I heard a soft knock when midnight struck. Making my way over to the door, I wasn't surprised to find Cal standing in my doorway again. We had been practicing how to ballroom dance for a couple of days now, to make sure I was halfway decent when the time came. We don't talk about much else, only focusing on which steps to take and finding my rhythm.
The hum of cameras was a faint reminder that we are not truly alone as Cal and I take our usual route to the empty sitting room. Pushing aside chairs and tables, he cleared the area for us to practice. I could feel his body heat as he bent down to play music on the little box, and slightly shook my head. I am not to be thinking distracted thoughts. I am to be focused on dancing, and dancing only.
"Mare?" he asked, holding out his hand. I nod.
Taking his hand in mine, we follow the beat of the song, feeling more and more comfortable. I'm still awkward and forget which steps to take, but Cal guides me with strength and confidence.
Tonight is our last night being able to dance like this, and I'm saddened by the thought. We don't say much to each other, choosing to simply enjoy the other's presence before it's gone. Hand in mine, I feel his warmth envelope my entire body through my sheer nightgown. The pull of his muscles and movement of his broad shoulders distracts me for a second, and I stumble.
"Oops."
Cal laughs. "And here I thought you've gotten a lot better since the first night."
My face heats up. "I have, I just… The thought of the ball being so soon made me anxious."
"You have nothing to worry about. You're not the one dancing with Evangeline, I am. And I like to think I've been a pretty good dance teacher," Cal grins.
Looking into his molten ember eyes, I mutter, "You have."
Cal continues to lead me around the room, slower this time for caution. Remembering him leaving for war right after the ball gives me an unsettling feeling.
"Do you really have to go immediately to war?"
He nods, with a serious expression. "It is my duty as a general."
My fingers tighten on his shoulder. I bite my lip, knowing my attempt is meaningless. Nothing will sway him from his obligations. "Or," I start. "You could stay here and avoid all the violence. You could be safe."
"You know I can't do that. This land needs me. The people need me. My soldiers need me," he sighs.
"Evangeline will miss you. What would she do if her betrothed were to never come back?"
Cal scoffs. "All the better for her then as ruling queen. She wouldn't have to worry about me. I won't be missing Evangeline and she definitely won't be missing me."
We've come to a slow pace. He stops suddenly, holding the sides of my face gently in both hands. "But I'll miss you, Mare."
He gazes down at me with a soft expression in his vibrant eyes. It's hard to believe under the circumstances we're in. My body tenses, fully aware of the cameras still on us.
"Cal, I'm engaged to your brother Maven. I'm not the one you're marrying. And I'm a Red," I smile sadly, reminding him of the facts. It's the harsh reality of our world and I wish that this was a different outcome but it isn't.
"I wish things were different," he whispers, still looking down at me. His eyebrows are furrowed, and he looks like he's going to regret what he's about to do next.
"Cal-"
And before I can stop him, before I can tell him to wait, he presses his lips against mine. It's smoldering and warm and soft. This is all wrong. I'm not Evangeline. He isn't Maven. We're not engaged to each other. He's a Silver. I'm a Red. We're not even supposed to be interacting with one another. Is this what Silver Courts are like? Secret feelings and superficial appearances?
We both pull away. I'm stunned and at a loss for words. Cal looks slightly shocked at what he did as well. There's a desire in his eyes that I'm not sure how to respond to. I'm suddenly all too aware of his hands on my hips. The heat is growing and expanding in the cold room, coming from his body in waves. His cheeks are flushed with his Silver blood and I'm sure mine mirrors his, but red.
"I-I don't know what to do but I think we shouldn't be doing this," I stammer out. Cal's already moving forward to kiss me again, and against my better judgment, I stay in place. His lips are delicious and full and move against mine deeply. My mind feels cloudy. His hands move to the small of my back, tracing circles of heat until I feel a different kind of electric through my veins.
"Then for one night, let's not think about anything," he murmurs against my neck. I shiver. "Not the war, not the conflict between Red and Silvers, not who we're betrothed to."
