He stopped before her, placing his hand against the wall beside her head as he reached around her with the other. Aria jumped in surprise, moving slightly away from the strange contraption as water suddenly splayed forth, wetting the back of her bare legs. She turned, her eyes widening, her mouth dropping as she stared at the water spraying from the nozzle above her. The prince turned the two handles below it, slowly adjusting the flow and heat of the water.
“Amazing,” she whispered.
“I suppose it is.”
She started slightly as she felt his fingers within her hair, curling it around his finger. She turned toward him, unable to speak as he wrapped it ever more slowly around. She couldn’t move away from him, couldn’t reach up to tug her hair back. She could only stand in silent wonder as he coiled it halfway around his finger before lifting his gaze to her again.
“You will enjoy it Arianna.”
Her eyes widened, she swallowed heavily as she tried to calm the fierce pounding of her heart. For a moment she had no idea what he was talking about; if it was him she would enjoy, or if it was the shower. And at the moment she wasn’t sure either as she completely forgot that he was her enemy, and that she hated him.
Then, his finger unraveled from her hair and he took a small step back. “I have sent for Maggie to assist you again.”
Though she was glad that it was Maggie and not Lauren or Julia, she didn’t want someone seeing her naked, or helping her dress again. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. “That’s not necessary,” she said softly.
“You are my guest, and as such, you will be afforded the luxuries of a guest.”
She quirked an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly as she studied him. “I’m a guest now, am I?” she inquired.
“You are whatever I decide I want you to be,” he growled back. Despite the fact that the heat of the water was rapidly warming the room, Aria felt a chill race down her spine. “For however long I want you to be.”
She stared up at him in wide eyed amazement. The thin gown they had placed out for her to sleep in last night was beginning to cling to her body from the steam rapidly filling the room. Her heel connected with the shower again as he leaned ever closer to her. He was near enough that she could see the dark bristles of hair lining his hard jaw. Close enough that his strong, masculine scent engulfed her, nearly overwhelming her with its enticing smell. “Being a guest isn’t really such a bad thing Arianna, now is it?” he whispered.
Her heart leapt, flipping over within her chest as he took a small step back. He was playing with her like a cat with a mouse. She knew that, but to her utter disgrace she was ashamed to realize that she could not help but feel some strange, horrific, form of attraction toward the deadly, vile creature. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the tangled coil of emotions wrapping through her, but she found that she could only stare breathlessly up at him as he continued to lean over her, his hand resting just centimeters from her head.
The soft clearing of a throat brought both of their gazes to Maggie. She was standing in the doorway, her large brown eyes wide and questioning as she glanced rapidly between the two of them. In her arms she clutched a couple of towels, a few bottles of something that Aria did not recognize, and what appeared to be fresh clothes.
The prince stared silently at Maggie for a moment before stepping slowly away from Aria. He strode forward, pausing briefly at Maggie’s side to gaze upon the things gathered within her arms. “No heels,” he commanded gruffly. “And no perfume.”
Maggie jumped slightly, her gaze darted instantly to the things within her arms. Her forehead furrowed in puzzlement, her dark eyebrows drew tightly together. Aria watched in surprise as her Maggie stared quizzically at the prince, her gaze rapidly searching his face as she shook her head slightly. Aria didn’t understand the woman’s strange reaction to the prince’s words. Perhaps she was the only one that didn’t wear the awful monstrosities that passed as shoes around here. But even as she thought that, she knew she was wrong, Maggie was wearing simple, comfortable looking shoes. Then why the hell did the woman look so confused by his words?
Maggie shook her head as if to clear it, her forehead cleared. The prince was gone by the time Maggie picked the heels up from the pile and dropped them on the floor. Maggie turned her attention to Aria, who was too tired, stunned, and confused to offer any protest as she was once again scrubbed, cleaned, and dressed in another article of clothing that she never even would have considered wearing before. This time it was a soft green dress that floated about her ankles as she moved. Her feet remained blessedly bare.
She walked silently behind Maggie as they slipped through the luxurious room she had spent last night in, then the small sitting room before it. And finally back into the main room. The prince was standing before one of the bay windows, looking down at the gardens. He did not look at them, but simply gestured toward the door. Maggie bowed her head, nodded to Aria and slipped swiftly away.
“I had some food brought up for you.”
Aria had already noticed the heaping mounds of food piled upon the tray in the middle of the room. Her stomach rumbled eagerly, and loudly. She had never seen so many wonderful looking things in her life. She remained frozen for a moment, uncertain of what to do as she gazed upon the cheese, fruits, breads, and meats piled upon the tray. It was enough to feed all of the people within the caves for a day as they had all learned how to eat scarcely, and survive on very little. In fact, Aria couldn’t remember a day when she had not gone to sleep at least a little hungry.
This might very well be her first.
“Arianna?” She turned toward the prince, blinking rapidly as her stomach continued to rumble loudly. So loudly in fact, that she was embarrassingly certain he could hear it. He stared at her for a long moment, his eyebrows raised over the dark lenses of his glasses. “You are hungry Arianna, you must eat.”
She nodded mutely, but she could not bring herself to step up to that heaping tray, not when so many others would be going hungry today. Not when her family would be going hungry today. For the first time she allowed her thoughts to turn to her family. They would be worried sick about her, half crazed with their loss. Poor William was probably devastated. Her father and Daniel would be moving stoically onward, burying their pain, which would eat them alive inside. Just as it always did. They would bury themselves in plans, and future attacks, and their anger and hatred for the vampires would grow until it consumed them.