One Eternal Ember

Chapter 13

A cold sweat drenches my skin, and pain seizes my brain. I sit up flinging my back off the mattress, and remove the covers. My breathing comes in rapid breaths, and I glance at my palms to find them clean. I run my hands through my hair, calming the utter panic I feel. I slide off the large bed, and grab a white silk robe. I frown at everything being silk, but don't complain due to its utter comfort. I find a pair of fur lined slippers next to the door, and slip my feet into them silently. The fur greets my cold feet and I release a tight breath. My heart still beats faster than a jack rabbit, but I can think rationally now. Curiosity pricks my brain as I unlock the hatch, and open the door. I peek my head out and look around to find no one. A smile plays on my lips as I slip out of my quarters. The memory of Delano's voice rings through my head, and I push it away. I'm not going far, I'm only going down the hall to the balcony. I need to feel the ocean breeze.

I stalk down the corridor silently, and reach the balcony at least fifty feet past my room. I step out onto the balcony, and look out to the ocean, inhaling the salty summer breeze. I close my eyes, and wrap my robe around me tighter. The scent of the waves bring memories of home forward, and I push them back into the box they came from, and lock them away. A dark wind kisses my calves, and I open my eyes. I glance down to find nothing. My shoulders instinctively tense, and I turn around slowly. A pair of pale blue eyes stare back at me from inside the corridor. I try to calm my beating heart, but fail drastically. Alarm bells ring in my head, and I fight to gain control of my own mind.

"Hello little monster." A rich deep voice rumbles from the darkness, sending goose bumps over my skin. I finally gain control of my beating heart, and stand up straight.

"Didn't you ever hear stalking is incredibly rude?" I respond flatly, a scratch to my voice that wasn't there before. The eyes continue to glance at me, and finally move out of the darkness. Shock and curiosity fills me as I take in who the eyes belong too.

"You?" Is all I can think to say, as the Prince stands before me. Clad in dark leather, and a black silk cape. His moon hair shines in the moonlight, his eyes dancing with danger.

"Me." Is all he says as he stops, and leans on the entrance to the balcony. He glances at me as if he can read my thoughts, which only unnerves me more. Why is he here? I get he lives here but, this Castle is huge. There's no way he could unintentionally be on the same balcony as me, when there's at least ten other ones. I narrow my eyes on him, as the realization hits me. He's been looking for me. I cross my arms over my chest, but why?

"Didn't the Captain tell you to stay in your quarters, Beastie?"

I glare at him, and stand up straight, pulling my shoulders back. "And if he did?"

A smile plays on his lips, and he tilts his face to the moon. The light casts along his jaw, and down his throat brightening his terrifying eyes, and sharpening his cheekbones. He was a terrifyingly beautiful man. He then looks back down at me. "If he didn't I have a feeling you would still be asleep, Little Beast."

I glare at him in the moonlight, as a warm breeze kicks up from the sea pulling the scent of salt and spring towards me, kissing my shoulders. "What is your point?"

He smiles, the moonlight dancing off his straight white teeth. "My point.." He pauses and stalks towards me like a predator stalking prey, then stops an arms length away from me. He glances down to my red nightgown, my smooth shoulders, and long graceful neck. "Is while our charming Captain warned you to stay in your room, here you are." His nostrils flare, and eyes pierce my soul. "Somehow, I'm unsurprised you didn't listen."

"Don't talk about me as if you know me."

He says nothing. He just stands there, studying me in silence. A slow smile appearing on his face showing two dimples on his cheeks. I cant tell if he's mocking me, or hinting at something deeper. I'm not about to dig into any of that tonight. Or any night for that matter.

I cock my head to the side, a predatory instinct that dwelled inside me coming out to play. His eyes light with excitement, as I enhance on him, closing the distance between us. "Am I supposed to be afraid of you? Or threatened?" I flash my teeth, anger rising in me.

His gaze intensifies as he cocks his head to the same side as me, and his smile falters. "How utterly foolish." He then reaches out and twirls a strand of my obsidian hair around his finger. The feeling along my scalp sends chills through me, and goosebumps appear along my arms. The sensation of wind whipping at my calves occurs again, and I refuse to break eye contact. The wind trails up my spine, and lifts my hair around my shoulders. Heat coats my skin, and the air intensifies. Neither of us break eye contact, and I smile. In turn he smiles back at me, which looks full of ice, but somehow still burns.

The cold shadow wind intensifies, and flips my hair over my face. I shake my head, as my locks fall over my shoulders to find him utterly gone. Shock fills me, as I glance around to find silence and nothing once again. I shake my head, and quickly walk back to my rooms, locking the hatch behind me. I throw wood on the fire, and watch the flames rise. Only when the light from the flames fill my room do I slide back into the covers, ditching my robe and slippers. The only thought on my mind is, why do I get myself into problems I can't solve.