Nathaniel

I should be thinking about the Registry. Instead all I can think about is her. The Binding has its claws in me still. It’s a chokehold that might have loosened, but it is still there. I could find her in this room blindfolded. It’s like my body was incomplete before and now I must take her to make us whole. It’s an unsettling feeling to have.

I never wanted this. I wasn’t supposed to be selected for this Accord marriage. But it’s a voting matter and one I lost. Even though I have known for years that I would marry, I am at a loss for how to control my confusing emotions.

​The Registry is supposed to benefit both parts of the Founding Ten. An important part of the Crimson Ball is getting more donors to volunteer and more of the Eternal Order to partake so that we can continue to bridge our alliance. My snubbing the Registry publicly could be looked down upon but I have already fed tonight and want nothing more than to rescue Margot who looks so uncomfortable right now.

​I walk towards the donor but still keep a watch on Margot. She’s squirming in her chair and staring intently at her glass of wine that has been refilled a few times tonight. Is the alcohol her escape from the intensity of the Binding. Eyeing the women up and down as if this inspection will lead to me taking one as my personal blood bag, I consider how I can show my preference for the Registry without draining a woman in front of Margot for the second time tonight. They all wear the same dress and heels as if it’s their uniform in this very odd industry job.

​A short brunette catches my eye and I smirk. My brothers have been obsessing over Celia Deveraux for a few years now. She was one of the few humans that didn’t bore me to death during conversation. Although she was too smart to ever be involved with my brothers. This Registry donor looked similar enough with her short hairstyle and wide hips.

​I close the distance between me and the Celia lookalike. She is surprised to be chosen by me and gives me a soft smile.

Leaning down, I whisper in her ear, “My brothers would love your company for the night. You are their exact type and I know you will please them.” I point a finger to my table towards the back of the room where they are seated and watching my every move.

She looks slightly dejected at my suggestion of my brothers, but still gathers herself enough to look up at where I have pointed, her eyes narrowing until she finds them and gives me a pleased nod signaling that my brothers might be her type too.

I leave her to find her own way to the table and set my eyes back on Margot who is burning a hole in my head with her vision targeting me. Is she jealous? The Binding can have many effects. Jealousy obviously being one that stems from repressed physical connection between partners and intensified through the Binding’s magic.

​She isn’t surprised to see me walking towards her and when I walk straight up to her, she immediately stands.

”Come, it is late.” I offer my hand out for her to hold.

Without questioning me, she grasps my hand and nods to her tablemates. If anyone has any objections or concerns they don’t show it on their faces or with their voices so I keep quiet and take her away.

Once we get past the doors and down the hallway, I feel her start to relax a bit in the way she is walking next to me. My hand is sweaty from her touch and I pull her to slow down.

“You looked like you wanted to bolt. I can feel your pulse racing here,” I hold up our hands that are tightly holding onto each other still.

“Sorry…I didn’t even realize. I’m a little hazy up here,” pointing to her head she drops my hand.

She continues to walk down the long hallway, her lips moving subtly as if she is having a conversation with herself in her head. We are silent on the way back to her room, through the hallway and up the stairs. Just her and me and the large force of pulsating tension between us. The urge to take her up against the wall is a temptation I wasn’t ready to fight this early on.

​As we enter the Astor wing of my estate, I can see how tired she is from tonight’s event. She stops when entering the living area and immediately kicks off her heels before continuing on into her room. They’re red, the perfect shade of blood red. Was that a coincidence or on purpose? She starts to pull her hair up and away from her face and does a magic trick of getting the thick dark strands in a band so I can see her full face.

​I wish I can say that I didn’t just plan to stand there like an idiot watching her undress but I would have if she had let me. Apparently she hadn’t been noticing that I was following her, so when she goes into the bathroom and looks up in the mirror, she’s surprised to see me standing behind her. Flashing her a smile, I’m not surprised to see a frown.

“I need Celia..the dress..” She doesn’t finish the sentence, instead focusing on watching herself in the mirror as she tries to reach the zipper on the back of her dress. As if this is my calling in life, I rush to her side. The Binding between us almost hums in happiness. I know it wants us to fuck but it would have to wait.

“This is my first time unzipping a dress,” I joke and she laughs.

“From what I’ve seen, I somehow don’t believe you.”

I search the mirror for her eyes as my fingers find the zipper and slowly bring it down to right above her ass. Her back is porcelain and smooth. I can see the strings of her thong that is begging me to touch it. Looking up at her face, I realize that she has gone quiet. Her eyes are wide as she feels the same effects of the Binding that I do.

​It feels like there is a string tied to both of us and we can’t escape it. Instead there is a strong push of us to get closer and closer. Ignoring it would be suicide so I rotate her body towards me. Searching her eyes for permission, all I see is the dark sea there and a ring of fire that tells me to test the boundaries.

​Part of her bangs have escape her bound hair and I push the lock out off her forehead. Her breath is ragged as if fighting against this is a workout. I want to explore her face, know every line and how to bring a genuine smile on her face. My previous attraction to her was nothing compared to this undying need to please her.

​Outlining her lips with the tip of my finger, I smudge her red lipstick. I part them with my thumb and she immediately lets her tongue graze it. Is she inviting me in? I lean down, meeting her height now that she isn’t wearing heels, it’s a longer distance, but I don’t mind. It makes her feel smaller, mine to protect, or destroy.

​My nose brushes hers and I move my hand to cup her face, my pinky meets her neck so that I can feel her pulse. It’s so fast that I have struggle keeping up as I let our lips gently touch. I don’t want to scare her off, but I need to know what she tastes like. A scent of oranges and wine hit me as she breathes out in anticipation. I let my tongue trace her bottom lip and she opens her mouth for me.

I let my tongue explore her mouth as my lips engage hers. As the hunger in me burns for me, I consider picking her up and let my hands roam her ass. But I have pushed too far, because she places a palm on my chest and starts to push, her tongue retracting back to the safety behind her lips.

Without skipping a beat, she looks at me, exhausted with our brief kiss. Her eyes looking for an answer in mine. I think she’s about to go back to kissing me, but instead she swallows and begins to speak in a hushed tone.

“Did you ever meet my sister?”

Her question hits me like ice water, dousing the fire that was burning throughout my body. I pull back and examine her face. She’s much more composed now as if the kiss didn’t happen at all. I straighten up and wonder how we took suck a left turn. While I do not want to be talking about her sister during a time like this, I can understand her curiosity. I was supposed to be doing this with her sister, not her, it must be confusing for her. I give myself a second to arrange my thoughts on how to approach this conversation.

“Yes,” I finally say, “Once. Very briefly and it seemed like she wasn’t ready for the marriage that she agreed to.”

A flicker in her facial expression tells me that she has more questions. Questions that I don’t want to answer. They won’t bring her peace. I step back, giving her space to cool from her question and our kissing.

Turning to the hall, I glance back at her to say goodbye, “Get some rest Margot. It will be a busy week.” I don’t wait to see her response.

Her question lingers in my mind long after I have left her, a cold reminder that this isn’t love, it’s the Accord. We are all just pieces on a board. Even I, the king. And for the first time tonight, I am not sure that I can tell the difference.