Story: Drawn Together (Chapter 12 Contd.)

Chapter-12 (MoonlightBreeze)

Radhika stirred and suddenly she knifed straight up onthe bed frantically trying to get out of the nightmare that she was in. It was frightening. It was choking her to death. Two large hands caught her throat and were choking her. Strangulating her. She was cold. So cold. She felt like a dead body.

She struggled to get out of the bed but she was held tight. She flailed her arms in a crazy effort to be free of the mangles of hell, but she couldn’t. God, help me out she screamed in her mind.

She was sweating. She was sweating and she was cold too.

“What the f**k!”She heard a curse.

Like a propel from the clutches of struggle she got out of the nightmare in a hard pull. She gasped and took a deep breath in. Her lungs filled with the air from the contorted pain. It brought back the life of her. She blinked rapidly and her sleepy strained eyes caught the sight of his body under her own flailing one.

“You’re here! and you’re cursing!”She cried and held onto to his neck for the dear life.

She was now on top of his body and all over strangulating his breath, but she couldn’t let go of his strength and his hard warm body. It gave her a strength too.

“God, I never felt so good listening you curse.”She hiccupped in a sharp intake of breath.

A deep suffering gravellygroan of pain travelled into her ears. She felt now his hands completely go into her tank top and he held bare waist in a tight grip warm grip of warm palms.

“Baby, if you keep rubbing your body like that on mine, in just minutes I’m sure you’ll be screaming about something else.”He breathedharshly breathless and huskily into her ear.

Radhika froze. She stopped moving completely. Her body went straight and she saw that both of her legs were around his waist. Her cheeks burned and reddened. In a quick snap her eyes caught his in the dim slivery light coming in threat from the window. His eyes were sleepy, harangued, heated, dilated and warmand she got off his body in a jump and low squeak.

The remnants of the nightmare just flew away listening to his scandalous words. Heavens, how can he talk like that….like so..so…she failed to trip any vocabulary right now to curse him. She forgot all about the wild beating of her heart and cooling of her body. If it was cold before, it sure now was warmed up.

“What are you doing in my bed?”She raised her voice indignantly trying to cover up the blush spreading in a blooming pink all over her body.
She scrambled to the far side of the bed scowling at his face.

She saw his face as the shadowed light fell on his face. He seemed blinking back the winks of sleep. The dark thatched locks of hair fell over his forehead and he looked as innocent like a little kid.

He grinned suddenly and caught her leg, her eyes widened when he pulled her body towards his.

“That’s not what I heard when you were clutching my bodyin a desperate grip.”He mocked her in a hoarse voice affected mostly by the deep slumber.

She only glowered back, and pushed at at his arms which surrounded her shoulders like iron bands.

His brown eyes slid all over her face in a warm swipe.

“I have never seen anywoman blush so easilythis much like you do.”He slid his left hand thumb finger over her heated cheek in a caress.

Her cheeks warmed up more and he chuckled lightly.

Any woman? How many did he see? Her mind growled in anger. Of course, he had seem a woman, and many indeed. Radhika suddenly remembered the many women he had been clicked with,which appeared all over the magazines and paparazzi articles she had seen and read lot of times. It was just a wonder that and ironic also as howshe got married to the same man she had snickered mockingly while reading stuff about him. She had thought then, what a playboy, now look fate had tangled her with the same many princesses prince charming of her mind’s curious wondering.

Radhika pushed hard and sat up on the bed.

“Then don’t talk insuch way.”She retorted hotly and got off the bed.

He caught her hand lightly while still lying on the bed. He had a frown drawing up his brows in a strain.

“Where are you going? Come back to bed.”He said sleepily and gravelly.

Radhika’s mind abruptly thronged with the terrible feel of the nightmare still clutching her neck in a nightmare. The same nightmare she got while staying at her parents house. She gulped hard, she always used to get it usually while trying to sleep. It had been a long it came tonight and she knew why. Her right cheek burned with a sharp stinging pain of her father’s harsh hand print.

“I’m not going to sleep tonight.”She said hastily in a panic.

He looked back into her eyes leisurely. His eyebrows sharp and defined cleared and straightened up on the bed.

“Nightmare?”

Radhika tried to draw back the rising anxiety but it stayed like that making her uneasy and sombre.

“Yes.”She replied evasively.

He tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes, holding her hand now morefirmly.

“What about?”He insisted in a curious voice.

Radhika looked down into his eyes and she hesitated. His eyes locked completely with hers and he seem to understand the deep clawing pain swirling in her heart. His eyes lost the narrowed hardness and glint. She stood there like that with her hand in his and her anxiety seem to calm with his understand. He nodded his head and she felt relieved that he didn’t insist on with the questions.

He let go of his hand, and Radhika turned around. She heard a rustling and he seem to get out of bed. In a second his hand circled around her waist. Radhika craned her neck up and looked to the side into his eyes.

“Where are you going?”She asked quizzically.

His left eyebrow raised at her tone.

He didn’t have to accompany her in the middle of the night. He looked really tired and haggard she thought worriedly a little.

“You don’t have to tag along with me.You can go back to sleep.”She said firmly, nodding her head in the direction of the bed.

Both of his eyebrows raised up and a look annoyance coloured his features. Radhika frowned, now what did she say that he was looking at her like that. Like she was some weird impossible creature.

“You’re ordering me to sleep?”He asked her in a hard voice.

Radhika’s head snapped back. Oh, gee, he was angry now, why? She put her hands over her hips ready with a retort.

“You can order me to sleep but I can’t, what kind of rule is that?”She questioned in an argumentive tone.

His face now turned into stone mask. His hand flexed on her waist.

