32

BRICE

My boyfriend.

Boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend - the term echoes in my mind like a sickening taught.

If she thinks I'm going to let her go back to her so called boyfriend, she has another thing coming.

In my fury, I toss Soleil over my shoulder and port us to the beach house in Plett in a different town and province. Let's see her try get back to her boyfriend now.

I know I took Hailey as my date but she is not my girlfriend. I paid more attention to Soleil than her but she didn't seem to care - she was actually avoiding me after the dinner. Then she's posting pictures with him in that seductive dress. The idea of them together does dangerous things to me which is why I even entertained Celine in the first place. I needed a distraction. Evidently, nothing can replace Soleil in my mind even if temporarily.

I enter the double-storey house and debate on whether to take her upstairs to my bedroom or out to the secluded cottage. I'm expecting the boys from tomorrow as we'll be spending a couple of weeks here during vac.

The image of Soleil on her knees with another guy's dick in her mouth pops up unbidden. I want to toss her over my knee and spank her. Seeing that smirk on her face makes me want to shove my dick down her throat and test out whether she's all talk or can back it up.

"Brice, I -"

"I don't want to hear it." I punctuate my response with a hard smack to her ass that is currently at eye level.

I'll give her something to cry and choke on alright.

The thought of fucking my frustrations out on her comes to a screeching halt when I feel a wet splash down my back. I'm brought back to the present even angrier than before when I hear her wretch again.

She is the most infuriating girl I have ever had the misfortune of crossing paths with. I give her another couple of hard smacks before I throw her off, tossing her onto the ground where she continues to hurl all over my mother's beloved, Italian marble. I take a step back giving her a wide birth.

I can handle blood - I relish it, but not vomit. The acrid smell is revolting. I strip off my soiled t-shirt and unbuckle my belt to take off my jeans, toeing my shoes off in the process.

In nothing but my briefs, I consider her punishment. We're past the point of spanking. I'm considering a good lashing. However, she's barely cognizant in this state. I want her wide awake and well aware of what I'm doing and why. I coil my belt and place it on one of the side tables for later.

Once she's done, she rolls over and lays on her back next to her filth. Dirty girl. I make up my mind to take her to the dungeon downstairs. I walk around the mess and rip the sheer material of her dress taking the garment off.

The only thing she has on underneath are a pair of lace panties. Her round breasts stand at attention, the dark nipples tightening into peaks at the exposure. Despite us both being almost naked, I can't help but wonder if Mark has seen her like this. Add on the chunder mood kill and I'm beyond irate.

I grab her arm by the wrist and drag her down the stairs to the basement. I want her out of my sight and far away from anything else she could possibly ruin in the event she comes around still feeling sick. Despite my annoyance, I pick her up when she groans in protest a few steps into the stairwell. I open the doors to the cell and toss her in.

This is where my father keeps his prisoners and guinea pigs. In other words, those who have crossed him and those who have failed, having no other use but to yield their bodies to his scientific experiments. He may be brilliant but ethical he is not.

I wonder how many of his colleagues know about his human trials. What am I thinking? They probably have subjects of their own and swap notes considering their questionable morals. You don't get to the top by doing the right thing.

I hear my phone ringing upstairs and leave Soleil to retrieve it. Another wave of annoyance hits me along with the putrid smell when I reach into my jeans pocket for the device and check the caller ID - it's Hidde. I would ignore him but he never calls me unless it's serious.

"What?"

"What is wrong with you?" he bellows.

"I could give you a list, but I don't have all night. What do you want? And on second thought, what were you thinking bringing that siren to the club?"

"Believe it or not, I was only trying to help with your fixation. Speaking of which, where is Soleil?"

"Where she belongs - with me."

"Great." I note the sarcasm in his tone. "Can you bring her back here. Her friends are worried about her considering she went off with the same guy who knocked out her date."

"He's not her date. The dance is over. Whatever they had going on is over as of tonight."

"Honestly, Brice." I hear him heave an exaggerated sigh. "She's not one of your playthings. She's a family friend so if anything happens to her you'll have to answer to Oupa for it. Now tell me, where are you?"

"Plett."

"Stop fucking around. Mark is on his way to the hospital and people are leaving the club. Just tell me where you are and I'll give her a ride home myself."

"Why the fuck would I allow you to do that?"

"You selfish, spoilt, moron. I'm done speaking to you. Put her on the phone."

"No. I was generous enough to offer up the beach house in Plettenburg for the after- afterparty but you guys made other plans. So as discussed, I'll see you tomorrow and I can assure you, she's not going anywhere with you."

