Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Marvel.
Chapter Eighteen: Wounds
Ashtyn watch in horror as Zoya struggles against her restraints. Ashtyn turned to face her husband in disbelief. How could this be the same man who had nearly cried when they were being wedded? Yet, she already knew the answer; he was both light and dark. This was only the other side to the same coin. Erik was still the same man she had met in the museum…a calculating killer.
"Please let her go." Ashtyn pleaded. Zoya's eyes fell upon her begging for Ashtyn to intercede.
"Ashtyn…I want to. I really do, but I can't just let her go. You should have never involved her." Erik said, as he walked over to Zoya. He gently caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. Though, seemly tender, the gesture was laced with menace. "Do you think that I want to hurt her?"
Ashtyn dared not answer his question. For she didn't know this version of Erik. Regretting her past decision to rescue T'Challa's family she began to feel sick with desperation.
"Calm down baby everything is going to be fine. Don't you trust your man?" Ashtyn said nothing, knowing that whatever she said would be used against her. He then approached the man, who sat chained next to Zoya, and rested both of his hands onto the man's shoulders. Ashtyn looked onward puzzled. She understood why Zoya was chained, but who was this man? "You're probably asking yourself who this guy is." Erik acknowledged, as if he was reading her mind. "Well this is a member of the retrieval team, who you failed to kill. He ran all the way back here to inform me of my queen's unladylike behavior."
"So that is how you found out." Ashtyn said in a tiny voice, mostly directing the observation to herself. Erik smirked. Ashtyn casted her eyes downward not wanting to see his arrogant expression.
"Do you know how much I love you?" Erik asked.
"Apparently not." Ashtyn replied angrily. She could no longer hide her discontent. It was all too much…he was too much.
"Allow for me to show you." He said as he reaches around his back and pulled out a long blade. Before Ashtyn could react, he slit the man's throat right in front of her. Blood gushes from the man's wound and sprays onto Zoya, who turns away closing her eyes in a vain attempt to separate herself from the horrific scene.
Ashtyn stood immobilized by the sight. Shocked by her husband's actions, she barely registered him approaching her. Erik grabs her by her upper arm and began to drag her over to the corpse. "Don't look so surprise Ashtyn. This was all done for you."
"No…" Ashtyn said shaking her head. She wanted to run away, but she already knew that he would catch her. Yet, she couldn't understand how he thought that this was somehow a gift for her.
"Yes…Ashtyn, I killed him for you. He would have told the whole kingdom of your treason. I, as the king would have been forced to punish you. Do you know what the penalty is for treason here in Wakanda?" He pauses, for effect, allowing her mind to wonder. Before finally answering. "Death!" There was anger within is voice. Yet, for the first time she understood why he was acting so violently…he was afraid. Ashtyn realized the troublesome predicament she had placed him in. If word got out he wouldn't be able to pardon her, not without severe repercussions. After all, was not T'Challa recently dethroned? Erik sovereignty was not certain, and he knew all too well how fickle loyalty could be.
"I didn't consider it from your standpoint." Ashtyn admitted. He briefly rested his forehead against hers. Erik was at least pleased that now she understood his motives. He only wanted to love her, but he had to admit at times it was a challenge to do so. If the soldier would have gone to W'Kabi first, then there would have been no hopes of containing this disaster. Yet, the man didn't. Thankfully, Erik was able to make quick work of silencing him before word got out.
Nevertheless, the job of keeping Ashtyn's name clear was not complete. Zoya was another loose-end that needed to be dealt with. Erik turned from his bride and began to approach the frighten bound woman.
"Erik please don't hurt her." He heard Ashtyn say, but he had to ensure her safety. He was convinced that nothing could change his mind until she added. "I will do anything you ask of me if you spare her life."
With her vow he halted. There was one thing that he wanted from her that even in his most rage-filled state he would have never imposed onto her. "There's one thing you could do for me." He quickly changed his course and headed back to Ashtyn.
