Chapter 28 Unashamed

Chapter 28 Unashamed

Eltanin sat on the couch with his feet on the table, dismissing the smell as a figment of his imagination. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes as the sweet smell of roses wafted in the warm breeze of the night. He lifted the bottle and drank a third of it at once. "Fuck!" he rasped, as he allowed the burn to run down his throat into his stomach. He looked up at the stars and the waning moon. He threw his arm over his eyes and the moment he did, images of the girl flashed across his eyes. Yes, he was definitely becoming obsessed. Definitely an unhealthy obsession. He had to soon find a way to rid himselfofit, else it would drive him insane. The girl had invaded every aspect of his life. Irritation spiked when he remembered that she had just left without waking him up. "How could she?" he blurted for the thousandth time.

Angered by this, he lifted the bottle about to smash it against the ground to vent his anger but thought against it and instead lifted it to his lips and gulped down more wine. When he put it down it was half-empty. He wiped his mouth with his forearm and chuckled at himself when all at once he caught a faint whiff of… He rushed to the railing and squinted his eyes, piercing his vision as he sniffed the air. He gripped the edge of the railing so hard that it cracked under his strength. Was he imagining it? He whipped his head to the right and then to the left, as his chest seized with panic. It was the same citrusy scent. And it was gone as soon as it came. Eltanin stumbled back. He had completely lost his mind. He rubbed his chest as he tried to breathe. Every part of his body was fired up, even his damn beast.

Eltanin walked back inside his chamber and closed the glass door loudly. He concluded he was now hallucinating. He had crossed the threshold of his sanity. She couldn't possibly be anywhere nearby. If she was— "Calman's wings!" He would have her in his bedchamber, tie her to his bed and never let her leave. Ever. Except, she wasn't here.

A soft knock on the door made him jump. "Whoever it is, fuck off!" he growled dangerously.

A muffled voice of a guard came from outside. "Princess Morava wants to meet with you, Your Highness."

A rush of hot anger added to his already building irritation. Why had she come to meet with him? That was odd. He didn't appreciate the intrusion at all. On an impulse he wanted to ask her to leave, but, "Let her in," he said and drank the remaining wine. He would meet with her in the antechamber. He had never allowed a girl into his bedroom, a feat he had reserved only for someone very special.

It was difficult, but he tried to shake himself off the citrusy scent. It was a figment of his imagination.

He walked to the bar again and pulled out another bottle of wine. As soon as he turned, he saw Morava in the room still wearing her ball gown. He narrowed his eyes at her. "We are not close enough for you to be visiting my room, Princess Morava," he said coldly, motioning her to sit on the couch.

She appeared a little flustered. Then she fluttered her eyelashes. "I thought you would like some company. I heard your head is aching, so I came to heal you." She opened her palm and revealed a purple pill. "This usually helps in relieving pain of any kind and also helps you sleep like a baby."

Eltanin stared at the pill. A chuckle left him that turned into a laughter. "You seriously think that I wouldn't know what that pill is." And that was such a bloody poor excuse. Did she really think that she could drug him to get into his bed? That was an old trick, one he had not expected from her.

Unashamed of her act, she closed her fist around the pill as her lips curled up. She sauntered her way towards the couch and sat down elegantly. "I think we could use this opportunity to get to know one another."

He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. "And what do you suggest? Have sex?" He could smell her arousal easily.

"I was amused by your reaction to me in the Great Hall," she continued without a modicum of shame.

A muscle feathered in his jaw. He couldn't admit that he was thinking of someone else so he remained quiet.

Morava got up and walked up to him. She stopped after a few paces. In a low, husky voice she said, "We could start from where we left off."

Eltanin narrowed his eyes, lifted the wine bottle and opened its cork with his teeth. He spat the lid to the floor and gulped more wine. "With all due respect Princess Morava, I am not in the mood." He smirked and walked past her. He really wanted to shut her up and ask her to leave immediately.

Morava's head snapped towards him, and her shoulders stiffened. No one had ever denied her advances. How dare he reject her! She closed her fists tightly and her knuckles turned white. "Do you have someone else who usually pleasures you? I heard that kings like to maintain a harem."

"I won't even dignify that with a response." Eltanin felt repulsed with her question.

An icy anger crawled down her spine. She wanted to lash out at him and gouge his eyes out. Her father's words bounced in her head. 'Keep your temper under control.' For a long moment she stayed quiet until her anger settled. She had to squelch it if she was to become his queen. "I am sorry…" she said in a soft voice. "I had come to see you and couldn't help my emotions." What she meant to say was that he was just so attractive she couldn't help herself, which was a good thing since she knew that he had definitely smelled her arousal. "I will take my leave, King Eltanin." She bowed and turned to go. She hoped he would stop her from leaving, she reached for the door and opened it, waited for a few seconds. She turned to see him, but he wasn't even looking at her. She swallowed down her disappointment and fury and closed the door behind her.

In the morning—