Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 534: Her Darkness Ended And Aldric’s Began

Chapter 534: Her Darkness Ended And Aldric’s Began

Islinda knew she had to assert herself, to show Aldric that she wouldn’t be cowed by his presence. The intensity of her gaze bore into him, daring him to respond, demanding that Aldric take her seriously despite the vulnerability of her situation.

"What do you mean by that, didn’t you miss me?" Aldric asked, his tone unaffected by Islinda’s anger, his expression inscrutable.

"What?" Islinda stared at him, dumbfounded by his audacity. Was he kidding her right now? How could he escape from his prison and then have the nerve to claim he missed her after what he had done? Then, in a moment of clarity, Islinda realized her mistake—she forgot she was dealing with a psychopath, someone capable of such twisted logic and manipulation.

To confront Aldric effectively, Islinda would have to match his cunning and ruthlessness. With calculated precision, she maintained her sweet facade as she responded to his question.

"Oh, I did miss you too, Aldric," Her words dripped with saccharine sweetness, masking the venom that lay beneath.

Aldric’s brow lifted in surprise at her unexpected response. "You did?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"Yes," Islinda’s demeanor turned chilly in an instant, her eyes flashing. "I simply thought of several million ways I could hack you to pieces and then dump those bits into the deepest abyss of hell," she spat out, her voice dripping with disdain.

Expecting her words to rattle Aldric, Islinda was taken aback when his response was not one of shock or fear, but rather amusement. To her dismay, Aldric let out a rich chuckle, the sound reverberating deep within her. Fuck, this wasn’t the way it was supposed to go.

"So brutal," Aldric remarked, his voice laced with a disturbing mirth. "It turns me on."

Islinda swallowed nervously as Aldric’s unnerving declaration washed over her. Instead of feeling revulsion and apprehension, a strange sensation of intrigue and arousal coursed through her veins. The casual manner in which Aldric spoke of his twisted desires sent a shiver down her spine, but it wasn’t one of repulsion—it was a thrill that seemed to electrify her senses.

As the realization dawned on her, Islinda couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread. Had she delved so deeply into the darkness that she now found herself drawn to it? The gods help her, for she was unsure of where her own darkness ended and Aldric’s began.

At that moment, Islinda became acutely aware of their proximity, and a surge of panic gripped her heart. Aldric’s stronger body had pinned her to the bed, leaving her feeling vulnerable and trapped beneath his weight. His hand, now rubbing a soothing spot on her scalp, elicited an involuntary moan from her lips, betraying the conflicting sensations of pleasure and discomfort coursing through her.

"Stop it," Islinda pleaded, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and desire.

"Why?" Aldric retorted, his piercing blue eyes locking onto hers as he held her gaze captive. "Don’t you like it?" His words carried a hint of challenge, daring her to confront the unsettling truth of her own desires.

Islinda found herself ensnared in a dangerous game of temptation, torn between the allure of Aldric’s touch and the instinctual need to resist his influence. With each stroke of his hand on her scalp, she felt her resolve weakening, the lines between hatred and desire blurring in the heat of the moment. This was not how she envisioned their reunion would go.

It would have been easier to loathe Aldric if he had thrown her over his back like a caveman and whisked her away, leaving her screaming and fighting against him. But instead, he was seducing her right in bed, playing a dangerous game that left her feeling both exhilarated and unnerved. Islinda knew she had to find a way to resist his charm, even as every fiber of her being yearned to succumb to the forbidden desire that pulsed between them.

When Islinda remained silent, Aldric’s gaze traveled down the length of her body, his eyes tracing the contours of the sultry yet elegant nightgown that clung to her form. Made of luxurious silk material, the garment flowed effortlessly around her, accentuating her curves in all the right places. His eyes lingered on the tantalizing tie at the front, a subtle yet alluring detail that drew attention to the inviting expanse of her décolletage, adding to the overall allure of her appearance. Islinda felt exposed under his scrutiny, Aldric’s expression was unreadable yet filled with a primal hunger that sent her heart racing with anticipation and trepidation alike.

The palpable shift in the air made Islinda’s throat go dry, her heart pounding erratically as she sensed his intentions. "Aldric..." she pleaded, her voice a warning as his hand began to trail down her body, tracing the column of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. With a mixture of fear and anticipation, Islinda watched as his hand settled on the swell of her breast, the heat of his touch searing through the delicate fabric of her nightgown. At this point, Islinda knew she was teetering on the edge of a precipice. A plunge and she was gone.

The neckline of Islinda’s nightgown plunged low, the tie securely fastened, adding an element of anticipation as it hinted at the tantalizing prospect of what lay beneath. Aldric’s hand hovered over the tie, his gaze filled with temptation as he contemplated delicately undoing the knot, unveiling the garment’s full allure in a moment of seductive unveiling.

Islinda’s breath caught in her throat as she waited in deep anticipation, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t tell whether she was still breathing, her entire being consumed by the electric tension between them. With bated breath, she waited for Aldric’s next move, her body poised on the edge of desire and apprehension.

Instead of succumbing to the temptation, Aldric’s gaze bore into hers with a forlorn expression that cut through her like a knife. "You left me," he accused, his words piercing the charged silence between them.

"You killed me," Islinda countered, her voice laced with the same bitterness and accusation.

"Attempted to," Aldric corrected firmly. "You’re obviously still alive."

Islinda couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile at his words. If only he knew the truth.