Secrets in the Shadows

Chapter Fifteen

Maev's body froze and she took in a deep breath as she fell his breath on her neck. She waited for his bite but instead, he turned her around and pinned her against the wall. She glared at his fangs, she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, but she couldn’t even scream as she stared at those white shiny fangs. Fear crept over her increasing her heartbeat. Maybe he wanted to look me in the eyes before he kills me, Maev silently said to herself.

Kramer looked down at her and he pressed her harder against the wall,

" I told you not to provoke me Maev", he said with a growl in his voice. She looked at her enemy straight in the eyes, it was either she let fear control her, or she takes control of herself and prove to that man that she could look at fear or even death straight in the face.

" That's what I want Kramer ,to provoke you so

that once and for all you can end our misery. We are both miserable. We hate each other", Maev said in a serious tone but her emotions got the better of her.Her face crumpled, her voice broke down and she started to cry, tears of desperation rolled down her face, she was exhausted, she wished she could have her life back but she could see there was no way out. Kramer slowly released his grip on her shoulders, he looked down at her, and even if she was crying, her big hazel-green eyes were staring straight at him.

Something moved inside him, he punched at the wall behind her, and without giving it another thought, he pulled her towards him and hugged her tightly. A part of him was telling him not to be hard on Maev but his heart was poisoned by pain and hatred that he only wanted to revenge his brother's death. His sudden reaction took Maev by complete surprise but she knew that she preferred that he was hugging her than hurting her. His arms circled her tiny waist pulling her closer, she slowly lifted her arms and hugged him back, closing her eyes she leaned her head against his chest. What if it’s just another one of his little games?… Maev said to herself and she quickly opened her eyes when she felt his fingers running through her hair. Kramer gently wrapped a strand of her hair around his finger and smelled it. That smell of blooming wildflowers always gets to him and the way her arms had circled tightly around him slowly calmed him down. He closed his eyes and they stood there hugging each other tightly, he could hear her heartbeat beating at a steady rhythm. He removed his arms around her and looked down at her, she looked up at him, her eyes searched his as if she was trying to find an answer to something. Kramer lowered his head towards hers and gently brushed his lips over hers. He could taste the saltiness of her tears on her lips, he felt her body froze and could hear her heartbeat increasing. He continued to kiss her tasting her lips as he pressed his body against hers.

" Kramer stop!", She whispered against his lip but he didn't listen as he deepened the kiss more like taking what was his.

" What are you trying to do?", she said as she looked up at him. Kramer didn't say anything, he captured her lips once more as he slowly unbuttoned the cardigan she had on. Maev pushed him away and slapped him across his face.

" What do you think you are doing?", Maev snapped at him as she buttoned up her cardigan.

Kramer stood there and ran a hand over his left cheek where she had hit him. He smiled and looked at her, Maev felt uncomfortable as her legs were trembling. She couldn't believe that she had allowed Kramer to get close to her like that and now he was standing there and looking at her with a smirk on his face as if he had achieved what he had wanted to.

" Maev, Maev.., tell me, is it me imagining things or you have never been touched by a man?!", Kramer asked with a smirk on his face and his question took her by surprise.

" Why should it be any of your business!?", Maev snapped at him.

She didn't want to have this sort of conversation with Kramer, he had asked her earlier to stay out of each other's way and now he was asking her personal questions!

She walked past him to hurry to her room and he grabbed her arm.

" Who said you can leave?”, Kramer said close to her ear.

" Kramer what do you want from me? I asked you to end this you couldn't!", Maev said putting her hands on her hips as she looked at him.

Kramer put a hand under his chin and narrowed his eyes and smiled at her.

" You thought I couldn't kill you .. hmm... I am not hungry for a witch's blood ..not yet!", he replied with a gentle smile.

" Well then ... leave me alone!", Maev said and tried to walk away when he stopped her.

"I didn’t say that you can leave. I am your King so you will only leave when I ask you to leave!”, Kramer said with an authoritative voice.

Maev tried to get away again since his closeness was making her vulnerable. He gently touched her hair, she felt her body reacting to his touch and as she spoke she couldn't help the quiver in her voice,

" May I go to my room... I... I am really tired ", Maev said clearing her throat as he brushed a strand of her hair away from her face tucking it behind her ear.

" I asked you a question and you haven't answered so I can't let you go", Kramer replied.

Maev glared at him,

" Listen Your highness my personal life it is my business! Have I ever asked you who was that woman you were with on our wedding night?", Maev snapped and she hoped that he didn’t take it as if she was jealous, or was she?

Kramer laughed, " Did it bother you so much that you can't forget what you saw?", he asked.

" Of course it doesn't bother me! I'm just ...never mind !", Maev replied and tried to walk away when he put an arm around her waist. Maev looked down at his arm and then at his face.

" Will you like me to do to you what I did to her?", Kramer asked sarcastically.

" What?! Let go of me you ... you .. animal!", Maev snapped.

She couldn't believe that he had said something like that to her . Maev tried to remove his arm around her waist but he tightened his grip and she had to give up.

" It seems that night is stuck on your mind so I thought I should help you to forget about it", Kramer said softly. He then released her as he walked away laughing, he turned and looked at her standing like a statue, staring at him.

Kramer walked up the stairs and she could still hear him laughing until he walked inside his bedroom and closed the door. " It seems like torturing me is like a game to him! How long will I be made fun of, how long will I have to endure his anger!?", Maev whispered as she walked towards her bedroom and closed the door. She stood there leaning against the door, she ran a finger on her lips, she remembered the way he had kissed her and for a moment he had been so tender with her. She shivered at those thoughts, " what's wrong with me!! I shouldn't think of him as such!", she said as she hurried to the bathroom and splashed some water on her face.

She looked at herself and thought how she had melted in his embrace when he had hugged her tightly.

" Who knows maybe he does have a heart under his egos!", Maev said and she walked back to the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Maev sat in the middle of her bed looking around the bedroom, she couldn't get a wink of sleep. She got up and walked around the bedroom it still didn't help, she put on her robe and walked to the kitchen. She took a glass and pour herself some water from the jug on the dining table.

She almost dropped the glass when she saw him standing in the doorway only in his shorts.

" You can't sleep as well? I wonder why? he asked with a soft laugh as he walked towards her and pour himself some water.

Maev didn't answer his sarcastic comment, instead, she walked the other way and stood close to the door, and glanced at him over her shoulder. Gosh .. did he have to come downstairs like that? she said to herself as she hurried to get out of the kitchen when the door slammed shut. She turned to look at him and he was already standing behind her. Her heart started to beat faster ,her hands were trembling that she had to hold on to the glass tightly.Please not again! Maev said to herself, she didn't trust herself when her enemy was standing close to her like that and looking down at her with a longing in his eyes.

“ Guess we have to solve that, I cannot sleep issue”, Kramer softly said, his eyes staring straight at her lips.