Crowns of Darkness- 2 Chapters

Rhamiel didn’t want to be here. The pronouncement hung in the air, heavy and suffocating, even thicker than the navy-blue velvet drapes that lined the throne room. Rhamiel stood stiffly before the obsidian dais, his gaze fixed somewhere between the intricate carvings on the floor and the formidable presence of his parents. Their black angel wings, usually spread in a majestic display, were folded neatly behind them, doing nothing to quell the storm brewing within him.

"...and therefore," his father's voice boomed, echoing off the vaulted ceiling, "the union with Princess Naomi of the Starfall Court will take place in a fortnight."

A fortnight. Fourteen days. Enough time for his world to tilt irrevocably on its axis. Rhamiel blinked, dragging his attention back to the conversation he’d only half registered, a painted image of a beautiful Nephilim princess in his hand. Starfall? Rhamiel had only ever read about them in the ancient scrolls in the library- they were a reclusive clan that possessed celestial magic and the last dragons of the north. He had assumed they were nothing more than legend.

"A princess?" he finally managed, his voice betraying his disbelief. "But…I didn't even know the Starfall Nephilim still existed."

His mother, Seraphina, her usually serene face etched with a hint of impatience, offered a tight smile. "Their isolation has been their strength, Rhamiel. This alliance will bring unprecedented power to Tenebris and to the House of Twilight."

"But…marriage?" The word felt foreign on his tongue. "I'm not ready for this. I'm barely a man."

"Nonsense," his father scoffed, his dark eyes glinting. "You are of age, and this is your duty. This union is vital for the stability of our people."

"But why her?" Rhamiel persisted, a knot of frustration tightening in his chest. "Why not someone from our court? Someone with black wings?" The unspoken words hung in the air: someone like us.

The ensuing silence crackled with unspoken tension. His mother’s delicate fingers tightened on the armrest of her throne. Then, the fragile stillness shattered.

His father’s hand slammed down on the polished obsidian, the sharp crack making Rhamiel’s mother flinch. "Enough!" Rune, the King of the Night Court roared, his voice laced with icy fury. "Your task, Rhamiel, is not to question, but to obey. To uphold the expectations of your parents and this throne. When you sit upon it yourself, then you can indulge in your own whims- go fuck whoever you want, but this marriage is happening."

A matching growl rumbled in Rhamiel’s throat, his hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles turned white. He met his father’s furious gaze, his own dark eyes blazing with defiance. "When I am king," he retorted, his voice low and dangerous, "I will never be like you."

The air thrummed with the unspoken challenge. For a long moment, father and son locked eyes, the already wide chasm between them widening with each passing second. Finally, Rhamiel gave a stiff, jerky bow, his hands stiffly at his side.

"Your Majesties," he clipped out, the words tasting like ash in his mouth. He turned sharply on his heel and swept out of the throne room, his long strides eating up the distance as his wings flexed behind him. The heavy oak doors swung shut behind him with a resounding thud, but the weight of his parents' announcement pressed down on him-the suffocation of their demands constricting the very air in his lungs.

Rhamiel marched through the echoing corridors of the castle with his guards behind him, the ornate tapestries and ancestral portraits blurring into meaningless shapes as he felt the roaring in his ears reach a crescendo. His wings itched with the desperate need to feel the wind beneath them.

He reached the grand arched entrance of the castle, the vast expanse of the cavern that they lived in beckoning to him. Without a backward glance, shutting his ears to the startled cry of his guards, Rhamiel broke into a run, his feet pounding on the cobblestones as the doors to the castle opened. He needed to feel the air-the raw, untamed freedom of the skies above, to clear the suffocating anger and confusion that churned within him. 

With a powerful surge, his black wings unfurled, catching the dusky light, and he launched himself into the cool evening air towards the tunnels outside. As he breathed out, he felt the roaring in his head fade away. As Rhamiel spun out of a barrel roll and spread his wings to soar over his kingdom-his home- he looked below at the city of Tenebris teeming with life. 

His face softened as he looked over to the Nephilim village on the outskirts of the city. He sighed and turned, heading towards a particular hut nestled beside the training grounds for the Nephilim army.

