CHAPTER 13 - PROMISE ME - CASIDY'S POV
1279 Words
After Ava rushed from the room, skipping happily, I bathed, before sitting down in my robe at my desk and started brushing my red hair. I looked paler than normal, but I was feeling a lot better today, and wanted to get back to training soon, but Aiden had told us, he'd banned training for a while.
I placed my brush down, and shivered as the door opened, causing a cool wind to flow in, carrying Aidens scent with it. He'd left this morning, after spending the night in Ava's bed, and had check.
I jumped up blushing, and made sure my robe was closed, ''AIDEN!'' I shouted, as my cheeks burned as red as my hair, ''You could have knocked!''
''This is my Kingdom, I don't have to knock on any doors in my home.'' Aiden's eyes ran down my body, before he looked back up into my eyes, ''Besides, I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm really not.''
''GET OUT!''
''Don't give your King orders, Casidy.'' He smiled and crossed his arms, while he continued to look me over, ''Goddess, you're beautiful. I can't until I'm allowed to touch you and Ava.''
I screamed at him in rage, before rushing past him into my walk-in, and grabbed the first dress I saw, and quickly pulled it on. Once I was dressed, I walked out and saw Aiden placing some more logs on the fire.
''What are you doing?''
''You're still a hatchling,'' He said as he breathed some of his fire into the mix, and the room heated up instantly, ''You need the heat, don't let this fire get so low again.''
''Thank you.'' I smiled awkwardly as he stood up, ''Can you... Can you please help me close the back of my dress?''
He smiled and nodded once, before holding out his hand, and I shyly went over and turned around. We remained silent as he slowly ran his fingers down my back, making me shiver, before he took the ribbon, and weaved it through the dress's hooks and closed it tightly.
''Thank you.'' I said, as I sat down and lifted my brush again, but Aiden took it from my hand and started to brush my hair.
''Where are Ava and nanny?'' He asked, as he looked at my reflection in the mirror. ''Why were you left alone?''
"Nanny is yelling at the kitchen staff for messing up my breakfast," I answered with a smirk, "And Ava went to our tutor to get some of her books. She... She already feels like a burden and doesn't want to let anyone else down again, so she wants to practice more."
"She's not a burden." He said, as he sat beside me.
"She feels really guilty about not being strong enough."
"And she won't gain strength if you keep compensating for her," He told me, "You have to promise that you won't do that again."
I looked over into his eyes, but I shook my head.
"I can't promise that," I told him, and he looked down in pain, "Ava is an optimist, but I'm not and you and I both know, the two of us are not walking away after the ritual. And if it's a choice between Ava or me, I would rather she lived."
Aiden shook his head as he looked at my hands.
"You can't say this to me. Don't make me think about losing you. Not now that I finally have you. I've waited hundreds of years for my mate, then I had to wait for you to grow up. Each year waiting was agony, and now..."
"I don't envy you," I whispered, "Either way, you'll lose one of your mate's. Please promise me that you'll take care of her. Promise me you won't betray her. You won't leave her alone."
Aiden looked up into my eyes that were filled with tears, and he took my face in his hands.
"Cassidy, I don't know what vision you had that makes you think I would betray you and Ava, but I swear to the Goddess that it will never happen, whatever you saw, it was taken out of context, or... maybe you didn't see it right, but I know how I feel about you andy your sister. I love you, but... I promise you, if you... If I lose you, I will take care of her."
"Good," I sniffed and wiped my tears away, "Oh, also, you have to name your first born daughter after me."
Aiden laughed and pulled me into a hug, ''Deal.''
I pressed my face into his chest, enjoying the warmth that resided inside his body, but I also felt something more. Desire. I longed to touched him. I longed for him to touch me.
Could I believe him? Maybe my vision had been wrong? He seemed so sincere. So sure he'd stay loyal. Maybe... Maybe something more was going on. I leaned back and looked into his eyes.
''I...'' I hesitated, and Aiden frowned.
''What?''
I took a breath and told him about my vision. I wanted to see his reaction. I wanted to see if there was some sign in his eyes that it would come true.
''This is why you hate Selene?'' He asked, ''This is why you think I'd betray you? You didn't even see my face, it wasn't me.''
''It was your bed, your crest on your shoulder!''
''Every male in my family has that crest.'' He pointed out.
''It was still your bed.''
''Did it occur to you that I was asleep, and she snuck into my bed?'' He asked, ''Or maybe she slept with one of my brothers in my bed, for some disgusting reason?'' He stood up and started pacing the room, his hands clenched as he thought things over, before turning back to me, ''Casidy, listen to me, and you'd better hear me. I. Will. Never. Betray. You! Whatever was happening in the vision, there was something else going on. And to make sure you and your sister feel secure. I will put up more boundaries between myself and Selene. Will you give me a real chance now?''
I looked at him as I thought things over. I wanted to. I really wanted to, but... Oh, scr*w it. If I'm getting hurt anyway, I may as well give it a chance, ''Okay.''
Aiden's eyes lit up, and he pulled me into a tight hug, ''Thank you. And I'll keep my promise. I will. I'll never betray you.''
He leaned back and took my face in his hands, before leaning in and kissing me gently, until the door opened, and we broke apart, and saw Ava, who crossed her arms and smirked at us.
''Well, well, well, what do we have here?'' She asked.
I laughed and rolled my eyes, ''It's nothing, we were just talking.''
''How can you talk with someone's tongue in your mouth?'' She asked, as she closed the door.
''She was just telling me about her vision with Selene.'' Aiden told her, as she tossed the books on her bed.
''You... She told you?''
''She did, and as I told Cassy,'' He said as he walked over to Ava and touched her cheek, ''It is wrong. I will never touch her.''
''You'd better not,'' Ava told him, ''Or I'll cut your d*ck off.''
Aiden stepped back, and gulped nervously, ''Even more incentive to keep my distance.''
Ava smiled happily, and reached her arms up, ''Now, I get a kiss too.''
''You just threatened to mutilate me, and you want a kiss?''
''Yes,'' She smiled innocently, and Aiden laughed as he swept her off her feet, and kissed her.
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