Ring With The Heart and Crown
“So let me get this straight, you want me for my body and Duncan for food?” Constantine raises an eyebrow.
“No, I didn't say that...exactly. I mean, Duncan is good for his skills in the kitchen,” I argue. “But I want you more than just for your body...and you know that.” I purr with what I hope is a seductive voice. Actually, I think that sounds more like a cat choking on its hairball.
The corners of his lips curl up while his eyes alight with humor. “No, I don't know that.” He keeps arguing, but now I know he finds it amusing.
“The point is, I'm not at all interested in Duncan or any other men.”
“I know that...but I'm still jealous when there are other males around you.”
“Why? Don't you trust me?”
We're sitting at the edge of the cliff watching the city below us. Our fingers intertwined. This is the cliff we came to that first time he told me that I was his erasthai. Constantine thought it's a good idea for us to be out of the house for the evening.
It is the beginning of dusk and the sky is beautiful even though we're not directly facing the sunset. It is painted with different shades and hues of orange, pink, blue and purple. It's the end of spring and the sky is darkening slowly. The streetlights are on, and soon so are the lights in houses and other buildings.
Not too long ago, I thought my world was ending because of my mate, the one who was supposed to be with me forever, rejected me. The pain was unbearable, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. Because of it, I end up with Constantine. Now I can't imagine my life without him in it.
I glance at my mate beside me. His dark brown hair tousled and gently blown by the evening breeze, a few silky locks fallen over one eyebrow. The glow of the setting sun falls on one side of his face, emphasizing the sharp planes of his perfectly chiseled features. His long eyelashes create shadows across the bridge of his nose and his cheek. His pale silver-gray eyes look almost golden in this light. I still can't believe that he's mine.
“I can feel your love for me.” He smiles gently. “Yes, I do trust you. I have to apologize in advance because I would still be jealous, no matter what. I can't help it. I'm a possessive beast.”
“Well, as long as you know that I want only you. Besides, you're a hot beast when you're jealous.”
He throws his head back and laughs then says, “I knew you want me for my body.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah...that's why I'm moving in with you. Well, your body, your shower heads, your—” I don't get to finish the sentence. His mouth comes down to land on mine in a brief but heated kiss that leaves me breathless.
“Good,” he says with a smug grin. “I thought I was going to have to tie you to my bedpost to keep you with me at all times.”
“Neanderthal,” I mutter to myself, but I can't help smiling. We're mated, that's equivalent to being married for humans. It shouldn't even be a question about me moving in with him, it's expected. I'm just so weird. I guess I puzzled my own family when I was still home and never mentioned about moving in with my mate the other night...well, maybe not. My family is just as weird as I am. I'm glad that he had asked instead of ordering me or forcing me to move in. My mate is awesome!
“Genesis,” he suddenly grabs my other hand and his expression turns serious. “This is the place where I told you that you're my erasthai, my one and only. The place where I first told you that I intend to make you my mate...for life.”
He suddenly looks nervous. “I have something I that I want you to have. I had been waiting for it to arrive.”
He reaches into his leather jacket pocket and produces a small blue velvet box. “It belonged to my grandmother.”
He opens the box and nestled inside is a ring. A gold ring with a brilliant violet-blue, oval cut sapphire, surrounded by a circle of diamonds. It's beautiful! It glitters even in the fading sunlight.
“I know it's old-fashioned. It is very old. I mean, you don't have to wear it if you don't like it.”
“Costa, I love it!”
“Or we can have it redesigned. If you don't like the sapphire, we can have it changed.”
“No, Costa. It's beautiful! I love it the way it is. I wouldn't change a single thing,” I interrupt him.
“Are you sure?” he asks, but there is a relief in his eyes and in him that I feel.
“Yes, it's gorgeous and it's special because it was your grandmother's. I'm honored to wear it.”
I almost cry at the love that I feel coming from him and that I can see in his eyes. He lifts my left hand and slips the ring on my finger. It fits! He kissed my hand before letting it go.
I think I grin so wide as I admire the ring on my finger. Wow! I am mated. I really am mated! He put a ring on it. I don't know why, but Beyoncé's song starts playing in my head.
“Well, now you have to meet my grandmother,” he interrupts my thoughts.
Bunnies!!! Way to kill my buzz.
He laughs. “you don't need to look as if I was about to deliver you to the gallows, my love.”
“But what if your grandmother doesn't like me?”
“Oh, she'll love you. She knows all about you and now she can't wait to meet her new granddaughter,” he reassures me.
