Dear Immortal Tyrant

The car ride to the restaurant was deafeningly quiet. Through the side mirror, she saw Sebastian's car trailing them. One text from Kaden sent the vehicle in the opposite direction. She peered at him. Studying him. Gauging him. 

Lina realized he must have left his office in the middle of his shift. His tie was still prim and proper. Not a hair out of place. Yet, he tried to shoot Atlantis. Well, not in the heart, but in the knees. Enough to make him limp forever.

Sometimes, Lina didn't know who she had married.. She didn't know the extent of his craziness. Of how heartless he could be. She suddenly thought back to the news reporter's cold voice. Found dead in an alleyway. Beaten. Shot execution-style. 

"What are you craving?" Kaden's tone was as icy as the first dip of water.

"Anything but steak." Lina couldn't picture herself stomaching dripping flesh. Not when she knew what her husband was capable of.

Lina couldn't call herself weak-hearted. She stomached everything he gave her. Whether it was his long fingers or his soft caresses, or maybe his fearsome thrusts. She accepted his flaws and pretended not to see the blood on his hands. He had hurt so many people, the blood must've been up to his neck by now.

"I think I'm infertile."

SCREECH!

The car came to a halt. At a green light. They could've gotten into a car accident. Her body jolted forward, but she said nothing. Cars honked behind him. A second later, Kaden gritted his teeth. He instantly turned the wheel, flipped everyone off, and began to cut through the traffic without mercy.

Lina could feel her body lurching. To the right. To the left. Each time he swerved enough to cause a freak accident; she didn't even blink. In five minutes and fifty traffic violations, they arrived at a hospital.

"I'm not craving hospital food," Lina said like it was no big deal.

Kaden furiously turned to her. She calmly stared at him. His eyes were a violent storm. Ruby red dripped from them. His pupils had dilated so much, she could barely see the heartless gaze of a Pure-Blood vampire. He looked like he was debating whether to set the car on fire or burn the world to ashes. 

"Hospital food is really bland you know," Lina said like it was no big deal.

Lina felt numb on the inside. She could see the turbulence in his eyes, as terrifying as the trembling of airplanes in a hurricane. His jaw clenched. His breathing grew labored. Despite that, his face was eerily calm.

"You're going to fucking kill me one day, I swear." Kaden thrust his hand out, gripped the nape of her neck, and yanked her to him. 

Kaden kissed her hard and quick. He was merciless and cruel. The kiss was punishing. It was like hot iron branding her as his. As his property. His lips met hers with angry nips and punishing breath play.

Lina was growing dizzy. He forced her mouth open and slipped his tongue inside. She cried out when he lightly bit down on her soft tongue. Enough to hurt. Enough for her to beg for air. She tried to pull away, but his touch was punishing. Not for her infertility, but her indifference.

Eventually, Lina couldn't concentrate. Black dots clouded her vision. She felt herself passing out. But the high was enthralling. She felt a pulse in between her thighs. Only when she was going to die from lack of oxygen, did he pull away.

By then, Lina was heaving over her car seat. Her lungs took in greedy gasps of air. He was heartless. Kaden yanked her chin up, forcing her to look at his heavy gaze.

"What happened?" Kaden demanded from her. "Who did this to you?"

Lina wished he would've just smacked her like an old-fashioned man in the era he was born in, hundreds of years ago. It wasn't the fact that she was a masochist. But because she regretted loving him. All she did was bring him pain. The same kind of pain he once gave her. Her eyes watered and she glared at his red leather seats. She despised how much agony she brought to him. He treated her so well, that she wished he'd just hurt her physically instead of stabbing her emotionally with his kindness. 

"I had a dream," Lina said. "One of the women gifted Atlantis with infertility, but I don't think it was meant for him. I feel like it was meant for me because why else would it be a gift? Atlantis' grandfather said the Goddess of Fertility and Family cursed me. Something about offending her."

Kaden let out a harsh gulp of air. It was followed by a long string of curses. His hands traveled from her nape to her throat. 

Lina thought he'd choke her. Instead, he brushed his thumb on the sensitive flesh. The one thing that could bring her closer to death. He rubbed his thumb in circular motions, almost calming her down.

"I also have a red thread tied from my ring finger to Atlantis's…" Lina trailed off.

Kaden's rubbing stopped. She doubted he was really going to snap her neck. Instead, he roughly chuckled. She was frightened. Her stomach twisted and turned. 

Then, Kaden traveled his hand lower, past her collarbones and to her shoulder. He gripped it tightly.

"I also saw you jump into the whirlpool… then I followed after you… a-and another red thread popped from the well. I think—"

"I know."

Lina's head snapped to him. Kaden gave her a long, hard look. He was searching her face for something. But what?

Without warning, Kaden locked lips with her again. This time, the kiss was slow. Sensual. He kissed her like she was fragile. Like she was the most important thing to him. He was tender. He gently licked her bruised mouth, then slid his wet tongue inside. He probed her inner cheeks, their tongues meeting for a brief second. He pulled back to peck her again.

"You never mean to give me trouble. I know that, dove of mine." Kaden slid his hands to her waist, relishing in her body line. 

"You'll get yourself checked." Kaden left no room for an argument. But she certainly had a lot to fight about.

"We'll get ourselves checked," Kaden corrected himself. 

Kaden squeezed her little waist. He was hoping it'd grow a little rounder. Hoped her hips would be a bit wider—foretelling of a pregnancy. He wanted to see her stomach swell with his heir. His child. He felt an urge to tie her to his bed and breed with her until she was a shaking mess. But that'd scare her away.

"Will you do that for me?" Lina asked.

It was such a stupid question, really. Kaden looked at her with such an expression.

"No, I'll wait outside and blame the infertility on you," Kaden snorted.

Lina lightly laughed at his joking tone. Kaden flashed her a dark smile, one of his hands reaching to touch her face. When she leaned into his touch, she closed her eyes to savor it. She didn't see it. Didn't see the weakness in his eyes. Or understand the dark thoughts that crossed his mind.

Lina didn't know.

"You're mine, dove. All your problems are mine. And I will solve all of them for you," Kaden promised in a hard voice.

Kaden would make sure of it. He wanted to screw the pain from her mind until she was addicted to him and his touch. Until she was as obsessed with him as he was with her. Soon, his name would be the only thing leaving her mouth.