Arthur fell down onto the bed beside Helena. He reached for her, pulling her into him.
Helena settled against his side without flinching. After everything she'd endured tonight, his touch no longer startled her. She curled her body around him, welcoming the warmth.
She nestled up against his chest and closed her eyes, a soft smile settling on her lips.
"I see you rather enjoyed that," Arthur said, holding her close.
"Yeah," Helena admitted. "I did." She let out a slow breath. "I thought I was going to pass out during the marking. But now that it's over, I feel... clear."
"Really?" Arthur glanced down at her. "None of the others felt that way."
Helena's eyes opened. She looked up at him.
"Other girls," she said. "You mentioned others earlier. How many have you marked, exactly?"
"Well…You'd be my fourth. There were a couple before them, but those were me testing out my bloodline."
"So you can remove the Mark?"
"I can. It's an expensive ritual, but my family supported it so I could learn the full scope of my bloodline."
Helena nodded. That reasoning was simple enough every noble house ensured their heirs understood their bloodline to the fullest. It was typically a major part of their power.
"So I'm the fourth," she said, nodding her head. "Would I know any of the others besides Mira?"
"Why?" Arthur grinned. "You want to meet them so you can get fucked by both me and them?"
"No, dummy." Helena smacked his chest. Her face went red. "I'm just wondering who else I have to share you with."
"Share me with? Don't act like you don't have to sleep around with others now too." Arthur's tone stayed easy.
"Don't remind me." Helena's expression darkened. "I don't want to think about such things. Especially when I already know Damien is going to force himself on me and I can't do anything about it."
She looked down, the weight of what she'd signed up for settling over her. The Mark would make her stronger strong enough to break free from Damien's chains. But the cost of that freedom meant giving parts of herself she'd spent years guarding.
"Why force yourself to only Damien?" Arthur said, rather nonchalant. "I'm sure there's someone else you could sleep with."
"It doesn't just work like that, Arthur Webb." Helena's chin lifted. "Some people can't just go around and pick up whoever they want. Some of us only do it if we truly like someone."
"Says the girl begging me not that long ago to stuff her ass full of my cum."
"..."
Helena's face went bright red. Her mouth opened and closed without producing a sound. She had become the very thing she thought she was above.
"Cough — ignoring that," Helena managed, her voice strained, "my point still stands. I can't just do it with anyone. And besides, as you said the higher the cultivation, the better. So where am I going to find someone...?"
She trailed off, holding tight to Arthur, still bare against him, her body draped across his like something sculpted from porcelain and moonlight.
Arthur scoffed. "I don't know why you're playing this out. We both know who that person is going to be."
Helena turned over and looked at him. "Who then?"
"Brandon."
The name hit her like cold water.
Helena's face went crimson a deeper red than anything Arthur had pulled from her tonight. Her lips parted but nothing came out for a full second.
"No. Brandon would never and I obviously don't like him, so that would just not work. I know —"
"Just stop it, Helena." Arthur's voice was calm. Final. "We both know he likes you, and you like him. If it wasn't for Damien, you'd both probably be together in this room instead of me."
Helena went still. Then, slowly, she curled herself into a ball against Arthur's chest, face buried against him, clearly trying to hide from the truth they both already knew.
"It's not like I don't want to," she whimpered, her voice small like a child confessing to stealing from the cookie jar. "It's just... you know. Weird. And such. You know...?"
"Hey." Arthur's tone softened. "Don't beat yourself up so much. You're a charming woman when you try. I mean, just look at today you got the gaze of every person on campus. Now, that's not what you wanted, but it shows just how much effect you have on people." He paused. "So don't get down on yourself. You can clearly charm Brandon with your womanly charms. You just have to give it a try."
Helena peeked up at Arthur through the gaps in her fingers, her hands still pressed over her face, and gazed at him.
"You really think so?" Helena said, her voice muffled behind her hands.
"I know so."
Helena closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Okay. I'll do it. If that's what it takes."
She opened her eyes. The meek, scared girl was gone and in her place, Arthur found someone who looked ready to take on the world.
"Thanks," Helena said, smiling up at Arthur. The warmth in her expression was genuinely glad to know she had his support.
Arthur smiled back, reciprocating the moment for Helena. His hands, however, had a different plan. They continued down from her shoulders, trailing lower until they settled over her breasts.
Helena gave him a sly look. "You know, it's hard to take you seriously when your hands are exploring my body."
"What? I said you were charming and a beautiful woman. What did you expect to happen?" Arthur said, his hands groping her breasts.
"Pervert," she whispered.
A vein popped on Arthur's forehead.
Ignoring her comment, Arthur grabbed at the side of Helena and pulled her up higher on his body. Giving her no chance to defend herself, he wrapped his lips around hers.
Pressing Helena's body into him, Arthur gave her no room to refute. Letting his body do the talking instead of his words.
Helena, not one to disagree, melted in his arms. She looped her arms around his neck and pulled herself even more flush against him.
Their kiss was hot and messy, especially as Arthur's hands found her breasts again. Except this time —
Pinch.
"Ow!" Breaking the kiss, Helena hissed at Arthur, who was now pulling on her nipples.
"That's what you get for calling me a pervert," Arthur said, not caring how petty he sounded.
"Really? You only kissed me because I called you a pervert?" Helena stared at him. "How much of a big baby are you?"
"I don't want to hear a word from you, Miss 'Please Cum in My Ass.'"
"Stop saying that! You can't just use that against me!"
"Oh yeah? Then don't call me a pervert." He paused. "Pervert."
"But you can call me a pervert? What a real smooth one, Mr. Webb."
They held each other's glare for exactly two seconds before Helena's lip twitched. Then Arthur's jaw cracked.
"Pfft—"
"Ha—"
And then they both laughed freely with Helena sounding like all her worries had washed away.
The laughter died down, leaving them both grinning at each other.
Arthur shook his head. "As much as I'd love to keep this going, I really do have to leave."
Helena's laughter faded. "Already?"
"I could stay. But are you sure you want Damien finding out? After everything tonight?"
Helena's face contorted. "No. No, I don't."
"Then I'd better get going."
"Yeah," Helena said, her voice dropping. "You probably should."
She looked down at the sheets, and Arthur caught the way her fingers tightened against the fabric.
"Cheer up." He looked at her. "I'll still be at the club, so we'll see each other every week. So don't be so downcast."
"Okay," Helena said quietly, righting herself up in the bed.
Arthur stood and straightened his jacket. He turned back to Helena who was sitting upright, her platinum hair mussed, icy blue eyes watching him with a softness she doesn't show often.
He crossed the distance in one step, leaned down, and kissed her. Slow and deliberate.
Helena's hand found his collar and held on for a moment longer than she needed to.
When he pulled away, her eyes stayed closed.
"Goodnight, Helena."
Her fingers slipped from his collar.
"Goodnight, Arthur."
He turned, crossed the room, and let himself out. The door clicked shut behind him, and the hallway swallowed him whole.
Helena sat in the quiet of her room, alone for the first time in hours. Her hand drifted to the spot on her body where the Mark had settled, fingers tracing the edges of something permanent.
She didn't know what tomorrow would bring. She didn't know how to explain the warmth still sitting in her chest, or why the silence in her room felt different now, less empty, more like space someone had promised to come back to.
But for the first time in a long time, Helena Lysander fell asleep without dreading the morning.
Author Note: Patreon.com/Lord_Cuckles or search up TabooQuill on Patreon.com