26

BRICE

It takes me a while to fall asleep. Between Le Penn and Soleil my emotions are all over the place making me restless. Add on that I'm not used to sharing my bed. I was raised an only child. What can I say? I'm spoilt.

My fingers are still entwined with Soleil's. Her breathing has evened out. Despite the crazy events of tonight, she's out like a light. I envy her that.

I should have taken her back but for some reason I don't want her out of my sight. I roll onto my back shifting her body on top of mine to get comfortable. She doesn't stir. I take a moment to look at her as I assess my feelings – feelings that have been developing even after Thierry broke the tether of the spell.

Her dark hair fans out across my chest yet it appears... shorter and thicker. I feel the texture of the strands which are surprisingly course – a mixture of curls, coils and frizz. Her sooty lashes rest on her cheeks, mouth slightly open. She's adorable.

How can I not be possessive over her especially after she gave me her vows. She belongs to me now which means she's under my care. What kind of man am I if I can't protect her as I draw her into my inner circle?

Protect her from what? A few harsh words? The asshole in me retorts.

I close my eyes and hold onto her a little tighter. As irrational as it is, the thought of her in any kind of distress touches a nerve I don't care to assess. I take a deep breath and try to relax. Things should run much smoother now that I've put everyone in their place.

*

A sweet smell permeates the air calling me from sleep. Even my dick stands at attention as it strains painfully against the constraints of my briefs – a reminder of why I usually sleep naked.

As if I could forget the sleeping beauty on top of me, she moans and wiggles around. Her arms wrap around me in a tight hug as she continues to grind on me. I attempt to stop her only to find my hands on her bare ass. The moisture from her core seeps onto my briefs.

I give a hard squeeze and groan as the scent intensifies. The pheromones she emits let me know she is ripe for the picking. The thought of flipping her over and showing her what dreams are made of are interrupted when she cries out my name – my true name – Merovech.

I'm stunned still.

How could she possibly know that?

It is in my hyper awareness I notice another energy in the room. One that isn't human.

My little minx moans again distracting me for a second.

"Soleil? Soleil!" I call, my hands instinctively squeezing her backside again.

I'm so close to giving in to my baser urges. However, I've got to get her back to the dorms before everyone else wakes up and find out who's in the manor. Their presence is now cloaked but I know they're here.

Finally the temptress stops her gyrations when she wakes and sits up in confusion.

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry. This is embarrassing."

Between the bedhead, the pink tint that tinges her cheeks and those brown eyes that refuse to meet mine, I can't help but smile as she tries to get away from me when just a few seconds ago she couldn't get close enough. Even though she may deny wanting me, her body tells me otherwise.

She knows me.

How does she know me? Have we been together before?

"You're soaking wet. What were you dreaming about?" I ask.

She looks at my briefs before looking away. There's a wet spot curtesy of Soleil. She must have noticed because the tint in her cheeks deepens.

I approach her, taking her chin in hand,forcing her gaze to mine. "Tell me."

If she was still sleeping and the presence wasn't around, I would have done a dream walk to see for myself but it's too late now.

"It was a wet dream, duh. I'm pretty sure you're familiar with those." She rolls her eyes and breaks out of my hold dismissing me.

"Who was he? The man in your dreams."

"Who said it was a man?" she retorts with her back turned.

Now is not the time to be coy.

"Fine, you were calling out a name. What's their name?"

She turns around to face me, her face scrunched up in thought.

"Merovech."

My heart stutters as I stare at her trying to place her in the memories of my past lives.

"Does that name mean anything to you?" she asks, looking at me curiously.

I ignore the question as my mind races with dozens of its own, the most pertinent being, who she was to me.

"What did I call you?"

Her eyes narrow in annoyance when she responds with "A weak bitch."

The anxiety that had begun to build up lifts with the smile that spreads across my face. I've always had a way with words. What do they expect from a Barbarian king?

I move to take her hands in mine. I search her face, her eyes, ma belle. Soleil stares back, those curious browns holding suspicion, but she doesn't look away.

I have so many questions. I want her to stay a little longer so that we can discuss this further, but we have rehearsals and I have an unannounced guest roaming around my bedroom and home.

