Chapter 2 Rejected

Caira pov

I made my way down the long hall leading up to his personal suites, pausing at the large wooden door in front of me. My life was about to change, and I wasn't sure if it would be for the better or not. Up until this point, the future had seemed so finite. I knew my purpose and that the day would come when I'd be forced to be with a male that I may very well not want to be with. It is my reality and I have accepted it. But now, knowing have been given to Adrian my perception of my future lightened just slightly. I know he doesn't want me, but part of me hopes he will come to change his mind. At least with him, I don't have to leave the only place I'd known as home with a man that Would have treated me horribly. My hand knocked gently on the door and was met with silence. I knocked again harder and heard nothing. I reached for the handle and the door opened, revealing his large room. A huge wooden King bed dominated the space against the center of the largest wall in front of me. I pushed down the anxiety balling tightly in my stomach and stepped inside, closing the door behind me softly. To the right, a study oversized desk sat beside a floor to ceiling window, and to the right was a large balcony, overlooking the castle gardens and lush forest below. I walked over slowly, my hands coming to rest on the handles of the balcony doors before opening them. A gentle breeze blew the deep navy curtains, swirling them behind me as I breathed in deeply, allowing the fresh air to fill my lungs, I closed my eyes and took several calming breaths. I loved the feeling of the wind rushing over me, such freedom. An underlying chill coursed through the air, fall will be here soon. I jumped suddenly as I heard him shut the door behind him. "Im...I'm sorry your highness. I didn't mean to intrude, I'll close the doors." I turned to close the doors behind me but was interrupted. "You may leave them. The air will do me good right now." His voice was strained as he spoke. I took another breath before turning slowly to see him seated on his bed, his forearms resting against the tops of his strong legs. I walked back into the room and moved over to the desk, eyeing the crystal bottle of dark amber liquid. I glanced over my shoulder at him, speaking softly with my head bowed submissively. "Would you like a drink your highness?" He nodded shortly, his eyes remaining forward. I filled a glass and walked over to stand in front of him, holding it out for him to take, my eyes fluttering to the floor as I waited for his acknowledgement. He hesitated and sat straighter before taking the glass and giving a grunt of acknowledgement. I raised my head and slowly fluttered my eyes up to meet his own piercing pale blue gaze staring up at me intently. "You don't have to do that here." His voice was light but firm and I could feel the tension beginning to fade as he took a long sip from his glass. "I'm sorry?" I answered in confusion. "I mean, you don't have to keep looking at the floor while addressing me here." He said and I felt my skin flush slightly, unsure of what to do with his request. I'd never looked at any of the other vampires while addressing them for as long as I could remember, I'd always acted within my station, never breaking from it. The Queen made sure of it. He took another long sip and stood, now only inches in front of me before turning to refill his glass. As he walked toward the desk, my eyes couldn't help but take in his strong figure. His gray dress pants pulled tight against his strong legs as they moved against the fabric. The crisp black button down worked hard to contain his muscular back and shoulders as he poured more liquid into his cup. "Would you like one?" he asked. My eyes widened. I'd never been allowed to have any type of drink before other than water or the festive drinks offered to everyone during seasonal banquets. Never alcohol. We weren't allowed any Indulgences. Without waiting for my answer, he grabbed a second glass and filled it before walking back to sit on the bed. He kept the second glass next to him and took a sip from his glass."Well, are you just going to stand there or are you going to sit down?" My chest tightened and I realized it was time to act my part. I'd been prepared for this. I knew what to do, but something about being that close to him was unnerving. It was as if I'd forgotten everything I'd been taught. I moved to sit next to him before taking the glass into my hands, I lifted it to my nose and inhaled the liquor before taking a sip. It burned gently as it went down, filling my stomach with a growing warmth as I followed it with another slow sip. I liked it. "Thank you." I said quietly. He didn't speak for several moments, slowly draining his glass with every sip. My own had become empty and I stood, my hips swaying as I walked over to the desk to refill my glass. I didn't need to overdo it. My body already felt warm all over, but I needed more to silence the butterflies flapping within me. I turned to look back over my shoulder as I poured, speaking sofly, "Would you like another your highness?" He shook his head and I turned to face him, taking another long sip from my drink, letting the warm liquid fill me. No wonder they didn't let us have this. It was an incredible feeling, I could feel courage beginning to swirl back inside of me. "As I told you, you don't have to do that in here. You can call me Adrian." "Yes your hi…Adrian," I corrected. "My name is..." "I know your name Ciara." He interrupted. "You've been at my mother's side for as long as I can remember." My breath hitched in my throat and I took another sip to try and hide my surprised expression as heat rose up my neck. He'd noticed me all along. Most just ignored us if we weren't doing something for them, I'd brought things to this very room more times than I could count, but never directly to him. Always to his servants. I was pulled out of my thoughts as he growled, "I don't know why she did this.I told her I don't need this, but she insisted. