The Crown's Obsession

She traced her fingertips on Calhoun's chest, looking at the curves and the ridges on his body before looking back at him, where he had already been looking at her like always. He weaved his fingers through her hair, taming it after the passion they had shared.

Madeline felt the bite of the cold weather which had somehow escaped into the room to blow on her skin. Calhoun pulled the blanket up to her arms which had been covering only until her waist. Naked in each other's company and arms, the comfortable silence continued to surround them in their very own bubble, barely bothered about who was plotting against them as they continued to live in the moment.

There was that small amount of warmth that didn't leave her cheeks. They had consummated their marriage. She was married to the King, who was a vampire, and the thought sinked in her mind.

"Did you ever think you would be married to a human before you met me?" asked Madeline to Calhoun who had moved his hand to trace his fingers on her arm.

"I didn't think I would be marrying anyone," replied Calhoun, a grin breaking through his lips, "After seeing what my mother went through, love wasn't exactly in my books. And marriage was non-existent."

"But you are the King, isn't it necessary for the person to marry? To produce an heir so that the land can continue to thrive under the same family?" At least that is what Madeline knew or had heard from people. Even the previous King had married and tried to have his wife bear a male heir which fortunately or unfortunately didn't happen.

"I am not a human, Maddie. Especially, a vampire doesn't expect to have a bride unless it is of absolute requirement. Unlike the humans whose lives are fragile, we have many years ahead of us. I didn't plan to share the land with another person, because marriage in the royal families often ends up with some deal or treaties."

Madeline's eyebrows furrowed, and she asked, "Did that happen with Lucy?" It was because she knew Lucy liked Theodore. At the same thought, she wondered if something had transpired between Lucy and the man named Ethan.

Calhoun's eyes narrowed at the thought that Lucy had been married to the scum of a demon. It wasn't that he had anything against the demons as he was a demon himself, but it didn't sit well with him of how good Samuel had concealed himself until now in the castle. After finding out about Samuel, Theodore had made a quick check about the Greville's family, something the previous King and the Queen had failed to do. Samuel was the adopted son of the Greville's.

"Yes, they did. Lucy's mother promised two mansions to the family, in return of marrying her daughter while also having the ownership of the ports that the Greville's once owned, which is now in Hawthrone's name," said Calhoun.

"Did you hear about her leaving the castle?" On Madeline's question, Calhoun nodded his head.

"She told me about it. She said the memories in here are too much for her to handle, and it will take time before she's able to live here again," explained Calhoun and it had her frown, "It is always the good things that haunt us in the end. Memories that you once cherished can turn stifling."

"Does Theodore know? That she's leaving?"

"He does. He was there when Lucy spoke about it," replied Calhoun, and he pulled her closer to wrap her in his arms. With his hand around her waist, and his chin settled on the top of her head, she felt him kiss her head before nuzzling her with his nose.

Madeline believed that Lucy still loved Theodore just as much she had before she had got married to Samuel. Even though many years had passed and with Samuel who had been thrown out of the castle, Madeline wondered if Lucy felt the love had returned twice now. Maybe Lucy was holding back because she was worried about what people would think? She asked herself in her mind.

"Sleep, my sweet rose," whispered Calhoun, and Madeline's eyes slowly started to drift into dreamland.

Madeline fell into a deep sleep. Her worries temporarily washed away from her, where she dreamt of happiness with Calhoun. A life that they shared with children and smiles. And Calhoun soon fell asleep, where for once it was peaceful.

When morning arrived, the sun was still hidden heavily behind the dark clouds that had started to snow during the wake of the dawn. The fire in the fireplace had long been exhausted, and Calhoun who was awake had not bothered to fire it up again. With Madeline who had snuggled into his chest for warmth, he didn't want her to leave his side even for a moment. He had been anticipating her to say those words, yearning as he waited and now that she had finally said it, he was overjoyed by it. It was true that he hadn't expected to marry someone to secure the throne, but everything had changed when Madeline had stepped back into his life. Like every exception to a rule, to him, it was her.

During their sleep, one hand of Calhoun's had come to settle under her head which she used as a pillow, and another hand of his was wrapped around her waist. Her eyes were closed, her breathing calm as she continued to sleep in his arms. Last night had been beautiful and precious, and he couldn't wait to live the next coming days with her.

She was his, and he was hers in every possible sense, and he promised to keep her safe. Unable to resist, he kissed her forehead, and the light brush of his lips woke her up. Her eyes fluttered open, blinking before her eyes came to settle on Calhoun's face, who was wide awake.

