It's almost impossible to refrain from my eyes glancing towards his body and I scold myself for even thinking for a second that he is undeniably gorgeous. I have to think about Easton, about how kind and gentle he is with me.

I notice a small smirk tugging at Darian's lips and I glare at him.

"Get out of my head," I snap, facing him now and not caring about staring - especially when he's inside of my head. Privacy has clearly gone out of the window.

"You think I'm gorgeous," he teases and I feel that blush rise again out of pure embarrassment. I want nothing more than to slap that look off of his face.

"People would be blind not to... it doesn't mean anything other than what I have simply observed. Quite frankly, it makes up for your awful personality," I shrug and something changes in his eyes.

Darian sits back with his arms stretched across the back of the tub, manspreading. Something feral glints in his eyes and the same smirk resides on his lips. I can't help but glare at his antics - which only seems to egg him on.

"I come back from a rather strenuous meeting and am greeted with you naked, drinking my wine and in my hot tub. I'd say that means something," he moves from his position and with each breath seems to grow closer to me.

My breathing hitches and I am very much aware of both of our bareness.

"Call it boredom," I retort, him still moving closer across the water. I try to gain some more distance between us but my back hits the edge of the tub. My heart is thundering against my chest so vigorously I'm sure it may explode.

Darian is now a breath away, his eyes boring into mine. "Call it what you like but it doesn't mean that you do not yearn for me in ways that you could never for that useless mortal - even if you are unaware of it."

"Yearn for you, you must be joking," I say but my voice lacks the conviction that I had hoped for.

I take the bottle and bring it to my mouth, keeping eye contact with Darian the whole time as I take a sip. The remnants of the wine linger on my lips and I was about to wipe it off before Darian beat me to it. His thumb swipes across my bottom lip ever so slowly and I'm sure I have forgotten how to breathe.

His hand then travels across my jaw, down my neck, following the curve of my breast until it rests on my hip - his eyes leaving mine not once. "If it's a joke then why is your body reacting to me this way," he whispers.

It's then I realise how much my hips had gravitated towards him, how much closer I had gotten.

Darian's head leans in and before I can even take a breath his lips are on my neck, the kiss is soft and sensual - a faint buzz trickling through my veins from the contact. This is wrong, he is wrong. All I can think about is Easton as his lips work their way down my neck.

Easton is probably rotting away in some cell and here I am letting the person who put him there kiss me. Even in my hazy state, I know how wrong this is, so wrong that I'm sure this has completely sobered me up.

I place my hands against Darian's chest, his mouth still working wonders against my neck, and push gently. "We need to... stop," I say breathlessly and he chuckles against my neck.

"Do you want me to stop," he says teasingly and plants another gentle kiss as his hand squeezes my hip.

I find myself hesitating before I answer - but only because I can't think straight with his lips on my skin. "Yes," I manage to get out and he pulls away only by a margin. His mouth still hovering over me.

"You deserve more than him, Nova," Darian murmurs and I find that I like the way my name sounds rolling off of his tongue.

A wave of frustration surges through me and I have to contain myself before I explode.

"Like you know what I deserve," I scoff and he finally pulls away, still his face is so close - those haunting eyes bore into mine. "Turn around," I need to get out and I refuse for him to be looking at me as I do so. He raises his brows in amusement.

"And what if I don't want to," Darian shrugs and I can feel my face getting flushed from the anger coursing through me. The level of anger that I rise to so often cannot be healthy nor normal.

I lean in closer to him. "Then we'll have to do it the hard way," I whisper into his ear and feel his hand tighten its hold on my waist. That way will probably end up with me being hung for treason but I think castrating him would be worth it.

"The hard way sounds rather delightful," he muses and I scoff. I place my hand over his and peel it off of my skin, needing to think straight without the thought of his hand on my body.

"Hm, we'll see about that," I grit my teeth and he smirks at me. I hope that he knows full well what I'd like to do to him if it didn't ensure my demise.

"Oh I know very well," he whispers and finally turns around.

Quicker than I think I have ever moved before, I grab the robe from the floor and wrap it around me as soon as I am out of the water.

"Well, I suggest you get back to finding Serene," I say and turn on my heel before stalking back into my room. I can't help how much Darian infuriates me by just... existing.

"You'll see," his voice echoes around me and I turn back to see if he's still there - but nothing. The space he occupied in the tub is derived from any presence of him. Not even a whisper of shadows seem to signify that he was there not seconds ago.

I glance towards the paper and quill - deciding against writing a letter but rather seeing him in person. This will possibly get me in more trouble than it's worth but I need to see him, especially after everything that Darian has said. Everything that is a blatant lie might I add.

I had my dinner in my room this evening and waited until midnight to go on my little quest with not so little consequences if I am to get caught.

I changed into a black gown and wrap a dark cloak around my body to conceal myself.

I make sure that Darian isn't here before I knock on the door, knowing that there are guards outside who are devoted to keeping me safe. "Hello... I need help... please," I sniffle but also trying to hold back a laugh.

