The Pure-Hearted Princess and the Kiss of Darkness

6. A Shadow of the Past

~ ENRIQUE ~

The sudden urge to tear her clothes off sneaks into my mind and I tense, pushing myself off her.

What the fuck?

I quickly jerk away as if I’ve just been burned, glaring at the culprit behind this, yet she lays there looking all innocent but at the same time absolutely fucking sexy and fuckable- a pout on her plump lips as she lays there breathing hard, the faint outline of her nipples visible through her fitted dress.

Right… It's too hot in here. Is the air conditioning not working?

Frowning, I glare at the woman on the bed. I better bind her before she goes looking for someone to fuck. There’s a knock on the open door and Carlos stands there.

“Bind her,” I order, brushing past him, and without a glance back I make my way to my quarters, which cover half of the top floor. I shut the door behind me, the click echoing loudly in the room.

Crossing the room, I enter my office, shutting the door behind me before I walk over to one of the many shelves and take down a small wooden box from the highest shelf. Placing the box on the table, I flip it open, staring at the pouch that sits inside.

‘Padre! NO! I’m sorry!’

‘Please, save my padre!’

‘Madre, run!’

‘I hate you!’

I open the pouch, taking out the crystal necklace which that young girl once gave me, the pain suffocating me.

I blink, staring at the small mirror that is set in the lid of the chest. Past my facial hair I can see the faint scars that are with me for life… the scars that are a reminder of the demons from my past.

There’s one on my lip, but it’s only noticeable when I smile or stretch my lips, not like I smile much anyway… These are the pale scars caused by the evil that once consumed my padre… but that was not who he was…

I toss the crystal necklace back into the box in anger, remembering the man who had killed him. He didn’t help us. He did nothing but cause more pain. If he wanted to help, if he cared, he would have found a way to separate the Djinn from my father!

I slam my prosthetic hand onto the table, hating that it has no feeling. I yank off the thick glove that I always wear, staring at the robotic hand that’s attached to my wrist.

Another reminder of the past, and one that has crippled me. Making me weaker than I could have been, not that I let it stop me.

Resentment flares through me and I snap the box shut, closing off my mind from the memories that continue to haunt me.

I hate them all…

~~~~~

I barely slept last night. The nightmares had returned with a vengeance; I run my hand through my brown locks and open the door of the bedroom where we had put the woman, having come here the moment I was alerted that she was awake.

‘It’s strange, Alpha. I didn’t even hear her waking up.’ Jose apologises.

Hmm.

She’s sitting there on the bed, her hands tied in front of her, and her ankles bound too. Pretty loosely… if she wanted, she could easily break out, especially if she’s able to pull the lamppost right out of the ground…

Are these idiots really going to treat her like a dainty princess?

She’s looking at me with gorgeous dark eyes that are rimmed with thick lashes, blinking innocently, but there is nothing innocent about her or that body of hers.

“Who are you, and what are you doing in my territory?” I ask in English, not missing the way her eyes dip to my right hand which is in my pocket. Something that sends a sliver of irritation through me. I don’t like that look in her eyes before she looks up at me again.

“I heard most of the island belongs to you. Is it my fault that I don’t know where or what part I cannot visit?” she replies in her soft voice, one that would sound great if she didn’t have that accent.

“You expect me to believe you were in Puerto Rico on holiday?” I ask mockingly.

“Why not? It’s a beautiful place. Besides, someone I know lives here.” She answers, seemingly telling the truth.

And she has still not given me a name for herself. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Who do you know that lives here? Do share. I will find them and confirm your story, and who are you? Answer the question.” I command, letting my Alpha aura roll off me. It fills the room and I see Carlos bend his neck despite it not being targeted at him.

“Is my identity really that important?” she asks me softly.

I mask my shock at the fact she was not affected by my Alpha command at all. Why did it not work on her?

“Your command had nothing on her.” Carlos breathes.

‘Cabrón! Use the mind link, she speaks Spanish!’ I growl through the link as the woman simply blinks innocently up at me.

“Well then, you will remain in here until you give me a name.” I threaten, knowing that will work.

She’s about to speak when a slow smile crosses her lips before it vanishes as quickly as it comes.

“Oh no… that’s awful…” she whispers, her heart thumping.

Weird, I almost didn’t pick it up before. I shake my head thinking she sounded off as she now pouts looking somewhat… tired? I’m not sure, but it is not the face of someone scared.

I was expecting tears and a name, but instead, she’s sitting silently.

Why isn’t she telling me her name? Does she have something to hide? But she could have just lied and given me a random name. It’s almost as if she has an incentive…

She’s too calm…

I don’t understand her, and so I simply turn my back on her, but she still doesn’t call me back or attempt to stop me.

“You have one week, one week to tell me what you’re really doing here, or you will be thrown into a cell.” I snarl before slamming the door shut behind me, making Carlos flinch.

“Idiot,” I say, glaring at him before storming off.

Why is her scent so familiar?

It’s almost like something I’ve shut off…

I stop in my tracks. The image of the chica I once helped flashes before my eyes and the woman in the room behind me begins to merge with it.

No… it can’t be possible.

My heart is thundering like the drums of war and I turn back, opening the door. I startle her, making her jump. I cross the room, reach the bed and grab her face, forcing her to look up at me.

I stare into her eyes, my heart thumping and I wonder how I never saw it earlier.

Dark glittering eyes… still holding that innocence that I hated and those pouty, plump lips.

Yes, she’s grown into a beautiful woman, and I see the strong resemblance to her mother, the Queen Luna in her, and it feels as if everything I have built to distance that world from me is crashing down around me.

“What are you doing here?” I whisper coldly, my voice trembling with anger I cannot contain.

I’m about to say more when I stop myself, trying to calm my emotions. Not many, but my butler Hugo knew what happened in England, and those who did were sworn to secrecy. I don’t need the past to rear its ugly head now. No matter what.

“Do you recognise me?” she whispers, her heart thundering. Her eyes alight with a foolish hope. I have no idea why she is here, but I wish she wasn’t.

“No. All I know is that you are simply a piece of trash causing disruption in my pack.” I snarl venomously, snapping her face to the side as I shove her back onto the bed, making her gasp.

I let go of her, wiping my hand on my arm, as if to clean away the contamination at touching her.

Her eyes glitter with unshed tears and I turn my back on her once more, my chest heaving and the sound of my heartbeat loud in my ears.

“P-plea…” she tries, but I don’t plan to listen.

‘Alpha, one of the men involved with the foreigner last night has been found dead.’

‘What?’ I ask sharply, pulled from my emotions as I pause in the doorway.

‘Yes, he was found in his bed this morning, and the injury he received last night… well, it’s still not healed. That woman in your custody might be a witch, Alpha, please be careful.’

I stare back at the woman. No matter how much I want her gone, I will need to keep her here until my investigation is done and we’ve made sure that she has no involvement. She is a Rossi after all, who knows what ill omens she has brought with her this time.

The past has finally caught up to me and I’m not fucking ready.

A/N: And here we are, the long awaited start to this book! If you are enjoying it so far, please do leave a gem, and a comment. Love you guys!