As he landed softly, he barely had time to tuck his wings in before he was tackled and shoved to the ground in a cloud of dust. He grunted in surprise as his back slammed against the ground, his hands reaching to grab whoever had tackled him. As his hands grabbed the shoulders of his assailant, he grinned and pulled her towards him, crushing his lips to hers.

Chapter 2

Alela softened in his arms as she ran her hands up his chest, moaning into his kiss as it deepened. Rhamiel pulled her closer to him, their bodies flush as he ran his hands down her back, holding her as he ravaged her mouth. His one hand trailed upwards and found purchase in her raven black braided hair and he tugged, gently but commanding, making Alela moan as her head pulled back. 

He trailed kisses on her neck and murmured, “That was a bit brazen, a stor, in broad daylight tackling the crown prince,” his lips continuing their path down her neck as Alela grabbed fistfuls of Rhamiel’s shirt in her hands, savouring the delightful sparks of pleasure that spread through her. Her eyes fluttered as his hand slowly stroked down to her bottom, pressing her against his hard length.

“We need to get up if you don’t want your clothes shredded and me taking you here in the open, Alela.” Rhamiel growled as she rolled her hips against him, her lips parted just slightly as he watched her in rapt wonder, his heart clenching painfully at the thought of what he had to tell her.

Right now, though, all he could think about was sinking himself into her-body and soul, anything to silence the deafening roar of what his parents had told him. He rolled, cradling Alela in his arms as he stood up and smiled down at her as she flung her arms around his neck. 

“Where is my night prince taking me, I wonder?” she mused as she looked to the cabin that they had created together over the last few years. Nestled against the small forest that grew around the village, it was rustic, charming, and theirs. Rhamiel smiled and walked towards their home-a home his parents had no idea about-not that those cold beings had any idea what an actual home was. 

As he walked over the threshold, Alela mused as he gently put her down, “One day we’ll be doing that and I’ll be your Queen, right Rhamiel?” She turned and her brilliant silver eyes looked at him, full of hope and wonder. As he scanned her face, his heart beat fast as he envisioned the two paths he was faced with.

One path led him to fight for a woman who he had known since a child; Alela and he had forged a bond that his father despised, and as such, Rhamiel knew that if he chose her, that he would be stripped of his title and cast out. The other path meant leaving Alela and all he loved behind for something he had no knowledge of. 

 As he mulled it over in his mind, he smiled down at her and shook his head gently, “When that time comes, a stor, I’ll no longer be the Night Prince but a Nephilim warrior with no title or money to his name.”

Alela smiled and gently cupped his cheek as she whispered, “You’ll be mine, and I’ll be yours. That is all that matters.” She turned around and walked towards their little bedroom, standing in the doorway as she unbuttoned her top. She let it fall to the ground and shimmied out of her leather pants, leaving them behind as she walked towards the bed.

All thoughts left Rhamiel’s mind as he watched her round bottom sway side to side as she walked away from him. He groaned as he felt himself harden and strode quickly to the bedroom, just in time to see her crawl up onto the bed, leaving all of her on display for him. His mouth watered as he thought of her taste-a sweetness that he could never get enough of. With a growl, he dove to the bed to stop her from moving further. She giggled and spread her legs, her wings splaying around her as she rested her head on her arms to let him take her. 

Rhamiel ran his hands up her legs as he went down on his knees, pulling her body to the edge of the bed so he could trail kisses up her thighs, his teeth gently pressing against her soft flesh, causing her to gasp and arch her back slightly. 

He grinned and nipped her again, and just as she was about to sit up, he stood up and pushed her down with his hand on her back, firmly holding her as he whispered, “You’re all mine, Alela. Always.” He kissed her back and then worked his way back towards her core. As his fingers slid through her wetness, he groaned, his cock twitching painfully in his pants. 

He bent down and with a quick movement, lifted her up as he laid on the bed, pulling her thighs around his face as he pulled her to his mouth. Alela gasped as his lips captured her clit, his tongue swirling gently around the sensitive bundle of nerves. She grabbed his shoulder, and he stopped, his eyes capturing hers as he demanded, “Grab something, a stor. I want you to ride my face until you come.” 

