Beasts of Flames

Chapter Nineteen

"Gavin, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak with Lyda," Kellen said courteously, "alone."

    Gavin's eyes wandered between the prince and me, seeming wary of Kellen's intentions. He walked back over to me, holding my hand tightly, whispering in my ear,

    "I'll be right next door. If you need me, call me through your mind."

    I nodded, placing my hand on top of his reassuringly. We shared one last look before he left Kellen and me alone, fiery cold tension our only companion. The silence brought about by Gavin's absence was deafening. I felt my stomach crawl to my throat, and I swallowed over and over trying to force it down. My hands shook, controlled by my nerves that almost reveled in their anxiousness. I clasped my hands together, my grip so tightly that my fingers turned white.

    Bury it. Bury it deep down inside, I told myself. I couldn't let Kellen see I was eating away at myself from the inside. I would make the first move.

    "Lying about knowing me, Prince Kellen," I spoke, commanding his attention as I stood, "not very princely of you."

    Kellen said nothing, prowling past me like I did not exist, and he stretched out on the chaise. Lounging lazily, he cockily flexed his arms behind his head and fluttered his eyes closed, still ignoring my existence.

"Are you going to ignore me this whole time?"

    Kellen said nothing, again. He simply crossed his legs and kept up his childish act. He was the one who wanted to talk and now, he won't speak. Well, I was not about to let him play his stupid games with me.

    I stormed across the room to the bedside dresser. Picking up a hairbrush, I launched it at his head with all of the strength I could muster. The gold-plated back of the brush was propelling towards Kellen's head. A loud thud resonated through the room, his eyes flung open to observe the brush firmly gripped in his palm.

Within seconds, he was at my throat, moving too quickly for me to realize what was happening. He threw me back with his hand around my throat, and my thighs bumped into the dresser behind me, pinning my body against his. His hand on my throat gripped me tighter, and the other pressed into the wall, the only thing keeping him from crashing into me. Looking at him through my lashes, Kellen's face, centimeters from my own, was filled with icy rage. His breath raggedly assaulted my neck, heating the pain of his grasp. He ground his jaw, letting out a low growl, as his dark eyes roamed over my face.

I should have been afraid, should have feared for my life beneath this fae's grip. Something in me shouted to scream, to cry, to say anything to escape, but I shut out those thoughts. I stared into death's cold gaze, challenging him to finish it, showing him he held no power over me.

"Try that again, little dragon, and I won't hesitate to tear out your throat," Kellen uttered savagely, releasing his grip and stalking to the other side of the room. I rubbed my neck, gently massaging where the pads of his fingers had bruised the skin.

"Well, maybe, if you had answered me, then I wouldn't of had to resolve to violence," I huffed back, choking down another breath.

"It's been a very, long day for me, little dragon. It was your fault for pushing my patience."

"My fault-"

"Oh just shut up for one second. Your voice is truly agonizing to hear right now," Kellen grumbled, rubbing small circles on his temples, "Now, sit down and behave so we can have an adult conversation. You have had one of those before, haven't you?"

I was thoroughly pissed off now.

"You have no right to patronize me! You're an entitled arrogant bastard just like every other royal dick," I spat back.