Just One Golden Kiss Read online

  “I don’t have a choice but to stay in this dreadful place with you, tonight. Come first light, I shall be on my way home vampires or no vampires.” She would not display weakness in front of this frog, though if she were staring in a mirror, she’d have no recourse but to confess that her vulnerability was already known to him.

  “Not without first giving me what I desire,” he said.

  “Ah…yes, I admit to secretly hoping that you had forgotten.” Ludicrous that she thought that for even a second. This was one determined talking frog. He had actually pulled her up from a well. How was that possible? Oh, yes, magic. She’d have to question him further…never mind, right now, she was faced with learning what it was that he so desired from her.

  “I can’t blame you. You’ve had quite a night and we’re still many hours from daylight. No telling what else awaits you,” he said.

  Yawning, she said, “Do tell me what it is you want before sleep overtakes me.” She was not tired at all but hoped that her fake need for slumber would cause him to put off his declaration until morning when she could leave and never have to see him again.

  “It’s simple. I desire you,” he said, smirking.

  She let out a laugh. Indeed, the night had more strange events to unveil. “I see. What exactly does that mean?” Honestly, she wanted to walk right over to a wall and beat her head against it. Better still, she wanted to pick up the frog and fling him against it.

  “A witch cursed me. Turned me from a man to a frog. All because I would not lie with her. Despicable witch.”

  “Are you serious?” She laughed again, this time louder. “A witch cursed you because you would not lie with her? Oh my, you must be…hmm, quite a man that you were so wanted.”

  “Don’t mock me, spoiled princess. I have saved you twice this night.”

  “Yes, yes, you have already reminded me of such. Why would a witch want to lie with you?”

  Witches unlike vampires were without doubt real creatures who lived high in the mountains of Barmoth. Secretive and territorial, they kept to themselves, never bothering anyone unless they felt threatened or…ah yes, they fancied something from someone. In both cases, a person was doomed. Going against a witch was never, ever a good idea. A curse was sure to fall upon anyone who threatened a witch or refused to surrender whatever a witch wanted.

  “I suppose she found me enchanting and yes, perhaps unbelievably handsome.”

  “If you keep talking my stomach will burst from laughter.”

  “I have the ability to enchant. Do not be so quick to dismiss me.”

  “All right, dear enchanting frog, do you mean for me to lie with you?” Feeling one of her head pains coming, she massaged her forehead and sighed.

  “Kiss me first and yes, then, lie with me,” he said as if the words that had just left his mouth were as natural as inviting her for a stroll in a garden.

  Knowing she was going to spend the night in the middle of the forest with a talking frog enticed her sense of humor. She decided to play along with him. “You’re a frog. How do you suppose we’re to lie together?”

  “Kiss me and you will see me changed. The witch’s curse will be broken once I lie with a princess.”

  It was all too much for Lela. Yet, a part of her was intrigued. She could not deny her curiosity. “Fine little frog. I shall kiss you, but I will not lie with you.”

  “Very well,” he said. “A kiss then?”

  She held out her hands. He hopped into them. Bringing him to her lips, she kissed him on the top of his head.

  Seconds later, he transformed into a man right in front of her. A dizzy spell overtook her and she stumbled.

  “I was not lying, princess,” he said, catching her before she landed on the floor.

  She wished she were home sipping her evening tea.

  “Don’t be afraid of me,” he said, helping her to her feet.

  “This isn’t happening,” she said, once she had regained her balance.

  “You believe in witches, do you not?”

  She opened her mouth to speak but held back her words.

  “Well, what is your answer?” he asked.

  “Of course I believe in them,” she said, staring at him. “I’ll admit that you’re…well, okay, somewhat handsome but enchanting…so much so that a witch placed a cursed on you for not lying with her?” She wasn’t about to let him know that he was undeniably the most good looking man she had ever seen. Tall, dark hair, dark eyes and pale skin…indeed he was striking.

  “Will you lie with me?” he asked, softly.

  She was still a virgin despite the many advances from her father’s men.

  “Why should I? My kiss broke the spell.” Her head hurt.

  “It won’t last. Come morning I shall become a frog again unless you lie with me.”

  “You expect me to believe you? I shall fall down laughing.”

  He took her hand in his. “I beg you.”

  His touch sent heat through her. Brushing his hand aside, she said, “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-two,” he said, reaching for her hand again.

  For an unexplainable reason she did not refuse his touch. The warmth she was feeling settled between her legs and she thought she would faint. What was happening to her? She could not explain her feelings.

  “I will be gentle,” he said, kissing her hand. “I promise.”

  “I have never…”

  “I won’t hurt you. Will you lie with me?” He brought his hand to her face and caressed her cheek.

  Blessed Gods, she wanted him. She moved his hand down to her stomach.

  “I must know your answer,” he whispered into her ear, lowering his hand between her inner thighs.

  Lela knew she would regret this…yes, nothing good would come from what she was about to do. But right at that moment, she didn’t care. Containing her sanity, she answered, “Yes.”

