The Emery Chronicles: The Red King's Romance (THIRD BOOK)

Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen- Jealousy

The party became quickly lively and loud as the nymphs danced to the raucous music. They were everywhere: on tabletops, near the center fire. It was pure madness, but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

Amidst the joy sat the sullen Red King, watching the engagement grow and fester into an insane party. He felt no joy in watching everyone's happiness; he was simply apathetic. All of these people were celebrating for him, being happy for him. The way he saw it, there was enough happiness without him being added into it.

He had been looking around for Edom, but the advisor was nowhere to be seen; probably off between his wench's legs again. Roux sat back and tried to enjoy the happiness and the dancing, but he felt irritable and uncomfortable. And that's when Carmine made her way to the dance floor.

She was holding the hand of a large, handsome nymph boy, leading him to the exact center of the dancers. She turned to catch Roux's eye, making sure he saw everything. Roux tried to keep his face expressionless, but he could feel his hand instinctively tighten into a fist with anger.

Carmine looked up at the handsome nymph, smirking, and began to dance with him. It was a slow, sensuous dance with a lot of grinding. Roux's knuckles turned white as he continued to tighten his fists while watching them. The boy's hands were on Carmine's hips, guiding their rolls and twists. Carmine stretched her arms out and wrapped them around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair and letting her eyes roll back dreamily. Without thinking, Roux slammed his fist into the table, shaking it violently. Those nearest him looked at him questioningly, Loral raising her eyebrows. Carmine had noticed as well, but it only made her smirk wider.

Roux leaned over to Loral, making sure Carmine could see, and whispered in her ear, "Is it alright if I am excused?" Loral nodded, her eyes still inquisitive. Roux gave what he hoped was a reassuring grin and prepared to stand up. Thinking quickly, he pecked Loral's cheek before standing abruptly and leaving, knowing Carmine had seen their heads together as they whispered and the kiss on Loral's cheek. It wasn't grinding, but Roux felt successful.

Without turning to look at Carmine, Roux made his way out of the party and into the forests, grabbing a lantern before trudging through the thick foliage. He made his way to the river and then followed it to the tree where he kept his materials. He checked to make sure it was the right tree, the one with a knobby circular center and an R carved into it. When he spotted the R, Roux went ahead and hung the lantern on a branch so it could light the tree properly, then placed his hand on the trunk as he'd done before. The tree slowly began to unwind until his paints and canvas were visible inside. He reached in and grabbed the materials, the tree closing up after he was done.

Roux set up his canvas right under the tree so that the light from the lantern and the moon combined would shine onto it. He slowly began to paint, feeling his muscles relax slightly and unwind like the tree had done when he touched it. Painting was always his cure. Roux mixed the powdered herbs Carmine had given him last time with his paint and began to stroke the mesmerizing red onto the canvas.

He painted for sometime, lost in his musings, before he heard a rustle behind him. He didn't have to turn around to know it was Carmine.

"It looks beautiful," she whispered, staring at the painting.

"It does," Roux agreed, admiring the luscious red he had finally found. He turned his head to look at her now, raising his eyebrows questioningly. "You're not busy with your friend?"

"Who? August? He isn't my friend," she told him, her arms crossed over her chest.

"You seemed to be pretty friendly with him," he replied ruefully, his words a bit scathing.

"I'm comfortable with him," Carmine provoked his jealousy now that she saw it burning in his eyes. "He was my first time."

"Your first time?" Roux's words were biting, and he stood up to mimic her posture with crossed arms.

"My first love-making." Carmine seemed to say as if she were clarifying. "He was rather nice at it, and he's been following me around ever since to get back between my legs. Something's stopped me from letting him."

At this point, Roux began to slowly walk toward her, very slowly. He uncrossed his arms and brought his hands up to cup her face. He brought his lips down onto hers, savoring the flavor of autumn on her lips and the smell of it in her hair. Their lips seemed to create a crackle of sparks between them, as if rejoicing at finally being united.

They slowly pulled apart, and Carmine whispered, "So you don't think I should go back to August?"

"I'm going to make you forget all about August." Roux whispered into her ear before lightly kissing her temple. His hands traveled down to her waist, enjoying their curvy journey, and he quickly picked her up and laid her down onto the soft grass ground in one swift move. Carmine squealed and giggled at the sudden shift in her position, looking up at Roux hungrily as she lay beneath him. "You said he was rather nice?"

"Actually he went too fast and didn't know where to put his hands," Carmine smirked. Roux smirked back, his normally honey-sweet eyes becoming murky with desire. It was as if an animal had taken over him. The kiss they'd both longed for had awakened a beast in him, and he let it totally consume him.

Roux moved his hands to her shoulders and began to pull her sleeves down, his eyes remaining locked with hers. Once the dress was pulled down far enough, Carmine lifted her arms out of the sleeves so the dress only covered her from her waistline down, her breasts exposed in the moonlight. Roux eyed them, his eyes drinking in the sight he'd dreamt of since he saw her soaked in the river. Roux slowly dipped his fingers into the red paint. He then used his index finger to paint a line starting from the center of Carmine's chest down to her belly button. His tracing was slow, the paint cool on Carmine's hot skin. These elements combined to send shivers all over her body, and she had to close her eyes and suck in her breath. Roux finished the line down her stomach and made his way back up, caressing her neck while leaving behind his rosy trail.

Carmine seemed to be completely under his spell, her body aching to be with his. She had her fingers dug into the grass, clutching it as if holding on for dear life. Roux bent down and, starting from her belly button, kissed his way up his trail to her lips. Every contact with her skin sent another jolt through her, and when he finally reached her lips, Carmine hungrily kissed him back.

She detached her hands from the grass to grab his hair and push his face further onto hers, thirsting for his kisses. Then her hands made their way to his shirt and ripped it open, exploring the perfectly chiseled body hidden underneath.

Roux pushed her off and sat up. He quickly threw what remained of his shirt off and bent back down over her, lifting her up slightly off the ground so his arms wrapped around her waist. He pushed her dress that was still wrapped around her middle upwards and opened her legs so he could fit between them. Expertly, he undid his trousers while still kissing Carmine feverishly, as if they would perish if they didn't kiss.

Carmine rolled her head back and sighed slowly as Roux left a trail of kisses up and down her neck. When she rolled her head back up, Roux entered her, and kissed her to mask her cry of passion. He rolled in and out of her, finally fulfilling what they'd both been craving. Neither of them had ever felt this way with anyone else: as if they'd been wandering in a desert and had finally found their oasis.

Once they had both finished, Roux rolled over to his side and looked at her. The lantern light shined dimly over her, and the yellow tint from it mixed with the pure moonlight made Carmine look more beautiful than she ever had before. She looked over at him and smiled a sweet, tired smile, then curled up in his arms.

"I suppose I'll have to try sleeping under the stars tonight?" Roux told her, reminding them of the conversation they'd shared that day he was painting. The day he realized he was in love with her.

"I'm telling you, it's the best." Roux could feel her smiling cheeks press against his warm, bare chest. He could feel both their hearts beat together, matching and synchronizing.

He also smiled, saying, "I think you're right."