To Bewitch a Devil

149 Jealous

Azriel raised his hands. “I was just trying to leave the bed, to let you get to work.”

“I will come back and do it later.” She quickly said. Her cheeks were beet red now.

Azriel smirked. A wild night and teasing Penelope all noon? He was having the time of his life. He leaned back against the pillows and gave a long yawn. The potion was working its effects on the loud pounding on his head, and he could use more rest. How much had he had to drink, exactly? Well, didn’t matter. A royal celebration was not often witnessed, so he had no guilt or duties he had to hurry off to.

“You can open your eyes Pen,” he told her, and she obeyed.

Penelope approached his bed. He followed her gaze to the shirt he was sitting on. She pulled at it, but before she could remove it from beneath him, Azriel held onto the other end and with force, pulled the shirt and caused Penelope’s body to hurl towards him on the bed.

She felt the weight of his shift on the bed as he placed her head on the pillow next to him. Immediately, she froze, and the next thing she knew, Azriel’s handsome face propped on his hand, stared down at her with that trademark smile of his.

“I just want to see you up close,” he said. Pen gulped, and her eyes flickered to his lips, and back to his eyes. Azriel noticed and drew those sinful lips into a full grin.

“Have you ever gone days on liquor without any water, Pen?” He asked her.

Penelope could only manage a shake of her head at the question. His face was inches away from hers. She was on his bed, and next to his body. What was happening to her? Why couldn’t she move, and why was her heart beating that fast? The fact that she knew he could hear her pounding heart almost made her faint.

.....

“I have. You’d think you are quenching your thirst because booze is liquid too, but in truth, you would be so dehydrated. Water, on the other hand;” he spoke, touching his index finger on her cheek, and Pen gasped softly; “Is special, the best, and incomparable to any other drink in the world.”

Penelope cleared her throat. “I really don’t understand why you are telling me this, my Lord.”

Azriel gave her a soft smile. “Because you are water, Pen. And no matter how many women I bed, I still crave water;”, he lowered his head towards her, and just when Penelope’s heart raced with the same speed of a demon’s run, Azriel moved past her face and to her ear, “Each and every hour, I always want water over every other “booze” that has failed to satisfy me.”

He withdrew his head, and Penelope regained her bearings and jumped out of his bed. She didn’t make eye contact with him, took her basket, and hurled out of the room.

The speed at which she ran made Azriel burst into a fit of laughter; what other way to start a day?

...

When Jasmine stepped into the dinette the next day, she was surprised to see Neera already seated to the right of the King’s empty chair.

“Good morning, your Majesty;” the concubine stood to greet the Queen. Jasmine noticed the glow on Neera despite her tired eyes.

There was a stab at the Queen’s heart. “Good morning, Neera. How are you?”

“Good, my queen.” She said a little too enthusiastically for Jasmine’s likening. It pricked at Jasmine like a thorn, but she had had enough time all morning to balance the tumultuous emotions that had overtaken her from Zavian being with Neera on her wedding night. It was understandable, as everyone knows the King and now his concubine’s relationship was strong even before she became Queen. She shouldn’t have expected him in her bed that quickly when they both hadn’t had the chance to be properly acquainted on a personal level.

Right on time, the doors opened, and the King strolled in. He paused in his tracks when he saw both women, and Jasmine gave him a warm smile and stood to her feet to greet him.

“Your Majesty,” she said.

Zavian stepped towards her. “I owe you an apology for not coming up...”

Jasmine waved it off quickly; “I was tired. I slept off as soon as my head touched the pillow.”

Zavian nodded once. He gestured to the seat for her to take, and when they were all seated, Jasmine noticed the gazes that were exchanged between him and the concubine, Neera lowering her head as a blush came on and a smile on the King’s face, no doubt basking in the sweetness the night before had to offer.

“I was thinking;” Jasmine broke their silent conversation. She took Zavian’s hand in hers, a bold move on her part. Neera’s eyes watched the King’s enclosed hand in the Queen’s and she felt her breakfast turn in her stomach.

“We should have a getaway,” Jasmine said. “You and I. It could be a week, so we could know each other better.”

“My Queen...” Zavian started, but Jasmine fueled with newfound excitement, was quick to interrupt.

“There’s a quaint house my father owns that overlooks the Grenea sea. It is beautiful, a chip of paradise, some will say. Don’t worry about making travel plans. Even if we want to go there today, arrangements can be made immediately.”, Jasmine spoke animatedly, her head going over to future mornings with only her and Zavian sharing breakfast and conversations. It would be perfect. “And, I figure, you could use something like that. When was the last time you had a break, my King?”

As Jasmine looked on at Zavian, waiting for a response, not once did a smile crack on his face at the prospect of going over there. Instead, what she received was a shake of the head from him that sent her daydreams disappearing into mist.