Chapter 258: Just a Taste

Perdita and Sthena’s arrival at the castle caused loud gasps of fear from the maids around them seeing the dried blood on their clothes. One of whom was the worried Emily rushing towards Perdita.

Out of courtesy, she halted in her steps and bowed, "Your Majesty." And she immediately turned to Perdita, "My lady! What happened to you?!" This was the second time her lady was coming back with a battered, bloodied body.

"I am fine, Emily. It is just a few scratches." Perdita replied the worried girl. But the look on her face showed she didn’t believe Perdita was okay.

"There is too much blood..." Emily’s voice trailed off. Her lady is a vampire. How could there be so much blood on her? And looking closer, she could see a trace of black blood on her. Was she poisoned?! Emily’s eyes widened, and she looked up at Perdita.

"Prepare a warm bath for Perdita." Sthena’s voice cut them from discussing more. To the other maids, he instructed, "Have the kitchen prepare something easy to eat and a warm soup beside it."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Emily and the maids chorused, bowing, and they went to carry out the orders of the king.

"Come on," Sthena placed his hand on the back of Perdita, urging her forward.

While the duo walked in, a pair of red eyes stared intently on the chief advisor of the king.

Daemon, feeling the gaze, turned to see Princess Sarah standing at the door watching him. He bowed. "Your Highness."

When she continued to stand there, he asked, "Do you need anything, Your Highness?" But Princess Sarah only continued to stare at him, a mixture of worry and anger in her eyes. Without speaking, she sharply turned on her heels and walked away from there.

Daemon’s gaze narrowed and at the same time darkened at the retreating figure of the princess. His grip on his cloak hanging over his arm tightened.

"Have the horses fed and the carriage washed," Daemon instructed the coachman, who bowed and led the carriage away to the stable.

The vampire, instead of following through the front entrance, turned away from there and headed towards the back entrance of the castle, where Princess Sarah had headed to.

Inside the king’s chambers, Sthena made Perdita sit on the couch while he tended to her injuries.

On the sides, Emily, together with the other maids, carried buckets of hot water into the bathroom to mix it with cold water as the king instructed.

"The bath is ready, Your Majesty," Emily announced. "Is there anything you may need, my lady?" She turned to Perdita, who shook her head.

"No, Emily. That is all for now." Perdita nodded towards the still worried girl. "If I need anything, I’ll let you know."

"Yes, my lady," Emily bowed and left the room.

"I make everyone worry," Perdita muttered.

"You do," Sthena agreed. He made her stand and turn back on him as he loosened the buttons of her dress. "But that is because you are important to us."

"And more precious to me," he added just as he pushed the sleeves of her dress away from her shoulders. The dress pulled around Perdita’s feet, leaving her bare except for her inner clothing, which made little to no attempt at shielding her nakedness.

His gaze settled on her side, where the darkened patch of blood clung to her inner clothing. "You were brave today, more than brave." He praised her, stepping closer to embrace her.

Perdita stilled, catching a moment for herself before she hugged him back. She heard him say above her head.

"I thought I had lost you, Perdita." His voice broke, mirroring the fear that had since the day clouded his mind.

"I am here." Perdita patted his back, understanding how he must have felt.

Sthena had narrated everything that happened afterwards she had followed the wrong Sthena out of the building where he had left her. To think he met those impersonators twice, she could imagine the fear that went through his head.

She herself had been on the verge of losing her mind just from seeing the wrong person in the form of him. It took all the self-will in her she could muster at that time to kill the fake him, knowing he was someone she could never lift a finger against.

"I have arranged for the royal doctor to come examine you." Sthena informed and gently disengaged from embracing Perdita.

Perdita shot him a look. "Okay." She nodded, biting her tongue from arguing that she was okay. She knew he would not agree with her words.

Perdita let Sthena lead her to the bathroom, where he helped wash her and afterwards cleaned himself.

By the time he came out of the bathroom, she was already dressed in a light grey-colored dress that stopped just below her ankles.

She watched him approach. His shoulders broad, framing his well-defined chest that tapered into a lean, sculpted torso. The faint outline of abs traced down, narrowing into a sharp V-line that disappeared beneath the pants hanging loosely on his waist.

Perdita gulped, her eyes following every movement of Sthena, and before she knew it, her legs were already taking her towards him.

"Let me help you," she offered, making him sit before the mirror. She took a towel by the stand to dry his wet hair, dripping with water onto his body.

Neither of them spoke, the silence and their gaze meeting across the mirror doing the talking for them.

"Your hair is long and so soft," Perdita murmured, her fingers running along the length of it. She took the oil on the table, poured a small quantity on her palm, and then massaged it into his hair.

A smile slipped across her face, enjoying every moment of playing with his hair. Brushing his hair, her gaze went to the mirror, at the same time catching his eyes already on her, intent and intense.

"Why did you stop?" He asked, and her heart shuddered, betraying the thoughts that had evaded her head since he walked out of the bathroom with loose pants clinging to his waist.

"Uh, no-nothing!" Perdita cleared her throat, tearing her gaze away from the mirror that didn’t help as she peeked at him from time to time.

No. This won’t do. Perdita thought and walked to stand in front of Sthena.

"I don’t know if you’re intentionally walking from pan to fire or if you are unaware of your actions." Sthena remarked, eyes void of any amusement but pure desire dancing behind every expression leaving his eyes.

"What?" Perdita turned confused at the question, the intense gaze of Sthena making her head more muddled. A moment later, she realized the meaning behind those words and her actions, where she now stood in-between the legs of Sthena.

Oh dear me. She bit her lower lip, realizing that this was more provocative than only stealing heated glances at each other from the mirror.

Silence ensued, both staring intently at each other.

What was there to lose? Perdita asked herself. A man so deliciously looking would be a sin not taste, right?

Before she could comprehend her thoughts, Perdita had already leaned into Sthena, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

Just a taste. She said to herself as she pressed her lips on his lips while taking a more comfortable position by sitting on his thigh.