Beauty and the Damned

19 | Closer

Morning came and she was back to being human. The bed was unusually uncomfortable and that's not all. The ceiling looked awfully dry and dull and she couldn't see the sun from the small window. The room was suffocating but she managed to survive somehow. The window was too small that she couldn't even fit into it should she decide to get in. Save for that and the door, there was nothing else in the room to allow enough air inside.

She was about to get up when she felt something heavy on her stomach. When she looked down to see it, she gasped as she realized it was an arm. Rowan's arm.

Ariadne looked beside her and saw Rowan shirtless with his arm draped over her stomach. But the worst thing is that-- she's naked.

She muttered a silent curse under her breath. Slowly, she held his wrist and tried to get it off her stomach but to her surprise, Rowan tightened his hold on her. Ariadne could feel Rowan’s breath on her neck as he buried his face through her hair. She closed her eyes firmly as she could feel Rowan’s akin against hers. She’s naked and she has to wear something on.

Once again, she tried to remove Rowan’s hand from her stomach but she heard Rowan groan as he held her even tighter.

“I know you are awake and in case you forgot, we have to get going,” she said, not even bothering to lower her voice down. But she never realized Rowan is someone stubborn because instead of getting up, he buried his face onto her neck even more.

Ariadne closed her eyes. If this happened before, she would have flipped the man over but she is not the same person anymore. One thing also is that she kind of liked the feel of his skin on hers—

She muttered a silent curse. They have to get going.

Without saying anything. Ariadne grabbed his hand and removed it. She was able to remove it from her belly but then his other hand made way to wrap around her waist.

“You are not in your castle and we are not going to stay here for another minute,” she said and tried to get his head away from his hot breath.

“Yes, we are,” Rowan said and before she could even protest she felt him lean closer and bite her shoulder. His one arm went back to wrap around her body, just right under her breast.

“I am naked, Rowan,” she said, her voice now lower.

Rowan groaned and said, “Much better, right?” She could have sworn he was smirking while saying it. The next thing she knew was Rowan’s hand doing tiny circles around her belly.

When she gasped, Rowan took that as a signal to continue what he was doing. His body was hot against her and so was hers. She could feel it. And it felt good. Whether she admits it or not, it felt good. Rowan is now sucking her neck while his hands were busy trailing her body. One of his hands found her breast, the other went between her legs.

She gasped as he dipped a finger. “So ready for me, “ he said, and then she could hear him fumbling with his pants behind her. The next thing she felt was his manhood behind her. His arm scooped her leg and raised it a bit higher. She could feel his hard manhood behind her. Then he slipped it in between his legs and sandwiched his c**k in between.

“f**k,” she heard him say on her neck. She felt his teeth scraping against her neck and it was her undoing. She started moving her hips too, meeting his movements.

Rowan’s hands stopped her waist and positioned his manhood in her entrance. She bit her lip as Rowan continued sucking her neck and squeezing her breast. When she felt his tip at the entrance of her cave, she covered her mouth with her hand. She did not forget that the walls might not be soundproof and she couldn’t moan as much as she wants just like how she did at the castle.

So she covered her mouth to stifle her moan as Rowan fully sheathed his manhood inside her.

“How’s that?” he asked. His eyes were on her, watching her as she was closing her eyes and biting her lip. As if teasing her, Rowan was moving painfully slow inside her. Teasing her, making her crave for more. She started moving her hips but Rowan held her down.

“Do not move,” he said and there was something in his voice that was so commanding that she stopped moving in an instant. She then let out a whine as Rowan continued to move slow. His left hand was doing lazy strokes on her legs and his right hand was wrapped around her body just right under her boobs. While he was thrusting inside her, her mouth was playing with her earlobes and her neck. The man can do many tasks at once and it is making her crazy.

“What do you want, Ariadne, hmm?” he asked. He is teasing her. She knew he’s teasing her and it was frustrating. She knew what he wants. She knew he wanted her to say that she wants him to do it faster. Rowan Casteel is a despicable bastard.

“Fast,” she rasped, unable to form the word in her mouth.

“Say that again,” Rowan whispered in her ear and stopped thrusting. She whined in frustration and faced him.

“Faster, Rowan,” she said. “Do it faster, please.”

She doesn’t know what could be seen in her eyes but she could tell from Rowan’s reaction that her eyes looked desperate. Desperate to feel him more. Ariadne could see a feral glint in his eyes before he leaned down and claimed her lips fully.

She answered his kisses with the same intensity and she gasped, unable to stop the moan from coming out when Rowan suddenly thrust his hips a little stronger than earlier. Her mouth was wide open and her eyes rolled back as she felt the immense amount of pleasure of his manhood inside of her. Rowan took that chance to explore her mouth. She could hear his moans as he continued to thrust harder and faster.

The bed was creaking she was scared they might break it. She was thankful for the kiss because it somehow muffled their moans. But when Rowan pulled back from the kiss, she had to cover her mouth with her hand trying to stifle her loud moans.

