All Mapped Out

Villain conquers the hero

When Orion and Nemain stepped into the pub, they felt everybody’s eyes on them. Orion felt his hackles rose at the barely concealed suspicious glances casted by the patrons. They were a rough-looking bunch with all their beards, rings and some with paunches. He ignored them and followed Nemain’s wake. Lamps and candles lit the place. Each table was filled with people. Coins jingled. From the corner of his eye, he saw serving wenches in various states of undress flitting through the tables. He was starting to regret this. He should have protected Nemain’s sensibilities or what was left of it.

“We can go back now, if you want.” He whispered as Nemain weaved through the tables.

“No, no, my lord.” She said breezily. This woman had a very sarcastic streak, he was starting to realize. “You asked for this. I have to deliver.” How could she manage to irritate and blame him all at the same time? He glared at her back as she managed to move away from a barmaid and her load.

Orion’s hand went to his sword when he heard an ominous scraping of the chair against the floorboards. He suddenly felt acute pain on his foot. He glared at her. Nemain shook her head, reminding him of the patrons. This was not his turf and the odds of winning were against them, not that he minded, of course. They wended their way towards the bar where a thin man regarded them with suspicion. He saw the way his brow form a single line as they approached. The full blast of his hostility was turned to Nemain. Orion was irritated. How can this woman ignore the hostility directed at them, at her? Maybe, he could draw out his sword just to remind them of their manners? But sneaking a glance at Nemain, she was giving him warning glare. He inwardly sighed and removed his hand from the hilt of his sword. He made a great show of it, just to remind her and them that he was doing them a favour.

Nemain turned to the man and asked, “Did you see this woman?” She showed a sketch of Giselle.

“No.” The man glared at him before focusing on Nemain. “But I saw Keiff. You better tell that man to leave my business alone.” He shook his finger at her. “He was asking for a particular woman and had been threatening to close my business. Better straighten that young pup!”

Orion saw her stiffened when the man mentioned a name. Keiff? Was he talking about the king of the bordering demon country?

The man flicked him another suspicious glance before slipping Nemain a paper.

Since the castle had too many ears, they, or rather Orion, decided to discuss the debacle in Nemain’s library. However, with Orion sprawled at her chair, dangerously silent, she started to regret informing him of her plans because now, she had no time making a coherent report. He seemed to suck all the air in the room giving her no time to present the story without causing a war at their hands. This kingdom was not welcoming to demons. A treaty had been signed detailing the extent of each kingdom’s realm. So, if word got out that a high-ranking demon lord ensnared, seduced a heroine from another kingdom without any diplomatic reason, there would be hell to pay. And surprisingly for a kingdom that loved peace, its people loved nothing but a war waged on self-righteous anger. A demon kingdom would just love a field day.

She spared him a glance and inwardly grimaced. Why did he have to take up the whole room? Her eyes could not stop from straying from his dark locks to his muscles hinted by his loose shirt and outlined by his tight fawn breeches. She took a drink of her coffee and scalded her tongue in the process. She should have left Orion in her house and handled all these on her own. Keiff. Her self-appointed fiancé. When will that demon stop harassing her? She had repeatedly told her parents to stop shipping her towards the demon lord but they were deaf to her pleas. They were worried that their daughter would end up a spinster. Her features darkened. Just because the demon lord found her silent did not mean that she was easy. Why was it that people around her thought that she was meek and biddable?

Her eyes went to the note.

She read it again. Her eyes tracing the words. She inwardly groaned.

NEMAIN,

I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU IN GOOD HEALTH. I AM TRAVELING BACK TO STELLAE. I FOUND A CHARMING COMPANION NAMED GISELLE. A BUBBLY PIECE BUT NOT AS INTERESTING AS YOU, SO DON"T YOU WORRY YOUR PRETTY LITTLE HEAD (*WINK*WINK*) SHE TELLS ME YOU ARE HER FRIEND.

I AM OBLIGED TO EXTEND MY COURTESIES TO YOUR FRIEND.

K.

Demon lord or not, she was going to wring his neck and she’s going to squeeze out every bit of pleasure doing it. Dylan was non-existent. Her self-claimed fiancé just abducted Orion’s fiancée.

What a mess.

“Let me clear that again,” Orion said, breaking the tense silence. “Keiff, your fiancé—”

“—Self-claimed.” She corrected him sharply.

“Fine, delusional Keiff just spirited away Giselle. Giselle that twit, just believed this Dylan like an i***t?” He did not even spare her friend a few words. In a matter of moments, Giselle had turned from fiancée to twit to i***t. So Nemain just nodded and nursed her coffee. There was no use further raising his ire.

“What do you supposed we should do?” She murmured but her gaze was on the circlet.

“What do you think we should do?” Orion demanded sardonically.

She wondered if the people in his castle knew that Orion had a rapier-sharp tongue and an even darker temper? After that fifth quest, he had shown very un-hero-like tendencies, like sneaking into her house, extracting her help via underhanded means and the latest, losing his temper, spoiling for a fight and heaping insults to her friend. Remind her again why she fell in love with this man? Or was there something about her that brings out the worst in him? Better finish this task already so she could move on with her life.

“Would we set out to Stellae and drag Giselle back?” He merely raised a brow at her. Nemain ignored it and continued muttering. In the small quiet room, he could hear her words. She ignored it for saying her thoughts out loud helps her concentrate. Never mind that she looked like a lunatic to an observer. “. . . But that would mean postponing the ceremony alerting the people that something’s amiss. Maybe, we can replace it with an announcement of indefinite engagement? But aren’t you already indefinitely engaged? If so. . .”

