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Chapter Three: A Turn Towards Love

Margaret woke up to find herself held in the arms of Prince Telek. She stared at him and wondered what he was dreaming about. Margaret shifted to dislodge herself from his grasp and Telek's eyes opened. He shifted so that Margaret lay beneath him. Telek smiled down at her and Margaret smiled back uneasily.

"Good morning." Telek murmured as he began to nuzzle her.

Confused Margaret replied "Ah…good morning? Telek are you alright?"

"Hmm…? Oh, I'm fine" said Prince Telek as he continued to nuzzle her. Telek once again smiled down at her and for the first time noticed the confused fear in Margaret's eyes. Telek frowned and wondered why she was afraid of him. Then he remembered the rape and smiled tenderly.

"Relax. I'm not going to hurt you" he murmured chuckling.

"Telek, I don't understand…" Margaret trailed off when Telek laid his lips on hers.

"Shh! Relax! You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. If you want me to get off I'll get off." said Telek.

Margaret shifted to a more comfortable position and felt the strength of his manhood against her leg. Her eyes widened and she gasped which caused Telek to smile down at her. Once again he bent his head down and captured her lips. When he lifted his head and stared down at her face he said, "If you want me to stop I suggest that you say so, what's it going to be, yes or no?"

Margaret grabbed Telek's shirt and pulled him down to her capturing his lips with her own.

"Yes, damn you", she murmured against his lips.

Telek lifted his head and narrowed his eyes at her seeming to ask if Margaret was sure. When she nodded he pulled off her shirt then his own. Telek took his lips off of hers and headed downward until he captured one of Margaret's breasts with his mouth. When Margaret was gasping with need, he pulled down her jeans and ended their pain for a time.

For a second time, Margaret opened her eyes to see Telek's face. But this time Telek's eyes were opened and he was smiling at her.

"Are you alright?" asked Telek as he twisted one of her curls with his finger.

"I fell wonderful! Do you always wake up in that mood?" asked Margaret not knowing how innocent that sounded.

Chuckling, Telek turned over bringing Margaret with him so that she laid sprawled over him.

"Believe it or not, I had vowed to never touch you again." said Telek quietly as he stroked a hand down her back.

"Well, you didn't keep that vow for very long, did you?" said Margaret giggling.

Telek slapped Margaret on the bottom then causing Margaret to squeal and fight her way out of the bed. Soon she stood there indignant, wrapped in a blanket glaring down at him. She kept her eyes on his face as of right now nothing covered Telek's body. Telek chuckled as he grabbed his jeans and slid his way into them.

"Why don't you take a shower, while I go get us something to eat?" suggested Telek as he pulled his shirt over his head.

"Alright, but please try and be careful we still don't know who blew up my house!" said Margaret quietly.

Telek paused in the doorway and nodded silently to her before leaving the room.

A few minutes passed before Margaret could move from the spot Telek left her in. Her heart was hurting because she knew she'd made Telek sad if not angry with that comment about the house.

I am so stupid! thought Margaret as she mentally beat herself up.

I'll make it up to him when he gets back, Margaret mused as she stepped out of the shower. Hoping to find a blow-dryer she knelt down and looked under the sink. Sighing in annoyance when she didn't find one, Margaret stood up and screamed. A hand whipped out and covered her mouth to stop her scream. Margaret began to struggle but stilled when she felt the cold steel of a barrel against her head.

"Move an inch and I'll blow all those nice brains all over this bathroom" said the menacing voice from behind.

Margaret stared blindedly at the bathroom mirror that beheld the tall masked man from behind.

What a way to go, she thought as tears began to stream silently down her cheeks.

"Go into the bedroom and sit on the bed." said the man while gesturing with his gun.

Trembling, she did as he asked. Once she was sitting down Margaret clutched at the towel and prayed for a way to get out of this. The man grinned and ripped the towel from her body. Margaret snapped out of the stupor she'd been in and began to scream as the man started to press her into the bed.

Telek was just stepping out of the elevator when he heard the commotion. Hearing the screaming he surged forward and burst into the room. For the first time in Telek's life he felt fear as he stared at the ghastly sight in front of him. Margaret was struggling in vain under the large, masked, man. Telek gazed at her in shock and could hear the roaring in his ears getting louder and louder.

"Telek! Help!" screamed Margaret as she struggled.

Telek snapped out of the daze and with a shout attacked the man. Through tears, she watched as Telek repeatedly beat the man with his fists.

Margaret stood up and wrapped the quilt from the bed around her. She ran to Telek and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Telek! Please stop, you're going to kill him!" cried Margaret as she tried in futile to pull him off.

Telek glanced at Margaret, and she felt as if she could have frozen still from the coldness in the look he'd given her. Margaret gasped and stepped back, frightened.

"Telek?" murmured Margaret quietly.

Telek looked down at the man he'd just beaten and asked softly, "Did he? I mean…um?"

"No, he did not. You arrived just in time." Said Margaret with a faint smile.

