This is the sequel to Unsettled. I'm not sure how long it will be yet, but do know that it overlaps with Radiant Shadows. I loved all of the feedback Unsettled got, and I would love to get some from this story as well. So please REVIEW! Darkest Demise will also be updated when inspiration strikes so please be patient. And on that note, I DO NOT own Wicked Lovely. Melissa MArr does, and she is the epic genius behind the madness of this series. I just enjoy her Dark Kings.

This story will also have sexy content (you'd now that if you read Unsettled), so you've been warned. -_-


Irial wished that he could rejoice in how much closer he and Niall became after the bath they'd shared. He wished that he could reminisce about how wonderful his last moments with his Gancanagh had been, about how sweet their world was now that they were together. But he couldn't. Instead, he felt longing. And neglect.

It had been several long weeks since Irial was able to touch Niall, and Irial was beginning to grow restless from waiting. Of late, their relationship had taken a turn for the worst, and Irial was unsure of what he'd done wrong. Niall hadn't caressed or hugged him for many days, and the few times after their baths when they had been intimate, Niall always seemed increasingly distant. The desire never touched his eyes, and afterwards he'd always appeared drawn in and indifferent. Sometimes, Irial wondered if Niall even cared at all when they made love. So for the last weeks, Irial had been treading carefully, not wanting to push his King because he was hesitant of his reaction. Which is no place to be.

Yet Niall had blatantly said that he was tired of pretending. So why did pretending seem to be the only thing Niall was doing of late? He scarcely said anything to Irial but to solicit advice on how to deal with the court. Not once did he bring up before, and not once did he reciprocate Irial's tempting smiles or small brushes of affection.

He's ignoring them.

And that part angered Irial the most. They were back to where they started- phantom emotions and a lack of touch. And me with damned insatiable lust. It also didn't help that they'd had a fight the day before.

Just yesterday, as they ate dinner in the greathall, Irial had not-so-discreetly suggested that they both retreat to his bedroom. Niall's reaction was not at all what Irial expected it to be. He'd expected some semblance of lust, some indication that Niall remembered their maddening pleasures a fortnight ago. Instead, Irial was faced with devout anger and aggression. It was the blowup I'd been hoping to avoid.

Niall had abruptly stood up from the table, black eyes menacing as he glared down at Irial. "Why are you so fucking selfish?" he'd accused. "Was it not enough for me to allow you to live here again, to allow you to fucking touch me again, to allow you to be in my presence again, that you must ask for more? That you expect me to just pretend that everything is fine?"

Irial had been rendered speechless, his mouth unable to make a sensible response. He'd put down his wine glass and looked up at his King. "No, I'm not trying- Selfish? I thought this was what you wanted. No pretending, an actual relationship between us, Niall." His jaw tightened. "Unless you had no intention of keeping your word."

Niall shook his head and sighed. "Gods, you just don't understand, do you? Having forgiven you, yet knowing what you've done to me in the past. How hard it is to…" Niall paused, caught in his own tangle of emotions. "I can't just ignore it.

"I would never ask you to forget", Irial said in a voice that barely concealed the pain those memories conjured. " But you forgave. The truth in your words… They meant something."

Niall brusquely ignored Irial, and then said with cold precision, "You don't deserve my forgiveness."

Irial had bitten back the fear and sadness that was bubbling inside of him and tasted a sorrow to Niall's words, a tangled feeling of regret and love as the Dark King looked away from him.

Without thinking, Irial reached out to his King. "I thought that you were ready to let us be together again. I-"

"I'm not." The coldness in Niall's words had hit Irial hard in the chest. He completely ignored Irial's entreating gaze.

Irial swallowed hard and stood up, palms braced on the table. "Why?" It was all he'd said, the only broken word he could let fall from his lips without falling apart in front of Niall.

"I need not give you an explanation. I'm your King. Remember that." After seeing the aching look on Irial's face, Niall turned his back on his advisor.

Irial caught his arm. "No", he whispered with pain lacing his voice. "There is more to us, Niall. You know that." When Niall ignored him, he said more strongly, "You're letting your dammed guilt consume you. And that is not the way a Dark King rules."

Upset that Irial stated aloud what he was feeling, Niall grabbed Irial by the throat and pressed him to the faded rose wall of the greathall. Irritation showed in his eyes as he roughly slammed Irial harder into the wall. "It's over. Whatever we had is over." He tightened his hand around Irial's throat.

"No". Irial struggled to speak the word with Niall's body closely pressed to his, his hand around his neck, his scent intoxicating.

"Yes", Niall concluded almost sadly. "It is. So leave it be, and never speak of it again."

Irial's jaw tightened and the words came out as a strangled plea. "You know that I cannot do that, Niall."

Niall's eyes darkened infinitesimally. "Yes, you can. And you will. That was a command, Irial, not a favor. And as your King, when I give you a command, I expect it to be followed, understood?" After applying what he thought was enough pressure to intimidate Irial, he released his grip, leaving the former dark king more emotionally wounded than physically.

Almost inaudibly, Irial nodded. Then he'd watched Niall turn away and stalk from the greathall.

Ever since the fight, Irial couldn't help but ask himself if he'd been acting on self-centered agendas the past two weeks, if he indeed was selfish as Niall said he was. The guilt implicated in Niall's words made him feel unworthy of his Gancanagh's love or acceptance. It made him realize that even though Niall truly believed he'd forgiven Irial, feeling's of resentment still existed, and they hurt all the more when Niall admitted to them. Yet where did Niall's sudden change of heart come from? Niall was more angry than Irial ever remembered him being since Niall became the Dark King. Was all of our love a lie, a wool pulled over our eyes that hid the obvious issues?

If it was, Irial felt foolish and betrayed. He felt empty and alone. He felt unloved. And as he pulled on his dark cashmere sweater and leather pants, he felt increasingly lusty.

For two whole weeks, he hadn't tasted or touched anyone but Niall, and even now, Niall refused to have him. The closest he'd gotten to sating his desire was his visit to one of the many erotic nightclubs he owned that dealt in the back-door business he'd rather Niall not know about. The dancers and the sensual atmosphere was comforting, but even then, he hadn't indulged. He'd had the foolish notion in his head that Niall was more important.

But not tonight, Irial promised. Tonight he would indulge and try to forget Niall's rejection. Niall'd told him to go about as if their love never happened, so Irial would. Irial grabbed his cigarettes, lit one, and left the house in silence, the cool afternoon air whipping his hair. Then he headed out to seek entertainment elsewhere, hoping it would mend what was left of his heart.


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