  She pressed her back against a wall.

  “Have you changed your mind?” he asked.

  She answered him by removing her cloak and then shedding her dress.

  “Sweet princess,” he said, approaching her.

  “May I know your name?” she asked.

  He kissed her breasts.

  “Eldrich,” he said, raising his lips to her mouth.

  “You have enchanted me,” she said, whimpering.

  Pulling his lips away, he said, “And you me.”

  “Remove your trousers,” she said.

  “Do you want me inside of you?” he asked, obeying her command.

  What she was feeling was pure desire, nothing more nothing less. Quivering, she said, “I beg you.”

  “And if I refuse?” he asked.

  He was a cruel creature. “I will fall dead.”

  He lifted her arms above her head and pushed his body against her.

  “I beg you,” she said again.

  “Not yet,” he whispered.

  “You’re unkind.”

  “Sweet princess,” he said as they both slid to the floor.

  He placed her on her back.

  “Who are you that I so want you?” she asked.

  “Your prince, now and forever,” he said, his weight on her.

  “Oh yes, my prince, I’m yours, right now, I’m yours.”

  He entered her slowly. “Am I hurting you?”

  “I feel nothing but pleasure. If only this could last all night.”

  “Is that what you desire?”

  “It is.”

  She screamed, moaned and screamed again as he thrust into her over and over again, bringing her to climax. She could not fully understand what was happening to her or rather what she was allowing him to do to her. But she did not care. She had lived within the castle’s walls for too long. And right at this moment, the only thing she cared about was this strange man to whom she had unabashedly surrendered herself.

  Yes, morning would come and she’d compel herself to grasp reality. But the light was hours away. For that
, she was thankful. Oh, yes, she was thankful.

  “I do not wish to sleep tonight,” she said.

  “And you shall not,” he said, taking her once more.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Sunlight shone through the house’s windows, encouraging Lela to open her eyes. She stretched her arms and stood. The night’s events came to her mind and she looked around. Eldrich was gone. Quickly, she put on her dress and cloak and exited.

  “Eldrich!” she yelled.

  He couldn’t have abandoned her. She had let desire and fear fog her mind. She had let a stranger seduce her. “Eldrich!” she yelled again.

  Remembering the ball, she hurried back to the house. The ball was gone. He had stolen it.

  “Lela!” someone yelled.

  She ran outside where one of her father’s men on horseback greeted her.

  “She’s here, my king!”

  Seconds later, her father and more men appeared.

  Her father dismounted from his horse. “I was so worried,” he said, embracing her.

  “I’m sorry,” she answered, her thoughts on Eldrich and the golden ball.

  “What happened? Why did you not return to the castle?” He looked her up and down.

  “I got lost…wandered too far and couldn’t find my way back.” This was the first time she had lied to her father.

  “Thank the Gods you’re safe. Come, you must be starving. You’ll ride with me.”

  “Father,” she said as he helped her onto his horse. “Did you send men to look for me last night?”

  He climbed on the horse. “Ride, men!” he said.

  “Father, why won’t you answer me?”

  “I was worried sick. I thought I was never going to see you again,” he said.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “You’re safe and that’s all that matters.”

  They rode in silence. Lela understood that her life was never going to be the same again. In one night, her heart was broken twice, once by a stranger and once by her own father. Oh, how she missed her mother. If only she were alive and could offer her soothing words.

  Sitting at her tea table in her bedroom, Lela inhaled the bread and fruit her handmaiden had brought her. She then took fast sips of her tea.

  “Slow your pace, Princess,” Lady Rema said to her.

  Lela set the tea cup on the table and stood. “How many hours until sunset? Has to be no more than three or four, do you agree?” She walked to her window.

  “You’re safe.”

  “Am I?”

  “Of course you’re. What makes you think you’re not?”

  “You have been with me since birth, Lady Rema, have you not?”

  “I have,” she said, looking at her feet.

  “Are you loyal to me?”

  “Of course.”

  “Are you an honest woman?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then tell me the truth. Did my father send men to look for me last night?”

  Lady Rema returned her gaze to Lela. “He wanted to. Blessed Gods, he wanted to. But he couldn’t.”

  “Why?”

  “He was afraid,” she said, wringing her hands.

  “Of what?” Lela asked.

  “Why are you asking me these questions? I should go. I’m not feeling well,” she said, rubbing her forehead.

  “Answer me.”

  “Our duty is to protect you.” She looked away for a moment.

  “Yet, no one came to my rescue last night,” Lela said, raising her voice.

  “We could not.”

  “Speak the truth or I will have you imprisoned!”

  “Oh, Princess, I beg you,” she said, tears trickling down her cheeks.

  “Speak!”

  “When darkness falls…”

  “Continue,” Lela said.

  “That’s when they come out.”

  “Who?”

  “I can’t say the word. I just can’t,” Lady Rema said, now sobbing.