“You’re going to argue with me now in the middle of the night. f**king fantastic..”He growled and moved forward removing his hands from her waist.

Radhika scowled heavily at his back.
“I told you that I don’t like you cursing. Why do you keep on doing it when….”Her disgruntled responsecut off in the middle of the sentence as he turned around in a quick move, and glared down at her in a look filled with pure warning.

Good god, her head snapped back.

Radhika gulped and moved back. She covered it up her fear with a raise of her hand in a brush off.

“I…I..I’m not afraid of you.”She said in a false drew up of courage.

Her voice faltered though looking at his black glare. He shook his head and his eyes became arrogant and lazyas if laughing at her. Her lipscurled and pursed. Oh, how confident he was. He really prided on his looks and personality. He always looked down at her with an air of a royalty and glanced about at her way, as if she was a servant in his castle. Radhika snorted at that thought. As if she will be his servant or it would be other way around,it would will be very clear in the future. She thought about it, but that wouldn’t bethepossibility of him being anything less than royal even if he turned like that. She blinked, where were her thoughts going again.

He stared down at her and gave her a weird look.

“Where did you go now?”He asked her with a raised eyebrow.

He did really now questioned her state of mind.

The moonlight played a hue of slivery shade over the lines and angles of his face. His eyes shadowed but a stream of a bright spark fell on her face from his intent gaze. He looked really good, even though it was night and he just woke up from the deep slumber he was in. Something else too coloured his features. A kind of sensitiveness feathered over the corner of his eyes and lips, like he was in some sort of in strain. His eyebrows furrowed and his lips moved. He was asking her something again.

“Huh?”Radhika responded and came out of the observatory fog of her eyes sliding all over his face.

His head snapped back and his eye narrowed at her answer.

“And she calls me strange.”He muttered frustratedly under his breath.

She very well heard it even though he spoke in a low tone. Her hips cocked to the right side.

“I heard it.”She shot back snottily.

He just ignored her stance, turned around and kept walking. Radhika frowned, eh? Where was he going? Well, if he can ignore her, so can she. She drew up her chin in the air and walked too, she ran walked and when she crossed his stride,she slowed down in cool nonchalance. But just as she moved forward, his hand curled around her bicep and he stopped her walk, and looked down at her.

“Where are you going?”He asked in a husky whisper.

She gave him a ‘duh’ look and slid her eyes to the aisle of the kitchen in an indication.

“To the kitchen, obviously.”She snorted.

His jaw locked tight and hegripped harder her bicep.

“You’re not.”He decided.

Radhika’s eyes widened at his sharp tone. Heck with it, how dare he order her around. She gavehim a determined narrowed eye.

“Of course, I’m gonna.”

He only grunted in reply.

“I don’t trust your clumsiness in my kitchen.”He grunted in displeasure.

Radhika gasped. She was clumsy? He thought she was clumsy? But her glowered up moodpacified a little.

“It’s now my kitchen too.”She replied to his low growl of irritation.

His eyebrows cleared of thefurrow suddenly and his eyes softened immediately. He loosened the grip on her arm and sighed.

“Fine.”He agreed in a very disagreeable tone.

Whatever, Radhika rolled her eyes and proceeded to walk breezily.

She reached the kitchen and looked back still walking.

“See your kitchen is safe and sound…no harm done. I don’t know why you think that I’m…”She started on, but his eyes widened a little.

“Careful!”He warned her sharply.

But she already collided with the counter and her hands flailed to protect herself from the fall. In the process to do that, her hands pushed off the white shinning China plates from the counter. They fell to the floor in a loud breaking sounds one after the other.

Radhika cringed, winced and flinched at each crack of the plates.

“Clumsy…”She completed her previous sentence and trailed off after itlooking downat the disaster.

She heard him move and he came around and slid down on the floor on his hunches.

He grabbed a broken piece from the floor and slowly looked up at her.

Radhika’s throat strained while taking in an audible gulp looking at him stare up at her. His jaw hardened and ticked.

She blinked several times with violent thudding of heart. He didn’t utter a word. That’s the danger of his anger, his silence, it has enough power to shatter even the seacalm, she observed and studiedthis thing of his nature very well.He slid up and Radhika jerked back a few steps.

His face was blank and his eyes shuttered.

“Clean the mess.”He clipped through tightly held lips.

He seem to somehow control his rising temper. Thank god, she whispered in her mind.

Radhika nodded her head vigorously and went about finding a dust bin. She found a plastic one at the corner of the refrigeratorand shehurried down to pick up the pieces hastily.

“Don’t cut yourself.”He admonished her again.

Radhika just gave him a light facetious smile, but inside she was scowling. He went around the kitchen and started rummaging pots and pans.

He was making something or sorts. Radhika cleaned up the floor, went around the kitchen and washed up her hands.

She observed that he was heating up milk in a bottomed out vessel. She smiled a wide one.

He took out a container. It had some light green powder in it. When he opened the cap of it she got the scent of cardamon. He slid three pinch’s of it in the milk and stirred it with a spoonalong with dropping two cubes of sugar. He took out another glass container. It was a mixed dry fruit powder and slid five spoonfuls of it in the milk. It smelled heavenly.

“You’re making it for me?”She asked cheerily.

He looked down sideways at her. His eyes slid all over her face and strayed to her lips a second, then he slid his gaze to her eyes.

“No.”He said shortly.

Radhika lost her smile slowly and her expression turned haughty, and her jaw locked at his arrogant attitude.

He averted his face and poured the slightly heated lukewarm milk in a glass. Radhika’s mouth slid open a little, as he slowly finished off the milk in one go. Her eyes rounded and she gulped as he put the empty glass down on the counter. She glanced down into the bottomed out pan and saw that it was empty.