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this, being used by her." My jaw dropped slightly but I quickly shut it. I drank down more of the amber liquid and placed the glass on the bench next to him before standing in front of him. His eyes cut up to meet mine and my heart skipped, feeling his intense gaze staring into mine. His chiseled face was calm and his brows were furrowed into a scowl I'd seen many times before. His sharp jaw was rough with stubble and his full lips were pressed into a tight line. I dipped my fingers into the fabric at my hip, fishing out a small metal skeleton key, kneeling in front of him slowly and looking up at him through my lashes. "This key and everything it holds with it now belong to you. Please, take it." "You can keep it," he said, shaking his head. I gave him a questioning look. "Your highness, I can't keep my own key.That's not how this works." "I say how this works, Ciara." He said firmly. I waited, unsure of what to do and gripped the key tightly in my hand. Nerves began to build inside of me and I muttered, "Do I not please you? Do you not want me?" My eyes closed for a moment, grounding myself in the cold feeling of the stone tile beneath my feet as heat coursed through my body from the alcohol. He let out a sigh and leaned back onto the edge of bed, his hands over his face. "It's not that, you're gorgeous. It's just..." I moved instinctively, my hands reaching out to touch his strong legs in front of me, grazing slowly up his thighs. His words stopped short, his body tensing under my touch, but he didn't move to push me away. I stood and leaned forward, hovering over him as my legs move to either side of him, straddling his hips, my hands slowly moved to rest against his chest. His own pulse increased and I was thrilled to see him finally responding to me. My hands moved inch by inch down his body before tucking under the hem of his shirt to touch his rippling abs with a feather light touch. He shuddered against me and leaned forward, his arms gripping my thighs securely around him, his piercing blue gaze was swirling darker with desire and I felt heat ignite inside of me. My skin felt like it was on fire beneath his strong hands. I moved my hands to rest on top of his, but my breath caught as his begin to move on their own, slow and intentional up my thighs. I looked down and a small smile crept across my lips as I saw his manhood pressing against the confines of his pants. His hands stopped to rest at my hips, locking around the metal barrier that's grown to become a part of me. His eyes went cold in an instant and he lifted me off of him as if I was weightless, planting me on the bed before flashing over to the balcony. "Wh-why did you stop?" I asked, trying to regain normal breathing. He glared hard at the window and I caught his reflection as his voice rumbled slowly. "I dont want any of this." "Well your body seems to think otherwise." I said lightly. I took several steps toward him and paused before placing my hand on his shoulder. It tensed under my palm, but he did not try to remove it. "Adrian, tell me how to please you, I can be anything you want. Just tell me." "No" His jaw was clenched tight and he gritted the words out through his teeth. My heart panged at his change in demeanor. I thought I'd broken through, but he didn't want me. I had one job, one purpose that I'd been prepared for my entire life, and I was failing miserably at it. "Im sorry. Do I not satisfy you? Am I not what you want then?" I could feel the ache beginning to Consume me inside.What do I do now? How can I fail at the one thing I'm supposed to do? He turned to face me, scowling in frustration. "It has nothing to do with you, or what I think of you Ciara. I won't be with a woman who's been forced to be with me." My eyes widen and I stepped closer to him. "You're not forcing me to be with you." His eyebrows rose and he let out a tight laugh. "Were you or were you not commanded to be with me?" I paused and nodded slowly."Yes, I was, but I am perfectly willing. I've known my place my whole life. I knew what she was preparing me for." He raked a hand through his hair, anger flashing into his eyes as he stared at me. "Exactly! You came here so young, how could you fight against it? It makes me sick that she thought I'd want this. I'd never want this." The last word dripped in disgust as it left his mouth. I backed away, my eyes locking onto his before turning to face the door in an attempt to conceal my pained expression. "I'm sorry, but I am not permitted to go back to her services. I'm yours now, and you may do with me as you see fit. But I am not allowed to keep this, that was the one condition given." I placed the key down on the bed before making my way out of the room. I could hear him call my name but I couldn't stop. The ache inside of me was growing and I had to get out of there before I fell apart. He didn't want me. How could he not want me? What was I going to do now?