Sweet Sacrifice

Krisstine closed her eyes as the warm spray of the shower hit her tired body. That 12-hour flight from Puerto Rico was certainly still wreaking havoc on her. She stretched, her back cracking softly as the bones fell in place. - Better. - she thought. She opened her eyes when the realization set in that Caleb was just behind the door and waiting for her. She groaned as she lathered the loofah, before running it over her body. Her mind became blank as she washed herself and cleaned the soap suds away, then stepped out of the shower. Her eyes traveled around the room, locking on the full-length bathtub in the far corner, next to the glass pane overlooking the lake that helped divide Sorciere Douce and… Sorciere Blanche. She cringed at the thought of her old home. Things were starting to get crazy, and this was just the beginning.

After pulling the tank top over her head, and tugging on the pair of shorts, she stepped out of the bathroom, her hair up in a messy bun, a few wet tendrils hanging down loosely, sticking to her skin. She tried to not pay attention to Caleb as she walked over to her bed, gladly noticing that her bags had been put away and she probably wouldn’t see them until she had to pack them for some vacation or other. She sighed tiredly as she pulled herself up on the high bed until she sat on it, her back to Caleb, as her hands reached up to fix her bun. She still felt the heat of her husband’s stare on her back, and the word sent a shiver down her back. She was getting married. And to Caleb nonetheless! Another sigh escaped her, taking some of her frustrations along, but something still weighed on her shoulders. She was lying to her future husband, even before marrying him. He still didn’t know who she really was and she didn’t even want to think about what he would do or think about her when he found out the truth.

Caleb groaned as he sat on his new bed. The bed he was supposed to share from now on with his wife. His wife. It sounded weird, but in some odd strange way, it felt good. It was for sure that he wouldn’t spend another lonely night and that alone was a nice fringe benefit. Normally he had dozens of women offering themselves to be in his bed every night, but not every night he made a commoner’s dream come true. Some nights he wanted to keep to himself and not have the strain of having to pleasure someone else and then deal with the awkwardness it brought afterwards. With Krisstine he felt an overwhelming sense of safety. He already knew deep inside that she wouldn’t do anything to harm him. As he’d been quietly watching her as she gathered a few things from her open suitcase, that strange familiar feeling crept up on him again, and still he couldn’t understand it.

His mind flashed back to the kiss they had just shared and a tingle settled on his lower regions. His mind went blank as he watched her disappear behind the closing bathroom door and when he heard the running water from the shower, his mind became blurred with images of her naked body under the shower mist. Time ticked by silently and in the blink of an eye, Krisstine had walked out of the bathroom and was quietly fixing the bun in which her long black hair was tied. His eyes hungrily roamed the exposed skin of her arms, before wandering down to her naked thighs which were left bare thanks to the short shorts she was wearing.

- Are you taking a nap as well? - Krisstine’s voice asked, snapping him out of his trance.

- No. - Caleb said quickly getting off the bed and headed for the door. - No. I’m not. -

- Okiedokie… - Krisstine shrugged, watching as he left, closing the door behind him.

Caleb leaned against the large wooden door and groaned loudly, his hands reaching up to cover his face. What was wrong with him? He was supposed to hate his wife, not feel and act like a total idiot whenever she was around. After a few minutes he collected himself enough and opened the door, walking back inside the bedroom. His eyes widened immediately upon falling on the bed. Krisstine was already asleep, but what surprised him was that… she was naked? He quietly walked around the bed to her side, and grinned. Yes, she was naked indeed, for her tank top and her shorts were laying on the floor. A stirring settled above his thighs and he felt it hard to stand, as his eyes roamed ardently over her body, only covered by the white feather-plumped comforter.

He took his time now to stare long and hard at her. His blue eyes traveled over her dosing face, by her closed eyes, framed by her long lashes, down her nose and finally stopping at her sexy, pouty mouth. The one that was driving him crazy just by looking at it, and he didn’t even want to start thinking about how mad it would drive him if he was able to kiss it. Then he realized… he ‘could’ kiss it. After all, she was his wife… which meant that her mouth belonged to him. Without thinking much of it, he sat down beside her, cupping her cheek in his hand as he lowered his lips to hers, kissing her awake.

Krisstine slowly woke up from her super-short nap feeling the lips on hers. She opened her eyes, only to find Caleb’s closed ones hovering over her and she moaned softly as the kiss deepened. Her eyes simply fell closed again as Caleb’s arms reached around her, pressing himself against her. After awhile, their lips became untangled and Krisstine felt her back against the plush comfort of the bed once again. Her green eyes slowly inched open, to stare at her husband, still looming over her, his breaths ragged as his gaze locked with hers. Her lips turned into the smallest of smiles, but what came out of his mouth next only made her angry.

