This isn’t possible…
Aveline tried to not lean on Theo but it was a challenge to keep her wits about her.
It wasn’t the fact that the woman in white had an almost supernatural glow, nor the fact that she was making her way closer.
There was an unenigmatic smile on her face as she scrutinised Aveline.
The most horrifying thing was that no one was reacting to her.
The servants were busy doing their work around the courtyard.
Even Theo took no notice when he glanced behind him.
“Do you see her?” Aveline was nearly panting as her hands fought between grabbing Theo tighter and throwing him off.
“Her? Who?” He looked more alarmed at the state of his wife.
Oh gods.
“The dead one!” Aveline practically screamed as her feet shuffled to get away.
Theo blinked as he followed her eyeline.
The woman in white only raised a brow at Aveline in challenge.
We need to leave!
There’s nothing worse than stumbling across a spirit who could curse you.
In all her life, Aveline has never encountered that, and she wasn’t going to let this be the first time.
“Let’s go!” She began to tug at Theo’s arm.
But no matter how hard she tried, the man was a solid mountain.
“We need to leave!”
The woman in white was five steps away and Aveline’s panic climbed to the limit.
We’re going to be cursed!
I’ve barely made it past 21 summers…
“We can’t leave.” Theo stepped between Aveline and the woman in white.
“Why?”
Do you want to get cursed?
Theo looked away shyly as if there wasn’t a dead person behind him.
“I…” He started awkwardly.
“Stop -” Aveline glanced over his shoulder to see the woman in white grinning with all their teeth.
What sharp teeth…
“Faa… we need to go!”
Using her weight, Aveline tried to throw Theo off his balance, but it only ended up with her deeper in his arms.
“I lied to you!” He confessed when they were face-to-face.
“Sorry…”
His eyes searched hers.
No joke – you have a dead person living with you!
Once again, Aveline tried to get herself out of his arms but it was futile.
Now there was a dead person behind them and her husband was refusing to let her leave.
“I was going to tell you.”
At the confession, Aveline stopped her movements.
She regarded the man: his shoulders were tense while his arms gentle around her, but something was bothering Theo.
And it wasn’t the ghost.
“What were you going to tell me?”
The woman in white floated up behind Theo, she was even taller than him, and rested a hand against his good shoulder.
Aveline held her breath.
Should I tell him?
Does he even feel it?
She was getting light-headed.
“Go on, tell her.” The woman in white spoke softly.
A scent of jasmine filled her senses as those emerald eyes filled with glee at her misfortune.
Is Theo cursed now that he’s been touched?
Does that make me a widow?
Aveline panted as Theo’s hands gripped hers.
“I didn’t bring you home first.”
Oh gods…
Is this…Hell?
“I couldn’t help it.”
Couldn’t help…
Murdering your wives?
“But I can’t wait anymore – I need to marry you now.”
The woman in white nodded at Theo’s statement.
What?
The insane confession was like plunging into cold water as Aveline snapped out of her frenzy.
Those grey eyes were sweetly pleading for agreement as Theo held them up to his face.
“Please Aveline.” His thumbs brushed over her knuckles.
“Will you marry me?”
Aveline blinked.
She looked at the mystery woman.
Then at her husband.
Their first meeting was practically at the altar.
To be wedded.
No proposal.
No choice.
Now he’s asking her to be his wife.
Her heart gave an inconvenient little flutter.
Again. This story is hosted at novelping.com.
He’s lost it.
“How many times have you been knocked in the head?” Aveline sighed.
“We’re already married!”
The woman in white cackled when they pulled away.
For the first time, Theo regarded her.
Wait, so he can see her?
“I like her.” The woman’s laughter took a strange turn as the sound grew deeper until their demeanour changed.
“She’s perfect for you.”
Suddenly, Aveline noticed subtle details about the person in white that was overlooked when she first saw them.
They were as taller than Theo with the shoulders to match beneath the flowing robes.
The delicate face she’d seen from afar was sharper now, with an angular jaw that was partially obscured by the veil.
Their eyes remained striking like they could see your soul.
“Shut up, Param!” Theo whined like a child as he turned to shove the other person’s shoulder.
What’s happening?
Theo can touch them?
“Are you going to marry us or not?”
The person in white, Param, only shrugged with a teasing smile.
“Well, you’ve just harassed a priest and your wife hasn’t agreed yet.”
Priest?
This person is a priest?
“Your Majesty.” Param stepped towards Aveline, took one hand and bowed as they politely kissed the back of it.
“Someone as glorious as you deserves better than this… brute here.” Param winked as they held eye-contact with Aveline.
Oh.
A man.
With such exquisite eyes…
It was like she was under a spell when Aveline smiled back.
She almost nodded in agreement if Theo didn’t pull the other man away from his wife.
When the pair started bickering about ‘keeping your hands off my wife’ and ‘keeping her options open’, Aveline trudged to a bench to gather her thoughts.
So, there was no ghost wife.
It was a man.
An exceptionally beautiful man who was also the priest.
Theo brought her here to marry her.
Even though they’re already wedded.
What the hell did I get myself into?
Aveline sighed as she rubbed her temples with her fingers.
She left her balm back in the carriage, so there was nothing to help ground her senses.
After a couple of cat-slaps to each other, Theo joined her on the bench.
“Are you alright?” Worry was evident in his voice.
Aveline took him in.
What’s going through that mind of yours?
“Look.” He moved so that one arm braced her back and one hand cupped her face.
Theo leaned in close like it was a secret between them.
