Stolen by Her Demon King Mate

Chapter 3: Pleading

I didn’t know what the best response was. The sensible part of me wanted to refuse but my body wanted something completely else. “Are you going to apologize?”

“For what exactly?” He crossed his muscular arms.

I forced a laugh that came out sounding uncertain. “You’re right, there’s nothing for you to apologize for. I kidnapped and locked myself in a dungeon.” I wish I could have spoken like this to Emilio but he didn’t show his true colors right away. I made a mistake by letting Emilio know me on a deep level before I knew him.

“I can’t apologize for that because I’m not sorry for that order.” His cold words kept me at a distance. “I didn’t put out that order for my own protection but the protection of the people in this realm. With their king dead the realm would go to ruin. There’s no one fit to take over and the realm would be vulnerable. Anarky is the way I see it.” 

I rubbed my arm. “Okay…” I wasn’t going to beg for an apology, but that didn’t mean I was satisfied. “Well, I ate and I am not tired. I’ll take my own shower then we can figure out when I’m leaving. That sounds like one thing at a time to me.”  I started to feel the pressure of time.

I walked into the bathroom and locked the door. I stripped and stared at my body in the mirror. I took a deep breath and walked to the shower and it took me a second to figure out how it worked. I spent so much time staying in shitty hotels and this shower was a lot different than one of those. I stepped into the shower and thought as I let the water fall over me.

After I took a long shower I put one of the robes on and Grayson gave me clothes to wear. I wondered whose clothes these were. It’s hard to believe he had women’s clothes laying around. The clothes were a little baggy in certain places. I shook away my jealousy. “Okay,” I remarked to let him know I was ready to discuss my leaving. I looked away for a few moments because he had no shirt on. His upper body was very defined.

“You can leave as much as you want, once we’re marked. You can see your family whenever you want and they can come here to see you as well.” Was that really my only choice? Grayson’s eye contact was intense and made my mouth water. I laid down in his bed which made him smirk. “So you don’t want your own room?” It was hard for me to convince myself to leave him while I was stuck here. If I had to be here I wanted to be close to him. Nothing I felt was real yet but I could accept that I needed the comfort from the mate bond while I was here.

“Not yet but if you touch me invasively in my sleep I’ll know and I’ll reject you.” I had to set a boundary that I regret not setting with Emilio. 

“Understood.” It wasn’t too hard to fall asleep. I was able to sleep all the way until the morning to my surprise. I felt my mom while I was sleeping. It pained me that she couldn’t receive my love since she was human. Demons had the ability to feel the strong emotions and sometimes thoughts that our loved ones have when we’re apart. Even if she couldn't, my brothers could. At least they’d be able to tell her and realize I’m still alive.

When I woke up I felt glee. The last time I felt this when waking up was when my family was whole years ago. “You’re finally awake,” Grayson uttered in a gruff sleepy tone.

I was on top of him with my head laying on his bare athletic chest and his big hand was rubbing my back. All I could feel were sparks coursing through my veins. I felt his huge erection poking me and the wetness that soaked through my panties and onto him. I pushed myself off him and my face was hot from my blush. “Why was I on top of you…?” I didn’t feel like he trespassed into me so I didn’t feel like I had to react too angrily.

Grayson laughed like drums and he looked smug. “You wouldn’t let go of me in your sleep. It was cute.” I guess that was why I slept so well. It made sense that I would cling to him in my sleep. His scent and touch were bliss because we were meant for each other. This wasn't supposed to be so weird and complicated Growing up we were always taught that mates weren’t strangers. We were expected to trust Satan’s choice right away. My situation was a little different. Our parents didn't exactly teach us what to do if our mate steals us away from our family after previously wanting to kill us.

“If I refuse to be with you as your Queen and proper mate then will you kill me?”

His face dropped its previous emotion. “I’d have to.” I got my answer and it didn't surprise me. He sat up against the headboard. “I explained to you the risk. I can’t let you leave but I also can’t have you stay too long without being officially mine. It’s too big a risk. My family worked hard to build all we have.” He pulled me closer to him by my waist. “The demon realm is thriving.” He wasn’t wrong, in the recent years that he became king the realm was doing great. The realm was able to unite again under one rule after decades of being split by opposing rulers. “Your name?”

“Aria,” I murmured.