“You left me nothing.”She sputtered looking up into his flat eyes.

He just shrugged.

“Make your own.”He muttered in a drawl and wiped his mouth showing grandly that it was delicious.

Radhika fumed up and pushed off the counter and walked forward in a huff. She moved in fast glides.

He was such a guy. Rude and callous.

Before she could take a step any further, he got around and stood before her like ashield.

She sighed in irritation.

“What?”She asked coldly.

His eyes narrowed at her tone.

“Where are you going?”

Radhika stared back flatly.

“Out.”

His lips quirked up a little.

“No you’re not.”He decided firmly.

Radhika’s eyes narrowed too.

“Watch me.”She replied humorlessly in snort and moved forward.

His hand came around like a brand on her waist. He hooked her up to his chest and she blinked and gasped at that.

His face was only mere inches away from hers. She could smell cardamon on his breath falling on her lips in a warm swipe.

His eyes went down to her body and more down to her legs.

“You’re wearing pajama bottoms. “He murmured huskily.

Radhika froze realising that all this while she was roaming around in such an attire. Oh, heck, how embarrassing.

“So?”She questioned at his observation.

His eyes snapped back to hers in irritation. The brown of his eyes turned wry in shade.

“You’ll catch cold. Go change.”He muttered in a low tone still tugging at her tank top.

Radhika squirmed and laughed a little unconformably.

“I’m fit as a fiddle,I never get sick or…”She started but her sentence cut off when a sneeze stung her nostrils making her face as red as a tomato.

His eyes froze and his jaw locked. His hand tightened on her waist.

“Go change and wear a thick wool coat.”He hissed hovering over her lipsin an apathetic whisper.

Radhika pursed her lips in a sulk.

“I don’t wanna.”She replied in a petulant and sullen murmur.

His expression became sombre and more darker and dangerous, but he held it and a slow lazy hue entered into his leisure gaze.

His hand went down to her hips. Radhika eyes widened and her breath got caught at his probing fingers.

“I could very well undress you….I don’t have a problem… In fact it would be….”He murmured gravelly in a whisper over the skin of her forehead.

She whimpered and propelled out of his hands immediately. She cursed under her breath, moved away and turned around. She ran walked fast but not before she heard his amused chuckle from behind.

Radhika got into her room, changed into pajama pants and put on a parkha coat that reached up to her feet.

She looked at herself in the mirror and stared. She looked like an Eskimo, but stouter. Radhika groaned. She felt like as if travelling to the north pole.

Whatever, she could care less now about appearance. She walked dragging her feetreluctantly outside to the hallway. He was waiting there too, wearing a black sweater coat with high collar around his neck and he looked like a Victoriannovel hero as he stood so tall and handsome near the hearth of the fireplace and Radhika felt completely out of depth. He was way far and out of her league. Even if she tried hard, she couldn’t come as far suitable to his manly physique. That unsettled her.

She sighed and walked up to where he stood. She faced him and he looked down at herand her attire in an amused swipe of eyes.

“I know, I look like a stout lost gypsy.”She mourned looking down herself.
He chuckled lightly.

“That’s true.”He agreed in an amiable tone.

Radhika glared up into his eyes.

“You could have at least protested.”She bantered.

He smiled mockingly. He grunted in sneer.

“Why would I. You came up with that one yourself.”He countered, and walked in a saunter outside of the hall.

Ugh! It was pointless arguing with him. He was such a stuck up prince.

She shook her head and followed in cue of his long strides. He opened the door and a gush of frigid air hit her face in a shape lash. Radhika gasped and moved closer and deeper into his side.

“You’re right. It’s cold.”She whispered as white puff of air escaped her lips while talking.

He just placed his hand around her back and pushed her body into warmth more in response.

Both of them walked out in the open and outside down to the porch. A thick whitemist surrounded the woods around in a spreading in a circle around the mansion. Radhika looked back at the large red brick pillars almost disappearing in the fog up in the darkened inky black sky. The mansion looked ghostly now, and suddenly she got a thought, she hadn’t exploredall the five floors and the numerous round balconies it has to each room, coated with thick green creepers and begonias vines hanging by the balcony walls. It really looked something out of an eighteen century architecture. Antique, mystical and mesmerizing. It surely must have a history and some scandalous story. Radhika wised know about it badly, and abruptly remembered that at the back wing of the mansion there was a huge library filled with many books and old wooden large racks. Surely she could find something there.

As she was ruminating about it, he suddenly moved away and Radhika shivered as abrupt cold spread around her skin. She frowned when he walked to the garage.

“I don’t want to get in the car.”Radhika stopped him in a shout.

He froze and turned around instantly. Helooked tired and irritated.

“What do you want to do then?”He asked softly in a suffering sigh.

Radhika grinned at his helplessness. That’s good. Nice punishment for marrying her forcefully. He shouldn’t have done that, now see, poor him, he looked already half dead except his arrogance was still.

“I want to walk.”She replied still grinning widely.

He started at her as if she was crazed and looked around at the mist.

“Fine, but I will not be responsible if you die of pneumonia.”He growled low and slid his hands in the coat pockets.

He had a fierce scowlwritten over his jaw and face while he crossed her and kept walking. Radhika jumped and ranwalked after his longer steps. She reached towards his side and lockedher hands aroundhis right bicep. Itflexed in response as he looked down at her while walking. Radhika burrowed more into his warmth. She smiled up into his face and he gazed down at her lips unblinkingly.

Radhika sighed while walking and looked up at the sky. It covered in black clouds and the silvery round moon somehow peaked through the moving mist.

“It’s full moon.”She whispered and peered around in the woods and she squinted…”Do you think there are any humans turning into wolves at this time…that would be very interesting to watch.”She murmuredexcitedly.