  “Gather yourself and say it. Shall I call the guards?”

  Taking in heavy breaths, Lady Rema said, “Vampires.”

  “So, it’s true. They do exist,” Lela said, putting her hand to her mouth.

  “They have roamed the forest for thousands of years, killing humans and animals alike.”

  “For their blood?” Lela asked, despite already knowing the answer.

  “Yes.”

  “You must be completely forthcoming with me. What happened to my mother?”

  “She was taken.”

  “By vampires?”

  “Yes.”

  “How?”

  “She sacrificed herself to…”

  “Finish.”

  “To save you.”

  “I don’t understand your words. Speak clearly,” Lela said.

  “The vampires…when they learned of your birth, they threatened the King and Queen. They wanted you…they thought your blood could lift their curse.”

  “Curse?”

  “They believe your blood can make them human again.”

  “Why do they believe such a thing? Absurd!”

  “Because of the golden ball.”

  “You know about it?” Lela asked.

  “It has followed you since you were born.”

  “I have no memories of it.”

  “It’s never made itself known to you. It followed you from a distant, hiding from you. The golden ball belongs to the vampires. They worship it. It’s their God. It is written in their sacred book that the ball would someday choose a human to follow. That human is you. It chose you.”

  “Chose me for what?” Lela asked, her throat threatening to close.

  “Clear your mind and grasp what I’m telling you. It chose you to save them…to make them human again. Vampires despise what they are. They want to walk in the sun again. They hate immortality…they consider it torture…cursed to live in darkness forever.”

  Lela sat on the edge of her bed and put her face in her hands. “I believe your words. Bloody hell, I do believe you.”

  “Your mother offered herself to them. Since you were born of her womb, her blood was also sacred to them. They craved to drink from the woman who had given birth to their savior. In exchange for her blood, they agreed to leave you alone for ten years. Her blood saved you…kept them away from you.

  “The ball made itself known to me yesterday,” Lela said.

  Lady Rema wheezed. “Oh no,” she said. “That means…”

  “This is not the time to hold your tongue.”

  “They are coming for you. The pact is over. And nothing will stop them.”

  “Leave my room,” Lela whispered.

  “Princess, please, the King must not know I told you.”

  “I need you to leave my room.” She had to be alone with her thoughts…her fear…her desire to perish right then and there.

  “Yes, I’m sorry, please forgive me,” Lady Rema said and left.

  Lela dashed to her window and said, “Eldrich, you bastard!”

  Then she threw herself on her bed.

  Lela did not know how long she had been asleep when in semi darkness she opened her eyes to find a figure standing at her bedside. Groggily, she whispered, “Eldrich.”

  “I didn’t want to leave you,” he said.

  “But you did,” she said, standing.

  He caressed her face. “Now that I’ve returned to my true form, I can’t be in the light.”

  Lela glanced at the lit candles on her walls.

  “Only the sun can hurt me,” he said.

  “Then may the sun rise now,” she said.

  “I’m sorry I left you,” he murmured.

  “Are you a vampire?” she asked.

  He kissed her forehead. “Yes.”

  “Your kind killed my mother,” she said. A part of her wanted to take hold of a sword and sink it into his chest.

  “Now they want you,” he said.

  “Are you here to take me to them?” She did
not understand why she wasn’t afraid of him. By all reason she should scream and run away from him. But she found herself paralyzed.

  “I’m here to protect you from them.”

  “Why?” In spite of what she had just learned, she trusted him.

  Although she would deny it to her death, his presence warmed her and she wanted nothing more but to take him into her bed.

  “You helped me. And now I will help you,” he said.

  “Is that the only reason?” She closed her eyes and thought of the night before. His body against hers…his lips on her mouth…his everything. Ashamed by what she was feeling, she opened her eyes. His kind killed your mother!

  “Do you want me to leave?” he asked, his eyes on her as if he meant to swallow her.

  “Yes.” She lied.

  “I’m yours,” he said, coming closer to her.

  “Leave,” she said, biting down hard on her lip. She could not resist her desire. Yes, she wanted him.

  He moved in and kissed her. His energy ran through her, nearly knocking her to the floor. She pushed him onto the bed.

  “I hate you,” she said.

  “I love you,” he said.

  “You cannot love someone you don’t know,” she said.

  “Are you mine?” he asked.

  She brought her body on top of his and ran her fingers down his chest.

  “Are you mine?” he asked again.

  “I belong to no one.”

  “Sweet princess,” he said, flipping her on her back. “There are so many things I want to do to you. Will you let me?”

  “Yes,” she said, shaking.

  He glided his hand under her dress and up her inner thighs.

  The pleasure she was feeling was almost too much for her to take; any second she thought she would fall into unconsciousness.

  “Do you want me to caress you?” he asked.

  “With your mouth,” she said. Her bluntness baffled her.

  He spread her legs. Disappearing underneath her dress, he brought her to near tears.

  “Shall I stop, sweet princess?”