The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-153

When Madeline had been asked to call the King by his name, she didn't know if it was some trick. No one ever called the King by his name, unless it was his family member. His eyes glared at her but not out of anger. The heat in his eyes didn't dissipate, and it burned even more brightly when Madeline had called his name.

Some of the strands of his hair had fallen on his forehead, and his lips were parted as if waiting to catch hold of her lips again. Madeline's back continued to stick to the side of the carriage wall while looking back at him. Even though she had drunk some sips of water from him, she was still thirsty.

But Madeline was too shy to ask for more water. Asking it would only mean she was looking forward to more kisses from him. Her lips trembled, remembering his lips on hers. Moving against it...Both of them continued to stare, and as if knowing she was thirsty, Calhoun asked her,

"More water?" the way he asked her, deep down she felt something in her soul, her body reacting in a way right now which she wouldn't have let it react, "It's going to be a while before we reach the castle. I don't want you passing out," hearing this she doubted she would pass out because of water, but because of his presence alone.

Madeline was torn as her body had only heated up because of his touch, making it worse while the water was not enough. She could do nothing but blame herself for taking in the alcohol despite Calhoun's warning, and now all she wanted was sink herself in the bathtub of water.

"No, it's okay," she answered stubbornly. Though the alcohol was affecting her, it didn't mean she had lost control of herself. After a few seconds, she said, "I will take the water bag."

In time she saw Calhoun's face change and a sinful looking smile graced on his lips, "You will get your water through my lips. Agree?" now that he had tasted her, he wanted to have more. His eyes sparkled, waiting to hear what Madeline's answer would be.

He could see how she was uncomfortable in the clothes that she wore right now. If she would take a couple more sips, it would help her.

"No."

Calhoun smiled at her answer. Her resistance was commendable, and it made the chase only that much enjoyable.

The way Calhoun grinned at her right now, it reminded Madeline the time she had been sitting in the church, attending prayers with her family. During that time, the pastor of the church had once said how the devil was once an angel. An angel with white wings and a pure soul who was later corrupted to turn to have black wings with a sinister smile on the face. Waiting to charm the next person so that they could invite the prey on the web like a spider.

He let go of her waist and the other hand that was placed at the side of her bottom, pulling away his hand to move back against his seat. His hand itched, but he decided to keep his hands to himself for now.

The journey back to the castle felt long and torturously slow to Madeline. She felt like a child wanting to throw a tantrum, but she bit her cheek. Biting her lips only made her body alive over Calhoun's touch, and she blushed with embarrassment.

When the carriage stopped, Madeline was in an internal mess. The liquor had hit her body hard to its peek. Calhoun was the first one to step outside the carriage, a wicked grin playing on his lips to show one of his fangs as he knew exactly what Madeline was feeling. He had seen many humans who had drunk the liquor which was made for vampires, thinking they were better than the night creatures. Turning his head around, he saw Madeline, who was still sitting in the carriage.

"Leave," Calhoun ordered the coachman who was holding the carriage door open, to see the servant leave the door as it was to go stand at the front of the horses.

Madeline clenched her hands, taking a deep breath before she started to make her way towards the door by sliding across the seat. Her body felt prickly, like needles that were poking into her skin because of the heat, and was it this bright earlier? asked Madeline to herself.

"Stop being stubborn," stated Calhoun, raising his hand and Madeline didn't refuse. She had done enough for the day. She wanted to go to her room and probably sleep in the bathtub. That's what she would do, thought Madeline to herself.

"Why is it so hot?" she asked him.

"Might be your body heating up after the kiss," came the reply from Calhoun and she stared at him, "It is the reaction to the vampire liquor. Close your eyes," he said when she stepped down from the carriage.

Madeline had a small ache at the back of her head, her footsteps not stable enough to walk and suddenly she felt herself being picked in Calhoun's arms, "I don't want you dropping down," and he started to walk into the castle. As Calhoun walked up the stairs, Madeline instead of closing her eyes, looked at him.

"People are going to see! Put me down!"

The servants in the castle had their eyes widened at the sight of the King carrying the lady who had been living in the castle for almost less than two weeks now. A human, who most of them believed to be was one of his another conquest looked shocked before schooling their reactions to continue their work. The last time two servants had spoken about the lady, they had ended up with their head being beheaded from their body. Not one but two servants. And no one wanted to remotely get to the King or the lady's bad side.

As Calhoun made his way, carrying Madeline in both his arms, Theodore, who was talking to one of the ministers noticed the King from afar like many others. There were some more, one of them being the head maid, Nicola, who stared from the other side of the corridor at the sight, that was presented to all of them to see.

When Madeline and Calhoun reached the King's quarters, Madeline felt relieved. The heat in her body was unbearable. Both her hands were around Calhoun's neck for support. She had been staring at the walls when her eyes slowly moved to look at Calhoun who looked serious again.

She wondered which one was the real Calhoun Hawthrone. Was it this one? The one where he was serious and intimidating, his eyes dark where there was not a hint of emotion on his face. Or was it the one where he smiled, enjoying people's misery, like seeing her being denied of water which he was ready to offer only through his way. Her eyes trailed from looking at his jaw that moved towards his full lips.

She closed her eyes now. How did that even happen?! This was not how she had imagined being kissed.

Though Calhoun had his eyes at the front, his consciousness was at the person who was in his arms.

He was listening to her heartbeat and breathing. Hearing the hitch and the line of sight at where she was looking, he muttered under his breath.

"Fuck it."

Calhoun had at first decided to take Madeline to her room, but with the way she looked and the taste he just had of her, it was hard not to want more. His feet changed direction, and by the time Madeline opened her eyes, they were in the room. With her head starting to spin, she tried to catch sight of where they were, blinking her eyes as her eyes started to focus.

Madeline realised they weren't in her room, by the decor, this was the King's room. It was Calhoun's room, and she felt her heart almost slip from her chest,

"W-what are we doing here?" she stuttered. Did he bring her here to kiss her? She looked up at him, meeting his dark hooded eyes.

"It is very normal for a human to feel hot after drinking a vampire's liquor. I am sure you are burning up with the way you have been squirming uncomfortably," replied Calhoun to her. Her eyes went back to see that Calhoun had walked past the large bed and her eyebrows furrowed.

"W-wait-" Madeline was trying to conjure words when Calhoun continued to walk into the next room and down the stairs, for her body to be dipped in the water while still clinging on to him.

"This should do," she heard Calhoun say while the cold water hit her body. He was right. Her body felt so much better right now. Calhoun had taken Madeline to his grand bath which was filled with a pool of water, dipping her body that had risen with the temperature because of what she had consumed.

It felt like the fire in her body had finally calmed down, and so did her mind. She could feel Calhoun's gaze on her, watching her intently. She was glad that Calhoun had not thrown her into the water, instead walked into it, carrying her. Both of them were wet because of the water.

Madeline continued to cling on to him, her hands holding tight around his neck.