He suddenly stopped walking and Radhika frowned up into his eyes. He looked down at her in a look so sardonic and ridiculing that she just shut up for a second.

“What?”She asked quizzing her right brow up.

He just shook his head and proceeded to walk forward.

Great, he really was like a wall. His face was granite, his body was a hard cut toned and strong, except he barely shows anything in his face, but except patronising and mocking. Well, there was so much oftime. He will come around eventually, she knew that for sure.

They kept walking on the roadin comfortable silence.

“Are you done now?”He asked finally.

Radhika peered into the woods and saw a large wild tree. There was a wooden old rattling elongated bench and the mist was really circulating around in thick film of white coat.

Her heart jumped up excited.

“Let’s go there!”She shouted out eagerly.

He glared down at her now in serious irritation.

“Are you f**king crazy. It’s god damn cold. You’ll freeze to death.”He thundered down at her.

Radhika drew back surprised at his tone. Her smile dimmed and so did the light in her eyesand adeep forlorn look marred her face.
His eyes softened suddenly and the lock of his jawloosened. He sighed deeply a suffering breath. He drew her closer and looked down into her eyes.

“Alright, but not more than ten minutes, is that clear?”He muttered through gritted teeth.

Radhika brightened up and nodded her head vigorously in assent. She walked faster and fluttered like a colourful butterfly.

Arjun sighed in exasperation. f**king hell, how did he ever dream of having a kid with her. She herself was one, but the puppy dog eyes she just put up on her face almost dissolved his defences against her that he thought to strengthen a wall between them. He suddenly envisioned a little three year old girl looking up at him sullenly and kicking his feet hard and running away giggling making his life hell in the process. He shivered in terror. What a nightmare. He was never going to think of a kid for a very long future.

He followed her trial and walked up to the tree where the wooden bench was dug into the moist ground. She jostled around trying to tear off it’s legs from the soil. There were lot of memories he had of this place. Nostalgia crept into his soul and saddened his thoughts. He had no idea why he had bought her here in the first place. His thought abruptly cut off when he heard a creak of wooden bench. He frowned at her bent figure in irritation.

What the f**k was she doing now? If this goes her not sleeping in the night at all, it was going to be a living hell from nowon. If he knew she waswired in the head weird, he wouldn’t have married her, but now she was bent on trying and grating at his nerves.

His eyes turned cold and he grabbed her waist. She squealed but he made her stay put in his lap while he sat down on the bench.

Radhika gasped. She tried to move off his lap but he held herthere more firmly.

“What the hell are you doing?”She spluttered.

What the hell really, she thought in her head. He was always touching her and she didn’t like it.

His right hand index finger slid over her lips.

“Shhh…”He whispered, settled more comfortably on the bench with his arms around her tightly, he closed his eyes. He closed up legs inside his coatcompletely and pushed her head inside the coat and on his chest. He drew the coat around her in a blanket.

Radhika squirmed but his hand tightened more around her waist. She looked up into his face. His face cleared off the frown and scowl and it loosened the tightness over the drew up lines of his features.

She stared and stared for more than two minutes as his breath turned slow and evened out falling warmon her face. What in the?!? He was falling asleep.

How can he fall asleep, she sighed and sagged back into his chest. She listened to the calm beat of his heart under his chest. His heat was spreading across all over inside her bones.Though her nose was cold, she calmed down a little. Radhika closed her eyes and drew her legs closer. She felt his serenity creep into her soul, some of the frantic anxiety died down as she wrapped her arms around his waist. He sighed and burrowed her deeper unconsciously into his body. Her eyebrows strained suddenly as she felt the moment freeze in her memory. Her throat convulsed abruptlyand her face scrunched up suddenly. A lone tear followed by another, the salt dropsrolled down her cheek on wetted his tshirt over his chest. A silent sob escaped her lips and she felt him stiffen immediately. His hand slid into the coat and he pushed up her chin inthe view of his eyes. His eyes sleepy yet alert.

Arjun felt the first sob rake her body and he stiffened abruptly in his sleep. His eyes snapped open and his hand instinctively drew up her chin. Large drop of tears rolled down her right cheek. He felt the teardrops abosrb into his tshirt and wethis skin. It splintered where it slid over his chest. Her lower lip quivered and he caressed it with his thumb finger.

“What’s wrong?”He asked her hoarsely with voice affected heavily with sleep.

She just shook her head and sniffed a little. His mood became grave at her noncommittal nod of head. What would it take for her to talk. She still behaved as if he was a stranger, that she couldn’t trust him with anything. That he did not like. His hand flexed on her waist tight, she winced and looked back into his eyes frowning. What was she doing with him still, she could just leave. She made him feel like a villain in all this, and acted as if like a sacrificial lamb. He got up abruptly and slid her down on the ground all the while grinding his teeth in irritation.

He turned around to walk but her sudden screech teared apart his eardrum. Damnation, she was going to make him deaf in no time.

Radhika screamed suddenly when she glanced at the distantlight coming from the shadow of the woods. It seemed like a small house. What? How? From where? And suddenly she saw a dark silhouette of a figure moving near the window. The hair of her back raised in chill looking at it.

“Oh my god!”She whispered in a low slow fear and also curiosity.

Just then he turned around andglowered down at her, but she didn’t care and wriggled his hand furiously.

“T..t..there is a small house..”She pointed her hand frantically at the way of the window.

He straightened suddenly and glanced across at where she pointed and looked back at her flatly.

“It’s theouthouse of the mansion.”He replied dryly.

Radhika peered in the darkness. Outhouse?She didn’t observe any outhouse while she moved here but she hadn’t got the time to explore, hadshe. She saw again the silhouette move and Radhika screeched again. She bit her nails into his arm.

