013

~ROOK~

Three Hours Later

When I’d entered Catriana's room, I'd had no intention of doing what I'd done. Hell no I hadn't, I'd actually come to apologize for my actions earlier, but I hadn't been expecting what I'd found when I'd pushed through the doorway, either. Fuck, I mean, Jesus Christ, what red-blooded male wouldn't have reacted the same way I had!

The vision that had been before me had nearly brought me to my knees with need, the hunger I'd carried for Catriana beat strongly within my groin, causing the usual swelling behind my zipper as I'd moved toward her masturbating figure like an automated puppet before slipping into bed beside her. I was no more able to deter my next action than I could have willingly stopped breathing as I laid my hand over hers, husking for her to keep going. However, I'd quickly came undone, as shifting our hands, she pushed me backward until my back rested against the bed, then climbing on top of me, she'd began grinding against my hard-on. Sweet merciful God, I hadn't known whether I was in Heaven or Hell.

Now, I sat in my room, realizing what a huge mistake I had almost made. I wanted Catriana more than anything—but it was a want I had to deny myself. I couldn’t have her, no matter my yearning to. I’d slipped up when I had entered her room, giving into my needs. I had still been inflamed from our earlier encounter—another screw up I had not been able to afford. But seeing her hours later and what she had been doing? Yeah, I’d become completely undone and unable not to give into my desires. 

However, it was an act I would not repeat. The more I entangled myself with her, the more she was at risk. A risk that was my fault. Obviously, my blood-tie with Sharella had alerted the bitch of my feelings for Catriana, thus bringing her into Catriana’s life.

In a thousand years, I had never loved another woman since Nivea. I’d never been faced with my long ago actions toward Sharella either, though. 

I'd had lovers, yes, but none that had ever touched my cold heart. I'd figured I was incapable of loving again, that I was forever bound to Nivea. But when I had felt the first twinge of my heart that I had felt in a thousand years, I could not stop the end result. I had fallen head over heels in love with Catriana. And now, it was that love that could end her life. I’d known better. Knew what it would bring. 

Sharella was just one of many enemies I had made in my lifetime, though—she was just the first to come after Catriana, the first to open the doorway. However, Sharella was just a witch, sneaky, troublesome, definitely out for revenge, but easily dealt with, there were far worse out there who weren’t—others that would use whatever and whoever they could to get to me, and they were coming.

~CAT~

I was exhausted—emotionally worn out. This yo-yo game Rook was playing had worn out its welcome a long time ago. I was over it. At first the pretended accidental touches of his hand, the brush of his body against mine, seeing the want in his eyes—had been almost an orgasmic high. However, back then it had never gone as far as it had today. He had never brought me to Heaven, then dropped me into Hell. I had known we were close, so fucking close to making love—but then he’d retreated like a burglar facing a shotgun. Hell, I’d rather have had a ‘wham-bam-thank ya ma’am,’ than to be in the condition he had left me!

Frustration was not an easy thing to deal with, and right now, it consumed me, but I felt no compulsion to give myself relief. He had done this to me. Rook had caused me to feel a hunger I had never experienced before, and then left me with no desire to end my misery.

Damn, this was so fucked! With a small shake of my head, I sat up, and rotated from butt-cheek to butt-cheek until I had reached the edge of my mattress. Then standing, I shuffled toward the bathroom where I jerked to a stop in its doorway at the loud shriek of my inner alarm as it bellowed its alert throughout my head. Quickly turning, a gasp escaped me as I stared at the woman standing in the middle of my room. A woman who stared back at me from a pair of eerily insane eyes. 

Giving a start, I began stumbling my way backward toward the bathroom, my heart racing with fear. How had this woman gotten past the protection spells? And what the hell did she want of me? None of it made any sense, but at that moment, rationality didn't matter. All I cared about was escaping her gaze and finding a way to protect myself. 

The woman, her piercing eyes locked on me, took a step forward. Her laughter echoed through the room, sending shivers down my spine. “It’ll do you no good to hide from me. I am owed a debt, and I intend to collect.” 

As her words began to fade, I heard Rook shout from the hallway. “Catriana, open this fucking door!” Then, using his shoulder as a battering ram, he began slamming it against the door, attempting to gain entrance to my room.

Once again, the woman's low eerie laugh filled the room before she offered, "But first, I intend to have a little fun with my old lover." 

I froze, my mind racing to process what was happening. How could this woman possibly know Rook? And what did she mean by having a little fun?

"Ya see," she sneered, "Rook hasn’t always been the man he pretends to be. We have a history, he and me."

Suddenly, the room grew colder, and a whisper of wind swept through the air, sending shivers down my spine. The woman's eyes seemed to glow with light as she continued her cryptic monologue. "Ye see, love, I can’t let him get away with breaking my heart so easily." 

As the words spilled out between us, Rook continued to pound on the door, but this time, instead of speaking to me, he called out, "Sharella, dammit! Open this fucking door." 

I could hear the desperation in his tone, and it sent a chill down my spine. 

The woman's laughter ceased, and her eyes narrowed with a mix of satisfaction and malevolence. "You see, Rook made a pact with me, seeking to save his precious love. But what  he didn’t know, was that she was already beyond saving, and every bargain has its price. Now he is forever entwined in the threads of fate. And you, my Dear, you are nothing but another pawn in our twisted game."