Under His Rule

Even though I know it’s wrong. Even though I know he’s the man who brought me back into the world I’m fighting so desperately to get away from. I let him kiss me … because I need it.

Because my heart craves to be consoled, because my mind can’t wrap itself around these twisted truths, because my body wants to be loved … even if that love is corrupt.

Even if that love will kill me.

I need it. I need this kiss to survive this moment of realization that we aren’t just husband and wife now … we always were. From the beginning of my life, I was promised to him.

I sought him out. I came to him, not the other way around.

Of course, he’d take me back.

We were meant to be together.

It’s as if the universe wanted us to be together.

And I can’t fight it any longer.

So I kiss him back and let his tongue slip into my mouth, coaxing me, reeling me in. With one hand on my waist and one hand on my face, he pulls me closer until our bodies are locked together. Our kisses are feverish, fast, and uncontrolled, just like my mind feels right now.

I don’t know what’s wrong or right; I just know I want to feel this love, this greed, this obsession all the way to my bones, because if I don’t … what was the point of it all?

These memories invading my mind and my heart of a boy I once loved, the boy I once played with, the boy I’d do anything for, intermingle with the memories of this man who’s right in front of me, poisoning my mouth and mind with deadly kisses … kisses that will ruin me forever.

But I need them. I need them so badly, like my lungs need the oxygen in this open field, like my skin needs this soil underneath my feet, and like my heart needs the blood pumping through my veins so heavily right now.

I need him.

I need him to take away the pain.

Just one kiss.

One more …

None of them are enough to quench the thirst inside.

His mouth moves down along my chin and my neck, leaving delicious kisses along the way, and my lips part in blissful agony from his teeth sinking into my skin ever so gently. I tilt my head back and gaze up at the darkened sky, wondering if this is what my life will be like from now on—kissing, fucking, eating, sleeping—until our time is up.

A neurotic smile forms on my lips as the clouds above rip open, and droplets start falling down, drip by drip, covering my face and dress.

And still, I don’t care.

His lips are on my skin, covering me in delectable kisses, intoxicating me with the belief that he can fix me. But I know his love is only a temporary drug … one I’ll surely regret submitting to.

“I’ve always wanted you, always loved you,” he says under his breath, pressing his lips against mine while holding my face in the palm of his hands.

“How? How do you know if I left when we were so young?” I ask.

He brushes away tears mixed with rain from my cheeks. “Because we were betrothed. We bonded. We cared for each other. We needed each other. That never changed.”

I swallow back the lump in my throat. I don’t know if that’s real. I don’t know what to believe anymore. But when his kisses continue, and his hands slide down my body, it’s impossible to resist temptation.

“I hate what I had to do,” he murmurs against my skin. “Hate that I had to put you in that position. In that room. All those men.” He grunts, and my eyes widen.

Is this about … the Ceremony?

Suddenly, his hands are on my chest, fingers curling underneath the dress. “I’ll fuck that memory out of your mind.”

RIP!

The dress is split open across my chest, exposing my bra. I squeal from surprise, but the sound goes unnoticed in this vast open area.

“No one will hear you here, Natalie,” he growls, lust settling in his eyes. He grabs my tits and kisses one of them before pushing me to the ground with his body. “No one will come for you. Or me. No one will watch.” He sits up on top of me and unbuckles his belt. “It’s no one but you and me … and I’m going to set the record straight.”

He rips down his zipper and pants and pulls out his giant, bulging cock. I’ve never had the chance to actually look, not even at the ceremony, and now that I have … I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

I gulp at the sight, and a wicked smile forms on his face.

I don’t want to blush, but my face warms anyway, despite the falling rain.