“There is someone moving in there.”She spluttered fast and gasped with widened eyes.

He stiffened suddenly and looked back at the distant house. His body went stone beside to her.

“Go back into the mansion.”He clipped in a dangerous voice.

Radhika froze and she scowled at his back.

“It might be a ghost. I want to see it.”She whined petulantly still wriggling around his hand.

His head snapped back down at her and he gave her a look so ominous that abruptly she let go of his hand.

“Are you f**ked up in the head? I told you to get in the house didn’t I, so blo*dy get in the house.”He growled down at her in a thunderous voice.

He enunciated the last four words slowly in a grating anger.Radhika winced at his tone. Jeezseems like he finally lost his patience, but she didn’t care anymore his threatening look.

“You get to see theghost but I can’t. It’s not fair.”She murmured in an low tone.

His nostrils flared up and he looked down at herin complete exasperation and vexation.

He grabbed her waist and pulled her up and carried her under his strong arm. Radhika gasped, beat around her legs and flailed her arms.

“Hey! Put me down!”She shouted and clawed at his arm around her waist.

He gave her adeaf ear to her shouting and proceed to carry her like that, as if holding a newspaper under his arm. He didn’t seem to mind her weight.

Radhika stopped struggling and sighed pouting.

“Alright, alright, I won’t go there. Please, put me down now.”She gave up.

He stopped abruptly.

“Really?”He asked her still not believing her.

“Really.”She replied in a huff,and rolledher eyes at his suspicious tone.

He put her down slowly and turned her around. Radhika acted fast,

“Look there is a pigeon!” She shouted pointing over his shoulder, and when he turned his head, she pushed at his hands and broke into a run, guffawing in complete mirth. She didn’t care if she laughed unladylike. She turned her head mid run and laughed at his shocked face.

“Last one to reach is a donkey.”She sing sang in shout and a mock.

His face was of complete shock.

“You little elf.”He gritted.

His face turned thunderous at that and he growled in a war cry. His feet thudded after her and Radhika’s eyes widened at that. Uh oh, crapity crap, she squealed again and ran faster. She stumbled at a few rocks and twigs.

“Careful!”He grunted behind her.

Radhika fastened her run and she saw the woods get cleared and the house get into her view. She reached around a bushy tree and pushed away a few branches and twigs. Her chest moved up and down in exertion.

She stared at the window but it was all dark. Radhika frowned, just moments ago she saw someone move but now it looked marooned and unused. She stiffened when suddenly his hard front hit her back. He was gasping for breath harshly.

“Don’t do that again.”He warned her dangerously.

She pushed away to walk forward but a running figure coming towards her, frightened her and she jumped back into his arms. Her legs went around his waist of his right and she clung onto his neck.

A short stout dark man came frantically in a strange walkand stood before them. He looked very much human. A very frightened human.Crap, it scared the day lights out of her.

“Sir, please don’t enter into the house. It’s haunted.”The young weird looking guy, maybe a watchman warned in a frightened shaken voice.

Radhika slid down and sighed in relief.

“What are you doing in the house…go gaurd the quarters.”He ordered the poor shivering guy in a critical condescending.

Radhika sighed in irritation. The guy just scrambled off in fear.

“Why the hell are you shouting at the poor guy. You’re such anaristocrat.”She number under her breath.

He didn’t reply to her but peered up at the shutters of the top room. Radhika followed his gaze and she gasped and staggered back looking at a dark figure standing near the window, but it moved away again.

“Di.. Di…did you see?”Radhika stuttered in a whisper and gasp.

“Yes.”He replied instantly in a very hard voice.

Arjun’s heart rate sped. He remembered the car accident and his anxiety increased. Was someonesent to harm them? He looked down at her bent head. Her father would stoop to any lengths of down. His arm went around her waist tight. His protective instincts roared up. He glared down into her big round hazel brown eyes.

“You’re not going back into the mansion,are you?”He bit out in question, as he already knew the answer to it very well.

She shook her head vigorously in negative.

His jaw hardened at that. Impossible woman.

“Get behind me and stay closer.”He ordered her and slid her body behind his

She tried to protest but he pulled ather left handhard and her front plastered to his right arm. He entwined their fingers together firmly.

“I really am liking this ghost hunting..”He heard her happy excited sweet travel into his ears like a play of music strings.

He lost his focus and intent when he glanced downsideways at her. His gaze arrested on her radiant face visible from the silvery hue of the moonlight falling from atopof the dark cloudy sky.

The well defined eyebrows, the light in her eyes excited, happy, fearful yet daring, the permanent fresh blush covering her round cheeks, the red luscious raspberry flavoured lips of hers spread wide in a smile made his lips to quirk up a little too. The strain left his body as he was busy observing the pass of many expressions in the gap of only a minute. She was amusing at times, but was mostly very annoying twenty four seven. He kept gazing down at her face until they entered into the house by passing the front porch.

Radhika pushed at his shoulders getting uncomfortable at his constant stare on her face.

Her eyes strayed to something moving in a white ghostly form with she didn’t see any legs. Her widened and she screamed.

“G..g..ghost!”She shouted in his ear.

He cursed heavily and followed her gaze, and ran forward. Radhika followed right after.

Arjun looked around the hall. Most of furniture was still covered under the white cotton sheets, but he froze when he saw a couch without any covers and boxes were strewn around. Bottles and wrappers and he understood finally it was a stray homeless guy living. He looked at he moving figure under the white sheet, it was luminous because the man was using a light under it. His eyes fell down to the rollers with which he hid his legs.

