Chapter Sixteen - The Unlikely Paramour

Chapter Sixteen – The Unlikely Paramour

I ran out of the room frantically and must have looked pretty paranoid running down the hall. I felt like I was going to cry, my eyes burning from the force of tears trying to push their way through, but I held strong. It was bad enough Saeron and I had hit a rough time, but now he had disappeared. Maybe he had gone down to the dining hall.
I checked the dining hall, but no one seemed to be around. I went outside to the garden, but it was quiet. Where had everyone gone? Where was Saeron? Now my eyes burned even more. I ran to the forest in search of Saeron as my vision became blurred with tears.
“Saeron!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. Only the sound of birds in the forest could be heard.
I called his name a few times before falling down on my knees, the forest floor prickly against my skin though I couldn't feel it. All I could feel was numbness.
At the corner of my eye something moved and sure enough a creature made it's presence known, and this one looked hungry.
I swallowed hard. This creature looked exactly like the horned bird's head I had seen in the dining room except this one had a body attached. It looked like a very furry and very huge dogs body. It towered effortlessly over me, it's eyes forming into slits as it stared me down. I could feel the end drawing near as it extended it's claws and prepared to attack, it's ears pressing down against it's head.
I felt the rush of wind just before the feathers went flying and the sword slashed it's head off.
Jurah stood only a few feet from me. Sword in one hand, the creatures head in the other. He stood so tall, his figure looked more manly than any other time I had seen him. There was no way he could be near my age.
He turned his head with a look of concern on his face. “Are you alright? Why were you out here?” He said as he set the head down and walked to me. I wiped my face off, too late to hide the evidence that I had been crying.
“I can't find Saeron.” The tears nearly started up again, but I held them in. His eyes were so beautiful as they gazed sweetly at me with so much concern.
“Come back with me.” He pulled me up off the ground gently. “I know where Saeron is, but you have to promise me you wont go after him.”
“Where is he?” I pleaded.
“He went after that Temple Keeper.”
“What?! Why?”
“I know this is probably hard to believe, but Crom was out around the island late last night when he noticed a man riding a black horse. He got a quick look at the guy and reported back to us this morning. Saeron had gotten up early to train and overheard us talking. I had thought of the Temple Keeper when Crom gave me the man's description and Saeron confirmed my assumptions when he heard what the man was riding. Now him, Crom, and Zayn are heading out to track him down. Their going to see what he's up to.”
“Saeron doesn't like the Temple Keeper at all. That doesn't surprise me.” I said more to myself then to Jurah. He didn't say anything.
When we got back to the kingdom I didn't know what to do with myself. I was glad that Saeron and everyone else hadn't left me, but I was still lonely, and I felt like me and him were still distant from each other.
I finally decided to head down to the garden and when I got there I was glad I did. The sight of autumn was all around me and it was beautiful. I went down to a small pond and stuck me feet in, shivering at how cold it was when they first went in.
A leaf whirled past me and a frog jumped into the pond sprinkling my shirt with pond water. I couldn't even remember the last time I had been in a place this nice.
“Hey,” Jurah's voice startled me and I nearly fell in the pond. “Thought you might need some company.”
I didn't answer. My mind continuing to wander. This time it wondered where Saeron may be. I sighed as I looked down into the pool of water.
“He'll be back soon.” I didn't turn to look at him, but I could hear the smile in his voice. We sat there in silence for a moment. The wind lightly blew my hair in indecisive directions causing it to tangle. “I used to come here when I was little to play with my toy boat. Heh, I remember once I had thought I lost the boat and came back the next day. I think it ended up in the rushes just over there.” He pointed to a spot at the far end of the point and I looked up for a moment to see where he was pointing.
He sat down next to me and smiled. “Would you like to see my tiger form?”
I blinked at him for a moment before agreeing to it with a smile. His form suddenly shifted and his body gave way to a whole new form much lighter than I would have expected any tiger to me. “You look surprised. Be you didn't know I was a golden tiger.”
“I didn't know there were such things.” I admired his blond striped and white fur. His eyes shown even more brilliantly than they had in his human form. It didn't take me a second before I remembered why I was sad and went back to sulking. But Jurah wasn't going to have it. He batted at me playfully and licked my face. I couldn't help but smile. And when he laid on his back he looked so adorable, like a little kitty. Suddenly he pushed my down on my back and nuzzled me with his nose.
