My Forbidden King

She lay down, exhausted from the day, wanting to drift off to sleep. As she lay there, she couldn’t help but think of all the crows that swarmed her house during the day. She adores them, talking to them as if they were human. As she was lost in her thoughts, she was startled by a clatter outside her window. Thinking it was just a tree branch hitting the glass from the storm, she ignored it and closed her eyes again, getting lost in the thoughts of her beautiful crows. Once again, she was startled by the noise at the window, only this time it was continuous and getting more urgent sounding. Panic starts to fill her body as she searches in the dark for anything to use as protection. She lay there trembling, “Where is that damned knife? It should be in this drawer. Why isn’t it here?” Suddenly, something came crashing through the glass. She couldn’t help but let out a scream. She frantically looked around to see what came through the glass, but seeing nothing, she started to feel relieved, thinking it was just the tree. She climbed off the bed to turn the light on so she could get the room cleaned up and figure out a temporary fix for the broken window. As she started making her way to the light switch on the other side of the room, she heard creaking on the floor behind her. She froze, terror took over her body, and she became unable to move. “I have been watching you, Alexis.” the intruder said. She continued to stand there frozen, unable to respond. The man spoke again, “I have been biding my time, waiting for the perfect time to introduce myself.” Against her better judgment, she slowly turned around to face the man. With fear in her voice, she asks “What do you want with me? Why are you here?” “Oh, my dear Alexis, I want what is rightfully mine,” he responds in a low seductive tone. “I don’t have anything that is yours, I don’t even know who you are,” she cries. She watches as the intruder takes a step toward her and lets out a slight chuckle, “My lovely Alexis,” he says, walking closer to her “You are what is mine. We have been watching you for so long.” “What do you mean I am yours? I already told you I don’t even know who you are, you must have the wrong Alexis. And what do you mean we? Who is we?” So many questions are going through her mind. The biggest question right now is, is she going to make it out of this alive? She never made it to the light switch, so the room is still pitch black thanks to the storm. As she stands there looking in the direction of the dark figure in her room, lightning strikes outside. For a moment, she was able to catch a glimpse of him. She was taken aback by his eyes, which were as dark as coal, and the scar that went from his bottom lip down to his chin. Even though she was terrified, she couldn’t help but be intrigued by the way his eyes were so intensely on her. “My dear, why do you think you are always surrounded by the crows? The crows keep an eye on you for me when I am unable to be here myself,” his voice soft as he spoke to her. “I... I don’t understand, and you still haven’t told me who you are” She can barely make out the words. How can crows watch her? Her mind tried to replay her interactions with her crows, and she loved those birds. How could her beautiful birds be sent to watch her for the mysterious intruder? She watches as he walks by her, just barely brushing against her arm. Shivers were sent down her spine. As he stops, the light turns on. She stands there, noticing how he is looking at her. Looking at her like a lover would. Walking up to her, he reaches out and places his hand on her cheek “My apologies, love. My name is Samael, and the crows are my watchers sent out for protection. They were tasked to keep anything that might wish to harm you away. I always make sure my things are kept safe, especially in my absence.” “I still don’t understand. Why do you keep saying that I am yours?” she paused for a moment, “and wait a damn minute. Did you just call me a thing?” He just chuckled, not answering her question. Her eyes filled with fury, who does he think he is, breaking into my house, continuously calling me his, and then he has the nerve to call me a thing? Like I am nothing more than a lamp he owns. She opens her mouth to scold him for not giving her an actual answer and then laughs at her. Before she can speak, he reaches out and grabs her. Pulling her up to him, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered into her ear “My love, you are mine. You have always been mine even before the day you drew your first breath.”