Pairing: Maven/Mare

Rating: M+

Warnings: Emotional abuse, consensual sex, Stockholm syndrome

Disclaimer: All characters are the sole property of Victoria Aveyard & HarperTeen Publishing. This work is created soley for entertainment purposes.

Author's Notes: Adult themes towards the end. We're reaching the crescendo before the series' end. Enjoy!


Long, elegant fingers ran through silver locks of hair, pulling up bunches of strands until Evangeline could tighten them in a ponytail. She watched with cautious eyes as Maven continued to ignore her, his own gaze reading through a series of scrolls that scattered around his desk. This indifferent attitude only seemed to fuel her constant anger towards her king. She'd come into this agreement knowing she would rule alongside with him. Yet countless days of scheming and fighting for her birthright seemed to be slipping through her fingertips and all because of that little Lightening Girl. Evangeline should have killed her when she had the chance, crushed her under the weight of cold metal until her blood stained Evangeline's element.

When Maven had imprisoned her, Evangeline did not bother to care. She'd decided she would allow Maven keep her for his own bemusement. It seemed like a harmless notion at the time, knowing that young boys were fickle when it came to matters of the heart. Yet, as the months progressed, the woman realized how wrong of a decision it had been. Maven was falling for that snake's seduction and Evangeline could say nothing of the matter lest he send her away with a scowl. She'd expected him to kill her after he'd grown tired of her, and as they neared their two-year mark from when he imprisoned her, the Magnetron feared Maven would do something idiotic to destroy all they'd worked for.

With a sharp inhale, she slapped her hands onto the desk, deciding she'd had enough of being ignored. Maven did not flinch. Instead, the King sat back in a more indifferent position and raised an eyebrow at her. This gesture only infuriated her further.

"I will not allow you to make a fool of yourself any longer, Maven. If you continue to entertain the idea of having the little Lightening Girl by your side forever, it will destroy everything we've worked for. Your people are laughing at you behind your back. They'll think you incapable of securing your throne if you delay in producing an heir. I will not be the center of their jokes. They're—," a sharp gasp interrupted her as heat penetrated through her clothing. The Samos heir could feel her metal attire begin to stick onto her skin in a horrid fashion. She fell, a screaming heap on the floor as Maven's flames engulfed her. The pain was far too great to even fathom a counterattack and she could not understand how he was capable of causing this when no flames roared to life with the help of his bracelet.

Evangeline began to grow still, muffled sobs of pain slipping through her lips as her vision grew hazy.

She could hear Maven walk towards her, a look of disgust mapping his features as he looked down at her as though she were nothing more than a pathetic, wounded animal. Her question must have shown in her eyes, for no sooner had she screamed it in her mind, did she find him grinning in answer.

"Don't make me laugh, Evangeline. You of all people should know that nothing goes on without my knowlegde. You're so worried of what I do with Mare that you hadn't stopped to wonder what I thought of you and that little concubine you like to pass off as a consort."

Evangeline managed to grow wide-eyed despite the intense pain that rattled her bones. A new sort of fear bloomed within her, churning her insides until her breaths grew ragged.

Maven smirked down at her, his eyes radiating annoyance that was meant for her alone. And Evangeline knew right then and there Maven had committed a grave mistake—he'd fallen in love with the girl.

Love was weak, and when blinded by it, it caused people to do horrendous things.


Mare sat silently on the grand terrace that was attached to her bedroom. A year after she was imprisoned she'd been moved to a more "suitable" bedroom upon Maven's request. She didn't argue with him, not after she'd seen it. It was filled with things that reminded her of home, with a view that could take anyone's breath away. He'd done it for her, and she wasn't surprised to see that he'd had it made next to his own bed chambers. Not that it mattered, really. Maven spent most of his nights with her anyway.

It wasn't often that Mare thought of her previous life these days. Her head had been so wrapped up in Maven that she often forgot how she'd ended up with him. But on nights when she'd recall the terror, her chest would constrict and the tears would fall.

Her brown eyes gazed up at the moon, so intently that after a while they began to strain, and it only made her tears fall that much harder. She didn't even know how her family had been faring in the war without her. And Cal? What of the man she'd sought comfort in years ago? Was he still alive, fighting for a rebellion that wasn't his?