- Well… again I say. At least you can kiss. - Caleb said complacently, his eyes taking a rude look to them as his eyes roamed over her again, his hands trying to remove the covers.

- Fuck no! - Krisstine growled holding onto the white plush ness fiercely. - Don’t you dare kiss me ever again! - she warned him, her eyes reflecting the anger now swirling madly through her.

- I will kiss you whenever and wherever I want, my Darling. - Caleb grinned viciously.

Krisstine stared at her husband with disgust as she sat herself on the bed, still holding onto the bedspread. - Get out, Caleb. -

- Why? - he asked innocently. - This is my room too… and it would look funny if you slept here while I slept in my bachelor’s room… - he grinned.

- It would look even funnier if I married a corpse… huh? - she challenged, her eyes glazing over in their fury.

Caleb didn’t heed her threat and merely stood up, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. His eyes never left his wife’s as he continued to get undressed.

- What are you doing? - Krisstine asked, her eyes still blazing.

- Getting ready to get into bed with my wife, of course. - he grinned, slipping into the humongous bed.

Krisstine scoffed and almost succeeded in her quest of getting out of the bed before Caleb’s hand grabbed her arm.

- What do you think ‘you’re’ doing? - he asked, his grip never relenting.

- I’m getting out of bed… I’d rather sleep out with the dogs. - she replied.

- Well, if you do that, then I’ll be right there sleeping with you, so you might as well drop the fight now and just sleep with your husband, like you’re supposed to. - Caleb shrugged.

Krisstine looked down at his hand on her arm, before glancing back up at his eyes. They weren’t looking at her like a piece of meat again. They were looking at her like a husband looked at his wife. She didn’t see love or anything close to it, but she did notice something that looked like… need. She sighed. She might as well. - Just stick to your side. - she said trying to pull her arm free of his grasp.

Caleb didn’t let her go. Instead he pushed himself towards the middle of the bed, before pulling her against him guiding her to lay beside him. He smiled softly at her, his arms wrapping around her tightly, their bodies snugly against the other. Krisstine stared up into his blue eyes and felt something warm tug at her heart. She could really get used to being in his arms… if he didn’t turn right around and insult her or made her feel like a whore afterwards. He simply closed his eyes and buried his face in her neck, inhaling her fascinating smell. Soon, her own eyes closed as she also took in the scent that Caleb made his. Caleb’s hands splayed across Krisstine’s back, and the tips of his fingers started making random patterns on the taut, smooth skin, lulling her into a deep sleep.

When Caleb woke up a couple of hours later he looked down to find Krisstine’s head softly cuddled on his shoulder, one of her arms comfortable resting across his broad chest. It was stupid and he knew it, but having his wife laying next to him, he felt like a much bigger man and yet, his mind protested that he should hate her and fight against falling in love with her. But still, he tightened his grip around her naked waist and turned to face her, their chests meshed together. His lips traced her collarbone from her shoulder up to her neck and lingered there until he felt her stir awake. The moan that escaped her under his ministrations made him smile, but his lips never stopped kissing her. On the contrary, they moved upwards until they reached her own and kissed her completely awake, grinning amidst their kiss when he felt her arms wrap softly around his neck.

- Wakey, wakey… - Caleb chuckled as Krisstine hid her face to yawn.

Her green eyes looked up and searched his, looking for the answer she so desperately needed there, but not finding it. How could he switch from one mood to the other in such short time. She already felt married to a Mr. Jekkyll and Mrs. Hyde. It was beyond her how he could make her feel so special and then so low from one minute to the next.

- What’s wrong? - Caleb asked, running a hand down the side of her face and settling it on her neck, his happy expression as she leaned into his touch switching to one of worry, when the confused look in her eyes reappeared.

- How is it that you change your behavior towards me so easily? - she asked softly.

- What do you mean? - Caleb asked, feeling his stomach drop at the sudden question.

- Well, when you met me you seemed fine, then after we kissed you called me a whore… then you were pretty civil to me until after I showered and you left as if I had the pest. Then you kissed me awake, only to call me a whore again and in the blink of an eye you were pulling me into your arms to go to sleep… and now you woke me up again kissing me and well, quite frankly I’m pretty sure the insults are just around the bend… aren’t they? -

Caleb’s blue eyes widened hearing her. Had he really been treating her like that? He thought back to what she’d said and… yes, he had really been treating her like that. It was all he could do to not smack himself. - Krisstine… - he started.