"I swear to god... what exactly am I supposed to tell her friends, her family? She left her phone and bag here!"

"I don't know and I don't care. This only sounds like a problem coming from your end, not mine." I hang up.

I don't know why Hidde still insists on being a pain in my ass. School is over and he's no longer headboy. What's the point of taking things so seriously? What happened to being young, wild, and free? The kind of stress he puts himself through is going to age him prematurely. If Hidde insists on coming it will take him at least a couple of hours if he takes a flight.

If it's not one thing it's the other. I can never just disappear for a few hours. Someone or something is always on my ass.

"Cod, I know you're there," I call out into the empty lobby.

I can feel his presence despite the cloak of invisibility. Thierry has disappeared and left me with this creature as my guardian. At least he's useful.

"Yes, my Lord," he asks, manifesting his fish-human, hybrid form.

"Clean this mess up," I command before I make my way back downstairs.

*

Seeing the subject of my ire sprawled out naked on the floor, I consider my feelings towards her - feelings I refused to acknowledge when Hidde asked about back at the manor a few weeks ago. I haven't even slept with her. I've had sex with numerous women but none have inspired this level of possessiveness. Beyond that, there's something deeper she stirs within that unsettles me.

Why am I so fixated on Soleil if that stupid curse has been broken? This past week away from her helped but that's because I had more pressing matters at hand. Reading old texts and scripts at the chateaux in France in order to pass my induction into the old guard.

More of my memories have returned but none that have anything to do with her. I don't have any recollection of lovers or children. Clearly, we were involved. She was probably a consort. With Thierry away, I had spent some of my time tracing the family line but there are no women who came from this far South written in the chronicles.

Cod had gathered information about her star but I had yet to read the scroll. I held off not wanting to go down this rabbit hole when I already had so much on my plate. Now that I'm back and on holiday I guess it's time to unravel the mystery that is Soleil Spellman and find out what the connection between us is.

The sudden restlessness in Soleil's drunken slumber breaks me from my musings. I watch her brow pinch as she shakes her head from side to side in distress. I'm tempted to journey into her mind through a dream walk.

Last time I attempted a memory walk, it didn't go too well with my anger at play. I hold back on my curiosity choosing to exercise some level of self control until I have my emotions in check. The prison bars separating us feel like a measure of safety, I'm just not sure if it's for hers or mine.

"No... Clovis!" I hear her mumble.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up when I recognize Hidde's true name on her lips. Instinct drives me forward despite my previous reservations.

"Clovis!" She shouts desperately thrashing on the ground.

I rush forward and kneel over her. My heart is racing. Something is wrong but I don't know what it is. With my earlier anger forgotten I lean forward and cradle her head in my hands. I can see her irises moving back and forth behind her closed lids.

I lightly trace her lids and draw unseen sigils on her forehead creating a gateway into the realm of her dreams. Unlike a memory walk, I don't have to search for what I'm looking for. The images in her mind unfold in mine as if they were my own coming from her point of view.

I see her in the woods surrounded by soldiers donning leather who are slowly closing in on her. She draws her hands protectively around her swollen belly. Her eyes close briefly for a moment before she doubles over in a pained groan.

Shit! Is she having the baby now?

When the soldier closest to her reaches for her, she leans into him, produces a knife from under her skirts and quickly stabs him in the neck a few times. He slumps over and she shoves him off.

I watch her run towards the commotion of men that rings loud with grunts and the clash of metal. Those in red are outnumbered. I seriously hope she's not thinking of throwing herself in the midst. She took out the one but this battle frenzy is another matter entirely.

She's fucking pregnant.

I watch her come to a stand still. We watch the men in brown leather fight against the ones in red. On closer inspection, I notice my crest on the red soldiers armor. It is my colors that don their capes.

The soldier in gold armor takes down one man after another before making his way to her. For a moment I think it's me until he lifts his visor to reveal... Hidde?!

"Clovis! Behind you!" Soleil shouts moving forward, knife in hand.

Hidde ducks and spins using his broad sword to chop off the oncoming soldier's leg at the knee in a swift move. Standing over the man, he swings his sword decapitating him. He looks at Soleil before he places his fingers in his mouth and whistles. A white horse runs through the fray, running down a few men as it races towards him.

"To the castle. Ride hard and don't look back," he orders her.

He lifts her onto the horse. Soleil's eyes are glossy but she's obedient. She nods her head before turning around and spurring the animal in the direction of the forest. The steed is quick and she's a surprisingly good rider.

