CHAPTER 131: MARKED

• ELOISE •

"I’m angry, Eloise."

His words were like a blade to my heart, and I was scared numb because of the cold look he gave me.

He turned his back on me and said, "Leave."

I got frightened now, not because I didn’t know what he’d do in the face of rage, but because of the idea of leaving him. My entire body shrieked at me to walk away and not look back, but I acted on instinct, desperation taking over because my heart was shattering into little pieces.

I encased my arms around him and embraced him from behind, constricting my grip, refusing to let go. "I’m home now. Why should I leave?" I muttered.

Drevon stayed a statue, but I wasn’t giving up.

"There is nothing between Damon and me! I promise you that. You know his tricks... he’s always looking for a way to haunt me. I didn’t tell you because right after what happened at the ball, you were already in a critical position. It’s all my fault!"

When he said nothing, I continued, squeezing my eyes shut.

"I-I made a mistake, I know."

I felt his body move, and I opened my eyes to find him stepping away. Something within me broke; I didn’t know if it was my heart or my mind, maybe both. The thought of him not responding and giving me the cold shoulder became one of the most horrifying things in my life.

My chest grew heavy; it felt like the entire world was closing in on me. I felt like I’d lose him, the tears already streaming down my cheeks, but what happened next left me shocked.

Drevon seized me, and the rest of the world blurred because it happened so fast. I felt my ass meet a smooth surface, followed by his breath to my neck, but he didn’t end there as his canines sank into my neck.

I was too much in shock that I didn’t cry out in pain. I clenched his broad shoulder tightly, trembling. For a minute, it was pristine pain as it felt like my neck would break, but then it became something sweet, something inexplicable.

I wished he’d stay longer, but he pulled away, staring down at me with an eerie glow to his eyes, his thumb wiping the blood from the corner of his lips.

"Now...let me see him near you when my mark is throbbing against your neck."

My blood ran cold. H-He marked me?

I gasped when Drevon clamped his hand on my throat, but he didn’t press, just stayed there, and the pressure of it felt like I was at the teeth of a predator.

"You’re mine," he growled lowly, and my insides swirled.

He kissed me, not tender but raw with need, possessive like he wanted to own my lips.

"If the fucking Fates come, I won’t hesitate to go against their decision if it doesn’t align with mine. Do you hear me?"

He locked his lips on mine again.

"Nothing will ever take you away from me, not while I still breathe."

Another lock, more feral than the others.

"And if Damon thinks he can get his hands on you or toy to use you against me. I’ll fucking rip his heart out."

I swallowed thickly as a mouth covered mine, more bruising.

I couldn’t hold him properly because of how wobbly my hands were, quivering from the nerves taking over me. I didn’t know if my body was coming under shock or the stir that roared within me; the throb coming from my neck was unbearable, as if responding to his anger, and I felt lightheaded.

"Drevon..." I groaned as he pulled me more to him until there was not a moment’s space between us. At this point, I don’t think anything could tear us apart, not even the goddess herself.

My back met the table, a loud creak echoing through the air, the sound of thud followed too as the books and whatever parchments were pushed aside.

Drevon’s lips released from mine, and he went back to the mark and sucked against it. A short cry fled from me, and the back of my head pressed into the cold wood as both pain and pleasure broke my entire body to pieces.

I opened my eyes and everything blurred; I could only see moving shadows, and the feeling of Drevon’s breath on my ear.

"You’re mine as I’m yours, Eloise."

I exhaled, light coming back to my eyes, I braced my hands on his back and did something I didn’t know I was capable of...I sank my teeth into his neck.

I marked him as he had marked me. It was a driving instinct that led me on, and the moment I responded to it I had no regrets. A peculiar feeling coursed through my veins like my inner mind was opening, not just that, but like my heart was opening to accommodate another.

I pulled away from his neck, and I had no time as Drevon kissed me passionately, our lips moved in perfect sync as we hungerily devoured each other, with breathy groans and raspy moans.

I felt his hand under my skirt, lifting as the air touched my skin, despite the net stockings covering my thighs.

I moaned as Drevon parted my thighs, spreading me open for him. Our lips still connected as I heard the hasty movements of his buckles and zip.

I wrapped my arms around him to pull him close, to have his lips on mine a little longer. I felt his nails dig under my ass, but he was careful, like he didn’t want to hurt me as he lifted me and thrust into my opening.

My lips broke from his as I moaned helplessly into the air. Drevon grunted as he pulled out and shoved into me, earning the table to slam against the wall with every driving friction.

I moaned rapidly as pleasure tore through me, Drevon’s breathy sound heating my ear, his hand locked on my thighs to keep them apart for him.

"I’m yours!" I gasped loudly, screaming it over and over again for the whole castle to hear.