M. Thomas - Golden Erotic Tales Volume one

“May I pick you up?” Xavier asked.

“Go ahead,” Lela said, standing.

He scooped her up and walked to the window.

“I shall return to you soon,” he said to Zel.

Zel clapped and grinned as if she was a little girl having just been given a doll.

Lela was jealous of Xavier and Zel. They were in love and free.

In the next second, Xavier went out the window with her in his arms. Down they fell.

“We’ll die,” she yelled.

“Hold on tight,” he said.

Down, down they continued to fall.

And just when she thought they would surely hit the ground, he spread his wings and flew high into the air.

“Did you mean to scare me?” she asked.

“Maybe a little,” he said.

“You’re a funny, funny man.”

“I may never see you again. I wanted to give you one more thrill.” He winked.

She flushed and said nothing more.

Moments later, they were back in Barmoth. She looked down at the familiar forest and could see the riverbank on which she had first met Xavier.

“Leave me in the place we met,” she said.

He nodded and descended.

Once they were standing on the ground, he took her hand and placed it on the cross on his chest.

“I’m not ashamed of it,” he said.

“What will you and Zel do now?” she asked.

“I’m going to marry her. She will become the princess of the Kingdom of the Lost. And I will love her for all eternity.”

His words crushed her. Not because she wished he meant them for her but because her thoughts were on Eldrich.

“He will forgive you,” he said, kissing her hand.

Tears streamed down her face. “I don’t think he will.”

“Have faith in your love.”

“Thank you for bringing me home.”

“Thank you for saving her…for helping me,” he said.

“Goodbye,” she said.

“Until we meet again,” he said and took flight.

Lela closed the door behind her and slid to the floor. She wanted to find Eldrich’s resting place and wake him even if it meant risking her life. She wanted to hug him, kiss him, and tell him she loved him and that she needed his forgiveness.

If he refused her, she’d go back to her father with a shattered heart. There were so many things she didn’t know about the world and despite what she had learned in the past few weeks, she felt like an infant learning how to walk. No matter, she knew she loved Eldrich with all her soul. And she couldn’t stand the thought of him rejecting her.

She lit a few sconces around the house and then sat down on the steps. The sun set and she remained on the steps, her throat threatening to close, sweat trickling down her upper back.

“What are you doing here?” Eldrich asked.

Lela looked at him and started immediately crying. “Forgive me.”

“You shouldn’t have come here,” he said, his eyes cold and empty.

“Do you still love me?” she asked.

He turned her from her.

“If you tell me you no longer love me, I will leave and never bother you again.”

The seconds passed. Please tell me you love me. Hate me for what I did. But tell me you love me.

“Do you know how painful it was to know you were with him…letting him touch you, kiss you, my heart is broken.”

“Zel was going to die if I didn’t lie with him,” Lela said, putting her hand on his back. “Imagine how you’d feel if I died.”

He stepped forward. “You should have let her die!”

“You can’t mean that.”

“Did you enjoy it?”

“Eldrich, please, I love you.”

“Answer me. You owe me the truth.”

“I thought of you.”

“I hunted last night,” he said, facing her. “I killed last night.”

“I don’t want to hear this.”

“And do you think I care what you want? I no longer care about you.”

“I’ll leave,” she said, making for the door.

He grabbed her hand and brought her close to him. “I still love you. Damn my soul, I love you.”

“Forgive me,” she said, throwing her arms around him.

“I can’t be without you,” he said, kissing her.

She kissed him back, forcefully.

“Don’t ever leave me again,” she said.

“I didn’t leave you.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Do you really think I would ever abandon you? I waited outside until the sun began to rise. I had to make sure you were all right.”

A thought came to Lela’s mind. He must have run into Zel. No, no, they couldn’t have!

“I talked to Zel,” he said.

She was going to most definitely faint.

“She told me everything.”

“Did you-”

“Of course not. I’m yours, and only yours.”

Blood returned to her brain.

“If you had…I’d have no right to confront you about it.”

“But I didn’t. I hate that you spent the night away from me with another man. I hate it…but I know why you did it.”

“Let’s never speak of it,” she said.

“Will you stay with me?” he asked.

“Forever,” she said. She didn’t know if they would ever truly get past this but she prayed they would.

He picked her up and carried her up the stairs. “I shall erase all memory of him.”

“Yes, my love, I beg you.”

He threw her on the bed and took off his clothes.

She removed the cloak Zel had let her have.

He came down on her and wasted no time thrusting into her.

“To whom do you belong?” he asked.

“Only to you,” she said.

As he plunged harder into her, all thoughts of her night with Xavier drifted to the back of her mind. Yes, she had enjoyed her time with him but she did not love him. The man she loved was inside of her and oh, how she had missed him. Sweet prince of mine, my love, my everything, take all of me.

Eldrich brought his fangs to her neck and she cried out, “Drink from me, do it.”

In ecstasy, one thought from the night before broke through to the forefront of her mind. She was embarrassed but could not deny that yes, it was on her mind. The squash.

“I know about it,” he whispered into her ear.

She had actually said the word out loud! Sweet Gods.

“I’m sorry.”

He laughed. “We can try other vegetables if you want, just not squash,” he said.

She laughed. “Oh Eldrich, I adore you.”

She knew all was well and they were in love and free. And there were many other vegetables with which they could play.

It was early morning. The night’s storm had brought down trees and overflowed the river, leaving behind disturbed habitats and an eerie stillness in the air. Lela trudged through the forest on her way to the castle. It had been two months since she had seen her father.

She had thought about him every day and panged to see him, throw her arms around him and yes, ask him why he hadn’t sent any of his men to look for her after she ran away to live with Eldrich. Although she was the one who left and chose not to come back, she couldn’t help feeling like an abandoned child. No matter, she pressed on and prayed the storm had passed over the castle without incident.

Oh how she missed the energy of the castle, the servants gossiping and laughing, the aroma coming from the kitchen, dogs barking, and her talks with Lady Rema, her handmaiden, the comings and goings of visitors from other kingdoms…she missed it all.

Before Eldrich had disappeared into his sleeping hiding place for the day, she had told him she was going to go back to the castle to see her father and make sure no harm had come to him or anyone else.

The storm had ripped off part of the roof from Eldrich’s house and knocked down several trees, one of which scarcely missed hitting the house. She and Eldrich had spent the night pretending not to be worried, playing cards, telling jokes and talking about their lives together and how happy they were to have found each other. He had asked her more than once yet again if she would stay with him forever. His constant need for reassurance was instilling doubt in her. She was completely in love with him and she was sure he was with her but him asking her the same question made her think he was really afraid she would leave him. She made a mental note to ask him to stop or at the very least limit his questioning to only once per week, a thought that made her chuckle. For goodness sake, here she was in love with a clingy vampire.