I see my banner in the distance at the top of the highest tower before it is hidden once again by the forestry. A course of adrenaline rushes through her veins as if it were her own. In a heightened state of awareness, thundering hooves sound behind us.

Someone is trailing her.

Whoever it is gains speed and they aren't alone. Soleil keeps her gaze focused ahead and leans forward, pushing the horse to go faster. The steed picks up speed, that is until its leg gets caught in a trap, breaks and the stallion falls over throwing her back.

The dream ends when her vision goes black.

I come to with Soleil's head still cradled in my hands. She's calmed down and her eyes are still behind her closed lids. I pry them open but they're rolled back. She must have fallen into a deeper state of sleep beyond REM.

I look at her sleeping form trying to make sense of what I've just witnessed. Hidde is the reincarnation of Clovis and I am Merovech.

But who was she?

I pick her up and carry her out of the basement and up the staircase to my bedroom. I have to keep her close in case she has another dream. I place her gently on the white sheets, her brown skin and dark hair a stark contrast.

As my eyes roam her form. I remember her being pregnant. Was the baby Clovis'?

The thought of Soleil carrying Hidde's baby makes me want to murder my own cousin. He has delayed the awakening of his memories under the guise of wanting a normal teenage-hood but that will come to an end soon.

Dangerous thoughts start racing through my mind as I think back to our earlier call. What if he was trying to hook me up with the siren so that he could have her to himself? He was adamant about coming for her. Even if he does, I'm not letting him anywhere near her until I figure this shit out.

In one of the dreams she's had, she cried out my name as she ground herself into me. Had she been fucking us both once upon a time?

"The task is complete, Master Brice," says Cod pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I turn to face him and order, "Bring me your findings on Soleil's star."

"Yes my lord."

He is gone for less than a minute before he re-appears with a scroll in hand.

I unfold the material and read:

Her date of both is written next to mine. We are composite opposites meaning we could either be the strongest of allies or the worst of enemies.

We both bear the royal ark.

My elements are a balance of air and water; hers are earth and fire.

The stars of our forefathers are listed going back a millennia. Mine occupy the Northern sky and hers occupy the Southern. Some shine brighter than others and some die out. An ancestor along her line moves West and the line can no longer manifest the power of earth or fire. However, this begins their line of sight - a neutral gift.

My line has been kept pure while hers has been mixed with other families thereby diluting their power. The gift skips some generations and is passed onto others with no pattern I can discern.

As I continue down the line of our families I notice our stars have traveled parallel to each other, moving closer and closer until at last they meet and cross.

"What do you know about the history of my bloodline in these lands?" I ask Cod when I get to the end.

His beady eyes look around at nowhere in particular. After spending these past few weeks with him shadowing me, I know that's what he looks like when he's deep in thought.

"Well, unlike most nobles your lineage was quite active. From what I've studied and my memories as a young boy, the dynasty always sought to conquer foreign lands beyond their borders and continent. There are records of your navy sailing around this one but merely as a refreshment port. I'm only 500 years old, my Lord. I did my best to trace back as far as I could. There are no records of the previous millennium, Master."

"Where are the records of the port?"

"They're at the chateaux. It's merely a map and a list of supplies gathered on certain dates. That is all. I didn't think it mattered. I could get it," Cod offers wringing his hands - a nervous tick I've come to observe.

His small boy-like body heaves in distress. I sigh in exasperation.

"At ease, Cod. You can place them in my chest together with this," I hand him the scroll. "I will read them later, thank you."

I can see his shoulders sag in relief. He must not be treated very well if this is his reaction anytime I raise my voice.

"Ensure that it is secured and hidden. I don't need it getting into the wrong hands because a maid decided to clean extra thoroughly.

"Yes, my Lord. Of course."

"Before you go, any word from Thierry?"

"No, Master."

I nod my head once in understanding and dismissal.

Supposedly, Thierry is still in a council meeting. I wonder what kind of meeting is taking place if it's taking this long. It's been weeks. I'm going to need his help if I have any hope of going back two thousand years to where all of this began. Until then, I'm stuck with Cod, an unwitting seer, and an unwilling right hand to piece this puzzle together.

25 | 12 | 2023

WC 2923

✨Wishing you and your families a happy and festive holiday! Just wanted to drop by with this Christmas update!✨

PS: Brice doesn't know that Soleil was his wife or that they had a child. His memories are coming back but not those ones. Well, he's about to find out in the next chapter. Can't wait? Read ahead on REAM!