Cal places soft kisses on my neck, gently sucking on skin.
"But…" I begin. He finds a sensitive spot on the side of my neck, and I can't help but let out a little moan. I immediately regret it when he looks up at me with a smirk in his eyes. "What about Maven?" I exhale.
Cal lets out a little growl. "You don't know how hard it's been for me, watching you two. For weeks, you've been a personal challenge of temptation for me."
"You're the one who brought me here," I state. Smooth.
"Yes, which is why it's been difficult for me seeing you become so attached to Maven." One of his hands slides down to my thigh, right at the hem of my nightgown. The other is still on my back holding me in place.
I'm conflicted. I don't know what to do. I've never been in this situation. I never had to think about this situation before. We're not supposed to be doing this. I'm a foolish girl. I've continuously brought myself trouble after trouble, and this will only add to it. Who knows what will happen if I get caught? How will Maven react? Will I be killed for having an affair? Will Cal be punished as well?
Cal's hand lingers on my thigh. Hesitating, he says, "It's up to you, Mare."
With a sigh of defeat, I kiss him roughly against his lips. I'll think about the consequences later.
"The cameras," he reminds me. It only takes the smallest amount of concentration to snap them all off. The hum is gone, replaced with nothing but want.
His hands rub against my thighs and we continue kissing until my lips feel slightly swollen. He slips a hand underneath my nightgown, caressing me through my panties which are already slightly damp. He smiles into the kiss, proud of the effect he has on me.
Embarrassingly, I admit, "I've never done this before."
"I haven't either."
"You seem to be trained better than I am in this." Cal lifts me onto a table so that I'm sitting with him between my legs as he stands.
Cal smirks. "There's no training in what the body should instinctively know."
Slipping a finger into my entrance, I gasp. He starts off slow with only one finger. I hold onto his head with my arms, burying him into my chest. Once I'm used to it, he slips two fingers in moving at a steady pace. Pleasure rocks my body until I'm writhing against his hand. I grind against his fingers wanting more. My back arches, and I can't stop moaning at how good this feels. Thankfully this room is soundproof.
He seems to be aware the room is soundproof as well as he takes his other hand to fondle one of my breasts. He rubs my nipple through the thin fabric, watching it perk up. I pant and moan and move against his fingers like I'm in heat. Cal watches me lustfully but I can't stop my body from moving on its own. He likes to watch me in pleasure, I think vaguely.
"Is it alright if we…?" he trails off. That's right. I had forgotten this was a two-way thing. I nod nervously. Removing his hands, he takes off his clothes until he's completely naked. He looks so attractive with his wiry, lean muscles carved throughout his body. I don't know what to say, I can only stare.
Pushing me back gently onto the marble table, he positions himself above me. The tip of his dick pushes slightly into me back and forth. He lets out a deep groan, wanting to enter me but not wanting to hurt me. My nightgown is about to get soiled.
"It's okay." I look up at him. "It won't hurt me, I've been through worse."
"Oh, it's not the pain. I'm aware you've been through pain, I've seen you in training," he says sheepishly. "I'm thinking 'Is this what a noble king really does?' This can technically be considered an affair."
I blink at him. Then I laugh, forgetting how thoughtful Cal can be, lost in his mind. Always thinking. Always sticking to his obligations.
"You're not a king yet," I whisper. Pulling him close to me, I kiss him with all the fierce passion I can put into it. "And I want to know what it's like to have you inside of me."
It's enough to convince him. Cal slowly enters me, filling me up with heat inside. Groaning, he runs his hands through my hair and starts to thrust into me harder. I hold my breath, grabbing the table cloth to get used to the size of his dick. All I feel is pleasure and heat, and I whimper, begging for more.
Grabbing my hands from the table cloth, Cal moves them above my head and holds my wrists in place. We lock eyes, conveying desire and want.
"I've been wanting you for weeks now," Cal tells me, eyes raking over my body. I continue moaning, feeling pressure build up down there. With one hand, Cal burns the front of my nightgown off so that I am exposed. My breasts bounce with every thrust. I'm too turned on from how close the fire was to my skin to be ashamed.
