ARIA
Or, well, that's what I thought it was. Slowly, the world disappeared with everything in it and there was nothing more than a white background like I had somehow moved to the clouds and there was no one else here except the creepy man standing in front of me.
I had to keep squinting and blinking to get him to focus. His form was insubstantial, almost as translucent, and kept fading in and out of the field of my vision.
But yes, what I could see, he definitely looked familiar. His skin was pale and he wore a faded green top I remember seeing somewhere. The part that struck me the most, aside the fact that he is probably dead, was the look on his face. It was so sad with excruciating sorrow. Just looking into his eyes, I felt my heart break.
Then a very old memory returned to me. An old man, looking exactly like him, with the same shirt on, carried me to his shoulder and sang to me as I cried as a baby.
He opened his mouth, like he might speak, and then closed it. Then his fingers lifted, pointing south.
"Aria! Get your shit together!" Ivy's voice sounded like a thunderstorm in my ear. I shut my eyes hard and opened them to see the chaos going on. I was surrounded. There was no music in the club anymore and everyone around had gathered around me, including Ivy, Damien, Selene and Damien's friends. Everyone laughed, phones pointed at me.
It took me a minute to realise what was going on. My shirt, my pants, they were gone. I was wearing nothing more than my bra and tiny matching panties.
My eyes glistened with hot tears. Ivy helped me up while everyone still flashed their cameras and laughed at me.
I still couldn't see right, and the chill my vision had given me early crawled around my skin.
"Why?" I muttered to no one in particular.
"I'll take you home," Damien offered.
"You made me like this, Damien. You should take your mate home instead." Pain was evident in my voice, I couldn't hide how much I trembled.
I took a step, still trying to think about how things got to this point but I have nothing, no memory of it at all. It was like I hadn't been here.
Taking another slow step, someone crossed my leg and I stumbled. I didn't fight and braced myself to hit the ground but I never did. Instead, I fell into comfortable warm hands, familiar scent beautiful thick voice.
"What is going on here?" The man asked fiercely.
Everyone gasped. Then murmurs erupted. Seeing people's reactions, I didn't want to raise my head to see who it was. His arm wrapped around me and he pulled me closer to his chest. My lungs filled with his cologne.
"Aria!" I heard Selena yell. "What are you doing messing up King Lucian's suit!"
"K–king Lucian? The Lycan King?" I had spoken to myself in the softest way possible. I took two steps away from his embrace, never daring to look at his face.
He hissed. "Look at me."
Slowly and painfully, I looked at him but my expression gave me out. I melted. I have never seen a man so appealing and dangerous at the same time.
He took off his suit and wrapped it around me. "Take her to the car. Have her cleaned up."
The man behind him said, "Yes, your Majesty."
"She is with me." I couldn't just leave without Ivy. I staggered back and took her hand. "I'm not going anywhere without her."
The crowd erupted again. I thought I'd had chills but the way King Lucian glared at me scratched my back.
Selena scoffed behind me. "You ungrateful bitch! Who do you think you are talking–"
King Lucian shut her up by lifting his hand. "Go. Both of you."
The guard behind King Lucian came around me gently and walked Ivy and I to a car waiting outside. I wasn't good with cars but I could swear I'd never seen a car like it in the whole territory.
"What were you thinking!" Ivy finally said once we were in the car. "I'm glad the King appeared to take care of this."
I frowned, tossing my head back. "You don't seem too surprised that the King just gave me his suit and we are in his car. He is a legend, lived for years before we were born, won too many battles and nothing can bring him down. We are talking about that King and you're so chill about it?"
Ivy shrugged. "I'm not flattered by such things, Aria, I'm just happy you are safe."
"Did you see his eyes? They are like sapphires. His voice…he's so charming. I wish you weren't here, I'd just pin him down and rape him straight up."
Ivy rolled her eyes.
"What?" I shrugged.
"You are still high. What you need right now is a very long rest. Oh, there he comes. Be behaved."
King Lucian joined us and ordered Ivy to sit in the passenger seat while he joined me at the back. Ivy gave me a warning glare not to tape him as I had promised. I chuckled hard.
"Start the car." The King's voice, even though he wasn't speaking to me, I could tell he'd like to command me one day. His eyebrows are carefully carved and his face…his face has become tough and beautiful probably from those battles he has won.
"You are gawking," he said.
I raised my brows. "And you are handsome, cute and beautiful. If you don't want me gawking, you could make me do something else."
He glared at me but I found that hot and bit my lips. His expression changed then, his eyes settled on my lips before he swallowed hard and looked away.
"Boring. I wasn't going to rape you anyway. Not in a car at least. You see, I didn't know what happened out there but thank you. You saved my life like a real leader would. You are the hero." I leaned over and kissed his cheek. I'd expected him to push me away but he didn't.
The car stopped. Looking out the window, I wondered if Ivy told the driver where we lived or if he made a wild guess.
We got down and I thanked him and bowed multiple times. He didn't say anything, just gestured to the driver to drive.
"Don't you ever do that again!" Ivy scolded. I alohejd and dragged myself to the porch.
"Don't be a vibe killer. I know you were entertained and he seemed to like my flirting–"
My stomach rumbled and everything I'd consumed throughout the whole day came back to my mouth. I bet to the side while Ivy hit my back. After vomiting, my legs became weak and I lost consciousness.
I woke up the next morning in the hospital. Ivy sat beside me, her face buried in her palms.
I adjusted on the bed and Ivy instantly became aware that I was awake.
She was both happy and sad to see me. "What happened?" I yawned.
Her eyes darted around. She only does that when she is nervous or about to lie about something.
"Spit it out."
She sighed heavily and pressed jy palm. "Aria, you passed out really badly last night. One healer couldn't take care of you."
I nodded. "I'm sorry I'm putting you through all this shit."
She shook her head slowly, tears welling in her eyes. "There is something else and you are not gonna like it."
I frowned as she pressed my palm harder.
"Aria. We would need to move. I'll take care of it. We can still leave today. We still have time. I know a place you can hide out until this gets solved."
I yanked my hand away from her and hissed. "Ivy, get to the point. What are all these? We ain't going nowhere."
The tears finally dropped.
"Aria."
Silence.
"You are pregnant."
"What?" I spelt each letter. Now I see. Then she was underacting. If they find out…it's going to be death!