Second Star to the Right; Book 3 in Love is Weakness, (Carlos De Vil) Series

My Dark Princess

"Please! Fine, fine! I'll go with you, Hart. I will. Let her go, and we can be evil and rule over Auradon. Just don't hurt her, or anyone else." Carlos pled, defeated.

Raven was given back her air, but not her voice. She gasped, taking in a long breath.

"I don't believe you... " Hartley muttered, almost sadly, "You have to tell me, you love me. I need to hear it. You have to promise yourself to me."

"Hartley." Carlos sighed, with every bit of pretense he could muster. "You win, okay?" He uttered. "You already know that I love you! I've always loved you. I could learn to love you like, I did before. I just didn't want to admit that to you. I guess my ego couldn't handle it. And, I can live with being your Prince...it actually doesn't sound so bad. If I'm finally being honest, it sounds...kind of like a dream." He spoke softly, placing his hand on her pale cheek.

"And, the Pixie?" She pressed.

"Let her keep her head. Her beauty could never even come close to yours. And, every time she looks in the mirror, she'll be reminded of that, and how I chose you. I'll get over my infatuation, eventually. You were right, you know? I always knew that she'd seduced me with magic, even from the very beginning. I'm sorry--I was weak. I didn't want to face that it wasn't real. But soon, she'll be nothing to me, and I promise myself to you." Expressed Carlos, sacrificing himself to save them all.

Hartley looked suspicious, but he could see a spark of hope in her eyes at his words.

"Please... let me prove it to you," Carlos whispered feigning seduction, his thumb caressing her cheek. "My, dark Princess."

"No!" Through tears, Raven mouthed the word.

Carlos brought Hartley's face to his lips, and gave her a chaste kiss that grew more fervent as the feelings inside him swelled. He brought his love for Raven, his fear of losing his friends, the past hurt caused by his mother, and the heartbreak and feelings of betrayal and hatred toward Hartley-- into the passion of the kiss.

Carlos was trying with everything he had, to convince her that he was telling the truth.

Hartley was taken aback by the ferocity of his passion, and she began to surrender, allowing him to push her against a tree. They kissed roughly and through hard breaths, for what seemed like an eternity, until both were dizzy. Carlos, then took his opportunity to act.

He quickly broke the kiss and used the tree as leverage to kick himself away, after triggering a mechanism he'd built beneath it-- as a trap. The trigger released a small electric shock, that incapacitated the Princess. Hartley fell to the ground, unconscious. Carlos took the scepter from her grasp and Raven was released.

"Raven!" Cried Carlos, as he ran to her.

"Carlos! Is she...?" Asked Raven.

"No, she's just injured. The shock wasn't strong enough to cause any serious damage." Carlos replied.

Now that Raven was okay, he was going to kill her.

Carlos grabbed her shoulders forcefully but not painfully.

"Why did you come here? You stubborn, ridiculous, spiteful little... "

Raven cut him off with a relieved kiss. Carlos pulled out of it abruptly and shook his head.

"No... no! You don't get to just kiss me and all is forgiven. She could've killed... " he looked into the girl's eyes for a split second... "Oh, screw it!" Carlos gave in. He took Raven's face and pulled her back in, giving thanks to her lips as he was elated to be away from Hartley.