I port us back to her dorm and lean in wanting a taste.

On second thought, I probably shouldn't.

I hold back from kissing her despite everything fiber in my being wanting to claim her. If I start, I doubt I'll be able to stop at a kiss.

"We have a lot to discuss ma petit. Soon."

I port back to my room. Without the distraction I'm able to concentrate on the presence I once felt. They're good at masking themselves but not that good. This is my territory and I have home-ground advantage as I shift the atmosphere, sending out a wave using my power.

"Reveal yourself!" I command.

A strange, small creature emerges before me with the body of a boy and the head of a fish. At his full height, he stands at my waist. I've seen him around Thierry's palace a few times but we haven't interacted much.

"Who are you and why are you spying on me in my home?"

"The name is Cod, Master Brice and I'm not spying. Lord Le Mers told me to keep an eye on you and let him know if you were in any danger."

"If you're a guardian, why didn't you introduce yourself? Why were you hiding?"

"Lord Le Mers didn't want me to disturb your mortal life, Master Brice."

Great! Seems that Thierry has assigned me a sitter as if I were still a child.

"I'm much older than I look and fully capable of looking after myself in my own home."

"Of course, Master Brice. You were the first in the line of Merovingian kings which is why we can't let anything happen to you now that you're back. But, if I may, you are still very much a man and all men have fallen victim to the weakness that is a woman."

I know he's alluding to my fascination with Soleil but I now have that under control.

"I like to fuck. Who doesn't?" I shrug not seeing the issue. "And with that said, I haven't even fucked Soleil despite the temptation."

"I should hope not," he murmers, those beady fish eyes looking at me then to the side.

"And why is that?"

"She's a virgin."

Ah, yes. I think back to Thierry's rule on staying away from virgins when he introduced me to the pleasures of men.

"So what if she's a bad lay. I can work with the inexperience and I'm sure I could train her to suit my tastes."

"Master Brice, you cannot!"

"Are you telling me what I can and cannot do?" I question with an arched brow.

"Yes! No! I mean, Master," the small creature wrings his wrists nervously his eyes moving at double the speed, "Virgins have the power to bind. You would be bound to her. It's old magic – blood magic – instituted since the dawn of man."

I've slept with all manner of females some not even human but never a virgin. Here I was thinking they were too soft, too clingy, too inexperienced. Never did it cross my mind that it was tied to magic.

"Is she a witch?"

"At first, I would have said yes - a blind witch. But now I'm not so sure..."

"If not a witch then what? She' definitely human." She smells and behaves like one.

"A seer."

"What?"

"Some enclaves call them prophets but we call them seers – those with the ability to see the past, present and future."

"I know what a seer is. Are you sure?"

"No, I would have to look at her star."

"Then what are you waiting for?" I snap in annoyance.

"Yes Master," Cod says with a slight bow, dismissing himself by vanishing.

There is a short rap on the door before Hidde allows himself in. He looks between my state of undress and the bed.

"I felt a disturbance. Where's Soleil?" he asks moving further into the room.

"I took her back a few minutes ago."

"I didn't hear you drive in and I've been waiting for everyone to come down for the past half hour."

He looks at his watch then back at me.

"I didn't drive," I state dryly, moving to my closet to slip on a pair of black sweats and a t-shirt.

"So you're using your powers and abusing your power?" he asks when I come back out with a pair of black sneakers.

"Who am I abusing? Le Penn? The school my family built with my inheritance" I scoff. "I thought you of all people would have understood why I did what I did, Mr Magnanimous."

Fuck the racial tension. He was testing me with the disrespect.

"Did you have to spear him? Jacques is lucky he didn't lose his leg."

"He's lucky I didn't spear his neck and he didn't lose his life."

"What is really going on with you and Soleil? You never told me you were bringing her over."

I look into my cousin's blue eyes which search mine in question.

"I don't have to tell you anything. Lest you forget, we have a tutoring agreement."

"Right the tutoring." His tone is flat. "Do you like her?"

I sit down to pull on my socks and sneakers.

"Of course I like her. And I like you and I like Tshepo. The list is short but I defend those I like."

"I mean do you have feelings for her, smart-ass?"

