The Prince of Darkness is a gentleman

Chapter 13

Let's all just take a moment.
To admire the cover.
It's the US one. Which I prefer because it shows the pattern on her hand. Which Rhys gave her.
I cannot wait. I need it more than the next series of Sherlock. I'm not even kidding.

~ Rhys ~

As we walk up the steps of Tamlin's manor, the doors open by themselves. I had expected a humble servant to come and lead us to wherever Tamlin was, so I was surprised when the High Lord himself came storming out.

"Thank you, for returning her to me." He spits out, before reaching our side and roughly grabbing Feyre by the arm. How. Dare. He. Pulled away from me and against Tamlin's side, Feyre follows pliably, avoiding eye contact with me. She doesn't wrap her arms around him but he takes her face between his two hands and forces her to meet his gaze.

"I've missed you so much." He says softly. She says nothing, just staring deeply back into his eyes, looking for what I know she has lost.

Her rejection has torn me apart, even though I know she knows what we are. I put my true feelings on the line, but she refuses to accept the inevitability of the bond. I'm unsure of myself- does she not want me? Does she wish her mate was someone else? Tamlin? Does she still love him? Well of course she does, she sacrificed everything for him. Feyre had only known me as a cruel enemy of her lover until the week we just shared together.

I know that she is attracted to me. I refuse to look into her thoughts, but I can smell her desire for me dancing along the air from her skin whenever she is near. I've kept her close to me as much as possible so she can learn everything about me. We were becoming good friends. Until she smelt the truth on me. The bond, mates, forever, happiness, love. Will it be awkward between us? I can't help but desperately hope she finds out what she wants soon.

"I've missed you too." She tells Tamlin, but I know it's a lie. She was at peace at Night and I can already feel her emotions intensifying now she has returned to Spring. In Night, you can let go of your inhibitions, be whoever you want be be. Night knows that secrets hide deeper than skin, so what face you wear doesn't make a difference. But her stress could be from her short experience with the mating bond, I suppose.

But now for the awkward part. The part I was dreading.
"Tamlin, I need to speak to you in private." I say to the High Lord in question. Feyre narrows her eyes at me, probably thinking I was going to tell him we're mates.
I won't, I reassure her. It's something else.

Tamlin laughs loudly.
"Something you can't say in front of my darling Feyre?" He asks. I grind my teeth together before directing a slow dangerous smile towards him. I'm doing him a favour.
"I can if that is what you wish." I say threateningly, with a smirk. "You probably wouldn't like that though." His eyes narrow, he doesn't know what it is so he doesn't know if I'm bluffing. Will he risk it?

"Come with me. Feyre, go settle back into your rooms." I hide my fury at his audacity of ordering Feyre around like she was his property. She follows the order, to my disappointment, and I then follow Tamlin into a lavishly decorated drawing room. It has draped walls, which still manage to capture the light, and golden accents everywhere. It is undoubtedly the embodiment of Spring.

"What is this about then?" He asks, now not even attempting to hide the loathing in his eyes.
"My Calanmai is on the day I would usually take Feyre back. I'll be taking her another week later than planned and she'll be staying with me for an extra week to compensate. She'll be here for a whole month and then at my Court for a fortnight." I loathe discussing her as property but I don't want Tamlin to be suspicious.

He brings up an important question.
"Why did Feyre have to leave for me to tell you that?"
"She didn't. I'll tell her once we're done here."
"And why are we here?" He snaps. I take a deep breath.
"You need to place extra security measures in place on the day of my Calanmai."
"Here? At Spring? Why?"
"I worry that some of my Court have taken an extreme liking to her and wish to force her into being Lady of Night. When my body is taken over, I will pick the Maiden. And they want to set it up to be Feyre. They think spending Calanmai together would be the first step."

His jaw drops to the floor and I worry whether he can see through my poorly crafted lie. I could hardly say the truth.
"They would bring you to the Spring just to get her? That's impossible anyway, no one of power can cross the border without my permission."
"Because of mine and Feyre's deal which allows me to collect her, they may be able to force me over."
"That's serious." He cocks his head to the side and raises an eyebrow. "And you would go straight for Feyre?"
"I'm not sure but it's a possibility." Lies.

He takes deep calculated breath and let's it out slowly. There must be a part of him itching to kill me, he'd have Feyre all to himself then. But that would obviously start a war. Nevertheless, he still can't allow me to traipse into his Court and take his lover so he will probably agree to adding all the security measures necessary.
"Why don't you arrest anyone who wants Feyre as Lady of Night?" He questions. Because it's a lie.
"I have done already, obviously, but I can't be sure we have all and it's better to be safe than... Well."
"Okay. I'll organise extra security along the borders, manor, and near her rooms." Interesting, her rooms, not our. They don't sleep together? "And I expect you to do everything in your power to prevent yourself from reaching Feyre."
"I will." I say earnestly, honestly. I nod in respect.

I walk out the room in a daze and pull myself through the shadows following the tether in my stomach which connects me to Feyre. She's sitting on her bed, legs crossed, staring into space.
"I'll be picking you up a week later than usual. You have a full month here. But I'm taking you for two weeks to make up for it." She startles.
"That's what you and Tam talked about?"
"Yeah." I lie. She narrows her eyes and goes to say something but I interrupt before she can.
"Be on your guard."
"What do you mean?"
"The defence moves I taught you? Maybe you can ask Lucien to teach you some more during your time here? I'm sure it'll be beneficial." She rolls her eyes at me.
"Yeah, sure, fine, whatever." I nod and she moves off the bed and walks over to where I stand by the door. "Rhys..." She says.
"No." I interrupt. "You don't need to explain yourself any further, I understand. I hope you think things through during your time here, don't feel rushed. When you choose me, I want you to be 100% certain that I'm who you want. Forever."

I embrace her swiftly and let go just as fast. I can't say any more, I feel emotion choking in my throat and a heavy ball sitting in my stomach. I take one last look into her shining blue eyes before I pull myself through the shadows.

Landing on my bed, I stay lying down. Worry eats away at me. I'm in love with her, I know this, and I truly want her to be certain of her choice when she picks me. I don't think she is yet, which is why we can't be together for Calanmai. She can't know about the Night Rite, it'll confuse her further as she doesn't know what she wants. The last thing I want is to her to feel obliged to do the Rite with me, just because we're mates.

But I'm worried that when the Rite takes over, and I'm not myself, I won't be able to control my instincts... I can already see how I could chase Feyre down to the ends of the world.

Heyy, I'm sorry that this isn't the best chapter, but I cannot wait to see how the next chapter goes down! I'm still debating what is going to happen...
If you did like this then please let me know :)
And wowww this fanfic hit 2k!! I did not expect anyone to actually look at my writing, but you're all so supportive ;)
I'll try and get another update up soon X