The Queen of Ash and Flame

Chapter Seventeen

Hey guys! This is this weeks' update! Hope you like it!

-----

It had been an hour or two since that last encounter with Lucian, and I was still recovering. Still trying to figure out what had happened. Why was he so interested in me? Why did he keep on bothering me with his stupid games? Did he really want me or did he just want to mess with me?

Somewhere deep inside me my stomach turned at the thought of him pulling back my hair, grabbing my neck, forcing me to look at him. What are you thinking? He's the god forsaken enemy!

I shook my head slightly and grabbed another flute of amber liquide. The maple tasting stuff burned my throat as I swallowed. This was my fifth glass of the night, making my head a bit fuzzy.

I decided to go out into the night to get some chill night air. I sucked in a hard breath and started walking. I walked until the music and the mumbling of the crowd disappeared from earshot.

I sat down and looked into the dark sky, the full moon visible above me. I tilted my head back and let out a breath. My posture deflates from it's usual stature.

My red dress flowed around me, making me look like I was laying in a pile of fire.

I closed my eyes and mumbled, "I'll get you two back, whatever it takes. I promise." A tear slipped from my eye and ran down my powdered face. My breath was shaking as I sucked in another breath.

"Hey pretty lady," a slurred voice said. I whipped my head around to face a tall lanky man. He was holding a glass of wine in his off hand.

As he stepped closer the smell hit me, the choking scent of alcohol. I tried to breathe through my mouth to not smell the stench but something burned my throat.

He stepped ever closer, stepping into the moonlight. He was from the party, he was one of the men Lucian was talking to before... our interaction. He had a beard pepper spotted white in the black. Wrinkles on his forehead from scowling and squinting, but none by his eyes or mouth. He didn't look like a friendly nor caring person.

"Hello," I said quietly. He walked closer and I got up, for every step he took forward I countered him with one back.

"Why you running, baby?" he said, smiling. His smile looked like he was a lion looking down at a mouse.

"Please leave me alone."

"Come here," he lunged at me and grabbed my wrist. The wine I had drunk earlier blocked my full ability to think. He yanked me forward, I tripped over the hem of my dress and fell to my knees.

He pushed me forwards and I ended up landing on my back, him on top of me. He pinned my arms to my side and leaned down. The smell of wine drowning me, I choked out a breath and tried to squirm.

"Please get off!" I shouted, I wanted to move. I wanted to fight. But my arms were jelly, my brain gone to shit.

"Hush baby," he slurred. "Let me smell you."

I screamed again, his head at the nape of my neck. Tears were now streaming down my face, like the waterfall I had been sitting at a couple hours ago.

"Please..." I pleaded again and again. But he wouldn't listen. I now couldn't see the features of the man above me, he was only a blurred shape from my crying.

"You taste so nice," he licked my cheek. I was disgusted by him.

All of a sudden the weight of the man was thrown off of me, the smell of wine clearing my nose.

I turned over to my side and heaved in a huge breath. I sobbed as my hands gripped the grass, dirt caking my finger nails. I heard muffled shouting, I turned my head towards the sound and saw two forms. A smaller, much lankier one under the larger and stronger one.

I thought I heard something through the chaos, "She's mine," but I must have been imagining it.

"Please... I didn't do anything...she came onto me first!" Then everything went quiet. I was sobbing so hard that I couldn't get in a proper breath, my hands were shaking.

I felt some pick me up and I started to squirm, thinking it was the creepy man from before.

"Please! Just leave me alone!" I shouted.

"Hey, Natallia it's me," I stilled at the deep voice. The voice I would remember for forever. Lucian's voice. The shaking in my hands became only a tremble. My breaths became more regular.

I turned into the chest of my savior, "H-he..." I started to speak but I couldn't finnish it.

"I know, I know," he pulled my head in. Stroking my hair with his thumb. "But he's gone, he won't bother you again, I promise."

He started to move, his steps bouncing me rhythmically calming my breathing. My vision was blurred, but I couldn't see anyways because I was faced towards Lucian's chest.

I was embraced by warmth and light as we entered the castle once more. The chatter of people overwhelmed me, I sank deeper into his chest. And suddenly the voices were cut off, like I was hearing them through a window, mumbled and quiet.

I looked up at his face and saw his jaw clenched, but the way he was holding me like he would never let me go.

He looked down and saw me looking at him, "What's wrong?" he asked.

"How did everything go quiet?" I asked quietly.

He chuckled, "I threw a shadow shield over us to mute the sounds."

I mumbled into his chest, and nuzzled down.

He continued to walk, I was lulled to sleep by the rhythmic bouncing. 

-------

Hope you liked this chapter!