"Mare," a familiar voice broke her from the damning thoughts, and she only had a moment to wipe her tears away followed by a deep breath when Maven was standing in front of her with thoughtful eyes. She was surprised to see him tonight. After all, he'd mentioned his workload was growing, and he had much to do that night. She briefly wondered what had caused him to pull away from it before she heard him sigh out in what she assumed was frustration. She knew he despised when she remembered him—the only man who could compete with Maven.

The young King frowned, silently kneeling before her, a gesture she knew he would never do for anyone else. He took her hands and gently began kissing her wrists, nibbling on the sensitive skin before resting them on her lap again. Mare could feel her anatomy flush at his actions and despite wanting to hide it; she knew Maven read her easily. Without word, he pulled her up into his arms and she let him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he seized her mouth, his tongue tracing her lower lip before pushing past that into her mouth. The hand that rested on the small of her back pushed her into him and she let him lead her into the bedroom as his lips moved to kiss her neck. She listened as he whispered tender verses into her ear and it only fueled her need for him.

Laying under him, she arched her back into Maven as his fingers traced the outline of her body until she felt him grip her thighs, pulling them gently apart so he could nestle between them. She'd shivered as he lifted away from her, kneeling between her legs. His fingers dragged her skirts up, slowly and methodically, and as he did so, he never once broke eye contact with her. It was a game they'd always played, to see who could stand to look at the other the longest—who could be the one to feel less ashamed, and usually she'd lose, hating herself to enjoying the way he could make her feel pleasure. But tonight was different, she gazed up at him through ragged breaths, her chest rising and falling as she felt his fingers ghost over her naked hips.

He'd looked away first, and she hadn't failed to notice a faraway glint in his eye. Before she could question him, she gasped at the sensation of his fingers pushing into her sex. Her slick folds accommodated him easily and she bit her lip as a muffled moan penetrated through her. He repeated his movements, each time brushing her sweet spot. Maven leaned into her then. His tongue darted out to lick the shell of her ear and she felt her skin break out in goosebumps. She gripped his shoulders, her eyes closing in concentration as he pushed his fingers deeper into her. She was so close, so close to ecstasy when he'd pulled away from her, and she glared at his charming smile, watching intently as he pushed his pants down to his knees.

Despite the dizzying sensations that hindered her mind, she could still recall the first time he'd taken her. And briefly she felt her chest tighten at the memory. It had been just as he said the first day he'd seen him after he'd placed the collar on her. She'd succumbed first, finding that his soft caresses and teasing kisses were not enough to ward the nightmares. After months of playing cat and mouse she'd begged, and happily he complied, taking her to new heights.

Mare choked back a sob of pleasure as he pressed into her. She watched with intrigue as he groaned out, nuzzling her neck before pulling out and pushing back into her with more fervor. Her fingers dug into his back, legs wrapping securely around his waist as he gripped her thigh, pushing it against his hip as he continued his movements, each stroke bringing them closer to release.

"Tell me, Mare, I want to hear you say it," he whispered out, only this time, far less harshly than he usually did. She closed her eyes, clenching them shut before she felt his fingers dip between their bodies and rub her.

"I love you," she softly confessed.

She hadn't expected him to still all movements of their love-making, hadn't expected him to pull inches away from her. Her heart hammered in her chest as he watched her intently. She was almost scared, thinking she may have said the wrong thing, though this hadn't been the first time she'd said it. And usually, he never said it back, showing it instead with a tender kiss or reverent touches during their love-making. She was imagining a range of frightening emotions when he leaned his face into hers, stopping inches away from her.

"I want you to be the mother of my children, Mare."

She stopped breathing, body stilling, swallowing the moan in her throat as he pushed into her again as to fortify his confession. Mare looked at him with a quizzical expression, looking for signs that he was playing a cruel joke on her, but when he kissed her again and continued his rhythmic movements, she realized he had been serious. Surprised even herself, she clutched him to her, crying out in passion when he brought her sweet release.

Mare only pulled him closer into her when she felt his own release shoot inside her, ignoring the cry that rattled in the back of her mind, warning her that he was manipulating her—that this entire display of passion was wrong. But she buried the reason and lost herself in his eyes instead.