“So we have to go to Russia?”
“No, my grandmother lives mostly in Chevalier Caye, her island in Belize. She's my maternal grandmother. She's not a royalty, but she owns The Monarchy, the restaurant that we went to last night. She's also the major shareholder of chains of restaurants and hotels throughout Europe and North America,” he says. “I'm sorry if I sounded like I was boasting, but I'm very proud of my grandmother. She's a strong lady. She worked hard to get to where she's at, but she's still a kind grandmother to me. As a matter of fact, in some ways, she's like you.”
Oh uh. “What do you mean, in some ways, she's like me?”
“Oh, you'll see.” He grins mischievously. “On second thought, maybe it's not such a good idea to have both of you together. Goddess knows what harm you could do to the unsuspecting people around you if you're together.”
Now I'm curious. If she's a bit like me, then it couldn't be that bad, right? Right?
“The school is going to be over in less than a month. I think we should go visit her then. You'll love Chevalier Caye.”
Constantine sounds like he's very fond of his grandmother. Well, if he loves her, then I should meet her and make an effort to get to know her.
“Tell me more about your grandmother,” I urge him softly.
“My grandmother isn't the type to bake cookies, knit sweaters or one who smells of lemon and honey. She disapproved of my parents going off leaving me to the governess and the nannies. I am the sole heir to her business empire, so she wanted to raise me herself. My uncle, King Alexandros, however, decided that I was to be brought up in the palace, learning the Palace's ways and the royal duties. I ended up growing up in the palace but I visit her once or twice a year, a month or two each time,” he explains.
“I was ten when she told me about erasthais and mates. She showed me this ring and promised me that one day this ring will be on the finger of my mate. She was worried that my mating would not be to my erasthai, but arranged due to royal duties, like King Alexandros and Queen Sophia,” he informs me. “That's why she's so happy to hear that I've found you.”
I smile up at him. The thought of meeting his family still makes me nervous. “So, the king and the queen's mating was arranged?” I ask instead.
“Yes, it's not uncommon among the royalties and lycan nobilities. It's more for convenience, mergers of territories, peace treaties, forming or strengthening alliances.”
“I feel sorry for them.” That sounds so cold to me.
“Yes, they'll never have what we have, sunshine. I wouldn't trade us for the world.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders and kisses my forehead.
A sudden thought occurs to me. “Have they ever tried to...arrange yours?”
“Arrange my mating? Yes, Queen Sophia did try to match me to a daughter of one of the noblemen,” he replies. I feel my anger rising at that. He squeezes my shoulder and continues. “But she wasn't as serious about it as she is about matching Caspian to Lady Celeste. The daughter of one of her best friends. She wants him to mate her and be ready to take over the throne. Caspian wants to wait for his erasthai. It caused a lot of friction, to call it mildly, between the two. It's been going on for years, it's no longer a secret in the castle.
“Their last big argument was over three years ago. That caused Caspian to destroy his suite in the palace. King Alexandros decided that it's best if he left Russia for a while. That's why we're here. Queen Sophia can be relentless, though. She can wear you down. I don't know, Caspian might give in at some point. Eventually.”
Poor Caspian. I always saw him as a carefree, devil-may-care, spoiled royal brat. Now I see him in a different light...a bit. Well, okay, he's still a childish, spoiled royal brat, but he was born into privilege and with that, a huge responsibility and expectations. I can't imagine having to mate for life with someone you're not in love with to just to fulfill an obligation thrust upon you since birth.
“I feel bad for Caspian.” I sigh.
“Yeah...but enough about him. I'm happy you're wearing the ring, finally. I've waited a long time for this,” he whispers against my mouth before his lips cover mine. My hands find their way into his thick luscious hair as his tongue finds its way inside my mouth.
Our tongues slide against each other. It's his taste that I can't get enough of. His hand at the back of my neck pulls me closer. His mouth grows more heated and more demanding.
I think I made a small sound of protest when he pulls back. He chuckles softly. Oh gosh! I swear my brain turns to mush whenever this man touches me.
“We better get home, sweetheart. This place is not as private and as secluded as the mountains,” he says as he helps me up.
“This is not over,” he whispers in my ear before he flashes me a wolfish grin. There's a wicked glint in his eyes that makes my heart skips a few beats and delicious chills run up and down my body.
I'm conscious of how close we are in the confines of the car. His eyes keep sliding towards me as if he can't keep his eyes off me. His hand on my thigh. I think we're way over the speed limit. I love watching his elegant, strong hands moving on the steering wheel.
