Mariselle stood up and wiped her lips. “That wasn’t at all what I expected it to taste like.”
Smiling, he squeezed some leftover seed out of the head of his cock. “And what did you expect?”
She grinned. “Bad. But, it wasn’t at all.”
Aiden didn’t know quite what to say to her. He felt guilty and angry, mostly because he still wanted to rip her gown off and pleasure her the same way. He wanted to hear her panting and moaning as he licked her from head to toe, but she was Griffin’s and he needed to remember that.
“We should go inside,” he said, adjusting his clothes.
“You’re angry with me, aren’t you?”
He stared at her in surprise. “No. I’m not angry with you at all, Lass. I’m angry with myself. This shouldn’t have happened.”
“You didn’t seem to hate it,” she replied, looking down. “Did I do it right?”
“Are you kidding? That was much more than just ‘right’,” he said, grabbing her by the shoulders. He kissed her again, unable to help himself. The woman was addicting and already, he felt his dick coming back to life. Tearing himself from her lips, he held out his arm. “Let’s get you inside.”
“Okay.”
Aiden walked Mariselle to her bedchamber, neither of them saying much. Truthfully, he didn’t really know what to say and it was a little awkward.
If only he wasn’t so cold-stoned sober.
“Well, thank you for… everything,” he said, when they arrived at her door.
She smiled up at him. “You’re welcome. Are you sure you want to end the night?”
As far as he was concerned, his night was just beginning. There would be more wine to drink and he needed to preoccupy his time with other women, so he could forget about her.
“As much as I’d like to take you up on the offer, we both know it’s not in the best interests of my brother.”
She gave him a strange look. “Is he even aware that he’ll be the one siring my child?”
Aiden smiled. “It’s come up in conversation. That’s all I can say.”
Mariselle sighed.
He took her hand and kissed it. “Sleep well, Lass.”
“You too, Your Majesty.”
“When it’s just us, call me Aiden.”
She smiled. “Okay.”
Aiden let go of her hand and she disappeared into her chamber. Turning around, he headed away, cursing Angelique for what she’d done to their family and country. If she wasn’t already dead, he’d put a rope around her neck himself. For the first time ever, he was turning away a woman and this particular one made him question the hedonistic sex life he’d been loving so much. She also made him question the loyalty he had between himself and Griffin.
36
HECATE FOLLOWED THE couple from the courtyard, unseen by both. It had been awhile since she’d checked in on the Rothhavens and of course, Mariselle, who’d grown into a beautiful young woman. Hecate also knew of Angelique’s spell and what it would take to break it. As amused as she’d been about it originally – not of her apprentice’s death, but the curse itself – she knew it had to come to an end. Her followers had prayed day-and-night for children of their own, which she even couldn’t give them with the damnable hex. All she could do was help pave the way for Mariselle and the four kings. Their unity would be far from easy, but it had to be done, which is why she’d placed her own little spell on the young maiden, making her less uninhibited to the matters of sex. Apparently, it was working like a charm. Now all Hecate had to do was figure out a way to get the four brothers to take Mariselle together. She realized that she might actually need to use a strong aphrodisiac to complete such a task, which would be frowned upon by the other gods. Using such persuasion on four kings could get her in a whirlwind of trouble. It would have to be a last resort option.
Hecate watched as Aiden dropped Mariselle off at her chamber and left, which disappointed her. She was aware of his large sexual appetite and thought for sure they’d continue their shenanigans inside, but, he surprisingly turned Mariselle down.
Like a ghost, Hecate moved through the door and watched as Mariselle began to undress. From the expression on her face, she could tell the young woman was sexually frustrated, and knew it was partly her fault. Although the young maiden was passionate about everything in life, including her dealings with the opposite sex, she’d placed an uninhibited spell on her the day before. Of course, coupling with one man was a far cry from being with all four and at once. Hecate knew if it was going to happen, which it needed to, she’d need all the help that she could get. Thus, the spell.
Making a decision, Hecate slipped through the wall, to Griffin’s chamber, and saw that he was already tucked in bed, snoring softly.
Plan B.
Satisfied, she headed back to Mariselle’s room and waited until she also was in bed and almost asleep. When her breathing started to become steady, Hecate leaned over and blew in the young woman’s face.
Mariselle opened her eyes and stared around in confusion. After a few seconds, she relaxed and lay back down.
Enjoying herself, Hecate sat down on the bed next to her and it creaked.
Gasping, Mariselle sat upright in bed and looked around, frightened. Looking a little nervous, she eventually got back under the covers and tried once again to sleep.
Hecate continued to play games with her until Mariselle couldn’t take it anymore. She jumped out of bed, raced out of her chamber, and pounded on Griffin’s door. After a few seconds, he opened it and stared at her in confusion.
37
“I THINK MY chamber is haunted,” she said in a shaky voice.
Surprised to see her standing there, and wearing nothing more than a chemise, he blinked. “Haunted?”
Mariselle nodded and then told him about the noises. “Something was on the bed, too,” she added. “I felt the entire thing move and it certainly wasn’t me. Plus, I smelled flowers. Lilacs or jasmine or something. It was very strong.”
“Let’s go back and check it out,” he said. “I don’t know why you’d smell flowers, but you could possibly have a rat in your chamber, I suppose.”
She shuddered. “Good God, I hope not.”
To him, a rat sounded a lot less sinister than any ghost.
He shut the door behind him and they headed back to her chamber. Not seeing anything unusual, Griffin asked what she wanted to do.
“I don’t know. I’m not sleeping here though,” she said stubbornly.
He scratched the fresh stubble growing along his jawline. “I suppose you can sleep in my chamber, if you wish.”
Mariselle smiled in relief. “Thank you.”
Griffin walked her back to his room. “Would you like me to get you anything before I leave?”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Where are you going?”
“I’ll sleep in your chamber until the morning and then we’ll have you moved into a new one.”
She touched his arm. “I’m scared. I really do think it was a ghost and… what if it followed me here?”
He frowned.
“Stay with me? Please?” she pleaded.
Seeing the panic in her eyes, Griffin relented.
Mariselle walked over to the bed and slid under the covers. She looked over at Griffin and smiled. “Well?”
“I’ll sleep on the floor.”
“Nonsense,” she said, patting the bed. “Sleep here. I won’t bite. I promise.”
Almost hoping that she would, he took a step toward her and hesitated. “Fine but… this must be our secret.”
“Are you really that fearful of the queen?” she asked, smiling in amusement.
Griffin grunted. “She doesn’t frighten me. I just don’t want to deal with anymore animosity from her. Georgina is unpleasant enough as it is.”
“Poor Griffin,” she said with a gleam in her eyes. “Living with such a beastly woman. Why do you put up with her?”
“I have no choice,” he said, sitting down on the bed. He removed his boots. “Believe me, if I could send her away, I would.”
“You dislike her that much?” she asked as he removed his white, linen shirt.
He nodded. “She makes it rather easy though.”