"Good morning," she wished him and saw Calhoun's lips broaden with a smile.

"Good morning. How was your sleep?" asked Calhoun before squeezing her in his arms out of bliss.

"It was good. Did you not sleep?" Madeline questioned because he looked fresh and wide awake while she could only imagine how she looked right now with her hair sticking out. And when she craned her neck up to meet his eyes, he kissed her.

"I did, but then I woke up when I heard the last wood in the fireplace fizzle out," answered Calhoun.

"Do you have dreams?" asked Madeline. After sharing their night, she felt closer to Calhoun, and she wanted to learn more things about him. She knew what he showed to the public, but she wondered if there was more than what she had discovered until now.

"We are the creatures of the night who don't have a shadow of our own, and mirrors that don't reflect us."

"But those are not true," stated Madeline, she had seen Calhoun's reflection in the mirror as well as his shadows, "Those are things that the villagers like to believe," and she saw Calhoun crack a grin.

"To answer your question, I don't have dreams. But I have heard Lucy dreaming about good things. She once even dreamt about where she had turned to a nun. This was when she wasn't married yet," Calhoun's hand moved to her back, and it started to trace lines, "Vampires often don't have dreams. It is very rare and maybe only the happy souls, who don't have blood and guilt on their hands and mind."

Was Calhoun saying he had too much blood and guilt in him? She knew he had killed a lot of people in the past. That he had been bringing dead people home, who had wronged his mother, "What do you feel guilty about?" her eyes looked at him questioningly.

Calhoun took a second more than usual when he answered, "Sometimes I am plagued by the thought of what if's. If I had not killed my mother to end her sufferings, what if she would have pulled through from her sickness. If she would have continued to live." Madeline placed her hand on the side of his face.

"But what if she didn't pull through? She would have only deteriorated further. You did, what you felt was right back then," said Madeline. She had heard from Lady Rosamund of how Calhoun was responsible for his mother's death because he had killed his mother with his very own hands, and it was true. She noticed how his eyes looked back at hers, slightly hollow in there and she said, "You helped her, Cal. It takes courage to kill someone whom you love dearly." It must have been hard for him in the past, to do something like that.

"Hm," responded Calhoun. He took hold of her hand on his face, placing one finger of his on hers. He stretched them one after another as they moved in sync before he clasped her hand in his to bring it to his lips and kiss her hand, "You are truly an angel in the purest form," he murmured under his breath.

Madeline saw Calhoun play with her fingertips, bringing them to his lips to kiss each one of them, "And you're the demon," she smiled.

Madeline felt happier than how she felt a few days ago. Even with danger lurking in the corners, waiting to strike, she still felt like her heart was going to burst out with the way it felt right now. Hate had turned to love, the pain had turned to pleasure, and the tears that had once spilt from her eyes had changed to a faint smile.

When she felt the cold run down her body, making her shiver, Calhoun leaned forward to capture her lips with his own, kissing her to wake the sensations she had felt last night. He heard the hitch in her heart, when his hand went inside the covers and between her legs. When he pulled away, her parted lips, whispered,

"Cal…" her body started to melt on Calhoun's touch.

"How do you feel?" asked Calhoun, his eyes on hers, watching her, "You must be feeling sore," he hummed. She saw his tongue run across from one fang to another, and at the same time, he gently brushed his finger on her wet folds.

Her body trembled at the sight of how he looked at her like she was the most delicious meal of his day, "A little sore," she answered breathly. Her hand came to fall on his shoulder, holding him, "AH….!" she cried when his digit slipped in, reminding her of the passionate night they had, "It's only m-morning…"

"Love knows no boundaries, my sweet rose, nor does one look at time. Let the world burn down, while I will continue to worship you with everything I know and have," he said while watching her face fill itself with need and want.

He let her get accustomed with his finger again, before he turned her body, putting one leg of hers over his while he rolled himself, filling her whole again and Madeline's eyes rolled back with her back arching. Calhoun's movements were slow, and it made it easier for her to take him without the pain being too apparent as it was replaced by pleasure.

Her hands immediately went to hold on to his shoulders, his eyes on hers. Her inhibitions had been dropped away a few hours ago, and she craned her neck towards him. Without her having to ask, Calhoun leaned forward to kiss her on her parted mouth where whimpers had been escaping from.

After the initial few seconds that started slow, his movements began to pick its pace and Madeline felt every thrust fill her with pleasure until they both climaxed.

"Why do I feel like I just can't get enough of you," he whispered as he still hovered above her, "Let me have you again, my sweet rose."