"Why did you stop me from killing him? Did he hurt you?" asked Telek, searching Margaret's face anxiously.

"No, he did not hurt me. I didn't want a murder on you conscious, Telek. You already have much you feel guilt for, I did not want you to add to the weight by committing murder." said Margaret.

Telek blinked at her and replied, "Have you not been listening? I've killed before. How would his life make a difference?"

"No you did not, Telek!" snapped Margaret so forcibly that Telek took a step back.

"Wha...oof!" Telek replied, who was stopped by Margaret's fist into his stomach.

"You didn't kill them idiot! The demon inside of you did. You yourself did not kill them! But if you had killed this poor excuse of a man you would have by yourself!" shouted Margaret angrily.

"I...I...I..." stuttered Telek uneasily.

Suddenly to the dismay of Telek, Margaret burst into tears causing Telek to panic.

"I'm sorry! Don't cry! Oh, God please don't cry!" pleaded Telek hastily trying to calm Margaret down.

"Don't apologize! And I'll cry if I want to" exclaimed Margaret through her tears.

Telek stared at her with a lost look in his eyes as tears continued to stream down Margaret's face.

Running a hand over his face he muttered sighing, "Margaret, I really don't know what to say to you."

"Don't say anything, just never doubt yourself." said Margaret as she put her arms around him.

Prince Telek stiffened and gazed down at her in astonishment.

"Alright, that's enough. We need to get out of her and get rid of him." ordered Telek, motioning to the still unconscious man.

Margaret glanced at the man, and then quickly returned her gaze to Telek's face. Telek frowned as he noted the quick flash of fear in Margaret's eyes. Coolly, Telek looked intently at the man wishing he could kick him one more time.

"How are we going to get rid of him?" asked Margaret.

"Simple. We tie him up with the bed sheets and gag him. Then we lock him in the closet. We should be long gone by the time our little friend here comes to." replied Telek.

"Telek…um?" murmured Margaret uneasily.

"What's wrong?" asked Telek silently.

"Um…Do you think he has anything to do with your possession?" queried Margaret quickly.

Telek stared at her and responded honestly "I really do not know, but I guess it is possible."

"Here; take this and go downstairs, and check us out of this motel. I'll take care of this guy. And Margaret…"ordered Telek.

"Yes…?" replied Margaret as she paused in the doorway.

Sighing, Telek whispered "I'll understand if you're not down there when I'm done up here."

"Telek, I told you I'd help you get rid of the demon inside you. Its my duty not only as your friend but as a Christian." said Margaret.

Telek gaped at her retreating back unblinkingly, 'friend?, he thought, since when have we become friends?'. Sighing deeply he pushed away the puzzle he could not determine and began to rip of the bed sheets.

Meanwhile downstairs, Margaret was completing the task given to her. Margaret stood patiently waiting for the clerk to finish his phone call. After a few moments the clerk hung up and turned to Margaret.

"Good Morning Miss, how may I help you?" questioned the clerk giving her a charming smile.

"Good Morning. I would like to check out please." said Margaret with a small smile.

"Very well, I certainly hope your stay here was a great one." said the clerk as he brought up the check out page on his computer.

With a forced polite smile Margaret responded, "My stay was fine, thank you."

"I'll need your name, please."

"Margaret O'Brian"

"Hmm…That's strange. It would seem you've never checked in at all" muttered the clerk with a small frown.

"Really? Oh! You know what, my friend probably used his name. Its Telek…um! Oh No! I don't know his last name!" exclaimed a frustrated Margaret.

"Ceveniski, the Prince's last name is Ceveniski." said an unfamiliar voice from behind.

Margaret turned around and screamed at the ghastly sight in front of her. The man, at least she thought it was a man, had his arm bent in half, hanging on by a small thread of skin. His face was burnt and rotting and part of his throat was missing as if it had been ripped open by a dog.

BOOM! Margaret was ripped out of her daze by the sound of a gunshot. Margaret watched in horror as the clerk fell over backwards with blood staining his chest. Margaret swung her eyes back to the horrific looking man.

"Who are you?" whispered Margaret in a barely audible tone.

"My name is Jalen and I am sorry, but I have to kill you now." answered the appalling man as he raised his gun so that it was aimed at Margaret's head.

Margaret threw her arms around her face as if it would stop the bullet. An explosion sounded and Margaret braced herself for the horrendous pain she was sure to come. But none came. She lowered her arms and saw a white-faced Telek standing over a fallen Jalen.

"Jalen? How? I killed you. I am sure of it" said Telek unbelievingly.

"You are right. You did kill me, but I am stuck in Limbo. Damned to stay there until you and all your consorts are dead!" snarled an enraged Jalen as he leapt at Telek's throat.

Telek grabbed for the gun as he struggled to get away from Jalen. Once, he had the gun in his grasp, Jalen released him. Telek gasped for air as he dimly heard Margaret shriek. Looking up he saw Jalen going after her with a knife

"No!" shouted Telek as he pulled the trigger. BANG! The grisly head of Jalen blew to smithereens.