It wasn’t a ghost but a homeless hoarder. Arjun calmed down abruptly. The man was scaring off people so that nobody would him out. Old aged trick, he snickered. The form moved away to another room.

“See…I told you, it was ghost.”She whispered clutching on to his bicep in a tight grip.

He glanced down at her as the breath of raspberries hit his nose while she slid up on her tip toes to hang onto to his arm. The whole night she was teasing his senses with her hesitant touches and gasps, now it was time for himto take something of her.

Radhika froze suddenly when his hand surrounded her waist and he pulled her up onto his chest.

Her breath got caught as his lips softly grazed on her right cheek where it throbbed. She turned stone when kissed her there like feather touch on her skin again and again. His hand tightened on her waist and squeezed hard. She felt an anxiety suddenly remembering the slap. She stiffened feeling different things altogether.

“This is the reason of your nightmare, yes?”He murmured in a very husky tone.

She gulped hard. Her come turned mute again and her legs turned rubbery. He abruptly put his forehead on her burning one. His eyes heated and warm caught hers. Both of his hands cupped her cheeks.

“Nobody is going to hurt you again. I promise.”He whispered fiercely and very intently.

Radhika took the sweet painful promise in and her heart thudded in response to his touch. Her eyes watered and her lips turned up a little in a smile.

He stared and his eyes locked on her lips, then they snapped back to her gaze in a lock. And with wonderment filling her eyes, she saw his lips turn up too in a light boyish smile and a throng of pleasure ran into her blood, looking at the same heart clenching, sunshiny, white cloudy, raindrops glittery, bright sparkly smile of his. It was intimate and warm, but after the blink of hereye lashes it was gone and Radhika scowled. Why to smile if he can’t smile fullest. Well, at least she got that one, right?

Radhika’s eyes strayed to the side and she saw the white bright foamy ghostly figure travel in the corridor. She pushed away and ran towards itexcited to encounter a ghost. It would make her night, she thought happily.

“Hey! Wait!…”She shouted.

“blo*dy hell.”She heard a growl behind her.
She didn’t care and ran towards the figure. It turned around and slivery round eyes widened, and moved faster away from her. Eh?!?!? Why was the ghost running away from her. It seems to beafraid of her. What puny ghosts are these days, she thought disappointedly.

Radhika ran faster and her right hand reached out to catch it, but instead of expecting only air, she got a handful of a cloth. She frowned and tugged hard. The white sheet came off, and two pair of black frightened eyes caught Radhika’s shocked gaze. It wasn’t a ghost but a teenager. He looked frantic but looking over her shoulder, he muttered a few curses and ran away.

“Hey! Wait…”She tried to run after poor thin kid, but she was pulled back when a large hand circled around her waist.

She was turned around harshly and a pair ofvery angry and thunderous eyes caught her widened gaze.

“If you do that again, swear to godI’m going to spank you so hard that you’ll see onlystars in your eyes for the next half an hour.”He growled down at her, his hands bit into her waist.

Radhika jumped at his thunderous voice. She winced and folded back in fear. Her cheeks heated up listening to his words.

“I…I..I…thought it was a ghost.”She whispered in a voice affected low by his sound scolding.

He glared down at her, really thinking that she was crazy if she thought it was a ghost.

Radhika was highly disappointed of it not being a ghost. Seems like the teenage homeless kid was staying here finding no place, and she seems to scare him off forever, she thought worriedly.

She blinked up feeling totally admonished, he only shook his head and turned around walking.

“Crazy f**king woman.”He kept cursing repeatedly under his breath.

Radhika opened her mouth to protest against his heavy cursing but she thought against it when his hands turned into fist. It seemed like he controlling his anger to not throttle her to death. She gulped hard and remained mute. She didn’t want to die this early in life or get murdered in his hands. Her head turned to the side again.

She still peered around at the way the kid escaped. Poor him, she kept thinking worriedly.

“You coming?”He bit out from over his shoulder.

Radhika jumped and hurried after his long strides. She stayed silent by his side afraid that he would really carry on his threat.

He grabbed her waist and moved her fast, Radhika pursed her lips at his harshness. He seem to think that she would break into a run again, but she already tired now and finally was feeling sleepy. She still looked her over shoulder while walking.

He still kept glaring at her while they entered the mansion. Warmth filled her body when the fireplace heated the hallway with it’s bright flames. She removed the coatand he too did, but before he could turn around she tried to tip toe and escape to her room fast but his cutting hard voice froze her to the floor.

“Where do you think you’re going?”He asked in a grave deep burring voice.

Radhika closed her eyes and kicked herself for not moving faster out of the hall. Well, fate never helped her, did it. She sighed and turned around with her heart racing.

He hand his hands folded of his chest and he looking across at her complete belligerent yet poker face. He had on a grey sweater tshirt and black track pants. The lines and angles of his fafila muscles were haggard and tired. He looked really really as in really pissed off. She blinked rapidly and her throat convulsed.

“I…I…I..was going to my room.”She replied stutteringly.

His eyes narrowed and his jaw grinded. Oh gee goodness, god and goddess in heaven, he wasn’t just pissed off, he looked murderous and predatory.

“Why?”He asked in a low drawl of voice, his eyes though were sharp and unforgiving.

“To sleep.”She manage to speak out the words in a squeak.

His narrowed eyes turned cold and his shoulders became granite at her answer.

He prowled towards her and Radhika’s eyes widened, she stepped back instinctively.

“After all that f**king drama in the middle of the god damn night, now you’re feeling sleepy…you little devil’s spawn!”He roared and charged up at her and Radhika screamed.

She turned around to run but he again grabbed at her waist sliding her body easily under his arm. She again flailed her arms and legs in the air.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!….what should I do if I can’t sleep….I told you to stay in bed, but you didn’t listen and …”Radhika screamed a little trying to push off his hand around her waist.