Before I can even think the door is wide open and I have to mask the smug grin that is just begging to make its presence known. A guard I have never seen before is standing at the threshold, his face as pale as a ghost.

"M'lady, what is causing you such distress?" he asks frantically and I keep up the 'anguished' ruse I have going on. "Do you need me to get sire?" he rushes to say but I shake my head.

"I need you to take me to Easton Jesper... I believe he knows something about the recent attacks that have been inflicted on me... I need to go," I lie but it was believable enough and his wrinkled face scrunches in confusion.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," he crosses his arms and I roll my eyes. I wasn't planning on having to do this tonight.

I turn around, so that I am facing away from him, and take a deep breath. Oh, gods if this isn't embarrassing. I lift my hand and smack it across my face, the faint sting setting up camp in my cheek - I may have hit myself too hard.

I meet his stare again with a smirk on my face. "Did you just... hit me?" I question and his face somehow pales even more.

"He will have my head if he hears of this," his voice shakes and guilt surges through me. However, it's the only way I'll get out of here.

"I guess you'll just have to take me to Easton and he'll never find out," I shrug and his face twists in frustration before he turns and begins walking down the corridor. "Thank you," I sing and pull the hood of my cloak over my head.

I keep my eyes glued to the floor, as I follow the guard down the poorly lit corridors, to keep from anyone noticing me - not that they would seeing as I'm always locked in my chambers.

After a while of walking aimlessly through several long corridors, we meet with a cobbled staircase that descends into darkness. I give the guard a wary look, not sure if I should trust him but then remember his reaction earlier and know that I can more than trust him.

He takes a torch from the wall and uses the fire to guide us down the spiral staircase. I wrap my arms around my figure as a cold breeze hits me, causing goosebumps to rise. I can't believe they've been keeping Easton down here.

I rub my hands on my arms to try to warm myself up but to no avail - I cannot rid myself of the coldness that resides upon my skin.

My legs ache by the time we reach the bottom and the smell is something out of this world, it reeks of just pure death.

The guard leads me to the end of the corridor and knocks on one of the metal doors with forged bars before opening it. There Easton sits, shirtless, his body littered with bruises and the sight brings me to my knees. The guard walks out of the cell, closing the door behind him.

His eyes meet mine but they're cold and don't hold the same love that they did before. "Come here to gloat?" he says, his voice void of any emotion. His lip is split, his eyes dark with different shades of purple.

"No, gods no," I say, still in utter shock. "Who did this to you?" I barely manage to ask.

"Your pretty boyfriend's guards, however, he's been here too to watch my daily beatings," Easton looks away from me and I feel my heart crack in my chest.

"I am in no way in a relationship with that excuse of a man... I've had to do reckless things in order to see you tonight," I say, trying to get across that it hasn't been easy to get here - that I actually care for him.

"I suppose I should thank you then," he shrugs and I pinch the bridge of my nose. I know that he's mad but I had no way of stopping this, I'm not even allowed out of my room without having to cause some commotion at the expense of others.

"I'm not asking for anything of the sort-" I begin but Easton cuts me off.

"Then why are you here?" he snaps and I have to swallow the emotion rising in my throat. This in no way shape or form was how I was expecting this to go.

"Because I love you," I whisper in utter disbelief. "And I'm going to get you out of here... no matter what it takes," I profess.

I don't care what I have to do to get him out of here; I'd surrender myself to Darian, swear that I was his for evermore... I'd do anything, anything that ensures he gets out of here safely and unharmed.

"Yeah you've done a good job of that so far," he averts his gaze and the tether that kept me under control snaps.

"I've gone through more than you know up there and that in no way excuses what has happened to you nor the other way around so listen to me and understand that I am trying," my voice breaks.

"If by you getting fed proper food, being allowed to clean, having a bed to sleep in, clothes to wear are you going through a hard time then gods... you deserve so much better," he says sarcastically.

I don't even waste my breath on explaining the various situations where I have had people try to kill me and have actually been killed - it's not a competition to see whose trauma is worse.

"I'll get you out of here whether you despise me or not," I whisper in defeat and get up. I unclasp my cloak - not caring if anyone sees me anymore and hand him it. "Here, take it," he doesn't hesitate from taking it out of my hand and wrapping it around himself.

"Thanks," he mutters and I turn around, knocking on the door for the guard to let me out. The guard opens the door but I pause at the threshold.

I turn back to look at him, at the small cell he's being held and tortured in. "I haven't forgotten your promise," I say, remembering how he had said that we would get out together.

Not wanting a response, I follow the guard's lead after he locks the cell door and begins the ascent. The whole journey back to my chambers I spend my time trying to control the emotions that are trying to drown me.

I wait until I am in the comfort of my own room to let myself break down.

That night, I declare that I will no longer let love rule my life nor let it take me down. I declare that love isn't worth the pain and suffering it causes to your own heart.