Viridian

Chapter 31

"What are you doing here, Cato?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him as I take another sip of my hot chocolate.

"You are aware it is my castle, right?" he smirks. "I can go wherever I want."

"Oh really?" I laugh. "Then can you go to hell?"

"You mean that's not where I am?" Cato looks around my room.

"Hilarious."

"Not my top choice of adjective but—"

"Would you prefer imbecilic?"

"How about bewitching?" he suggests with a smirk.

"How about... no."

Cato stands, the light of the fireplace casting a warm shadow over him as he nears me on the couch. "That all you got, highness?" he chuckles. "You're going soft."

"That's what she said," I mumble under my breath as he flops onto Manisha's abandoned spot.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," I smile innocently, causing Cato to narrow his eyes at me.

"So secretive," he growls. "First you won't tell me what you and Manisha were talking about... what were you talking about, Adhira?"

"None of your business, Cato," I roll his name off my tongue just as he did with mine.

"It was about me, therefore it is my business," he pauses. "Did you forget that I'm an empath?"

"If only that were possible," I roll my eyes, earning a rumble from Cato. "So tell me Mr. oh so bewitching Mindrellian Prince," I enunciate his chosen word, pouring all sorts of sarcasm into it. "What were we feeling?"

"Needy," he states, his eyes glowing as he leans into me. "Lustful," he whispers. "More her than you," he chuckles, leaning back.

"You have no idea," I snort lightly as I finish off my hot chocolate. "So," I start, placing my empty mug on the coffee table. "What are you doing here?"
"Finishing what we started," Cato pauses for a second, the world going still, before he pounces. Cato leans into me, and it is only then that I realize how close we were. His lips devour mine as he presses his body to mine. I pull him in, my legs parting and wrapping around his waist to allow him as close as possible. Cato growls, as he does something with his tongue that causes butterflies to run rampant through me, reminding me exactly how he felt between my legs. I think I'm falling for—

The thought rushes over me like a bucket of cold water and I pull away from Cato.

"Are you okay?" Cat asks me, concerned as he examines me with a little too much delicacy for my comfort.

"I wanna be in control," I blurt, the only solution I can think of. Just sex, I reassure myself as Cato allows me to shift positions so that I am straddling him.

"I'll take you however I can get you, Princess," he chuckles, ignoring my odd shift of behavior as he moves my hips to grind against his.

"Wrong," I manage to sigh, stopping him as I place my hand against his chest. "I will be the one to take you." I kiss him, silencing whatever next snarky comment was about to come out of his mouth, as he returns to moving my hips again. You're losing control, Adhira. I pull away from his lips, moving my way towards his neck before pushing myself up. "Off," I command, pulling at his shirt, cursing myself for how breathless my voice sounds. "Yes ma'am," Cato smirks, leaning up slightly, keeping me steady with his left hand as he reaches back with his right and pulls it off. I press my hands to his chest, pushing him back down on the sofa. I run my hands across the hard planes of his chest, Cato's eyes flashing green as he watches me explore. I lean in again, both of our lips meeting with equal hunger as we move together. I move my right hand all the way down his chest and lower. "Adhi," he grunts as I hold him. Cato makes a breathless sound as I apply pressure with my palm to his length.

Suddenly, Cato's hand comes around my neck, his eyes turning entirely black, the green I've come to find comforting disappearing entirely. "Cato?" I ask, his grasps tightening.

"I thought he would never let his mental shield down," I hear a male voice say. Tearing my eyes away from Cato, or rather a shell of Cato, I look up to see a familiar male walk out of the shadow of my bathroom. "Darcel," I growl, barely able to form the words with Cato's hands around my neck. Darcel notices as he points towards Cato and says "he's conscious, he's just not in control of his actions right now."

"Really?" I breathe sarcastically as Darcel makes his way towards the hanging chair and plops himself down. "And here I just thought he was just really into breathplay," the words come out raspy.

"Probably," he smirks. "It would be a beautiful thing," his voice shifts, the red of his eyes growing. "Having Cato kill you." I shudder. "Think about it," Darcel raises his eyebrows. "I mean he is completely under my control and yet entirely conscious of his actions at the same time. All it would take is a snap of my fingers and..."

"What do you want, Darcel?" I interrupt, refusing to show weakness.

"I like you," he states, leaning back in the chair as he strokes his beard. "You have... spirit," he enunciates the word, reminding me of the not so long ago incident with Manisha. "I will offer you a deal."

"I don't want anything from you," I snarl.

"You're wrong," his eyes narrow. "Naturally you must die."

"Naturally," I repeat.

"But I am willing to allow you to save Cato from the heart wrenching pain of killing you himself. I mean think about how often that memory would replay in his mind. The feeling of helplessness... as he crushed your neck with his hands—

"What's the catch," I interrupt him, refusing to think about what that would do to him. Darcel pushes himself up from the chair, walking towards me.

"You come with me," he smiles wickedly as Cato directs my head to look at him. "Now of course this is a more painful death," he chuckles.

"Well of course, we wouldn't want it to be unceremonious," I growl.

"Exactly," Darcel smiles. "Besides, perhaps Cato will even be able to save you before your pitiful life comes to an end," he pauses. "Although I doubt it, especially without that sister of his." I still.

"His sister?" I mumble the words.

"Najiba," Darcel begins, answering my unasked question. "Yeah, she's dead." My blood runs cold.

"No," I breathe.

"Mm, yes," Darcel hums with satisfaction. "It was disappointingly quick too for all the trouble she's given us." My heart is beating a mile a minute as his words try to sink in. "Adhira," Darcel snaps his hands in front of my face, bringing me back to the present. "I need an answer, my dear. We don't have all day."

"Take me," I mumble, feeling numb. "Just leave Cato out of this."

"For now, Princess," Darcel smiles, bowing unceremoniously before bringing his hand to my head. Darcel's eyes, glowing red, is the last thing I see before darkness takes over.

                                                    - T H E    E N D -

________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you everyone for reading Viridian! It WILL be continued, I have already started the second book: it will be called Scarlet in honor of Najiba (RIP). Anyways, thank you all again for following me along this journey, and believe me when I say there is SOOOOOO Much more to come. Love you all

 - Nicole Winters