Alela’s eyes closed as she leaned back, her one hand reaching up for the bedframe while the other reached back to rest on Rhamiel’s thigh. His hands reached around and held her thighs tight as his tongue slid through her wetness, causing her to dig her nails into Rhamiel’s thigh. He groaned as he felt her nails draw blood. He loved how she was when they made love, rough and willing to do it all. 

Alela moaned as his lips captured her clit again, his tongue dancing across the sensitive bundle making her hips jerk, but Rhamiel held her firmly. He moaned as he tasted her on his tongue; she was addictive, a drug that he wasn’t ready to let go of; a taste that rivaled even the sweetest, most exotic fruit. As he swirled his tongue around, he moaned against her, causing her to cry out from the sensation. 

She bucked her hips again, and he loosened his grip, letting her take control as she rocked her hips against his face. His hand snaked under her and his fingers slid through her folds as his tongue lapped at her. He slowly slid two fingers into her and felt her body tense around him, causing her to arch her back again as she gasped at the entry of his fingers inside her. 

He grinned and licked her clit again, his fingers stroking as he felt her clench again. “Keep doing it just like that,” Alela panted as she dug her nails into his thigh even harder, riding his face as he paced the thrusts of his fingers to match her. He captured her clit with his mouth again and as she tensed around his fingers, his tongue stroked her until her gasps became louder and louder.

Rhamiel looked up at her and with his other hand, he reached up, pinching her nipple between his fingers as she cried out, her orgasm ripping through her as he felt her tighten around his fingers. He kept plunging his fingers into her while licking her clit, wanting to wring every last bit of her orgasm out of her. She collapsed and he quickly pulled his fingers out, cradling her against him as he rolled to his side. 

He looked down at Alela, her thick lashes resting against her cheeks as her chest rose and fell rapidly. He ran his finger over her lips and whispered, “Taste yourself, a stor.” Alela obediently opened her mouth and sucked Rhamiel’s fingers clean, then bit down carefully on his finger, causing him to grin at her. He growled as he kissed her forehead and pulled Alela to him as he unsheathed himself from his pants. Rhamiel groaned as she quickly grabbed him with her hand, stroking his hard cock with her hands as she tilted her head up to look him in the eyes.

Her silver eyes sparkled as she whispered, “Make me yours, my love. Mark me.” Rhamiel groaned inwards as he clenched his jaw, his fangs aching at her request. He would love to do that, more than anything in the world. He ran his hand down the side of her face and carefully put his hand around her neck as he crushed his lips to hers. With his other hand he pulled her close as she positioned his cock to her entrance. Thrusting quickly so she had no reaction time, he filled her to his hilt, causing Alela to moan and clench around his cock, her eyes never leaving his.

“So delicious,” he murmured as he brushed her lips with his. He smiled as he held her neck and he watched as her eyes widened as he pulled out slowly. 

“Beg me, Alela. Tell me you want my cock in you. Tell me that you only want me fucking you.” he growled. 

Alela moaned against his lips and whispered, “I’m yours, Rhamiel. I only want your cock in me, fucking me, claiming me,” she panted as he slowly slid his cock into her again, feeling her shiver against his size as he filled her again. She grabbed his arm with her hands and squeezed it tightly, “Fuck me. Hard. Please.” she moaned as he slowly slid in and out of her. Grinning he tightened his grip around her neck and whispered, “I’m going to fuck you until your bones become liquid, a stor.” 

Her eyes fluttered closed as he held her neck in his large hand, his other hand holding her as he slowly continued to thrust in and out of her. Her leg draped over his hip, and it made the view delicious for him as he watched his cock bury itself into her wetness. 

Suddenly Alela dragged her nails down Rhamiel’s chest, drawing blood. He cursed under his breath and his eyes darkened as he growled, “Is that how you want to play it, sweetheart? Then let’s play.” He grabbed her with both hands and rolled her onto her back. Her wings splayed out as he captured her hands in his and raised them above her head. He grinned as she arched her back, trying to pull away as he reached over to find the rope that they had in the room. He quickly tied her arms up and held her with his one hand as he dragged his other hand down her body, his fingers thrusting into her as she moaned and writhed under him. 