“If you don’t want it today, then that’s fine.” Despite the small smile, Aveline caught the shadow of sorrow in his eyes.
Liar.
“I don’t want you to feel pressured to be my wife.”
Your wife.
Wife…
Wife Number Four.
“You!” Like lighting, Aveline sprang up and pointed an accusing finger at Param.
The man looked like a startled cat.
“What did you call me?”
Param froze.
Got you!
“What did you call my wife?” Theo was quickly at Aveline’s side; ready to defend her.
At first, Param tried to laugh it off.
“I call her your wife.”
“Wife Number Four.” Aveline crossed her arms as she raised an annoyed brow.
“What?” Theo’s voice boomed as he approached the other man.
“Now, Sire – let’s not do this.” Param put his hands up calmly.
Despite Theo’s threating aura, the priest did not budge.
“You also called yourself wife number three.” Aveline added.
That made Theo stop.
He eyed the other man up and down before –
“Ew! I’d rather take an arrow to the eye than marry you!” He pretended to gag before turning away from Param.
‘I think he’s quite stunning.’
Both heads snapped her way.
Param was beaming with pride.
Theo looked like he was going to cry.
“What?” Aveline’s eyes bounced between the two.
Did I say that out loud?
Suddenly, Theo was on his knees before her.
“Be careful! Your shoulder is still healing!” She tried to pull the man up but he was too stubborn.
“I don’t care!” The man pouted.
“Nothing hurts more than you finding that lizard attractive!” This story is hosted at g.com.
This can’t seriously be happening!
What happened to the warrior who I watched kill with his bare hands?
Right now, it’s just a bear with his hands on me!
Aveline sighed and wished that she definitely had her balm with her right now.
“I thought I married the fearsome King that made people shudder at the mere mention of his name.”
Theo looked up to her, which wasn’t actually that high due to his height, as he took her hands in his.
“Princess Blessed Astra Farrenbone married King Magnus.”
Aveline blinked.
“But you knew it was me.”
“Yes.”
“And you still married me.”
Theo shook his head.
“You were wearing her name.”
Slowly, it was making sense.
The man’s hands were shaking slightly as they held hers tighter as if Theo was afraid that she would disappear.
“I am Theo Yarrowheath asking to marry Aveline Farrenbone.”
I see.
For the first time, Aveline felt seen.
No one asked for her opinion with the first marriage.
They barely seemed to care about the hideous reputation of her betrothed.
No one asked if she was afraid.
No one asked if she could accept a loveless union.
Aveline was just left on her own.
Yet, here was a paradoxical man on his knees for her now.
Instead of shaming her for her interest, he encouraged it.
Instead of throwing her into danger, he didn’t hesitate to protect her.
Instead of forcing her hand, he proposed on his knees instead.
How can I say no?
❀
Her first entrance to their home was a blur.
Aveline heard the familiar voices of her attendants as she followed Theo up to their room.
She didn’t even take in the interior before she was thrown onto the bed.
“Wife.” Theo was giddy as he kissed her.
Just the press of his lips made her scalp tingle in the most teasing way.
“I have you now.”
Wife.
Somehow, it felt different this time.
When he deepened the kiss by licking into her mouth, Aveline accepted it and returned with just as much vigour.
Her hands pulled at his hair as their tongues wrestled until she managed to swap their positions.
Theo was sat with his back against the headboard with Aveline straddling his lap like in the carriage.
Their eyes locked and both couldn’t stop the grin on their faces.
“Husband.”
My husband.
Not Astra’s.
Mine.
Theo beamed as he leaned foreword to take his wife’s lips again as his hands trail their way up her thighs and under her silk chemise.
His hand rested comfortably on her hip bone as a thumb drew delicate circles towards her pelvis.
Naughty.
Aveline panted as she pulled her lips away.
“Two moons.” She reminded even though her own hands were trailing down the man’s front towards the laces of his drawers.
“Unfair.” Theo groaned into her neck when her hand rest against his hardness over the fabric.
“I waited so long.”
Tentatively, Aveling pressed the shaft head with her palm, earning a jerk from the other as he gasped.
It also made his hands slip lower to brush against her soaking lips below.
“Seems like someone can’t wait.” His deep voice rumbled against her chest as he repeated the action.
His fingers followed the seam of Aveline’s wet entrance before circling the hard nub to make her cry out.
Aveline threw her head back as his thumb used her wetness to ease the friction and teased her clit until it felt like she was losing her mind.
Ha…
this feel so good.
No, I can’t let him win!
Even through the fabric, Aveline could tell that Theo was impressive.
The moment she pulled it out, it felt like she discovered something sinful.
The appendage was thick with an angry vein running along the length of the shaft, leading to a flared purple head wrapped in a layer of foreskin.
Her hand could barely wrap around sex as she gave it a tug.
“Fuck.” Theo grunted when Aveline adjusted her grip to focus on rubbing the head in her palm.
At the same time, his fingers danced at her entrance as the thumb swiped restlessly at her nub until Aveline’s hips were moving on their own against it.
“Please -” Theo croaked as he sucked a mark into the side of her neck.
“Let’s – I want to – make you feel good.” His grey eyes were frantic as he pleaded.
“I promise.”
Aveline was torn.
Theo had to recover or else the injury will get worse.
But she also desperately wanted to see if that monster would fit inside of her – if her husband could prove his promise.
Aveline has never been one to be so lewd, but when Theo kissed her, all logic was gone.
Can I really wait two moons?