The Pure-Hearted Princess and the Kiss of Darkness novel Chapter 4

~ KATALEYA ~

“No thank you, I don’t want anything…” I freeze, realising who had just asked me. That deep baritone sends shivers down my spine, and I can’t help but stare at that perfectly chiselled jaw as he looks ahead.

Goddess…

He looks even more breathtakingly handsome than the picture, and my heart is racing a thousand beats per hour as I take in that tan skin, that rugged stubble, that sharp nose.

He’s here… beside me.

Those years of waiting and yearning for him, they’re over… he’s right here, just a touch away.

There are not enough words to explain this moment that I have dreamt of for years. Time seems to stand still and it’s just the two of us.

Gone is the pounding music of the club, the shouting and commotion of those around us…

I gaze up at him as he downs his drink.

It’s just the two of us…

The moment the glass is slammed down, I’m thrown back into the present.

Say something!

But my lips are not cooperating. Being so close to him has rendered me speechless and all I want to do is admire him.

He’s grown. Well, of course, he’s grown! He’s no longer a boy. Goddess!

Mustering up some courage, I open my mouth to speak. “Do you-”

“This place really does get filled with trash.” He suddenly cuts in, his voice as harsh as the bitter winter cold and he suddenly stands up, anger emanating off him strong and in line with his powerful aura.

I gasp, sucking in a sharp breath and he looks down at me, his eyes burning a molten liquid gold. He doesn’t need to announce it or display it. It’s clear how much power the man before me holds.

“Pathetic.”

His words cut through me like a knife being twisted inside of me and even as he turns and walks away, oozing power and dominance, it feels as if he has left the knife stuck in my throat. I had pictured a thousand scenarios in my mind, a thousand ways our first meeting would go, but this wasn’t one I had imagined.

He pauses when one of the dancers stops him, clad in nothing but jewelled nipple coverings and a thong, placing her hand on his chest. Suddenly, it feels as if I’m being punched in the guts. I choke up, but I’m unable to look away, despite the intensifying pain in my chest. My lips quiver as he grabs her ass, giving it a squeeze.

I look away. I never thought this could be so painful…

I’m blinded by my tears and the moment I blink, the tears spill down my cheeks. I take a shaky breath as someone passes me a drink and I bow my head, mumbling a ‘thank you’ and gulping it down.

Not that it will help with the agony that I am in. My hands are trembling, and I feel I’m that six-year-old girl again, being shouted at by him.

Goddess… I press a hand to my chest, feeling my heart thump excruciatingly.

I couldn’t even speak… I couldn’t even tell him why I’m here. Sliding off the stool, I suddenly feel dizzy.

I need to pay...

Wanting to get out of there fast, I reach for my bag that hangs on my shoulder.

“How much do I owe for the drink?” I ask.

“It’s paid for,” I hear the bartender’s distant answer.

“Thank- thank you,” I whisper before turning and rushing away, the sound of the music thuds in my ear, my vision swaying and all I can think of is the hatred in his eyes.

Pathetic.

Is that what I came off as?

Why? What did I even say that angered him?

I come to a sudden stop, teetering on the spot, and grab the table, almost hitting the ground head first, my heart pounding violently.

Calm yourself, Kat…

I breathe steadily but my head feels heavy and when I open my eyes, I see double.

Frowning in concentration, I walk down the steps. Did someone put something in that drink?

I barely take another two steps when it feels like I’m about to fall and close my eyes.

How could I have been so careless? I promised Mama and Dad that I’d be careful.

I grip my forehead. I need to let Valentina know, and then hide somewhere and wait until she arrives. I can’t risk being here alone.

Glancing around, I try to make sense of my blurred surroundings.

The throbbing in my head is growing, and I suck in a breath. Who did this? Are they following me?

A sudden wave of unease hits me and blindly I break into a run, the urge to find a hiding spot fast consuming me. Something bad is about to happen!

“There she is!” someone growls.

My heart pounds as I run faster, trying to shift, but whatever they gave me isn’t letting me. How could I have been so stupid to fall into this trap?

My wolf’s sadness seems to wrap around me, almost as if she’s comforting me and I pull on those emotions of comfort. I know our wolves are a part of us, but often I feel like it’s another entity within me, one that is part of me, yet she’s powerful even when I’m uncertain about things. She’s always there, watching over me, ready to come forward whenever I need her.

Maybe I am a little weird but I’m ok being like this.

The sound of my heels and the heavy footsteps behind me ring in the air, clamouring in my ears, a reminder that they’re catching up.

There’s at least four- no… there’s more...

I round the corner, fumbling with my bag and try to get my phone out, but my coordination is off, and I stumble on something, gasping as I tumble to the ground, hitting my knee hard.

I should have been able to avoid that… but I am only becoming dizzier.