18 : Almost punished

**Evelyn :**

After packing my bags as fast as I could, I took one last look around to commit the place in memory. The place where I had lived all this time, and knowing that someone knew where I lived and could even sneak in, I couldn't stay in this apartment anymore if I am well exposed to danger.

I didn't really know where I was going but at first, it didn't matter. The main thing is to leave this place for good, even if I didn't want to leave my apartment since it was my home all this time.

Throwing the backpack on my back, I was about to take the bags full of my other stuff when suddenly something fell off in the kitchen. Alone in the living room, my heart began to beat faster and faster as I waited to see if the noise would repeat itself. A minute passed and everything was completely quiet.

Sighing in relief, I turned towards the hallway and almost screamed at the sight I saw.

A man in all black, like an angel of death with the whole hood over his head. Two eyes shone in the half-darkness and I saw in his hands a golden sword, which was decorated with all kinds of diamonds. Gripping it tighter, I stopped breathing as I scanned the creature from head to toe. My heart sank when I saw the flashing of familiar tattoos, slightly visible on the neck area, which of course continued all the way down but due to the cloak, they were not shown to other eyes.

"Raphael?" I whimpered incredulously when I almost choked on air.

I didn't know if I should be relieved or sad that it wasn't a murderer but God whom I left with heartache, hoping that it would be better for me and him if we didn't meet again but then again it could be even worse.

The man smiled but it was more like a smile before he decides to kill me as he took a step closer to me.

"You were a naughty girl and ran away. What did I tell you if you were going to do that? Didn't warn you?"

I took a step back, now doing everything to the opposite, now feeling a little afraid of the being standing in front of me but the light from the street gave me a clear view of his face. I couldn't lie.

*Why does he have to be so sexy?*

Mentally slapping myself for that, I laughed awkwardly.

"I, uhhh, I just, well you see..." I tried to find a way out of this situation but Raphael just shook his head, cutting off my ability to speak.

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. Evelyn, I thought you were a smart girl. You would have calmly waited for me at home, got yourself the present you deserved but now you've pissed me off. Did you think I wouldn't find you?" grinning at me, like a joker who plays a deadly joke, I thought that he will kill me on the spot, not knowing what will happen to me.

"Please no, I didn't mean to do it, I won't do it again," I began to beg, I had no choice but to hope that he would take pity on me. I knew we had a connection and I was his freaking queen but that doesn't mean that now all of a sudden he'll forgive me, give me flowers, and everything will be fine with kisses. No, this was a God who knows what he's doing and doesn't like anyone disobeying his requests or orders. I was in deep trouble.

Leaning against my coffee table, I barely caught myself when I almost knocked it over. Meanwhile, the Phoenix's eyes followed me, never letting me out of his sight when he slowly approached. In all black, he was even more dangerous and it seemed like I was seeing him for the first time.

"I told you not to leave the house without my permission but you did it anyway," he continued to remind me. I froze when he was already in front of me. I couldn't even react when a hand from the cloak grabbed my waist and I was pulled to him in the darkness.

Only the eyes and tattoos glowed in the dark.

"Please forgive me," I whispered fearfully. Feeling that the sparks were stronger than ever, on my skin, as he touched me, I barely stifled a moan when I felt Raphael put his sword into its proper place under his cloak and grab my neck with that hand, his index finger gently scratching my skin when I felt a claw pushing it in.

Tilting my head, I watched as his eyes became brighter, small flames were already visible in his pupils. It was also much hotter now.

"You don't think you'll get away with it, do you?" muttering lowly, his face came dangerously close to mine, the hood hiding us, like a cave.

"And for lying there is also a punishment," smiling a malicious smile, my eyes widened upon hearing his words.

*Lying? What exactly I lied about?*

"You were thinking of hiding from me that someone had visited you? Left you presents?" out of nowhere, he released my body with his right hand to put it behind him, and barely seeing what he was doing, he pulled something out of his cloak.

It was a clear plastic bag containing red carnations and a card with a riddle written on it that I couldn't quite remember at first. I had thrown them out.

With wide eyes and an open mouth, my gaze went to his knowing expression, which was already waiting for me. With a teasing but dangerous grin on his face, he let go of the bag, it fell to the ground, and he kicked it with his boot a meter away from us.

"So, Darling... When were you going to tell me? Or was that not even a consideration? Just to run away from all this as if nothing had happened for these four days?" Pulling me closer, Raphael leaned into my ear.

"You know well that I punish all those who disobey me but it makes no difference whether it is you or a murderer who knows of your goings-on and is evidently trying to anger me. One word and I will find him. Just say," he whispered, hot lips running down the sensitive skin of my ear and I had to shake myself from it.

Closing my eyes, I felt myself pressing closer to him. My body and hormones betrayed me.

"What do you want?" I had to ask.

I felt him smile instead of answering until he did with his words too.

"You, of course, but now I'd like to cut the bastard who dared to set foot here and leave behind his dirty footprints, scaring my queen. Did you think I'd leave those things like that?" chuckling at his own question, right next to my ear, I shivered again as he continued, "No, you probably don't know me that well but that's okay, we have forever," kissing my hair softly, close to my ear, I almost melted if I would not have listened to his words.

"How can you find someone when there's no evidence at all? Only flowers and a card left. He wouldn't be stupid enough to leave his fingerprints. There's no camera here either, so how would you know who he is? How come that you arrived here unnoticed and found out about it when I recently threw them out? I didn't even see you ", there were many questions from my mouth but I didn't know if I would be able to stop until I started to feel more safer with my soulmate.

"Oh baby, I'm the king, I know everything," looking at me with a questioning look - *really? Are you still asking?* - There was no longer any doubt that he was capable of anything.

"And what about my punishment?" I knew I should have kept my mouth shut but it was too late.

The man slowly leaned back and looked at me. Pulling the hood off his head with one hand, I almost gasped when I finally saw his full face. There was a red throbbing cut all over his right side, under his eye, as if a lion had scratched him with its claws. It was unpleasantly red and bloody.

My mother's instinct immediately turned on.

"Oh my god, what happened!!" I was about to touch it, but at the very last moment, his hand caught mine in a flash and I was stopped with a warning look.

"Don't. Not now."

Whimpering at how tightly he was holding me, his gaze immediately softened and he also released my hand, which he immediately lowered to my side. Without giving me any explanation, he looked around and then looked at my bags. After thinking a little, I knew he was making a choice.

As my eyes lit up, I heard words that made me both pale and almost jump for joy.

"You will come with me. We will not stay here much longer. It will be better if you aren't seen in this area for long."

And with that, I had no choice but to agree and go with him.

Once again submitting to his power.