Midnight Surrender-Chapter 40 Moonlit Night (AVOT)

Rhain studied Daisy with a mixture of amusement and affection, delighting in the simple pleasure of watching her. Her expressive brown eyes constantly shifting between surprise and suspicion, her skin flushing under his teasing, and her heart’s rhythm – a melody that filled him with a longing that felt as much hunger as it did desire.

She was unraveling his mysteries slowly, a development that fueled his sense of the hunt. Yet, against the predator within him, a protective instinct took root. How could it not? Her sweetness stirred both his predatory instinct and a strange desire to protect her.

It was an unusual conflict. The man in him yearned for her trust, for the warmth of her body willingly entwined with his. The predator, however, yearned for her fear, for the rush of hunting his prey. He scoffed at his own predicament. The irony was almost comical - the hunter and the protector, both desiring the same woman in entirely different ways.

"You should eat," she urged him, drawing him back to the present.

A shudder of revulsion passed through Rhain at the thought. The scent of the food was already making him nauseous. The memory of the sickness he suffered this morning just because he tasted a little was fresh and unpleasant.

He debated with himself – should he compel her into believing he was enjoying his meal or allow this to be another breadcrumb leading her closer to the truth?

"I am full," he said.

"But..." she looked at his plate, a hint of worry creasing her brow. "You only ate a little."

"A little is enough for me."

"You can’t survive on that little."

He shrugged, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips. "I have for a long time. Do I look unhealthy to you? Or weak?" He held out his arms for her inspection.

Her gaze lingered on his chest for a fleeting moment before flicking back up to his face. Her heart fluttered, a sudden shift in its steady rhythm. "No," she admitted.

"Well then... you can see I don’t need much nutrition."

She regarded him with a frown, her mind no doubt spinning with questions. Suddenly, she pushed her plate away, declaring, "I am done too."

He chuckled at her announcement, shaking his head in amusement. "I am sure we don’t share a stomach, Daisy."

With a soft smile playing at the edges of her lips, Daisy responded, "Well, you’ve managed to successfully curb my appetite. I get fuller quicker when I have someone just watching me."

Rhain raised a brow. "Is that so?" He drawled.

When she responded with a firm glare he rose from his chair, extending his hand out towards her. "Shall we retire then?"

Though she felt a flicker of anxiety, Daisy didn’t hesitate to place her hand in his. She stood, her body drawn in by the pull of his grip. "Though the meal might have ended, the night is young, Daisy," he murmured his thumb drawing circles on her knuckled again. "And there are other appetites that the night tends to... awaken rather than curb."

Daisy felt a shiver run through her, his words provoking a spark of excitement and fear within her. She was no fool. She understood the depth of the desire he hinted at, but his insinuations held a double meaning that left her on edge.

With his hand still holding hers, he began to walk backward, gently pulling her along with him. "Would you prefer to retire to my room tonight?" He asked, his words echoing in the quiet dining hall.

His question caught her off guard, her heart skipping a beat in response. His room?

Rhain paused, pulling her close enough for her to feel his warmth. "Do not worry, Daisy," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "I promised to wait, and I intend to keep that promise."

His words brought a measure of relief, but the tension was far from lifted. As if sensing this, Rhain tugged at her hand gently, causing her to stumble into his arms. His wicked grin returned in full force. "However," he said, his voice a purr, "I did not promise not to tease."

Before she could register his words, he swept her off her feet, literally.

"Rhain!" Her surprise turned into a soft gasp as he hoisted her into his arms.

"Don’t hurt my feelings, Daisy. I thought my company would be less frightening than your nightmares," he teased, starting to carry her down the dimly lit hallway.

"I am not frightened," she retorted.

"That’s good to hear. After all, I couldn’t bear to leave you alone knowing you’re haunted by such terrible nightmares," he replied, his voice gentle as he carried her through the sprawling halls of their home.

Daisy wasn’t sure if he would chase the nightmares away or give her worse ones. She bit her lip, hating to think of him like that. He was her husband.

As he carried her through the darkened hall, a strange feeling washed over her - a sense of déjà vu, an uncanny familiarity that she couldn’t shake off. Unconsciously, she found herself leaning into him, her body instinctively seeking his warmth in the surrounding darkness. The rhythm of his steps, the hard planes of his chest beneath her, his strong arms cradling her - they were all eerily reminiscent of a night she remembered vaguely. The night when she escaping from Philip and ran into him in the woods. He had carried her back home, a memory that she had dismissed as a dream.

