Raven's Secret

It must have been almost dawn when I went to bed last night. I didn't think it was that late because the next thing I know, I'm awakened to another knock at my door and my hair was covering my face. I chuckled quietly in the dark as I flipped my hair back after sitting up. 

"Come in." I quickly rubbed my face to wake up more fully before Frita waltzed in. 

"Good morning! How did you sleep?" She asked me in a chipper tone with a soft smile. 

I pushed my fingers through my hair to try and smooth it out a little. "I slept well enough, thank you for asking. I have a question for you, Frita. If you don't mind me asking." I climbed out of bed and faced her. 

"Of course!" She stopped in the doorway of the closet and turned to face me with a curious gaze.

"I was wondering if you could find something appropriate, for like, a date? Out in the gardens for me? I'd still rather keep my flats though, please?" I asked her quietly and swallowed nervously. 

Frita's soft smile widened in surprise and nodded quickly. "Of course, miss! I'll get right on that, do you want something similar to what you wore last night? What do you think of the color purple?" She asked me as she stepped further into the closet to go on the hunt. 

"I've never had a purple dress before. Are you talking about a dark purple or like a lilac?" I asked her as I stepped up to the closet door to peek inside. 

I watched Frita fumble trying to find the purple dress. She had a pair of lilac colored flats and she glanced over her shoulder at the other hanging dresses behind her and did a double take. "There." Frita stepped up to the matching colored dress to the lilac flats she held in her hand, she turned to smile at me. "Let's get you ready for your date with the King." 

I giggled quietly and she started in on me, getting me prepared for the date with the King. My mate. 

***

By the time Frita was done with my hair, it was braided to the side with little white flowers in my hair. My eyeshadow and mascara made my eyes more vividly blue than what they normally were. My lilac dress was form fitting across my midriff and the sleeves were form fitting, not too tight and not too loose. As with the other dress, the skirt was flowing freely. 

I turned to face Frita and smiled at her happily. "Thank you so much for this Frita. I can't explain how much you've helped me tonight." I hugged her close and quickly stepped back. "I'm sorry but I do appreciate it." 

Frita smiled gently at me. "No need to thank me, dear. Consider me a friend and we'll be even." 

I grinned. "I can do that. Now, will you point me in the direction of the garden?" 

She laughed as she tugged me along beside her to lead me to the gardens. We stopped in front of a large door and winked at me. I let out a quick breath as I took a step and pushed the door open. The night sky was lit up with the stars twinkling against the clear darkness. The full moon lit the ground and surrounding trees as if it were day time. The flowers were still in bloom and I walked closer to the slight maze of the garden and stopped in the middle of the clearing. I walked past the bench listening to the fountain, with its calming water. I waited for the King to arrive by staring up at the moon, my emotions were still in turmoil. I didn't know what to think about the sudden change in my life. I missed Sister Marjie, the only mother figure I'd honestly known. Yes, the other Sisters were there but Sister Marjie raised me and I've never been more thankful for her than in this moment. 

I felt the moment the King arrived in the gardens and goosebumps rose across my arms and down my back when I felt his gaze. I glanced over my shoulder at him and his eyes were bleeding red in the iris. I swallowed at his expression, nervous now more than ever. I hadn't thought once of what I might look like to him until this moment. Was I beautiful to him? Was he angry with me for what I was wearing? Why was I even concerned about what he thought of me? Because I wanted him to feel something for me secretly. My subconscious knew deep down that he was my mate and I wanted to please him. My mouth went dry as he stopped in front of me, his eyes were brighter than I anticipated. I'd never seen them glow that brightly thus far. It was startling. His light blue shirt was tucked into his pants and his sleeves were rolled up his forearms. His hair was slicked back as it always has been and I had the sudden urge to push my fingers through it. I gulped. 

"Warrick?" I whispered. 

His entire body stiffened and his fists clenched. He quickly closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh before reopening his eyes, the bright red was nearly gone and his fists unclenched, his body relaxing. His hand lifted as I watched it move and it cupped the side of my jaw and lifted it so I wouldn't look away. 