Ashtyn startled by his sudden redirection recoils. He then takes her right hand into his, placing the hilt of the bladed he had just used to slit the man's throat into her hand. First looking at the blade in her hand then back to him she says, "What are you doing?"
"Either I use this on her, or you use it on yourself." He watched as she quickly processed his request and understood exactly what he meant.
"And you will spare her. If I do it."
"You have my word." He watched intently as Ashtyn took the blade and pressed it to her inner upper arm. She grimaced as the pointed edge of the blade pierced her skin. Seeing her cut herself, like he had done to himself so many times before, caused an odd sensation to travel throughout his body. As twisted as it was he was turned on by the sight. Once she had cut deep enough she inserted her thumb and forefinger into her flesh to fished out the device.
When she'd successfully extracted the device, she dropped the bloody item into his open hand. Erik looked upon it and genuinely smiled. He couldn't wait to bed her again, knowing that there would be no hindrance in his effort to impregnate her. He then took the blade from her hand. Ashtyn began to protest, but he held up a hand silencing her. He approached Zoya, and instead of slicing her throat he freed her from her restraints. Within minutes Zoya and Ashtyn were hugging. Ashtyn apologized profusely for involving her in her escapade, before urging Zoya to leave immediately. Surely for her own safety and wellbeing.
The frighten woman didn't spare a gaze in Erik's direction as she hurried pressingly to her quarters. In truth, he was fully aware that Zoya would keep their secret. Not out of loyalty to him, but to Ashtyn. Erik only took her as one last ploy in getting the final thing that he wanted…for Ashtyn to agree to have his child. Oh…he was a bastard and he knew it. Yet, his love for Ashtyn almost made him more dangerous at times.
He watched his queen as her eyes followed after Zoya, until she was out of view. Then her glare fell upon him. Oh, she was pissed, and he couldn't blame her. He had used every ounce of emotional leverage he could to gain control over her…and she knew it.
"Should we just fuck on the floor and get this over with." Erik didn't care for her brash words. Nevertheless, he couldn't show her that her anger bothered him.
"If that is what you want, but I would rather it be somewhere nicer. Anyway, aren't you still sore from our previous encounters?"
"What do you care!" Ashtyn screamed in frustration. "You just take whatever you want no matter the consequences." She said as tears began to fall. She wrapped her arms around herself and Erik felt something within him break. Within moments he was attempting to wrap her within his arms, but she was fighting him off. However, he continued to pursue her until she yielded. She buried her face within his chest and cried. "Why are you like this?"
"I don't know." Erik answered honestly. Despite his best efforts he always resorted back to old habits. He wanted to be a better man for her, but it simply wasn't within him. All he could do was console her and confess, "I don't think I can change. Not even for you."
Erik hated how she began to sob even harder with his admission. He wrapped her even tighter within his arms, it was the only comfort that he could offer her. Looking around at the site he was suddenly disgusted by the environment, not for himself but for his queen. Erik swept her off her feet and cradled her as he did when he carried her over the threshold on their wedding night. He walked her out of the cell heading towards their bedroom.
"Please…don't take me back there." Ashtyn said to him and he knew immediately the there she was talking about. It was no surprise to him that she didn't have the most pleasant thoughts regarding their boudoir. After their sexual marathon, though she came each time that he did, it was all done under duress. Though, his dangerous side excited her, he knew that he had pushed her beyond her limits. No, he was going to take her somewhere else, somewhere that would help to heal their broken relationship. He would take her to the one place where she found peace. He would take her back to the spiritual plane…somehow.
A/N: Wow…looks like our two lovebirds need to mend some deep wounds. I am looking forward to writing the upcoming chapters. Plus, thank you to the new followers for subscribing to this story. We finally made it to 300 plus strong. For those who aren't aware I have started another fanfic called, Someone Like Me. It is based on the Red Eye movie (an oldie but a goodie). If you want more of my writing, please check it out and please review. Thanks for reading. Have a good weekend! -Concrete Lily.
