Chapter 8

Zamora's pov

Anxiety had taken deep root inside me, wrapping around my thoughts like a stubborn vine.

I paced back and forth across the room, my eyes darting everywhere, unable to settle. My breathing was uneven, my heart pounding louder and faster than I could control.

“Calm down, Zamora,” I whispered to myself, taking a long breath. My eyes fell on the wall clock, its ticking sounding louder with every passing second.

The guard should have returned by now. It’s already been fifteen minutes since I sent him to tell King Vladimir I wished to see him.

My heart pounded harder as I watched the seconds slip into minutes.

Still restless, I turned to Larissa, who had stayed by my side the whole time. “Do you think the king will agree to meet with me?” I asked, my voice shaking despite my efforts to sound more controlled.

She parted her lips, hesitated, then spoke gently. “Let’s be patient and hopeful too.”

I nodded, trying to muster some optimism. That was all I could manage for now, just trying to stay hopeful.

My eyes returned to the clock, watching the hands crawl forward in their endless march. The minutes kept passing, but there was still no sign of the guard.

Suddenly, the door swung open. The guard who had gone to request an audience with the king stepped inside.

“What did he say?” I asked quickly.

“He has agreed to meet with you.”

I immediately felt relieved when I heard the good news, and my face lit up at his words. The guard bowed and left, leaving Larissa and me alone.

Once I was sure he was gone, I walked over to the mirror and sat down in front of it.

The glass was perfectly clear, my reflection staring back at me with wide, nervous eyes. I clutched the potion in my hand, my heart still beating like a war drum in my chest.

“You can do this,” Larissa whispered, her voice soft. Her encouragement gave me a little strength.

Carefully, I flipped the lid open and tilted the bottle just enough to let the liquid hover near my lips, close, but not touching.

I couldn’t risk a single drop slipping into my mouth. One mistake, and everything I had worked for would be ruined.

It was a simple plan, but dangerous all the same. All I needed was to make Vladimir kiss me, and then the potion would do the rest.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up, straightened my dress, and walked out of the room with as much composure as I could gather.

The walk to Vladimir’s chamber felt both long and painfully short. Every step I took did nothing but increase my fear but I decided the best thing to do was put a brave face on, although there was no way to shake the anxiety coiling in me.

A thousand thoughts went through my mind in a single minute. What if something went wrong? What if he saw through me? What if this ended before it even began?

At last, I reached the door to his chambers. My hand trembled as I grasped the handle and pushed it open.

His large, lavish room displayed before me. Vladimir sat at the center, a glass of wine resting in his hand.

He looked so effortlessly intimidating, almost dangerously so. My breath stopped, and I quickly shut the door behind me to steady myself.

“To what do I owe this visit?” he asked, his voice low and smooth as he lifted the glass to his lips. Although there was no sign of aggression in his words, for some reason it sent more fear through me. 

I forced a smile and walked toward him, each step I took cautious but confident, my movements slow and seductive exactly how I had planned.

“I have been lost in so many thoughts while alone in my room,” I began, my voice low as I took another step closer. “Perhaps it was simply boredom or something deeper.” I let my eyes stay on his. “Tell me, have you stopped longing for the idea of children? Of a legacy only you could create?”

His brows lifted slightly. “What do you really want?”

“Shouldn’t we be doing what it takes to have those children if we are truly serious about it?” I asked, maintaining eye contact without flinching.

His brow furrowed, his expression growing even more guarded. “That’s not the real reason you are here.”

I felt a chill run down my spine. Did he already suspect the truth? No, I couldn’t let myself believe that. He couldn’t possibly know.

I forced myself to stay calm and closed the last bit of distance between us. Thankfully, he didn’t stop me.

My fingers caressed his chest, feeling the hard muscle under his clothes. I could feel his body against my touch; it was so strong and firm, although his expression remained cold, his eyes fixed on mine with no intention of breaking contact.

I slipped my hand up to his shoulder, letting my fingers glide over his skin slowly.

“And what other reason would I have besides what I have already told you?” I asked softly.

Calmly, I slid my dress off my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. I stood naked before him, my nipples hard in the cool air and so close to his face he could have leaned forward and taken one into his mouth.

He didn’t say a word, he just stared at me coldly. Slowly, I reached for his hand and guided it to my body. His large, warm palm slid over my skin, from my waist up to my chest, until he was cupping one of my breasts.

“We should be doing what makes babies don't you think?” I murmured, my voice soft and coaxing.

I climbed onto his lap, settling myself against him. As I began to grind against his groin, I could feel his member getting hard, pressing against me through his clothes. 

At that moment, I couldn’t deny how much I enjoyed the feeling of him against me, growing harder with every second. Even though he stayed cold, his body told a different story. I could sense he was getting hungry for more, desperate to bury himself inside me, to take me without mercy until I screamed his name in pleasure.

Heat pooled between my thighs, my body aching for him. I could feel the wetness gathering, my arousal slipping down my legs as I bit my tongue to keep from moaning and losing focus on my mission.

His hand closed around my waist, strong fingers digging into my skin to guide my movements. He rocked me gently back and forth against his rock-hard length, the only thing separating us now the layers of his clothing between our bodies.

Vladimir’s expression didn’t change. His face stayed calm and almost bored, though there was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.

“Tell me you don’t want this,” I whispered, pressing my chest against his. “Say the word, and I will leave right now.”

For a moment, he only watched me. Then the corner of his mouth curved into the faintest smirk, so small I almost wondered if I had imagined it.

This was proving harder than I had ever imagined. My heart was pounding so fast it felt like it would burst, but I couldn’t stop, not now.

I leaned forward, ready to kiss him, when his hand suddenly shot up and closed around my neck, stopping me.

I felt my soul almost jump out of my body at that moment. Could he already know my plan?

“What do you think you are about to do?” he asked, his eyes filled with so much suspicion.

“What we are meant to be doing,” I replied, trying to sound calm even though my heart was racing.

His hand tightened a little around my neck. It wasn’t painful, just enough pressure to make me feel his control.

Then, without warning, he crushed his mouth against mine in a deep, intense kiss that made my whole body ache for more. His strength and hunger were exactly what I needed to keep up the act.

I couldn’t help but feel happy, my plans were finally working.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him back with equal fervor. His cock was hard as iron now, pressing insistently against my ass.

Suddenly, he lifted me into his arms and tossed me onto the bed.

“You asked for this,” he said, his voice rough.