"You grow more beautiful everyday that I'm with you. I've never lost control before but I almost did. When I saw you standing under the moon with these flowers surrounding you, some in your hair and the glow of your dress, it was nearly my undoing. The rags you wore did not do you any justice. You were beautiful then but you're even more beautiful now. I don't think I'll ever stop saying that." I watched him swallow before returning my gaze to meet his. "May I kiss you? Just this once." 

Did I want him to? I already knew the answer to that and with the doubt building in his gaze I quickly answered with a nod. His eyes brightened back to the red when I first saw him tonight as he slowly leaned down and I closed my eyes at the first brush of his lips against mine. The butterflies were swarming in my belly at the briefest of contacts and I nearly whimpered when his lips briefly disappeared but stopped it when they pressed more firmly against mine. With each light brush of his lips I felt my body shift closer to his and he slowly deepened the kiss as his other hand pressed lightly against my lower back to pull my body flush against his. I melted against him as my hands drifted up to his chest and clenched his shirt in my hands. His tongue lightly brushed against the seam of my lips, coaxing them to open and I did. My entire body warmed when his tongue brushed against mine. I lifted up on my toes to deepen the kiss and as my tongue slid between his lips I felt his fangs. I gasped in surprise, Warrick growled at my gasp. He kept his lips against mine keeping me occupied until his hands grasped my thighs and picked me up. My dress rode up my thighs and he spun us around as he sat down, pulling me down on his lap with my legs on either side of his. I started to feel a little lightheaded but ignored the feeling as I pressed my body more firmly against his and continued to kiss him. Warrick slowly kissed down my jaw, pressing light kisses down to my neck and at the junction of my neck meets my shoulder, he pressed a light kiss to the spot before lifting his head to meet my gaze. 

"We better stop before I push you too far." His red gaze set my body alight even more than I was. I shifted at the sudden heat between my thighs and his nostrils flared. If his eyes could get any brighter, they did. "Raven." He growled out. 

I swallowed and my eyes widened. "Warrick." I whispered breathlessly. I hadn't quite caught my breath yet and I could tell it affected him more than I thought it would. Damn my innocence. 

"I can smell your arousal and I think it would be best if you stood some feet away from me until I got myself back under control." He didn't move an inch and I could tell he had stiffened again like he had before, presumably to keep from throwing me on the ground and ravaging me. 

I blushed lightly at his comment and cupped his cheek, not realizing at the movement he felt my lower half shift as well and he softly groaned, shutting his eyes. "Raven, please." 

I nodded even though he couldn't see me and quickly kissed his cheek before standing and stepping a few feet away. I adjusted my dress and fixed my braid to rest over my shoulder again. I glanced around the top of the castle to see if it had any guards watching us and I grimaced at the thought. Noting quietly that I had in fact, saw none walking their normal path. Smoothing my dress out, the wind shifted and I caught an odd scent. I frowned. That's new. I had never had a strong sense of smell before but I guess some things are bound to change. The scent didn't smell like the flowers, the other vampires in the vicinity, or even Warrick who was sitting behind me on the bench. It almost smelled like… 

"Wolf." I whispered and suddenly Warrick was standing beside me with his arm wrapped around my waist. I glanced around sniffing the air and when the breeze floated the scent towards me again I focused on the area over in the brush, just on the outside of the garden border. Golden eyes glared back at me and I felt a rush of fear. "Warrick." 

His eyes were focused in the same direction already. "Raven, when I tell you to. I want you to run as fast as you possibly can to the castle and get to your room. I'll come for you when I'm finished here." 

I shook my head quickly. "I'm not leaving you." 

"Raven, this is not up for debate." He growled out as he glanced down at me. 

Anger blossomed inside my chest. "You're right Warrick, it's not." I glared up at him and his eyes caught mine. 

"Fine but you stick close to me and don't go running off by yourself." I nodded in response and watched his fangs descend as he pulled me behind him.