“And what?huh? I should have slept and let you create havoc everywhere?”He questioned her still growling.

She felt mollified at his patronising sharp stinging tone.

“I don’t create havoc.”She murmured pouting in a sullen whisper.
He chuckled darkly now. Good god, seems like she woke up the devil in him. That’s what happens if he didn’t get his sleep? This point she noted down in her mind for the future.

“Cute as hell, baby, but that innocent voice and puppy dog eyes wouldn’t work on me, so beat it.”He warned in a snap and rattled her body hardto put some sense in her mind.

Radhika stopped struggling and folded her hands as he jostled her body to and fro and carried her to his room.

He threw her body on the bed rudely and she tried to scramble away, but he was fast as his body fell down on hers. Radhika’s breath whoosed out at that.

He caught her failing arms and pushed them up over their head.

“Don’t make me carry on theearlythreat.”He warned her again,narrowed cold eyes on hers.

Her head pushed down on the pillow. She stopped struggling and his hold slackened while his eyes lost the narrowed gaze on her face. He was panting hard as he had carried her all the way from the hall. He looked completely tired.

He slid away and fell on his back on the bed beside to her still breathing hard.

“Damnation, what the f**k do you eat.”He growled still andstrained to breath and muttered curses heavily.

Radhika’s cheeks heated and burned. Her wholebody burned and went taut. She had a sizzling retort buzzing on her tongue to let out but looking at his glare she shut up. He seem to have enough of her jittery company tonight. Oh fine then, she planned to remain mute but only for the time being.

“Good.”He muttered again at her silence, as now he seem to get his harsh breaths to normal, but his hand still held her wrist hard.

Oh, sigh, he seem to think that she would still away, but she wasn’t going to for now. She turned to his side and settled under the covers comfortably. He kept the glare like that but he drew far away from her to the other side of the bed, but he still had his hand locked with hers.

“Sleepy yet?”He asked her softly now, turning to her side on the left.

“Very.”She murmured in a drugged whisper of sleep.

Her droopy eyeslooking into his still displeased and irritated brown eyes. Radhika drew her hand and circled her delicate fingers with his long ones in a clasp and warm entwine. He looked down at their entwined fingers then back into her very sleepy eyes. He sighed and it seemed all the anger seem to drain away in forgivenesslooking at her face for more than a second intently. The brown in his eyes warmed up sliding all over her features. He tugged at her hand.

“Come here.”He murmured huskily.

He dragged her body slowly to hisand she burrowed herself on his chest, flinging her legs over his in a lock. He drew up the covers over her, his chest moved up and down in warm serene breathing now. His strong arm covered her back drawing her more into hard body in a protective cacoon.

Radhika sagged and snuggled comfortably on his chest.

“No nightmares.”He ordered her sleepily in a whisper over her forehead.

“No nightmares.”Radhika agreed softly in a dreamy haze.

His hand flexed on her waist and both of their breaths evened out falling asleep in deep connectingslumbers of their own,becoming one,dreamless,delicious stir less movements on the bed…….

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Next up part—Morning Freshness….

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I typed it like very very hurriedly friends sorry for ample of freakish typos. I had got a time of an hour at 3PM now. Somehow I have been left alone and I cud touchmy tablet finally to write. My cousin sis baby is to come anytime soon now so imwith her and at her house hopping around to help coz she is bd rested. excited to meet my niece or nephew haha. Its the house thronging wit relatives yaar so couldn’t stay on my phone more than fifteen minutes coz it won’t look nice. Sorrrrryyyyy guys I promised an update but couldn’t yaar?

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Chinamayi hey deary tumne pukara ur moon is here he he just kidding yaar. Der is another Moon too here na 😀 and hey I hope ur lab exam went well. I cud have comment but by the time the page cudupload in the phone subah we dophar hojati comment box aneme. Sorry dear:)

Jade HiFi lelo yaar tumhara phone dabba aur mere phonebhi dabba haha. But mashallah tumhara comment wen I read my heart baghbaan hogaya. Warm tight hug sis louv uuuuuuu 🙂 Hope ur all exams went well especially maths bcoz all subjects are one side and maths is at one side hehe.

RJ sorry yaar couldn’t reply early. I’m from Hyd and my MBA completed recently. studying for govt posts.No ya,didn’t study lit but I want to. Hey I didn’t mind at all u asking. Babe I love ur cmnts like each and every and I love ur analysis and views means a lot and please cmnt everyday dear ? haha I’m asking too much again but means a lot ur louvvvvv?

Dipikaaaaaa hey tight warm hug. How RU? How is the training? Mumbai kaisa hai? I’m soooo happyke ur moving to another place and had got bank job???? missed u. Thank us soooo much for the lovely cmnts dear?? muhjebhi Mumbai ana hai???

Hayaaaaaaaaaa OMG dear louvvv u so much friend thanks for such lovely compliment? wow yaar diltak dastak degayi tumhari baat I feel content a little for my day wasn’t going well and u guys are amiing my day every minute second and hour.

Manhaaaaaa Romaaaa Lavanya aaaaa I feel like ur my bestest friends????? U guys praise me soooo much and louv me solo much ke I want to meet u all louvs????? Someday perhaps guys Inshallah. Hope ur doinggood? How are ur days going?
Heyyyyyyyya Lucky Kanishka dear louveu very much. Will update DT2 next yaar. How r u guys? Kaise chalrahi hailife? Mine very hectic yaar?

Liyaaaaaa he he I dragging ur names guys sorry its the sugar rush toh mad karna just aishehi yaar. Thank uuuuu sooooo much for ur louvvv and yaar this spell checker of my tablet checking spellingsof Hindi that I’m writing hehe. And next weeks exams hai kya? If so allll the very best?????