“Rhamiel, please, you’re torturing me.” she moaned as she tried to wrap her legs around his hips but he kept himself just out of reach as he thrust his fingers into her, over and over as he growled, “You wanted to play rough, a stor, then we play rough.”

Alela pouted as she spread her legs wide, making Rhamiel groan as he watched his fingers slide in and out of her, her wetness glistening on his fingers. He raised his hand and licked his fingers as she strained against the rope holding her captive. Rhamiel leaned down between her legs and nipped the inside of her thighs again, being careful to not bite but to just cause enough pain that it felt like pleasure. He paused and his face went to her clit again and he licked her, his tongue thrusting inside of her as he ran his hand up her belly. She arched and writhed against him, begging “Rhamiel, please, I need you inside me.” 

Rhamiel grinned as he sat up and caged her with his arms, his wings splaying out as he leaned down to kiss her, his tongue plunging into her mouth as she moaned. Alela quickly wrapped her legs around his hips, and he sank himself into her again. She grinned as she watched Rhamiel’s dark eyes drink her in as he thrust into her. She arched and he slid his hand under the small of her back, positioning her so he could plunge deeper into her. Alela cried out as he thrust, harder and harder, his fingers digging into her hip as he held her so he could control his movements.

Quickly loosening her bindings, Rhamiel watched as she ran her hands over her breasts, her nipples as he fucked her. Her head fell back as he bent down and ran his teeth over her sensitive nipples. Alela grabbed his hair in her hand and held Rhamiel to her breast, mewling as he felt her pussy fluttering at the start of her orgasm. 

He sucked and gently bit down on her again as she gasped, her nails digging into his scalp. He groaned and pulled her to him so he could sit up, holding her on his lap so he could bounce her on top of him, her weight nothing to him as he held her hips, his mouth switching from nipple to nipple as she held onto his shoulders. He felt himself tightening as her head fell back, her body stiffening as her orgasm crashed over her. She screamed his name as he pulled her face to his, capturing her lips, trying to keep her from making too much noise. 

Rhamiel held the back of her head as he frantically thrust into her, over and over, until he felt himself explode inside her. Alela’s body softened and she collapsed against him, both of them panting at the exertion. He carefully laid down, pulling her to his chest as they caught their breath. 

“Why won’t you claim me, Rhamiel?” she whispered as she traced a pattern over his bicep. Rhamiel kissed the top of her head and sighed. 

“Alela, you have my heart. A claiming bite would put a mark on you-and a target. I can’t keep you safe if my parents can find you because of the claim. I need to figure out a path forward first.”

She pushed him away a bit and looked at him, her eyebrows knit with concern, “Did something happen that you’re not telling me, Rhamiel? We had an agreement that we would be claiming each other in the next fortnight. I have been making all of the plans since your parents haven’t paired you with anyone…” 

Rhamiel watched Alela, her face full of concern as he struggled to figure out how to tell her what his parents had demanded. He waited a moment too long and Alela shoved him back, pulling herself out from his arms. She slid off the bed and found a blanket to wrap herself in as she slightly turned her head to him. “Go back to your real life, Rhamiel. You’ve made it clear that your duty is more important than the love we share.” 

She started to walk away and Rhamiel rose out of the bed quickly, “Alela, a stor, it’s not that! Please don’t walk away. I’m trying to figure out how to…” She raised her hand, making him stop as she sadly shook her head and walked into the bathing room. “What a fool I’ve been,” she whispered.

 He watched as the door closed behind her and a soft click as the latch fell into place. Frustrated he flopped back onto the bed, raking his fingers through his hair as he sighed heavily. The consequences of claiming Alela would lead to her death-he knew that without a doubt. He was treading dangerous water, thinking that they could have a life together here. He turned and pulled his pants and shirt on, turning towards the bathing room as he waited for Alela to finish. 

She quietly opened up the door and seemed surprised to see him sitting there, waiting for her. She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, her raven black hair was freshly braided and rested over her shoulder, the towel barely concealing her beautiful body. He turned his hands so they were raised upright on his thighs as he looked at her with a pained expression. 

Alela realized just how young they both were, how naive they had been. She watched as Rhamiel’s eyes filled with tears. She knew as her heart shattered that this was the end.

