Rohan did not use the door to reach the chamber. It was once his, and he knew many ways to get into it without the door because he knew from instinct that his adorable little wife would have bolted the lock in hopes that he would not come to her. Did she believe he was joking when he told her he would come to her tonight? Scoffing, he never joked about things such as that.
He settled on the open balcony of the chamber and became still, a part of the night, blending for a moment into the very darkness. The chamber was the only room with a light in the entire large castle, which meant she was not yet asleep. His dark, soulless eyes found her through the clear glass of the french balcony door, found her, and claimed her.
She was small-boned, curvy, with a tiny waist and a wealth of golden blonde hair tumbling down her back to draw attention to her rounded bottom. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at that part of her body. She was standing before the vanity table, braiding her long hair for sleep. She did not call the maids to assist her, he noted.
She was unique, intriguing, her skin like satin, her eyes incredibly large, intensely hazel, fringed with thick, long lashes. Not a detail escaped his memories as he had watched her face while she slept in his arms in the carriage. Though she was preparing for bed now, Rohan noticed how she was putting so much effort into hiding the scar above her brow with her fringe, combing her fingers into it and smoothing it down.
She did not wear the nightgown he had ordered to be given to her, and that made him frown in displeasure. He had picked it himself and looked forward to seeing her in it; he liked the color. But instead of it, she wore a faded-looking off-white gown that looked thin from constant washing, and it clung to her skin, hugged her high, full breasts, and bared the line of her throat, her creamy freckled shoulders. Not bad. It might be faded, but it did not hide what his eyes wanted to see. But he would make sure this would be the last time she wore it.
He let his eyes trail down her body. She had small feet, like her hands. So much curve in so small a package. Tsk. She braided her hair, walking to the window and looking out with unseeing eyes. Her face held a faraway expression; there was a look of sadness in her features.
He found himself following every stroke of her fingers as they braided her hair into two sections. Her movements were innocent, but yet his body stirred.
Every action with her fingers in her hair lifted her breasts invitingly, emphasized her narrow rib cage and small waist. The nightgown clung to her body, revealing the dark vee at the juncture of her legs. His fingers dug deeply into the railing, leaving long scars in the metal. Still, Rohan watched. She was graceful, enticing. He found his hot gaze dwelling on her soft throat, the pulse beating steadily in her neck. His. He smirked deviously.
She stared out the window, as if waiting for her lover. The thought of her with another man enraged him, and he became more determined to make her forget her Mr. Marchant. What was his could never be touched by another, Rohan thought, his eyes darkening.
Belle, however, shivered for no apparent reason. A sudden chill crept over her, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Wrapping her arms around herself as if to ward off the strange cold, she glanced around the room. But she was alone.
She hadn't been able to sleep and had stood at the window, watching the darkness and distant lights that were obviously coming from the town of the vampires who did not sleep at night. She'd learned that most of the vampires liked to move at night, and from the distant activities, she could confirm that. But what bothered her mind was far greater than anything.
Today was her first night in this strange land, and she could not imagine sleeping in one piece. She'd taken her bath and changed into her faded nightdress, fearing and dreading that her vampire husband would appear at any time, and every little noise alarmed her until she no longer bothered again as the night drew into midnight. Perhaps he was just bluffing about performing their wedding night and had gone out and forgotten he even had a wife. Good. She hoped he would allow her to live her life.
Many marriages that were for alliance and contract had been like that. The husband would keep his wife and go to his mistress at night, and the only reason they would come together was to make an heir. But apart from that, they would not even see much of each other, and she prayed to the heavens her marriage would be like that with this vampire until her mission was completed.
But right now, she could not help but miss her home and her small chamber in the Dawson household, her nightly activities of writing a reply letter to Jamie and reading his, smiling at his poetic confession of love. She had dreamed of herself being Mrs. Marchant someday, and she felt her eyes and throat burn with emotions as she watched the starless and moonless night, her hands absentmindedly touching the precious ring she had slipped into her chain.
She sighed and was about to turn around and force herself to sleep when a startled scream tore out of her throat at the sight that greeted her. She quickly clapped her palm against her mouth to control herself. What the hell was he doing here, and how did he get into her room? Belle thought to herself in disbelief as she looked towards the door that still had a lock on it and then back to the man who leaned casually against the locked door of the balcony, watching her with his head crooked to the side, his red lips pulled up at the side.
She would not have seen him there had the light in her chamber been turned off because of the dark attire he wore. Apart from his devastatingly handsome face, every other part of him was clad in black, even his hands still had dark gloves, where he crossed his arms against his broad chest, and his one leg was bent and flattened against the wall behind him. How did he enter when the door was locked and her chamber was at the top of the many-story castle? For how long had he been standing there?
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