His member feels so hard and my walls involuntarily clench around him, wanting to suck him in. Cal groans.
"Mare, you're amazing," he pants. "You're so beautiful." He kisses me roughly, with hunger. I can't concentrate on anything else but his rough voice and thrusting.
"Please more," I beg. Fire lights up in his eyes, turned on from my begging.
"More what?" He squeezes my supple breasts in both of his hands.
"More of this, more of you, more of anything!" I cry out, as he thrusts further in me.
Slowing his pace, Cal teases me. I try to move my hips against his to satisfy myself but it doesn't work. The more I move against him, the more he pulls away. I pout. Cal simply looks amused. He's just teasing my entrance now. Placing his thumb on my bottom lip, he asks lustfully, "Can we try something else?"
"What else did you want to try?"
"I want to see your pretty lips wrapped around me."
Blushing, I nod. I sit up and step off the table onto my knees. Cal uses one hand and places it underneath my chin. He guides my mouth onto his shaft and moans, eyes closed in sensation. I move slowly back and forth, running my tongue along his member. Tasting me, and him on it.
His hips move slightly, wanting to do me but knowing I'm in charge right now. Encouraged, I bob my head back and forth, rubbing my hands along his tight abdomen. His cock pulses in my mouth and he grunts. I can sense he's close to finishing but I'm not done yet. I lick the edge of his tip, teasing him like he did to me.
"You're driving me crazy," he moans, looking down at me. His cock throbs, needing sweet release.
Smiling up at him, I say, "You never gave me more, like I asked."
Cal grins and turns me around suddenly so that I'm on all four.
"Wha-"
He thrusts into me swiftly, knocking the wind from me. This position is so much deeper and makes me feel like a dirty whore. He pounds into me, gathering my hair in one hand and pulling. It feels amazing.
"Is this what you want?" He whispers into my ear. He's become lustful and his cock is harder than before. He's going to finish soon.
"Yes!" I scream. My ass hits his abdomen with repeated slaps, the sound making me feel dirty. He's going deeper and faster, panting heavily with pleasure.
"Moan for me, Mare. Say my name. Tell me how much you want me."
"I want you," I moan loudly. "I've wanted you for so long. Cal, I want you so bad. You're going to make me finish soon."
The pressure down below builds up to where I feel I don't think I can hold it back. The sound of our skins meeting, the feel of his hard cock, his moaning, my hair being pulled.
"Mare," he growls, putting both hands on my hips and pulling me back into him over and over.
"Yes?" I pant.
"I want you to cum with me. I want to cum inside of you." I look back at him, and he's looking back at me with lustful eyes.
"Please," I whisper. "I'm going to cum soon."
Reaching both of our climaxes, Cal grips my hips tighter as he releases into me, grunting. My walls clench around him and I cry out as little sparks come off my body and my fingertips. I can't help this involuntary reaction. I feel his cum drip from my entrance, onto the shiny diamond floor.
"Did you just shock me?"
"I'm sorry!" I turn and look towards him, ashamed. He looks dazed as he sits there on the floor across from me. "I couldn't help it, my body just…"
He runs a hand through his tousled hair and looks worried. "More importantly, is your back okay? Are you hurt?"
Cocking my head to the side, I ask, "What do you mean?"
"Mare, you have burn marks on your hips."
I turn my body to look at where his hands gripped my hips, the little indentations in my back a darker color than my skin tone. "Oh." I hadn't even noticed, and they don't hurt at all. I shake my head at him. "It doesn't hurt."
Still anxious, Cal looks like he doesn't believe me.
"Trust me! They don't hurt," I insist. Seeing Cal's immediate worry for me after our act fills me with a swell of emotion. I'm feeling like the luckiest girl in the world when I cross the small space into his arms. Nuzzling against his neck, I kiss him as reassurance.
Cal sighs, stroking my hair and giving me a small kiss on the forehead. "I'm going to miss you. A lot more now."
"I'll miss you too," I murmur. "Come back soon."