Seeing the strange man right in her inner chamber, she instinctively buried herself in the warm water out of shock.
She wasn't the type to stay longer than a few seconds when her head was beneath the water especially when it was very warm. She slowly raised her body from the bathtub, ensuring that only her neck up to her face was visible to the man. She slowly positioned her right arm on the tub and growled, "What the bloody hell are you doing here?!"
A scowl bested the face of the man standing some metres away from her bathtub. He wasn't in the black coat he was in the other time. He was now clad in a red cloak, which offered little contrast to his long chestnut hair. However, for some reason, he looked quite devilish now that she could see him in a brighter light. His pale skin was outstanding, making her eyes dwell more on those penetrating eyes of his.
He looked quite taller than she had checked, definitely because she was in her bathtub and he was standing right in front of her, albeit a considerable amount of metres away but Maxine could not possibly think that this man could not see her whole body despite.
He said, clicking his tongue, "For a woman who doesn't care to speak vulgar words, you have less possibility of getting chosen by other men. Fortunately, you don't have to bother since you already have me." Seeing a persisting glare on her face, he added, "I only came to check if you arrived safely. Damien concluded that he did not drop you at the palace. As your husband, it is my responsibility to keep you safe."
The words came out from his mouth most comfortably, as if there was nothing wrong with the words he had just uttered.
Maxine's heart was racing, trying to know what to do in this position that she was kept in. She had never been naked in front of any man before and this man wouldn't be among the lists that would unclad her with his eyes. But he was dangerous, there were no limits to what he could do which gave Maxine no other choice but to act nicely when he was acting nice too. That is if his crazy behaviour could be termed as nice.
"Your Grace," she swallowed, "Please, would you excuse me for a second." Her mind was still trying to understand how he was able to come into the palace without being questioned and the highest of it all, come into the women's quarter when he didn't belong to the palace.
Sullivan watched the young woman as she fidgeted. Her words tried to send him off away but he didn't understand what exactly. Could this very woman be uncomfortable just because she was staying naked under the water in front of him?
He had known many women all his life and those women never flinched when their nakedness was on the play. They were the ones to put off every layer of the clothes on their skin to attract their male counterparts. However, why was the woman in front of him a coward?
He watched her eyes fill with something he couldn't figure out exactly, however, he suddenly stopped, quite taken aback when she gulped in fear.
His eyes lingered on her bare neck and as if under a spell, he suddenly wanted to have a taste.
Maybe he could try?
He looked at the woman whose eyes were now focused somewhere else. Tracing where her eyes met, he figured out that her eyes were on a white night robe seated on the backrest of a chair. His attention was now fixed back on her. Amusingly, he said, "Is that a request on your side, My Lady?"
Maxine on the other hand found it hard to think. How could this man be staying still having known that she was having a bath? She shook her head. A normal man would instantly turn backwards as soon as his eyes set on her but this one was just a pervert who cared as if her nakedness was not worth a thing.
However, when her mind drifted to something different, she bit her lips. Prince Maverick could come to her chamber if he is back to check if she is alright. She immediately spoke up, "What request? Please, get the bloody hell out!"
"I mean, do you want me to take the night robe for you? Your mind has been fixed on it instead." As he uttered those words, he went to the chair and carefully took the night robe from the chair. And at the same time, he began to approach her, as if hoping that she would wear the robe in the bathtub that she was.
Seeing that the man was coming nearer to her, as if innocent of whatever he was doing, she shouted, "Just drop it! Not my night robe. It's you. Please get out."
She had no idea how much time it would take for this man to get out of her inner chamber but she knew it wasn't any moment from now on.
Why was he determined to make her unhappy?
Sullivan's steady steps stopped midway. He sighed.
He was very close.
Just very close to knowing how her soft neck would feel underneath his fang, however, he wasn't opportune.
For a moment, he marvelled at what he was thinking. Asking himself when he started to seek consent before he descended on his victims. But he told himself that perhaps, it was because this woman's life was tied to his life. If he did kill her now, there was little hope they would see another healer who would successfully heal him.
However, he stopped on his track when he decided to return the night robe per her request. The image of her bow-shape lips slightly open as if gasping for air turned him nuts.
He removed his gaze from her face, only for his gaze to go further downwards. Her neck was bare, something reminded him and her shoulders dripping with the warm water that covered her lower body made him feel like a delirious man who was caged under a spell fighting to be free.
Was he seduced?
He could easily reach out, pull her naked body against himself and ravage her, right now. He had previously wrapped his arm around her, her body would surely be fitted in his embrace. He could capture those parted lips and make them wider. Most importantly, her bare neck could dance in between his lips.
And for a moment, he was entirely tempted to try his luck. Surely, his seduction skills could not have become rusty for keeping his chastity for long.
For long, he had not felt what it was like to drink from the direct source. And now, he wanted to do just that.