As she run her carpet ragged with her pacing, unbeknownst to her was Orion’s assessing gaze. He studied her form, the way she moved, the way she carried herself and an idea formed inside his head. No, she would never be Giselle. She was not bubbly nor vivacious. But she had something that woman did not have. She was efficient and purposeful. She could not hog the spotlight like Giselle but she could get attention when needed. She had regal quality about her that makes people attentive. A smile slowly crept to his face but Nemain did not stop pacing.

Nemain missed the bright gleam in Orion’s eyes.

A few days later, Nemain rushed into the castle, having been summoned by Orion. She was just having her usual breakfast when her maid rushed in, a note in her hands. Dabbing her mouth with napkin she read the missive. It was short and curt. Come at once. Orion. So there she was, hair unbound and skirts flying as she rushed towards the throne room. She did not even bother with niceties and ignored the curious gazes at her. She knew she looked like a fright, hair all-over the place and not in her best clothes. Her eyes landed on Orion’s dark head who was talking to an old woman garbed richly. As if by magic, the crowd of nobles parted before her. She ignored the way they stared at her and focused on the all-knowing glint of his dark eyes.

“Hello, darling.” The words rolled smoothly around his tongue. Everyone’s gazes sharpened towards them. She could feel their curiosity and hostility.

Darling? She mouthed at him, dumbfounded. She could feel their gazes burn her back. A prickle of premonition filled her. She looked at Orion with wary eyes. She should stop putting people at pedestals. They were going to be her downfall. She should approach him with suspicion for she was not dealing with a hero now, but a man. A desperate one, as her maid had pointed it out to her before she left in a rush.

Orion merely smiled and with a gesture, sent the people clearing the room in record time. As the last of them left, Nemain turned to him, scowling. She further darkened when she felt heat rise to her cheeks at his sudden nearness. A mere foot separated them. His scent filled her nose and she could feel the warmth of his skin. She raised her gaze to his and saw him grin. It did wonders to his features and it mesmerized her. Her senses. . . where were her senses?

Nemain castigated herself and pushed her senses into action.

“Darling?!”Ah. Finally, she found her voice.

“Why don’t you follow one of the maids and let them change your clothes?” She hated the way that he was treating her, like a delicate girl with no sensibilities of her own. Was this how Giselle was treated? Condescendingly? No wonder she ran away with Keiff!

“Clothes?” When had they started talking about fashion plates? NO! She would not be led astray. That note telling her to come and signed by him. Why? Did he find something about Giselle? Or did he come to his senses and he could release her from the contract?

“Why? Are we going to look for Giselle?" That hopeful tone in her voice sounded pathetic to her ears.

His lips quirked. “All in due time, Nemain.” He adopted that soothing calm voice that caressed her ears and lulled her into comfortable thoughts, like everything will be all right. “But for now, you’re going to make history.”

“History?”

“Why are you parroting my words, love? You’ve conquered the hero.”

“What?!” Why was she suddenly deluged with endearments? Usually it was ‘Nemain’ or ‘you’.

“Why don’t I show you?”

“S-Show me? What do you mean?” However, her words got stuck in her throat as he took her hand and pulled her towards him. His other arm pulling her close to him. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt his warmth seep through the layers of fabric separating them. Her breasts pressed to his chest and she could smell him, clean male with the hint of the forest. He tipped her face up and she was simply mesmerized by the intensity of his gaze. Those dark eyes and those long lashes. She could happily drown in that gaze.

A small sigh inadvertently escaped from her lips.

Those sensuous lips twitched and she found herself reddening. She tried to push him away but he was stronger and seasoned in war. Her efforts were futile.

“We’re going to get along just fine.” He said it in that deliciously low voice and lowered his lips to hers.

It took a moment for Nemain to realize that she was being kissed by her hero for she just stood there, stiff and unyielding. However, after the initial shock passed, she responded to his gentle caresses. Shy ones that mimicked his. She found herself pressing herself against him and could not resist marveling at his strength underneath her hands. When his tongue tasted her mouth, she nearly melted on the spot.

Other parts of her were equally alive. Her breasts, confined in the corset, felt heavy and sensitive. She wanted his hands on her, squeezing her breast, laving it with his rough warm tongue. She felt her core started to get moist at the thought.

He must have kissed Giselle like this.

That sobered her up real quick.

And with strength that shocked them both, she pushed her away from him. They were both breathing harshly. Neither of them were unmoved and the knowledge made her bitterly glad.

“See, they’ve seen how you’ve taken my heart.” She followed his gaze and saw the wide-eyed stares of the servants. So, all that earlier was a ploy? So, she was just being played? She thought that he liked her, maybe felt a little bit attracted to her. . . So her first kiss with her hero was a sham?

Nemain felt her heart crack a little.

As Nemain followed the servants, Orion was in a state of shock. He had intended the kiss to be swift. He did not expect himself to be affected. He thought that it would be good if she loosened up a bit but just as he was about to withdraw, she went pliant and shyly returned his kisses. He lost to her. To her warmth and her sweet mouth. He felt his senses clamor more for her when she pressed herself against him.

He wanted to own her.

He was surprised with the intensity of it.

Even Giselle did not elicit such response from him.