“Shh,” Rowan whispered in her ear. She closed her eyes and bit her lip hard. Then she felt his hand crawling towards her core. When his fingers reached the apex of her legs, she shivered. Having him thrusting inside her was good but feeling his finger slowly rubbing her clit was a different kind of good. She wanted more so she moved and met his thrusts. Ariadne turned to kiss his jaw and when she saw how his mouth was open while looking at her, it was her undoing. She started to grind faster against him and he started to thrust harder. She felt the pleasure building up inside her and Rowan’s hand on her clit is rubbing faster too.

“Rowan,” she rasped as she felt close.

“Yes, don’t hold back,” he said and with one strong thrust, she felt herself reach the climax. Her body arched and she closed her eyes while gripping the sheets. She could still feel Rowan thrusting inside of her while she was shivering and having her release. She bit her lip and felt him pulsing inside her. He’s almost there too, she thought.

With her one hand, she held his and guided it to squeeze her breast. With one last thrust, Rowan pulled himself out and the next thing he knew was the warm liquid sprayed in between her legs. Rowan’s evidence of arousal. It was hot and sticky and it felt good.

They were both breathing heavily when they finished. But they have to get going.

“f**k,” Rowan muttered and she looked at him. When she rubbed her eyes and put on his pants once again, she took the chance to get out of bed. But then she was pulled back by Rowan. She was about to protest when Rowan suddenly wiped the thing between her legs and her belly where he sprayed his arousal.

"My apologies," he muttered. One moment he was wild and now he was acting like a gentleman. She stopped herself from rolling her eyes and stood up. She looked around looking for the bathroom but there wasn't. She looked at Rowan who was still splayed on the bed and looking at her. She fought the heat creeping into her cheeks.

"Where is the bathroom?" she asked Rowan but the man just sighed.

"This place only has one common bathroom and I don't think you want to use it."

She looked at Rowan, horror on her face. "Where the hell am I supposed to wash then?"

Rowan got up from the bed and wore his shirt. He then smiled at her and said, "I am afraid we'd have to remove that in your routine within the next four days, Your Majesty." He bowed slightly and she could tell he was teasing her.

But what could she do? There’s nothing else she could do. “Will you please stop staring?” she said but Rowan just grinned wider.

She groaned and looked at her state. Her hands and feet are dirty. “Can I have at least a bucket of water to wash my hands, feet, and…” She looked at her body where Rowan wiped.

The Prince sighed and walked towards the door. “Wait here,” he said and walked out. Minutes later, he came back with two buckets of water enough for her to wash.

She cleaned herself and wore her clothes again. It was almost seven o’clock when they decided to go out of their room. Ariadne went to the back where she came last night and Rowan was at downstairs, paying for his stay. She isn’t sure where they are going next or if they are still going to travel on foot. She sincerely hopes not.

The weather was colder than yesterday. She was thankful she had a cloak.

“What are you doing out here, missy?”

She looked on her left only to see a middle-aged. His long hair was unkempt and was tied carelessly. In his hand is a bottle of drink. A drunkard, she thought. And he looks like trouble.

Ariadne looked behind her to check if Rowan was coming but she couldn’t see any signs of Rowan. She looked at the man who was now walking towards her.

“Come on, Miss, I don’t bite,” he said. She faced the man and took out the dagger she hid behind her pants. When the man saw the knife, he stopped walking. His eyes became cautious. She’s mad.

“I don’t bite either, but I could cut your tongue,” she said and was about to walk towards the man when the door opened and Rowan was instantly standing in front of her and the man.

Rowan looked at her, to the knife she was holding, and to the man who was now staggering back.

“I…I am sorry—“

“I should cut his tongue,” she said to Rowan.

“I truly am sorry.”

Rowan looked at the man who was now kneeling on the ground, his forehead almost touching the ground. “You tried harming her. Tell me why shouldn’t I kill you?”

The man looked up but instantly regretted it as he only met Rowan’s piercing stare. “I didn’t. I wasn’t trying to.”

His voice was quivering and she couldn’t help but sigh.

“Let it go,” she said to Rowan. The Prince looked at the man for the last time before he turned his back and walked towards her.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She put the knife back to its sheath. “If anything, I was the one who would have hurt him if you didn’t step in,” she said.

Rowan sighed. “Of course,” he said and looked at the man again who was still bowing on the floor.

“Run and don’t look back. If you look back, you’ll regret it,” he said. His voice was calm. Gentle even. And yet it was laced with enough bite and authority that she knew he wasn’t kidding. The man realized it too and was immediately on his feet. He ran as fast as he could, almost fell face-first to the ground. He did not look and they both looked at the man who was scuttling away from them until they couldn’t see him anymore.

“Where are we going now?” she asked Rowan.

“North,” he said. “We’re going north and the good part is that I got us a wagon that could lead us to the next town.”

“Really?” She let out a sigh of relief. She doesn’t think she would last for today by walking.

“Yes. And if we get another wagon, we might be able to get to Cern by tomorrow.”

Hearing it was like music to her ears. She followed Rowan through the alley and there was indeed a wagon waiting for them. At the back of it were haystacks of rice. Rowan climbed onto the back where the haystacks are and she followed suit.

She couldn’t complain. Not when it was so much better than walking.

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