Forbidden Mate

Chapter 2

I order my hot chocolate with extra cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon and find myself a quiet arm chair in the corner. I get settled in and pull out my book. I turn the pages taking in the feeling of the pages and the smell. I mean don't you find the smell of a good book amazing. I find my page to pick up from where I left off. To try to forget those eyes that haunt my dreams. I shake my head and let the book consume me. Forgetting all of my problems.

I am so engrossed in my book I hadn't realised my drink had been brought over until the cinnamon scent invades my senses. I take a generous sip and run my spoon through the cream. I would normally do it with my finger but I don't want grubby sticky fingers on the pages of this book. 

Yes. Yes I'm weird I love old books and art unlike girls my own age who are only interested in makeup fashion and boys. I have always thought there is more to this world than those minor things. 

A tall shadow is cast over me blocking out the light just as I stand up to give whoever a piece of my mind I stop as I meet 2 perfect cobalt blue eyes and fleks of violet swirling around them. I quickly avert my gaze to the floor. In respect. 

Alaric. Why the hell is he here?

"First edition, very nice" his calm charismatic voice croons "I'm not surprised you didn't listen to a word of my lecture" I internally scold myself for being caught. I quickly sit down and pick back up my book. "May I?” he gestures toward the seat opposite me. I just nod. If I engage in conversation I will be sucked back in. "Personally I prefer the works of Shakespeare. His plays are incredible" I close my book knowing I'm not going to get away without engaging in conversation.

"Shakespeare is a classic, but personally my favorite of his is Venus and Adonis" a small smile creeps across his face saying I know I could get you. I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

"Well, it is a poem or unrequited love and attempted seduction. There isn't much to dislike with it" I can't help but have a genuine smile. 

"Not many people around here know about it" I say honestly people my age don't like the classics. 

“Well classics are only enjoyed by those with taste” he waves his hand and in comes one of his vampire guards with a box of pastries from the Ritz he opens the box and offers me the contents. He knows that desserts are my favorite and especially from the Ritz I can't help but notice the 2 of everything. I pick up a macaroon that I assume is Passion Fruit flavour and the second I bite into it I can't contain the moan from leaving my lips.  

“I take the fact that today was your lecture was no coincidence” I say gesturing to the box of deliciousness between us. I can feel my aggression starting to build mostly at myself falling for this.

"You are a rare one, never could get much past you" he says, waiting for something. "Mon Amour I want to explain” 

“Explain what? How you stopped talking to me 6 months ago and completely ghosted me and you don't get to call me that.” I say through gritted teeth. During the two years of art, literatur, fine dining in an escape to the human world, We became little more than acquaintances. We would steel kisses on the sly, hold hands in the human world. But I never let it go any further. With the laws and all that it just wouldn't be right plus he doesn't know who I really am. 

“Yes it wasn’t that I wanted to stop I had to stop. You know our laws. But seeing you again today” 

“Wait wait wait let me guess made you realise what a mistake it was to stop talking with me. To stop spending time together in the human world. Well your highness it’s a good thing for you in 2 months I will no longer exist” I can't stop the sarcasm dripping from my words. 

“What do you mean” the concern in his voice and in his eyes is real. “Mon amour is there something wrong? Are you in trouble? Let me help” he says taking my hand in his. That familiar warmth flows through me from such a simple touch. I quickly pull it back. I can't feel this for him. I have shed tears and I am not doing it again. 

“What is going on with me is none of your concern. Plus you have no idea who I really am” I stand grabbing my things and turn as I do I look back over my shoulder “Goodbye Alaric” and just like that I walk away fighting every urge in my body to go back and feel the warmth of his touch again but I can’t I have to move away. 

Why does he still have this power over me?  

I need to put space between us as best I can all I am thankful for is that he doesn’t know the real me. After all, my mate is somewhere out there and how can I take the throne of my people if I go against the oldest law of the council.