“They’ve made their demands, a stor. I’m to marry in a fortnight to a princess of the Starfall Court. If I claim you now, I will die trying to protect you from them. Please give me some time to figure out how we can make things work. We have time.”

Alela’s eyes narrowed as she hissed at him, “You couldn’t have told me that before we fucked? Because clearly that’s all this was,” she waved her hand over towards the bed as she huffed, bending to grab her clothing as she quickly pulled them on. “You’re a selfish bastard, Rhamiel. Why can’t you walk away from the crown? What’s holding you so captive to that life? You don’t like it, and you always have something negative to say about it.” She paused as she buttoned her shirt and turned to look at him, “So here we are. You have made your decision, whether you realize it or not.”

Rhamiel stood up, his eyebrows knitted together as he stepped towards her, to touch her, to do anything to make her stop talking. He could feel what she was going to say and he needed her to stop. As he reached out, she slapped his hands away and growled, her fangs elongating and her silver eyes flashing. 

“Don’t. Fucking. Touch me.” she hissed. Rhamiel stumbled back, surprised at her reaction. 

“Alela. Please. I…I swear I will do right by you.” he pleaded. He pointed to the door of their home, “Let’s go. Let’s grab a bag and leave Tenebris. We can seek refuge somewhere in Tir Siorghlas or maybe we can leave altogether, go live abroad somewhere, away from the reaches of my father and the court.”

Alela scoffed and crossed her arms, “Are you serious right now, Rhamiel? Do you think I don’t know the consequences of either path with you? I. Will. Die.” she clenched her teeth as she angrily spoke, “Either quickly or they’ll draw it out, maybe put me in the pen with the siren who will savour drawing my death out.” She sighed and rubbed her arms as she hung her head.

“Go. Please. I really thought we had a chance when you weren’t married after the last season. I let myself get too involved and now… now you need to go before I tear your heart out.”

Rhamiel stumbled back and sat on the bed, his shoulders dropping as he watched Alela standing firmly in front of him, her body and eyes ice cold. 

“Is that what you really want, a stor?” he winced as he watched her face, waiting for her to cave. Nothing. “I meant it, I want you. I choose you.” Still nothing. Rhamiel felt a tear slip down his cheek as he watched Alela turn and walk out of the bedroom and out through the door of their home. He quickly stood up and rushed to the doorway to watch her lift her arms up, whispering as she willed the wind around her.

“Get out of the house, Rhamiel. I’m burning it to the ground, with or without you in it.” she screamed. 

“Don’t, Alela! Please don’t destroy everything we’ve created,” he yelled, his voice cracking with desperation. “I’m begging you! I’ll figure this out!”

He could see her face, illuminated by the flickering light of small, contained flames that danced in her outstretched hands. Her eyes now blazed with an unholy fire, tears streaming down her cheeks, mingling with the soot that already smudged her skin.

“Figure what out, Rhamiel?” she shrieked, her voice laced with a pain that twisted his gut. “That no matter what, we lose? That everything we’ve built, everything we’ve dreamed of, means nothing compared to your father’s ambitions and that he has all the cards?”

He stumbled to a halt, her words hitting him like a physical blow. Their bond, forged in secret, had always been fragile, and reality had hit with it being threatened by the cold realism of his birthright.

Before he could speak, before he could even begin to explain again the suffocating pressure he was under, Alela let out a guttural battle cry, a sound ripped from the depths of her despair. With a furious gesture, she unleashed the flames. But this was no contained spark. A torrent of fire, whipped into a frenzy by a sudden gust of wind, roared towards the cottage, consuming the wooden walls with terrifying speed.

Rhamiel reacted instinctively. He dove to the side, the heat of the inferno scorching his skin as it passed where he’d been standing moments before. He landed hard on the earth, his eyes wide with horror as he watched their sanctuary erupt in a maelstrom of fire and smoke. The scent of burning wood filled the air, a bitter, acrid smell that mingled with the metallic tang of his own fear.

“Alela!” he cried out, scrambling to his feet. But she stood amidst the swirling flames, a figure of terrible beauty and heartbreaking rage, her face a mask of anguish. The cottage, their haven, was being reduced to ashes, and with it, a part of him felt like it was burning, too. She turned and took flight, leaving Rhamiel alone and heartbroken.