Red Eyes and Roses

Chapter 26

I was completely right.

Luna flops onto her back on the bed, her feet kicking the air. Her squeal pierces my ears loud enough to shatter glass. She went from plotting my murder to planning my wedding in seconds flat. As soon as I told her about the kiss, her whole mood changed. There was no more anger in her eyes.

After we kissed, Cerin walked me all the way back to my room. Not until after we helped clean up the mess we made. Both of us, dripping sauce and water, looked like a disaster. Guards were even going as far as giving us odd looks. None of it mattered to us. The smile on my face matched his as we walked with our hands interlocked. Even if I destroyed a dress and a suit, nothing could ruin tonight. At my door, he kissed me again. Smaller than the first, but just as real. Like a true King, he bowed to me once before walking off down the hall. The moment I was in my room, I slid down the door. There was, and still is, a smile on my face that isn't going anywhere. I didn't even get a five minute break to breathe. Luna barged into my room and demanded I explain why her brother and I are covered in food. I just blurted out that we kissed and all anger was forgotten. And now she's on my bed and I'm on the floor listening to her planning my life.

"I cannot believe that you kissed!" The emphasis on the word 'kissed' is enough to send her sitting back up. She has said the same sentence multiple times already. I roll my eyes again. I'm not sure why it's so unbelievable that her brother kissed me. He's the one who asked me on a date! "Now don't you roll your eyes at me! It's not shocking that he kissed you," she sends me a pointed look when she mentions me, "it's shocking that he kissed someone in general." I can't help but roll my eyes once more. The same man who has girls leaving his room every other night doesn't kiss people? Luna must notice the look on my face because now it is her turn to roll her eyes. "After his father passed away, he became very closed off. The twins and I were born already since his father gave our mother permission to leave him. Cerin was already on the throne as King. He started to sleep around more and more. I overheard so many arguments between him and our mom. One night, him and I got in an argument of our own. I asked him why he was wasting all of these important, romantic moments on random girls. He told me that he hasn't kissed a single one of them." Luna sends me a second pointed look. Her words have a hidden message that my lovestruck brain isn't seeing. She rolls her green eyes at me, obviously frustrated with my stupidity tonight. "Annabella, you're his first kiss."

Before I can stop it, a gasp leaves my lips. I was Cerin's first kiss? I was the first time the King locked lips with someone? He is high and mighty, the crowned King of Hell, and he's never kissed someone before. Until last night. A piece of me thinks it is a fluke. Why would he waste something so important on me? I'm a nobody both here and back home. Cerin is able to get anyone he wants with his good looks and status. It's impossible for me to be who he chooses. Right?

"Get that depressed look off of your face this instant!" Luna's voice is full of the command only a Princess knows how to use. "My brother kissed you because you're special to him. We've all told you at least five times, but you're different than anyone else here. Cerin invited you into his kingdom on the regards of you being attractive and interesting. You didn't do anything bad, you were actually on the path to Above. Cerin wanted you here and by his side." Her green eyes are glowing in the light of my room. I can picture the thoughts running through her head. She's the only girl in the family besides her mother. It must be nice for her to have a sister figure in her life. Even if I'm here under some poor circumstances, Luna is unable to hide that she adores me. It's impossible for me to act as if I don't love her either. In just a short time, I can honestly say that I see her as a sister. I see the entire Asmodeus family as a family of my own. And it would make me a liar to say that I don't have feelings for Cerin, King of Hell, Asmodeus.