“You gonna feel better?” He looked down at me with his big gold eyes.
“I don't know.” I looked away, but a smile came out anyway. Suddenly his form changed back. He hovered over me for some time, looking down at me and I could feel the heat starting to rise on me. He smiled and without warning got up.
“I guess I'll see you later.” I got up awkwardly and headed up back into the kingdom. I know it had only been for a second, but it felt as though he was about to kiss me. I shook off the memories and ran into my room.
I ended up not eating much for dinner, my stomach feeling strange from the absence of Saeron. I don't know what it was, but I kept feeling like I was going to lose him.
I sulked in my room, unable to do anything, not even sleep. I tried going to my closet and picking out something cute to wear for the following day, but it was no use. I just wasn't gonna put out the effort if Saeron wasn't there. What was wrong with me? I felt like I was dying that's what was wrong.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and faint voice. “Dante, his majesty wishes to see you.” I heard Melony on the other end.
“Ok, thank you.” I responded. I wondered what it was? I knew he was concerned about me, but I didn't think he was this concerned.
I entered his room quietly and waited for him to turn around and see me where he stood staring out the window. He suddenly whirled around to face me with that same perfect smile he always gave me.
“You look very nice tonight,” He cooed in a soothing voice that sent shivers down my spine. He ran his fingers through his creamy, yet strawberry like hair. Besides Saeron's his hair color was by far the strangest and most unique. He waltzed toward me, placing his arm around me in a friendly manner. “Come sit with me.”
He directed me towards the bed and right away the warning signs came up. I knew right then and there I should get out while I still could, but my feet dumbly followed him and my mind was dazzled by his presence. I sat on the bed mesmerized
“I really should be getting back to my room,” I started to say, but his arm brought me closer to him as he eyed me like a hawk would a mouse before having it for dinner. “It's getting late.”
“Just stay here for the night,” I was stunned by his words. Had he actually asked me to spend the night with him?! I tried to make sense of it all, but his voice was simply too irresistible. It felt as though every word he spoke sent a dozen watts of electricity running up my arms and fueled my body with uncontrollable heat. “Your blushing. Do I appeal to you?”
At that moment I must have gotten even reader because my body felt like I was on fire. Suddenly he began rubbing my neck with his hand and then I could feel his fingers in my hair. I was beginning to get dizzy, but I stood firm. “This isn't right! I won't do this to Saeron!”
“He has no claim on you,” he said with a grin as he grabbed my hand. “I see no ring on your finger.”
“We still care for each other. And I want to be with him.” I turned away from him as I tried to hide my arrousal.
“You may think you do,” he began. Arms suddenly wrapped from behind me, around my neck. The tip of his nose trailed across the nape of my neck, sending shivers down my back side. “But I can give you so much more than he can. I bet he's never done this to you.”
I froze. His words had hit a part of my mind I had never seemed to address. Did I really desire this aggressive, dominant sexual behavior? Behavior I would have never gotten from Saeron. Behavior I would have never thought existed because I couldn't have it.
But even as he pressed be against the bed and his warm body pressed against mine I still couldn't stop him. There was a small ounce of me, one tiny ounce that screamed to stop. But my passion, my overwhelming desire took over and I was consumed by my knew obsession.
I felt a tear roll off my cheek. He was giving me the thing I had desired for a very long time. Saeron would never forgive me for this. Though even knowing this single thought I continued to allow him to seduce me. What was wrong with me? Had I no shame?
No, I did. It's just...I was hurt and I wanted things to feel better. But was this the way to heal my wounds?
I felt a draft as he lifted the bottom half of my shirt up. His lips felt heavenly on my stomach as he began to kiss me softly on my stomach, his lips slowly moving upward, making my head dizzy. And then things got really hot and fuzzy when I felt a hint of his tongue rolling off my skin. I struggled to keep my breathing normal, but self control seemed to be my last ally. It didn't help when his lips met the last bit of skin before my chest.
“Stop!” I finally got a hold of myself before he could reach my chest. “I can't take this! It's too much.”
“You know you'd like it,” his voice echoed softly in my ear just before kissing the side of my neck.
“No, I have to go. I'm sorry.” I scrambled off the bed, making it out the door before he could say another word. I knew he'd want more. And knowing me...I'd probably be back for more.