- No… I don’t want to hear it. - she spoke softly before moving from his embrace to leave the bed. - It’s always the same excuse… - she said pulling her tank top over her head, her shorts forgotten beside the bed as she walked over to the walk-in closet where she imagined everything she’d brought had been placed. - Always the same ‘I’m sorry, it’ll never happen again’ shit and I’m tired of it… I would just rather have you hate me, than have you make me feel a bit appreciated and then turn around and insult me. -

Caleb stared at her appalled at what was coming out of her mouth. His gaze never left her as she picked out a dress and headed into the bathroom to get ready. He shook his head and got out of their matrimonial bed, following her. - Krisstine… - he tried again, but this time, he wouldn’t accept interruptions. His hands reached around her and turned her around to face him, fully intending on apologizing, but the look of pure disgust in her eyes switched on his ‘hate’ switch. - Never mind, think whatever you want… you’re still my wife and you have a purpose to fulfill… - he said looking her over.

Krisstine sighed. She knew the niceness wouldn’t last. - I know, Caleb… don’t you worry… you’ll be king and I’ll just be another pillow on your bed. - she nodded her raven haired head and turned within his grasp, her attention back on defining her emerald eyes with an azure blue shadow, matching the dress she planned on wearing to that night’s dinner.

Caleb growled and planted a possessive kiss upon her bare neck and released her. She was his wife and he was free to do with her whatever he wished. He didn’t notice the silent tear that slid down her cheek at his departure.

She hastily wiped it away and breathed deep, her eyes dropped closed as she tried to regain her lost composure. When she opened her eyes, she studied her reflection intensely for a long while. She took in the sunken, sleep-deprived eyes, the same ones she had profoundly loved only a few days ago. But now those same eyes stared back at her with only a blank expression. They were void of the life and happiness that she was so used to seeing, echoed in them. Her eyes now were a true indication of her current feelings. They looked lost, confused, disorientated… and those were things she had never experienced before. Not even when she’d had to leave her home along with her mother, or even when her mother had passed away and she’d moved to the Caribbean with her Uncle Hector. Pain and grief, overtook the previous look at the thought of her beloved Uncle Hector. She was an ungrateful niece. How could she be mad at him for trying to fix up her life. He simply wanted to spend his last days in peace, knowing his promise to his sister Alinda was fulfilled and that she would have a happy, protected life at Caleb’s side.

A shrilling sound cut through the eerie silence among the couple, and both turned to stare at the other.

- That’s not mine. - Krisstine said, blindly motioning with her black eyeliner to an imaginary place where the ringing cellphone could be.

- I know. - Caleb nodded. - It’s mine. - he said walking out of the bathroom still shaving his barely there facial hair. He cringed quietly when he read the display, he’d had the feeling that his overly-flirty ways would come back to bite him in the butt soon, but this was far sooner than expected. - What do you want? - he growled into the phone, startling the young lady on the other end.

Krisstine’s eyes widened noticeably, and she leaned heavily to her right to look out the open door at her husband’s angry face.

- No. - Caleb said harshly. - I told you I would call you when I felt like it… and well, some things have happened and I simply won’t be calling you anymore. - he said looking at the door, his eyes locking with Krisstine’s, and for a quick fleeting second, they smiled at each other. - I’m getting married, Chyler! - he screamed finally in reply after moments of anger.

Krisstine flinched and quickly resumed her previous task of finishing up her eyes, before focusing on her lips. She heard Caleb mutter some curse words before he stormed back into the bathroom, tossing his shaving machine to the side, instantly stripping of his underwear and stepping into the shower. Krisstine didn’t say anything and her expression didn’t betray her feelings, instead, she walked out of the bathroom and into her closet. After she changed into her dinner dress, she picked out a pair of shoes and sat down in the huge chair overlooking the outdoor gardens to put them on, and there she waited for her husband to finish getting ready.

Caleb groaned thickly feeling the scalding water on his body. The last thing he’d needed to be even more hated by Krisstine was for one of his conquests to call him on his phone. His mind wandered back to when he woke up just a while before and he’d caught sight of Krisstine’s head cuddled on his shoulder and shuddered. He still could feel the delicious weight of her on his arm and he longed to hold her again. After showering he wrapped a towel around his naked waist and walked out into the bedroom, his gaze instantly looking around for her face.