But as she looked up at him now, doubts began to swarm her mind. Why had he lied to her about it when she asked? And most disconcertingly, how had he entered her home?

Her heart pounded against her ribcage, skipping a beat as Rhain kicked open the door to his bedroom. The room was bathed in an otherworldly glow, the flickering flames from the candles casting long, dancing shadows on the walls while the pale moonlight streamed in through the tall windows, painting everything in hues of silver and blue.

As Rhain gently set her down, the heavy door closed behind them with a soft thud, sealing them within the chamber. Rhain kept his arm wrapped around her waist, "I am making you uneasy," he treaded.

"No," Daisy responded, her voice wavering with uncertainty. Questions danced in her mind. Was she misremembering things, or had he truly deceived her?

Rhain moved then, his hands gliding across her waist as he circled around to stand behind her. "Allow me to return the favor. Let me help you undress," he suggested, his hands resting lightly on her hips as if seeking her consent.

Despite her doubts, Rhain had treated her with nothing but kindness. Was she overthinking? Could it just be her mind playing tricks? Trying to push the doubts aside, she responded, "That would be nice."

The ease with which Rhain stripped her of her gown stirred up new emotions within Daisy. It was almost as if he’d performed this intimate act a multitude of times before.

A twinge of discomfort took root in her heart at that realization. Indeed, a man of his stature, his allure, would no doubt have shared his bed with numerous women. Yet, that knowledge didn’t sit well with Daisy. An irrational surge of jealousy coursed through her veins, hot and prickling, as she thought of him touching others with the same familiarity, the same sensuous skill he was now displaying with her.

But it was not just the jealousy that was disconcerting, it was the sense of vulnerability that accompanied it when her corset followed the path of her gown, discarded effortlessly with a swift and sure movement. The realization of her scantily clad form in front of Rhain stirred a new wave of heat within her, one that wasn’t solely rooted in jealousy.

"You seem to have a skill for undressing," Daisy said in an attempt to quell the emotions stirring within her.

"I have always been good with my hands," Rhain responded, his fingers tracing a delicate path down her arms. His touch sent a ripple of anticipation coursing through her.

"You must have had a lot of practice," Daisy said, her voice barely more than a whisper in the dimly lit room.

Rhain’s hands, which had been caressing her arms, stilled. His chest was warm against her back as he leaned in closer. "Is that a note of jealousy I detect, Daisy?" His voice was a low rumble.

She denied it, almost too quickly, her voice high and unsteady. "It was merely an observation."

He turned her around to face him, his hands cradling her face as he locked gazes with her. His eyes bore into hers, unblinking and steady. "Daisy, you are my wife. And I intend to be a faithful husband."

"I wasn’t doubting you," she mumbled, her gaze flitting away from his intense stare.

He flashed her a reassuring smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling in a way that made him seem more human, more...approachable. "I know. I’m just making it clear."

"So, what would you like to do before sleep?" he asked, the ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. The implication of his words had her heart pounding, and her mind wandering to places she hadn’t allowed herself to explore.

Before he could say anything else, before the silence could become another whispered suggestion, she spoke. "Talk."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You want to talk?"

"Yes."

"About what?"

"About you. I still have a lot to learn," she explained, her voice soft yet determined.

Rhain chuckled. "I’m not as interesting as I seem."

"But you’re interesting to me," she retorted, her own voice full of conviction.

"Alright," he finally conceded. He gestured towards the bed, guiding her to sit before he extinguished the remaining candles. The room was plunged into darkness, save for the soft glow from the moon.

He joined her on the bed, and she found herself nestled next to him. The bed, she noticed, smelled like him — roses and something else, something uniquely him.

Rhain propped himself up on one elbow, turning to face Daisy in the low moonlight. The soft glow of the moon made his silver skin glow even more, painting an ethereal picture against the velvety backdrop of the darkness. His features, always sharp and striking, were made more so under the play of light and shadows. The strong lines of his cheekbones and jaw, the proud arch of his brows, even the gentle curve of his lips, were all accentuated, as if chiseled by the moonlight itself.

Oh, Lord. She found her heart fluttering again. He was beautiful. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"So, what does my wife wish to know about me?"

*****

A/N

Thank you for all the congratulations. I had a good time celebrating so thank you for your patience. Hope to see many of you tomorrow at the release of the first Chapters of "Captive of Night" on MyFavReads app.