The answer is yes but I'm not ready to admit to it yet. I like her more than them all. I head for the door ignoring my ever attentive cousin who can be quite the thorn in my side.

"Let's go. I'm driving."

***

We're the first to arrive in the hall for dance practice since Hidde is a stickler for punctuality. I take a seat and pull out my phone noting we're 20 minutes early. Great.

The hall slowly fills with the prefects. It is only when she walks in that I look up from my mindless scrolling. She looks around the room probably searching for her dance partner. Mark isn't here yet. Her eyes land on mine. I watch her to see what she does next.

To my surprise, she walks over to me and I lean back. God, she's beautiful. Her thick mane is tied in a ball at the top of her head highlighting the features of her face.

"Hey, mind if I sit?" she points to the chair next to me.

"Yes."

"Oh..." Her face falls and she turns around.

I quickly take hold of her hand and pull her back onto my lap.

"I'd rather you sat here," I say against the shell of her ear. I note the strong pulse at her neck. "Do I make you nervous baby."

"N-no I just," she adjusts herself on my lap, turning around to look at me, "wanted to ask you a few questions Merovech."

"Don't. Not here," I state with finality.

"Fine. When?"

"Tonight."

"Alright." A comfortable silence settles between us as we look around the room. Her body tenses and she gets up shortly after, "I see my date has arrived. I better go."

She doesn't wait for my response or look back as she makes her way over to him.

SOLEIL

I exit the bathroom after a quick shower. At this point I don't even bother to straighten and curl my hair in its usual style since someone keeps reverting it back to its natural state with surprise showers and swims.

Speaking of which, I don't even know what time Brice is coming over. I lotion my body and get dressed thinking of the strange dreams I've had concerning him. Is it possible that we were lovers in a past life or is that just wishful thinking?

I've never believed in reincarnation but the man in my dreams looked like Brice even though his name was different.

And Brice confirmed it was him. I pay attention to detail. He asked me 'what did I call you?' That's an admission if I ever heard one.

Merovech.

That name has been stuck in my head all day. From breakfast to dinner and even during dance practice that wet dream is all I can think about. I wish I could go back to a simpler time when things were a lot less complicated.

Imagine little orphaned me was once pregnant and married to my crush who was once a king. That's the kind of stuff dreams are made of.

My body heats up at the thought of being under him. I've thought of sex and what it would feel like. Sometimes I touch myself but never to the thought of him. I didn't want to be that gone girl about a boy who barely acknowledged my existence. Now...

"When were you born?"

His voice intrudes upon my private thoughts startling me out of my silent musings.

"What the actual fuck is wrong with you using the door?" I shout out when I turn around to see Brice staring at me.

"I thought you would be used to my surprise visits by now. And I suggest you lower your voice before we're found out."

"No, Merovech! I will never get used to... this." I fan out my hands in display for lack of a better word for his antics.

"How about we stick to Brice for now?"

"How about you tell me what is going on, starting with who you are?"

"Answer my question first."

He hasn't even answered my question from this morning so why should I bother with his. "You said we would talk," I remind him.

Come to think of it, he has a way of bulldozing over my questions.

"We're talking right now," he replies nonchalantly getting comfortable in my seat in front of the PC.

"Why do you ask?" I attempt at evasion. Why does he even care when he's never wished me a happy birthday.

"It matters to me."

"Right. Can't you just tell the school to hand you my records?" I throw back.

"I thought it would be easier to ask you."

I cross my arms and give him a look that hopefully conveys that I don't plan on making this easy for him.

"Fine. I'll get the records myself."

"Okay, Merovech," I say, dragging out his name. I have no choice but to sit on the bed since he's commandeered my chair. "Why do I keep dreaming of you?"

"You've had other dreams?"

I close my eyes and take a deep, calming breath. Why does he keep answering my question with a question of his own?

"No, last night/this morning was different. The other two were weird and all over the place but when I saw you, you looked like you do now. The most recent dream you looked older, your hair was longer."

I open my eyes and find him staring at me.

"Well?" I prod.

Tell me about the first two and I'll try to explain.