Anu hey dear louv u such for Supporting me sooooooo much? andpost urstory no worries at all. age doesn’t matter at all. I’m soooo happy ur writing so young and u have soo much time too to get that panache and experience. No hesitations dear when you want to follow your heart.U can go to submit article page and in the box u can copy and past your story from computer or if not u can go to contact us page and in subject box put the title of the story and in the comment box type it out or copy or past. He he hope u understood from my hacked up writing dear???

Daisyyyyyyyy Oh woooow I’m sohappy that u liked the part. I louvvv u 😀 means a lot ur long cmnt made my day flutteringly happy yaar aurna guys aaplog why saying tat ur writing sorry for LNG cmnts. I loveeeeeee them. I long for them like crazily wait for ur love. I’m soooooo greedy I go gaga over ur views louve and likes. I really heart u daisy really truly love u??????

Sneh7 Yaaaaar ur absolutely right about how girls still at some point why should she sacrifice her dreams. Dat should not happen. I really am unhappy about it too aur next wen contract part comes it will be breezy style and he artful of things:D thank u for u louve and louve u back more dear 😀

Cool FF Hey dear u don’t have to apologize. I really felt absolutely amazing reading your cmnt. Am really elated u put my writing in the category of literature and novel. Made me feel confident. I’m hesitant while writing coz wat I think is 100% but when it comes to writing its only 10 percent that it comes out my thoughts. I always feel disappointed and I don’t read back my stories. Really wish to write and reach 100% someday.Thanks for ur cmnt yaar and honesty. And yaar please do come on the pageoften and give ur views. Haha sorry for ruining urtime and I wish to ruin it more heheh just kiddin????

Hey Kruti andShubdear not going to end DT so soooon. God, will cry lots wen it ends he he louv u dear for soooomuch louv:) thank u soon much for supporting me since long guys. Always reading my stories and commenting u guysmake my day and everything. Hope to meet u someday very much? Shub I tried to reach the page u created in Google+ but can’t find it yaar!!!!! Gone mental mental. I always try to when I open my mobile data ?

Hey Jade my phone to hangs often just like urs. When I was writing in contact us page in the comment box, maybe that was Rings of Heart of DT, I typed out the whole update for an hour at night at 2AM, coz I only get the time at night, cmng to the topic, the whole part of what I typed just vanished wen it switched off my phone toh yaar I went crazy. I was soooooo like disheartened but it strengthened my will and next day I typed again and sent it soooo dat much is I love writing and dat is I put u guys in my mind and write the update and wait eagerly for ur lyks??? I feel lyk I just boasted in verdramatic explanation he he my bro and sis always says dat. Well, one thing I learned from it was even if ur constantly failing in efforts wantedly or unwantedly, fate or bad luck or whatever it isu need to just get up againin determination and persist after ur dreams. Cos ur dreams are ur own but nobody else’s….Well bohot pakadiyana

Heyyyyyyyya Anaya, how r u? Yep will go check out for sure. Happy dat ur writing amazing I louv ur stories dear?

Mansi hey ela unav? Me fyne dear. Yeahre kinda busy. Sorry couldn’t cm n talk like used wen in fmnt section coz it just isn’t setting well my phone dear. Woow u saw the movie I too want to watch yaaar dear.

Manha yaar I will updateFAA. Is it okay if I update from where I stopped? Coz wen I wrote in cmnt section I did not save any part so wat I did was I went to back updates and den copying and den updating but now abhi toh pagehi nahi upload horahahai yaar, so ways say!?!? Will update where from the canteen part of Arjun rads and ruby I think but thanks ya for loving Faaso much friend?

Samiha n tasnim hope ur exams are done yaar. And Samiha will be updating If only soon and another story of Rohan Khanna. How are u? Everything good? Savera and Clarawhere are u? Miss ur poems?????

Thank u soooooo much dear, Thena, Jade, Haya, Roma, Nandhini, RJ, Diasy, ChinmayiKruti, Shub, Harani,Hayathi,Rg, DJ, Aisha, Ameena, Anu, Misha, Isha,Jasvin,Krithi, Valli, Chinni, zayn, Shravya, Anwesha, rasha, Raashi, Roshni, Nat’s, Kriti, Kirthi, Mandy, Mansi, Aadil, Shurty, Ananya, Zara, Tasnim, Samiha, Priya, Prachi, Cool off, Abi, abhi, Ananya, lucky, Kanishka, Anusha, Anu, Sona, Kavitha, tasnim, yaar I’m sorry if am missing friends right now, I don’t mean to not thank uuuuuuuu for loving my stories. I louv u guys very much from the depths of my melodrantic heart ????????

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Hope u like this part?!?!? Pls do tel. I’m always anxious that u guys wouldn’t like it. Hope u like it just the same as previous I promise next update part would be interesting dears??? Will write in leisure coz now here near atmy cousins house koi shaadi kaband bajaraha hai yaar at this hour pagal hogayehai log. Gotta go mami is calling. Sorry for the typos year suchme???

Hey guys did u lyk the iPhone six advertisement. Where the bride and groom while getting ready talk on the phone but the bride doesn’t show her face til until the end and finally when he sees her coming up his face shows of so much pride looking at her and she smiles sooooo goofilyand the guy looks like sidharth malhothraI toh went cray cray over it and the music of it. Whenever never it played on TV I used to drop everything and stand in front of tscreen with a wide grin. Well I’m boring u guys n BIGwalasorrrrrrrrrrrrry if I sounded idiotic , I know so adios mi amigas????

Credit to: kfar