his head. He did not envy the young lad as he did not know he was about to court death.

If only he had been here sooner and seen for himself the fight that ensued, he would not be having hopes.

He did not know what he was playing with. He was touching fire and would definitely get burned by it.

The elf would definitely let another person, man or merman to have his lady and that was final. Something about it made Brad smile inwardly at the thought.

'How fun would it be to watch an elf and a merman fight over a girl. That would definitely be the duel of the year.' Bard thought.

Clearing his throat, he signalled for his men to take care of Cari's matter while he went to tend to other things that needed his attention.

****

When they got inside their small house, Jareth wasted no time and sat back down on the bed, with both legs opened wide as he looked up to gaze into her reddened face and charming shy eyes.

"What are you waiting for?" Jareth suddenly asked. His lips curved up into a smile just looking at her nervous self.

"Master, he was just teasing you back outside and you fell for it again. When would you do the same to him?" Snow's voice suddenly invaded her mind right there.

"Snow, I… It was embarrassing."

"Sigh! Master, I think he was jealous. Just try and tease him back."

"But how?"

"You can try words as well. I am not supposed to be teaching you all these, master. Ask mother for help. I would continue my exploration. Besides I need to preserve my innocence and not you corrupt my innocence," Snow said with a soft chuckle in her mind 

Before she could protest and scold him, he left, blocking their mind link and leaving her to face her fate with Jareth alone.

'Damn that naughty little beast.' She thought.

"I heard that master."

"I thought you left already. What are you still doing in my mind?"

When she did not get any answer from the beast, she sighed inwardly and returned her attention to Jareth whom she ignored all these time.

To her shock, he got u right then and closed the gap between them, then used his right hand to lift her chin so she was looking directly into his eyes.

"Why are you not answering my questions, Astrid?"

"Huh… what questions?" She blinked and was about tilting her head to the side but his grip on her chin tightened, holding her head in place.

"You want to play dumb huh…" A wicked smile appeared on his face and she knew they were genuine as it reached his eyes.

The way he was looking at her was making her feel funny. She could see the mischief dancing in his green eyes but a part of her yearned for it while the other part dreaded what this shameless naughty elf was thinking about.

"You were so reluctant to leave his side, why?"

"Hmm, you wanted to make sure, huh. So you care about him so much?"

"It is not like that. I just do not like the way they handle things here."

"And you felt it was your duty to change that?"

"I just did not want the same thing that happened with you to happen to him."

"But you didn't jump in the fight to stop mine as you did his." Jareth's smile widened as he looked at his beautiful lady in front of him.

"His was different. Yours was completely different, Jareth."

"How so?"

"Stop attacking me with questions like I did something wrong," Astrid spat at him, but in a calm manner and tried to pry his hand from her chin but he did not budge.

Rather he loosened his grip and his look only intensified, displaying several emotions in them.

"Answer the question, Astrid," he said softly, but she could feel the authority and command in his tone.

"You were fighting for my hand so no other person would lay a finger on me."

"Exactly. Glad you have that at the back of your mind. No other person," with those words, he leaned in, pulling her face closer to his. "And he is not an exception, Astrid." 

Jareth looked at her eyes once more, before they dropped close and he pressed his lips against hers, kissing her full on the lips.

Astrid did not close her eyes or part her lips for him as she was still angry at the questions he was asking her like she did something wrong,

Of course, she did something wrong and she did not know it.

Seconds later he pulled back and looked into her eyes, seeing that she did not return his kiss. His warm breath on her skin, made her mind race a bit and she started feeling hot just from his simple kiss she did not return.

"The wrong you did was you touching him. I fought hard to prevent any one man from laying a finger on you, but what did you do, you touched one."

"But I…" 

"Shh…" he cut her words short and smiled, a smile that did not get up to his eyes or teeth.

Astrid tried to defend herself and only got hushed instead. "Also you were so reluctant to leave him even when I was in pain. How do I punish you for this?"

It was now the spell he kept her in finally broke and she blinked thrice at him.

Hold up! Hold up!

"Which pain were you in? I recalled I healed you perfectly well that even if you ran into a wall you won't feel pain," she exaggerated.

"Really now? How come I do not feel it?" Jareth asked, feigning ignorance.

"Pff, looks to me like you were just looking for ways to get me away from him."

"I wonder why?"