He caught sight of her sitting by the window, a faraway look in her eyes. He sighed, he desperately wanted to be in her good graces, yet, he knew he wasn’t her most favorite person at the moment… and really, he couldn’t blame her. He’d treated her with less than civil manners and had made her feel like a prostitute, something no woman should ever feel like. A few minutes later, he was already dressed and ready for dinner, and he took the time to look over Krisstine. She was wearing a turquoise dress and matching pumps, her eye makeup making her eyes stand out even more.

Caleb sighed yet again and slowly made his way up to her fixing his cuffs. He had decided on humoring at least one of the two most important women in his life at the moment, and wore a black jacket and pants along with a blue button-down shirt. He cleared his throat and breathed deep when his future wife turned to look at him.

- Yes? - Krisstine asked, her green eyes admiring the sight of her handsome husband-to-be.

- Look… - Caleb started, kneeling in front of her and taking one of her hands in his. - I’m sorry I’ve made you feel uncomfortable lately. It’s just that I’m so torn between falling in love with you and hating you that I simply don’t know what to do anymore… and every time I look at you, I feel inexplicably drawn to you and I want to know you, but when you look at me and I see that disgust in your eyes it just makes me feel angry and I lash out at you… -

Krisstine sighed. She couldn’t begin to understand the way he felt, because she wasn’t anywhere near close to understanding her own feelings, but she nodded nonetheless. At least his apology sounded sincere, and the look in his blue eyes only confirmed her thoughts. - Umm… - she started, her eyes boring down into his. - It’s just hard to trust someone overnight… - she explained.

- I understand that… - Caleb nodded, feeling the exact same thing. - Let’s just try to get along and promise me you won’t look at me with disgust? - he asked.

- I’ll try. - Krisstine promised. - But promise me you won’t make me feel like a whore… I’d rather have you angry at me than insulting or degrading me. -

Caleb nodded again, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand, before pulling her up off her seat and against him. He smiled when he heard her pleasured sigh, and hugged her even tighter. - Let’s get downstairs, their Majesties are probably waiting. - he said referring to his parents.

- Lets… - Krisstine nodded, smiling when Caleb took her hand in his and led her out the door, entwining their fingers together.

.:~:~:.

King Spenser sighed deeply taking a sip of his wine glass. He wanted so bad to know what was going on between his son and Krisstine, but still they hadn’t surfaced from their room and he wasn’t one to go snooping around. He hadn’t heard from them since he’d left them in the sitting room earlier and his stomach was up in hurtful knots. He couldn’t take much of the waiting, he needed to see them and at the least see them both still alive. Neither of them had been happy about the arranged marriage but, it was for their own good and at least one of them knew the truth to its full extent, the other was still in the harsh unknowing dark. His blue gaze looked up when the door to his office opened, and though it wasn’t who he was expecting, he couldn’t help but grin seeing his wife standing there, a pretty delicate smile upon her face.

- Any sign of them? - the King asked, taking another sip of his beverage.

- Nope… - Evelyn said shaking her head. - But we haven’t heard screams or shots so I’m guessing they’re still alive. - she said and laughed seeing her husband’s expression. - I’m kidding. Once Caleb knows the truth and gets over the anger of being fooled, everything will be alright. -

King Spenser shook his head. - I just fear that it won’t be alright… you know that the topic of Krisstine’s departure it’s still very touchy with him and after he realizes that he’s been living here with him, he’ll feel wronged and you know how vengeful he can be. -

Evelyn nodded. - You have a point there. -

- I just don’t understand what could be taking them so long to come downstairs for dinner. I know Krisstine isn’t used to the schedule, but Caleb for sure is. - King Spenser groaned, for the umpteenth time hearing his growling insides.

- You’re not really worried about them getting along… you just want them downstairs so you can eat. - Evelyn laughed with a shake of her head.

- Don’t laugh at me Eve… I hate being hungry. - King Spenser pouted.

- Sorry to keep you waiting, Father. - Caleb apologized walking through the door, still holding onto Krisstine’s hand. - We had a bit to talk about. - he said motioning to the giggling woman beside him.

- Well, Ms. Krisstine, I’m glad that my hunger amuses you… - King Spenser laughed heartily, standing up from his huge high back chair. - Mrs. Danvers… would you allow me to escort you?- he asked his wife, offering her his hand, while Caleb and Krisstine smiled on.

