“Servant!” he roared, his nostril's flaring.

Arianna gently tugged on her arm, but his fingers tightened until the skin nearly pinched. The servant who served the tea came rushing out. He bobbed into a bow, never meeting the king's eyes.

“Yes, your highness?”

“Did you bring her tea?” He stared into her eyes with all that anger that seemed to be literally coming to the surface of his strong body. The hate and anger pulsed off of him in waves capable of tearing down anyone in its path.

“Yes, your highness. She requested it.”

The hand around her arm disappeared and then Alrik had the servant by the throat, his feet dangling off the ground. The servant latched onto Alrik's wrist, his face turning red, and the veins at his temples protruding from stress.

“Did she request it scalding hot, servant?” he asked in a low voice. Arianna took a step back feeling real fear now. Not only for herself and Celine but for the servant in his grasp.

“N-no, your highness. It was an accident.”

Alrik squeezed tighter and the choking, wheezing sounds of the servant’s throat being closed off were too disturbing to hear.

“Alrik!” she called to him. His head jerked and then he looked at her. “Please let him down. Truly it was an accident.”

His lips twitched with a snarl, the grip around the servant's throat squeezing harder, and then he roared and threw the servant. The servant screamed as he flew back and landed with a bone-crushing whack against the castle.

Arianna screamed and started for him but Alrik caught her arm and pulled her to a stop. “You do not go to him, Arianna. You are mine.” Her skin crawled.

“You hurt him. I just want to make sure he's all right,” she said calmly. She slowly pulled on her arm until he released it then walked slowly to the prone servant.

Celine met her there. The servant bled from his mouth and nose; his breathing came in short, gasping bursts.

“He needs a healer now. I’ll get help.” Celine ran inside and Arianna stiffened as Alrik's hard steps came towards her. Her heart beat a frantic, wild rhythm. How could he make her feel so good one minute then so terrified the next?

He grabbed her hand. “Come with me.” Arianna followed because she didn't have a choice. He took her to his bedroom. The royal suite looked extravagant, rich with tapestries, lush bed spreads and intricately carved statues.

The door closed behind him and she felt completely shut off from the rest of the world. Completely alone with the beast. He took a seat in front of a roaring fireplace but aside from the light it casted the room was dark. Each step she took felt like she was walking to her own death, but she went and took a seat in the chair next to him.

“You care for me,” he said.

Her eyebrow flew up in surprise. “What?”

His eyes locked on her, pulled down low in anger. “I read your journal many times. You care for me.”

She couldn't even be sure how she felt about him, but after seeing him brutally attack a servant for something so miniscule her feelings lent more to fear now than 'caring'. She wouldn't tell him that. Who knew what he might do.

“I am not sure how I feel,” she said after a minute. She carefully chose her words to reveal some while hopefully not sending him into a rage that'd leave her broken and crying against the wall.

“Something is wrong.” He held out his hand, his fingers spread. He looked at his hand as if seeing it for the first time, studying it and turning it over to discover his black palm.

“What's wrong, Alrik?”

“I feel different.” His deep voice, almost hoarse, brought chills down her spine with his odd words.

“How so?” I want to help you, she wanted to say.

“I've never attacked anyone before like that. I've never felt so angry.”

She wanted to defend him because even with how messed up he was, she wanted to help him. “You were just coming to my defense. A bit too...strongly, though.” She waited to see if her words would sent him into a rage. But they didn't.

“I wanted to kill him. To crush his throat with my bare hands.” He studied his hands some more then turned to look at her. She was struck by the dark swirling energy in his eyes, so unnatural, yet beautiful in a strange way. “Now I want you.”

She stood so fast the chair rocked back on its legs and fell over. “What?” Her chest rose and fell in a rush.

He stood, too, his broad shoulders and tall form making her feel so small and insignificant in comparison. “I'm going to have your body now, Ari.” He started pulling off his overcoat and shirt, revealing dark, charcoal skin, silver hoops piercing his nipples, and the royal tattoo along his right side.

“Not now.” She backed away. Not after what she'd just seen. Not after her hopes of seeing him changed with the magic spell around him canceled vanquished. His body was gorgeous though. He looked the same as he did when he was younger, before he changed, yet so different. If she focused hard enough, she could still see his vibrant hair and eyes.

“Now.” His boots hit the floor then his pants. He wore nothing underneath and his cock sprang rigid and thick at her. She tensed and kept her eyes trained on his face.

“I'm not ready.” She didn't want it like this. Didn't want to experience sex for the first time with a man she wasn't sure was a man anymore.

But when he came towards her she didn't back away. She felt frozen in place, drawn between two places: one that wanted to run away from him forever and another that wanted to hold him, kiss him and fix everything for him.

“Don't do this,” she begged. It sounded weak, she knew, because she did want this with him, just not now. Not like this. Not with his brutal actions and strange eyes hovering over them like a thunderstorm.

“I must.” He pulled her into his body and turned her around. His hands slowly undid the buttons of her dress, the ties that cinched the dress in at her waist.

His hands gently teased her bare shoulders then slid down her arms as the dress fell to her breasts as it loosened, then dropped completely to the floor. She stood before him, trembling, naked, completely exposed.

“I have to have you at least once Arianna. Before...” his voice trailed off.

“Before what?” she whispered.

He didn't answer. His hands swept over the curves of her breasts and down her stomach in long strokes. Her body started to warm at his gentle touch, she found herself leaning back against his naked chest. His erection pressed hard against her bottom and she felt the urge to rub against it, so she did.

 His hand had been passing over her breast when she did it, and he stopped, his hand cupping her harder. “Do not do that.” She apologized at once and stiffened. She felt him let out an uneasy breath. “You didn't do anything wrong. I'm battling not to take you how I want to, Ari.”

His hands took each of her breasts, working them until warmth spread throughout her body and she grew wet between her legs. When he finally touched her nipples it felt like being zapped with pleasure. Her head fell back against his shoulder and she panted, her whole body swaying in a subtle motion.

She tried to think of some way to reply but her mind slowly started to shut down. She wanted to just feel what he did to her and forget about everything else. Lips and teeth found her neck, biting and teasing. Her body started to burn hotter, her skin pulled tight with that sensation he'd given her before. She wanted him to touch her with his fingers like he did last time and make her feel that incredible climax.

One arm wrapped around her, the hand capturing her breasts and squeezing it while the other wrapped around her waist then trailed down to cup her sex. She moaned a high, needy sound and started writhing.

“Hold still,” he commanded in that deep voice. Then his teeth sank into her shoulder muscle. It felt as if all her muscles went paralyzed, just sitting in place for him with that bite. His fingers slid across her wet lips, circling her tight bundle of nerves, and all she could do was try to breathe in and out in a steady rhythm.