It was clear to me that I wouldn’t get out of this situation easily. The side of me with common sense was fighting against my urge to want to give myself to my chosen mate. I’ve heard things about the King. Although he’s coming across like a reasonable man he’s not. He showed me a little of that in the hall when he ordered someone’s death with no remorse or hesitation. He’s a ruthless, smart man and that’s a part of what makes him so efficient as a king. He lacks the empathy that makes killing his enemies or those who oppose him hard. One hand was on my waist while the other was gently around my neck. 

“Aria.” I felt weak hearing him whisper my name. “If I let you live apart from me you’ll be the end of me." I was the only one who doubted that the prophecy was about me. My mom believed it was and so did the rest of our community. I guess I had never seen anyone else that fit the description the way I did either. Hybrids of my combination who were also blessed weren't exactly common.

"If I let you live here unmarked you’ll be the end of me,” He continued. The hand on my waist moved slowly down to my thigh. “You wouldn’t have been my first choice for a true mate.” My heart sank to my stomach. You could technically mark anyone as your mate but true mates are chosen and linked by Satan. Satan chooses the person you’re meant for and meant to be the happiest with. “Sure you’re beautiful, your aura seems nothing but loving and lonely. I can’t stop thinking about all the things I’d do to you,” he said with hunger. His hand around my throat tightened. “All the things I’d give you and introduce you to. I can tell you’d make more than a decent queen. I can already see why you were chosen for me above anyone else.” I felt the rare feeling of being desired but was quickly let down again when he said, “but I’ll never be able to let myself trust you. I wouldn’t have wanted my mate to be you.” His hand on my thigh moved more up my thigh. I felt moist down there. “Aria, I wouldn’t have wanted my mate to be the woman with the potential to end me.” 

“Well, I am your mate.” Which meant we owed it to each other to figure this out. He was trying to figure it out all on his own. I guess he felt his risks outweighed mine.

He chuckled as he pulled his hands away from me. “Yeah, so I don’t want to have to kill you.” He got out of his bed. He looked down at himself and noticed my juices on his lower abdomen. He smirked and wiped it up with his fingers. When he licked his fingers I looked away and squirmed. 

“You'll be happy here with me Aria. The worst can be behind you." That all depended on my next move. "Stay here.” He put on a shirt and pants before he left the room.

I laid down on my back. He so easily made me wet regardless of my being awake or asleep. I was lusting over the man who had me kidnapped. Was I really his now? I didn’t know him well enough to like him and it’s not like he liked me very much either because of the bullshit prophecy. He only accepted me because we’re mates.

I got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. I locked the door and stared into the mirror. “I don’t have many options…” Mother must have been worried sick. I did what I always did after sleeping in a bed with a man; I checked for bruises. There was nothing new but I wasn’t surprised because King Grayson wasn’t Emilio. “Isn’t this what you wanted?” I asked my reflection. “You didn’t want to run anymore. You wanted to live in one place instead of traveling.” In a way this was what I wanted but not in the exact way I wanted.

I heard a knock on the door and it made me panic because I thought back to when I was first taken. “I have a meeting to attend. You should eat breakfast without me. I can have someone escort you to the dining hall.” My stress was eased when I heard Grayson’s voice. “You didn’t have a full meal yesterday.” If he didn’t consider the food he gave me a full meal I wondered what was.

“Oh… that’s okay.” I sat down on the floor. “I don’t want to eat.”

“I’m not going to baby you Aria.”

None of this was what I wanted but it’s what I got. “I don’t want you to King Grayson. I’ll eat when I’m ready.” I heard the doorknob turn as if it was trying to open the door but it was locked. Grayson was probably trying to come in but then I heard nothing.

Once I was done I left the bathroom and he wasn’t in the room anymore. 

I wasn't sure how to pass time so I stared out the window. I saw a puzzling man in a cloak with a hood pulled over his head talking to guards. I thought about how hard it would be to escape. There were tons of castle employees and guards around. Even if I found a way to leave he’d send people after me. My family and our traveling companions wouldn’t be safe. This life was going to be completely different than the one I’ve ever known. Grayson grew up with all of this. I don’t see how I’d adjust. I walked to one of the full bookshelves in his room to browse. The easiest thing for me to do was get closer to Grayson as quickly as possible so we could mate then find my family. No… that seemed like the quickest way, not the easiest.

I turned in the direction of one of the big windows. I thought I was hearing things until I heard a few more knocks. “Hello, Grayson?? Let me in.” A female voice said urgently.

I wasn’t Grayson and he wasn’t here but I couldn’t just leave them out there, could I?