I stomp up to my bedroom as soon as I get home. The whole house is quiet, nobody's home yet it seems. I ran out of school as soon as the last bell rang. I ran all the way home so that I won't have to see anybody, especially Constantine. I'm such a coward, I know.

Urghh...I feel like breaking something. Something like Constantine's gorgeous face. Stupid lycan.

"You would think, after living for hundreds of years they'd understand women better." I mumble to myself. "Fine is not FINE. When I said I needed space, I meant.."

"Do you always talk to yourself, Red?"

I jump in fright, holding both my hands up to my chest. "Caspian!!!"

"Is this a normal habit of yours? Is it harmless...or should I be worried?" he drawls playfully. Caspian is sitting comfortably on my bed, casually flipping through my sketchpad.

"Oh shut up, Caspian!" I snatch the pad out of his hands. "Are you trying to kill me? You almost gave me a heart attack!"

He laughs. "Oh Genesis, even when you're mad, you're entertaining. If Constantine hadn't claimed you, I would've claimed you myself."

"How did you get in here?" I demand to know. My hands on my hips.

He grins charmingly, displaying his straight white teeth, then he glance at the wide open window.

I should've known. I really should teach these lycans how to use the front door.

"Not that it's not an honor and all that crap, but why are you here, oh Your Royal Highness?"

"Ha! You're in a foul mood...almost as bad as Constantine," he observes. My heart flips just from hearing his name. I'm hopeless.

"How very observant of you. Now why are you here, Caspian?" I really just want to be alone and wallow in self pity...and make a doll of Milan in straws and poke pins and needles on it. Then I'll gouge its eyes out, cut it into tiny pieces and burn it. Preferably doing it all while having a tub of Ben and Jerry's.

"Why, I miss you Red," he replies with injured expression. "I hardly get any chance to talk to you since we got back from Russia...and others are no fun."

I almost laugh at his glum expression. He's such a kid. Set the two of us loose together somewhere, and we're talking about the beginning of a major disaster.

"Did he ever tell you about Antonia?" he asks suddenly. "We don't talk about her much, but I expect Constantine to tell you about her." He pats a spot on the bed beside him.

"Yeah, he did," I sigh and plonk myself down. I really have no way of getting rid of Caspian, until he's good and ready to go. Maybe it's a good thing to have somebody to talk to. Even if that somebody is Caspian.

"She was like a little sister to us all. When Antonia died, it affected us deeply. Constantine especially. Though no bloodbath, he destroyed a part of the palace.

As for Milan, I know her game. She was never very nice to Antonia either...nor to Serena. We knew she won't like having you around. I guess that's why we never mentioned you in front of her.

Lazarus and Constantine are always blind when it comes to her. Sometimes I think Constantine and Lazarus see her as a replacement for Antonia. To me she'll never be that. She's completely the opposite of Antonia. Antonia was sweet, sincere, and loyal. Milan is deceitful, manipulative, and self-serving.

She wants Constantine, but she wants the crown more. When father expressed his desire to pass the throne down to me, she came to me hoping that I'll make her my mate and my queen. Now that my father threatened to hand the crown to Constantine, she's determine to dig her claws back into him."

"Oh..." is all I manage to say. I only want Constantine, I never wanted the crown. "Will you though?"

"Huh?"

"Will you ever make her your queen if you become king?"

He throws his head back and laughs. "Make that scheming, conniving bitch queen? Never. I was just having my fun with her. In case you haven't noticed, there are not many lycans around and we can only have our fun with our Aresthai or another lycan." he announces wickedly. "Genesis, I'm waiting for my Aresthai. I want what Lazarus has with Serena. I want what Constantine has with you. I'll wait forever for my Aresthai if I have to."

"So you've slept with her too," I sigh, shaking my head. "Well, I hope you find your aresthai soon...though I pity whoever that turns out to be," I jab him in the rib with my elbow.

"No, you should envy her. I mean, come on. She's getting all this," he says cockily, indicating his body with his hands.

"Oh please," I pretend to gag. He is amazingly gorgeous, but his ego is just as amazing... I don't need to inflate it further. He might explode.

"Seriously though, being a mate to a lycan is not a bad thing. I think a lycan's mate is even more powerful than the born lycan. There's a strict law against harming a mate of a lycan. Harming a lycan's mate is punishable by death, no hearing required."

"Oh...why is that? We were born as mere werewolves or humans after all, not as great and mighty as you born lycans."

He just grins at my jab. "A lycan who lost his mate is deadly. The carnage, destruction and havoc they can wreak is unimaginable. The only way to stop them from the killing spree is by killing the lycan...which is not easy to do."

I wonder if Constantine even care if anybody killed me now. "And you're telling me this because you think I regret being Constantine's mate?"

"Are you?" he asks seriously.

"Why does it matter?"

"Because you're one of us," he answers simply. "Even though you don't act like one now."

"What does..." I stop talking when I hear mom's car pulling into our driveway.

"My mom's home. You've gotta leave," I tell him.

Caspian grins mischievously and lifts his long legs up onto my bed and lies down, looking very comfortable. What the??? He's making himself right at home.

"Caspian!!!" I whisper fiercely as I listen to my mom's footsteps coming in the front door. Sometimes I feel like crashing something on top of his gorgeous, obnoxious head. This is one of those times.

"Caspian! Out!!!" I grab his hands and start pulling and tugging him up, but he's so heavy...and strong. He's not budging an inch.

I climb up the bed and put my knee on each side of him, gripping his muscled shoulders, tugging very hard. Still nothing.

All the while, he's just lying there looking very relaxed with his lips clamped together like he's trying very hard not to burst out laughing. His bright vivid green eyes are openly laughing at me. He is so laughing at me, I can see it!!!

That makes me even more determine to get him out of my bed. I put one hand at the back of his neck and another one underneath his arm and keep pulling.

"Caspian!" I groan in frustration.

"Genesis? Are you okay?" asks mom, knocking once, then my door swings open.

Oh no!!!

My mom gasps, staring at us with wide eyes. She seems frozen shock. Then I realize the position I'm in with Caspian.

I'm basically straddling him on my bed with my hands around him...and now the evil knucklehead has his both hands on my waist. We are both staring at her like she just caught us in the act of a steamy make out session or something. Arghhh!!!

"I'm sorry, sweetheart...I think I'd better go now," he says smoothly. I see the wicked gleam in his eyes as he sits up and kisses my cheek before he disappears out the window.

That royal brat!!!!! Arrrghh...he did this purposely! I will KILL him! I will slay him and feed him to hungry ducks all around the world! I will...

"Genesis," says mom sternly. "I did not raise you to be like this. Are you cheating on Constantine? With Prince Casper?"

Ha!!!! Prince Casper. Take that Caspian! I hope he's listening. I almost laugh, but then I remember how much trouble I am in right now.

"I know they're both extremely good looking, but..." mom sighs. "Come downstairs. I know, you're technically an adult now, but I think it's time we should have a proper mother daughter talk."

Oh Noooo!!!!! I. WILL. SLAY. HIM.

I think I hear his laughter from somewhere outside my window. Stupid royal brat.

*********************************************

What do you think of Caspian? Don't you think he's a naughty brat, and a sinfully delicious man candy ? 😜
Anyway, I'm out of Japan now. We're taking a small airplane this afternoon, then I'm hopping on a boat to a small island. I'm all pumped. Unfortunately that means I might not be able to update for quite a while.
Vote and comment, please. Thank you my cuddly bunnies!!!

Much love
Nicole❤