- Gladly… - Evelyn blushed, accepting her husband’s hand and pulling herself up. It wasn’t that she wasn’t used to the flattery but, still, every time King Spenser would talk that way to her she couldn’t help but completely blush from head to toe.

Both couples grinned at each other as they all left the office and headed straight into the massive dining room, everyone sitting close to King Spenser, even if tradition called otherwise. Caleb frowned the moment he helped Krisstine into her seat, already missing the warmth of her hand in his, but quickly summoned himself to his own seat with a look from his Father. The night was going well between all of them and he didn’t wish to ruin it by being a brat. His seat was right in front of hers and he took full advantage of his impressive sight. He still couldn’t get used to the fact that this excitingly gorgeous woman was his wife. His! He still didn’t believe it.

Krisstine’s green orbs looked up from the plate in front of her to look into the depth of Caleb’s ocean blue gaze, and she felt her breath hitch in her throat. This strikingly handsome man was her husband, her one true love and she was looking forward to him being her lover. Between idle chit chat, quiet staring and daydreaming, dinner simply flew by. All through the event, neither Caleb nor Krisstine could keep their eyes off the other and soon they were wishing for it to be all over so they could go back to the privacy of their room, or at the least have some time to walk the castle’s halls by themselves. Neither could suppress the relieved sigh that escaped them when the servants cleared up the table and King Spenser stood up.

- It’s been a most pleasant dinner, but I must bid you goodbye for now. My darling Evelyn… would you accompany me to my office. We have some matters to talk about. - King Spenser said in his deep gruff voice.

Evelyn nodded as she stood up and followed his lead out the door, leaving the younger couple still sitting at the table.

Krisstine gasped in surprise when suddenly Caleb bolted out of his seat and was standing beside her in a flash, his hand out in offer.

- Come on… - Caleb said. - You still haven’t been given the proper tour of your new home. - he grinned.

Krisstine grinned back and stood up from her seat, instantly feeling herself up against her husband. Their eyes locked and for a moment everything around them disappeared. It felt only natural when his lips descended upon hers, kissing her breath clean away, his arms banded tightly around her back, keeping her near him.

- Let’s go for that tour… - Caleb grinned when they pulled back, and keeping one of his arms around her, led her out the door.

They traveled down long hallways, impossibly ceiling-high doors at both sides, still holding onto the other. Krisstine’s face a reflection of pure elation when she realized that the castle wasn’t still in the dark ages. It had a totally modern theater packed with every type of technological advanced equipment. A huge projector screen covered the far wall, an overhead projector clung to the ceiling right over the comfortable looking chairs, and Krisstine noticed the rows of DVD cases lining the closet’s wall, when Caleb showed her where the DVD player and the other media readers were stored in. She would be definitely be spending some time in that specific room.

The next room also took her breath away. She was a gym rat, though lately she hadn’t had the time to attend it daily as she was used to, now she could go back to that routine, seeing that she wouldn’t have much to do but attend conferences and socialites’ parties. The gym was packed with weights and every sort of exercise machine available all of them facing the plasma TV on the wall. And Krisstine was ecstatic upon the recognition of the glass doors usually used in private saunas. Already she was planning her activities for the next day, as Caleb took her into room after room.

It all became a blur of rooms which included an art room, the interior garden which took almost the length of three rooms, the butterfly room, which was Evelyn’s favorite, the library, the gallery room in which Evelyn hung her paintings, Caleb and King Spenser’s respective offices, a sewing room, and several sitting rooms. Already Krisstine felt more at home than a few hours before. Now she knew where she could go to unwind and relax, and she was so looking forward to spending quite some time inside that sauna.

- So, what did you think? - Caleb asked excitedly as they entered their bedroom once more. - Was your new home to your liking? -

- Indeed it was. - Krisstine nodded, walking inside the walk-in closet to remove her sandals. - I loved it all, but I have a few favorite rooms that I will be exploring further tomorrow. - she said walking back to the bed and sitting on it, her gaze locked on Caleb’s form as he took off his jacket and put it away nicely inside his own walk-in closet.

- I’m glad to hear that. - Caleb grinned, looking at her over his shoulder. He walked towards her and placed his hands on her knees, moving them up her thighs, taking the dress’ skirt along. Krisstine gasped in pleasure when his hands reached her bottom and pulled her flush against him, her legs at either side of him. - And I’m glad we’re trying to work things out… - he said gruffly into her ear, smiling when he heard her moan.

Instantly his mouth went to work on her neck and all rationality left her, as she surrendered her body to him, the undeniable tension between them making for one hot first night together.