Constantine groans and I turn to see my parents SUV parked in front of the huge mansion.
“Don't get me wrong, sunshine, I like your parents, but couldn't they pick another time to pay us a visit?”
I giggle. So much for wanting privacy.
“We're here to bring some of your things that you might need, sweetie,” explains mom cheerfully when we meet them inside the house. Autumn is also here with them. “I know you would be moving in here soon, but we thought you might need these for tonight and tomorrow.”
Yeah, right! Knowing my dad, it's probably his idea to come and check out the place. I know he's still very curious about the lycans.
“Thanks! How long have you been here?”
“Not that long. Maybe about fifteen minutes or so,” answers my dad.
Serena, Lazarus, and Caspian had been entertaining my family before we arrived back. I found out that they had invited my parents to stay for dinner. Duncan is cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
“Oh goodness, it's beautiful, sweetie!” exclaims Mom when I showed her the ring.
“So he finally gave you the ring!” exclaims Serena.
Serena, mom, and even Autumn gush over the ring, while the men disappear down the basement where I believe they have a man cave, also known as the weapon, sparring and training room. Constantine was telling me last night that I would have to start training and learn how to use the weapons soon. I think I'd rather sit on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, watching a good movie instead. That's enough exercise for my hand, my mouth, and my brain.
The men come back upstairs when dinner is ready. I try to be nicer to Caspian tonight since I feel sorry for him. It doesn't last too long, though. Soon he's irritating me without even trying or having to say a word to me.
Autumn has stars in her eyes as she gazes up at Caspian. I can understand why. Caspian is stunning, just like the rest of them, and he is extra charming tonight, so different than when she saw him at school. He flashes his straight pearly white teeth often tonight when you barely see them at school. He even winked at her once, and that makes me feel like smacking him upside the head. My dad keeps calling him Prince Caspian or Your Highness. That makes me feel like correcting my dad. I felt like saying, “Just call him Casper, dad.”
Play nice. Play nice! For the love of everything fuzzy, just play nice!!! So I just grit my teeth and smile.
Duncan served cucumber avocado Caprese salad as an appetizer; the main dish is Pesto chicken Florentine, and mango-lime sorbet with chunks of fresh mango for dessert.
Constantine is sitting next to me during dinner. Between cucumber avocado salad and Pesto chicken Florentine, I feel his warm thigh pressing up against mine. The warmth sizzles even through the thin fabrics between our skin. Not long after I feel his hand on my knee. Then his hand slowly creeps down the inner side of my thigh. The whole room falls away as the heat spreads all over my body. I bite my lip and clench my hands into tight fists to stop from moaning.
“Don't you think so, Genesis?” says mom, looking at me expectantly.
“Huh?”
Constantine's mouth curls up at the corners in a smirk before he turns to look at me with an innocent expression on his beautiful face. His hand continues to move up my thigh.
“Yeah, sure mom,” I answer, even though I have no clue what she was asking me about.
Looking at Constantine's angelic looking face, I decide that two can play the game.
I lay my hand gently on the inner side of his upper thigh and even before I start moving it upward, he moans.
Ooppsss...
His moan is loud enough to cause everybody to pause from talking and eating. Everybody looks up and stares. Yikes!
“Uuummm...this is very good.” He tries to cover up. “I mean, this is a very good...uhh…chicken,” he continues then clears his throat awkwardly. His smooth golden cheeks are suddenly stained pink.
Serena covers her mouth with a napkin, stifling her laugh. Caspian drops his fork on the plate then sits back in his chair, smirking. Lazarus just resumes eating, though his mouth is curled up at the corners and his eyes glint with amusement.
My parents just look a bit puzzled but quickly agree with Constantine. “Yes, this is a very excellent meal. Your cook is exceptionally good,” says dad.
I'm happy that my family gets along very well with my lycan family. It's after ten when my mom, my dad, and my sister Autumn take off.
“You,” growls Constantine in my ear from behind as I try to help clear the table.
“Me?”
“Yes, you! Payback time for what you did to me during dinner.” He nuzzles my neck. His mouth teasing, nipping and licking me behind my ear.
Ooohhh... goosebumps.
In a quick swift motion, he turns me around, then grabs me by my waist and throws me over his shoulder.
“Hey! Where are you going?” yells Caspian as Constantine carries me up the stairs.
“Painting session,” answers Constantine off-handedly.
“What???” I yelp.
“But I thought your studio isn't quite ready yet?” Caspian sounds amused. I can hear Serena laughing behind him.