Knowing how stubborn he can be and that Brice doesn't play fairly I proceed to tell him of the magician and the blue jasmine, Emperor Zurg, Spiderman, the snakes and the stage. At the end of my incoherent ramble I feel quite stupid at how nonsensical it all sounds.

"So the first dream came soon after you made the wish?"

"Yes."

"And the second dream was after you hit your head?"

"What? When did I hit my head?" I ask with concern.

He clams up and looks away. What is he hiding?

"Is there something wrong with me? Did you do something?" I narrow my eyes in suspicion.

"You were running around the manor like a lunatic on the night of Halloween. You fell and hit your head but I checked on you and you were fine." He stands up and walks over to me placing his hands in my hair. He undoes the top knot on my head and proceeds to massage my scalp. "There's nothing wrong with you ma petite. Anyway, I thought you were a witch Spellman, but the more I hear, I'm convinced you're a seer."

"Okay... And you are what exactly?"

"The King of the Salians - half man, half god. The first in the line of Merovingians that ruled the territories of Europe before it was consumed by the Holy Roman Empire," he spits in disgust.

It doesn't surprise me that he was a king. I'd concluded that much, but a god? Fine, considering his power, I will allow it.

"And now you're back in the 21st century to do what exactly?"

"Wage war for the crown."

My eyes bug out.

"You can't be serious. Who are you going to war with? The pope?" I scoff.

"Don't get me started on that usurper."

I don't mean to but I laugh. "There's no king in France, babes. Are you telling me you plan to be president."

I laugh again as I picture Brice the politician shaking hands, kissing babies and giving speeches. He lacks any sort of diplomacy.

It's now his turn to laugh which sobers me up some.

"Fuck no! Does it look like I'm the kind of man to pander for votes?"

"No, actually which is why this is so funny."

"What's funny is that you think I want the seat of the president when a president acts more like the hand of the king. I'm back for my throne."

"Aha... So who is the king that has usurped your throne?"

"You're the seer. You tell me."

His smirk belies his ignorance.

"You keep calling me that. What do you mean?"

"You're able to see beyond the visible and through time, in both dreams and visions."

"I'm Soleil Spellman not Raven Baxter. If I could see into the future, I would have avoided a whole lot of bullshit."

"Well it's not the most skillful gift. It's random and unpredictable but it has it's uses. In time you can learn to interpret and hone in on certain elements you wish to see. Every king needs at least one seer in his court."

"I don't know what exactly I'm seeing. I've never had any visions and I often forget my dreams. I don't want the job especially if I can't dream on demand." And make no mistake, Brice is a very demanding man. I flop back on the bed. "Damn that stupid wish!"

"That may be the case but our fates seem to have been destined before that."

"So what are you saying? We're star crossed lovers?"

"For your sake you better hope not."

He has a point. Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy. A heavy silence falls between us. A few moments later I hear the tapping of keys on my PC.

"What are you doing?" I question, sitting up.

"Emailing myself your notes. Unless, you're up to tutor me. You've already missed a few sessions you need to make up to me."

I shake my head no as I climb into bed getting my phone from the charger by the nightstand. I'm done with academics for the day. I'd already put in the hours before hitting the shower.

I let him continue because I don't have the energy to do anything else but lay in bed and vegetate in front of the screen as my subconscious chews over Brice's revelation.

Once he's done, he shuts down my PC and stands up to leave.

"Please hit the lights on your way out," I ask too comfortable to bother getting up.

"Sure."

He walks over to the switch at the door dressed in all black from head to toe. I watch his form closely in the darkened room waiting for him to disappear only for Brice to get in bed with me.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Don't let what happened this morning fool you into thinking there'll be a repeat performance."

"Even if you begged, I wouldn't fuck you Soleil."

Damn that hurt.

I roll over and try not to think about the burning sensation that suddenly clogs up my throat.

02 | 07 |2023 | 22:41

WC: 3474

So I had a trip to plan for (out of country) and I have plans for this trip. I wanted to come back to this story when the time allowed. My mental capacity is not infinite so I gotta pick my battles LOL

But I want to make it up to y'all...

I will be posting an update everyday over the next week to make up for the last couple of months.

Here's the register for the everyday readers 📝

Here's the register for the bingers that have read up to this part in one sitting 📚