Bride of Sheesh Mahal - Season 3 - Part 34

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Chapter 34


Khushi’s POV


After Arnav put on the show of breaking the glass of water, bleeding his palm, I bandaged his palm and we drove to Shantivan. Though Arnav kept consoling me not to worry as it was just a normal cut and the bleeding had already stopped, I couldn’t tell him the real reason behind my fear. Whatever spell Chandrika has casted on him is way too strong than I had imagined it to be. The sacrifice of blood from Arnav’s body on a no moon day signifies that the spell is overpowering his body and mind and if this doesn't stop, we might lose him forever. I can’t even fathom what would be the consequences.


We were alone in Shantivan tonight and since Arnav was taking his shower, I dialed Sheetal and told her about this incident.


“Blue-eyes?” Sheetal asks.

“Yes. His eyes turned blue and then he broke the glass on purpose so that he bleeds. I have witnessed this from my own eyes, Sheetal. I don’t know how it happened..”

“Okay wait. Tell me exactly what happened. From the start..”

I narrate her the office events on how he was presenting the meeting and after that was over, he attended a phone call and after that this incident took place.

“Whose phone call was that? Did you check?”

That never crossed my mind. I quickly search for Arnav’s phone which is lying on the bed. He had shared his phone password thankfully with me so I unlock it and check his call history.


“Home” I murmur in shock, responding to Sheetal.

“Home? You mean from Sheesh Mahal someone called him?”

“Yes” I swallow.

“I knew it,” Sheetal exhales. “It is impossible that a spell like that could be casted without the help from someone internal to the family.”

“Sheetal” I scold her. “You are accusing the family?”

“Not the entire family, Khushi. But there is someone in the family who is involved. I am sure whoever called Arnav today has spoken a few mantras on the call which turned him into that blue-eyed version as you said. And hence he turned evil and forced himself to bleed to sacrifice his blood.”


All this is too much for digest. But I hear the shower turning off. I tell Sheetal I would call her again the next day and then hang up, preparing myself to face Arnav. I need to know from Arnav himself now who had called him from Sheesh Mahal at office. He comes out in a towel looking extremely fresh. The way he gives me a once over from head to toe is enough for me to know he is in a romantic mood whereas how can I even think of romancing him when there is so much happening around us.. especially with him.


“I knew it..” he sighs and then strides to the bed where the dress which he had specifically chosen for me to wear tonight was kept.


I don’t think I have that patience to wear it or seduce him. Not tonight at least. By the time I think for a excuse, Arnav reaches me again.


“Go, wear this and come out..”

He hands me the short black dress.

“Arnav.. I don’t think I can..”

He cups my face, interrupting me from speaking further.

“You told me you had plans for tonight and wanted to spend some memorable time with me here. It was you who decided to stay in Shantivan tonight and not return back to Sheesh Mahal. What’s gone wrong now?”


I wish I could tell him what went wrong. I touch his wrists and pull away his hands from my face, observing his bandaged palm.

“This..” I murmur.

“Seriously?” He laughs. “It’s hardly a wound, Khushi. I am stronger than that to bear it. And most importantly, seeing you in this dress is going to make me forget every pain. So, please go and wear it for me.”


I am about to argue but Arnav ushers me to the bathroom door.

“Go wear it or I am making you wear it myself”


This time I take his warning seriously. I lock myself in the bathroom to change. The dress is short, barely covering my knees and the straps that hold it on my shoulder are so thin that one touch and they might break off. I come out wearing it and trying my best to keep pulling the straps up while they keep falling from my shoulders.


“What kind of dress is this? Whose size did you purchase and why are these straps falling down every few seconds?” I complain.


Whilst I keep raising my concerns, Arnav is all lost in admiring me. Word fail to form in my head as he advances towards me and with that all my confidence in wearing this dress fades away. Now suddenly I feel conscious of him, our closeness and most importantly, my semi-nakedness. I don’t know if he is still under that spell or normal at this moment which makes me fear his next intentions. I step back and his eyes glue on my feet noticing that reaction. Arnav then raises his gaze and stares at me again, trying to understand why I am moving away but he doesn't stop chasing me. Finally my back hits the wall and when I try to move sideways, Arnav pins me between his body and the wall, leaning closer.


“You look ravishing tonight..” he whispers, flaming my cheeks.


Though I want to give in to his desires, what if he is under a spell? That thought keeps haunting me and I instantly push him away and try to escape when Arnav grabs my arm. I stop, but don’t turn around yet. I need to find a solution to this problem. I can’t let someone playing with Arnav’s head. Whilst I am still thinking all that, I feel his lips on my wrist and then ascending towards my elbow till my shoulder blade. With his grip now resting on my upper arms, I can’t even think of leaving.


“Is this your revenge?” he murmurs biting my earlobe. “Because I didn’t agree to spend the entire day with you, now you are running away from me wearing the most sexiest dress in the world?”


He thinks I am just being playful. But the truth is I am scared. I am scared of him.. and to go ahead with intimacy is even more terrifying. Arnav turns me around and kisses my lips hungrily, his fingers playing with my dress straps, pulling them down while his other hand is busy stroking my exposed back and unzipping my dress. Too much is happening at the same time and I can’t apprehend what to react to first. I don’t kiss him back though and my sudden non participation in this act forces Arnav to pull away from my body.


“Khushi?” He asks worried of my stiff reactions. “What happened?”

“I..” I swallow nervously. “I want to sleep. I am very tired. That’s all.”


He looks confused for a moment but quickly acknowledges my request.

“Sure. You are used to traveling much. I understand. Come. Lets sleep.”


He takes me to the bed and helps me lie down.

“You want anything? Like water or some medicine?”

“no.. I’ll be fine if I sleep.”


He exhales and then pulls the comforter on my body. He is about to leave when I clutch his hand.

“Don’t go anywhere.” I demand.

It’s strange that I fear to get close to him and I don’t want him to get away from me either. Arnav raises our handhold and kisses my fingers.

“I am going nowhere. Just shutting the lights. Let’s sleep. Okay?”

I nod and as promised, Arnav shuts the lights and returns to the bed. We are both not sleepy and I have purposely kept enough distance between our bodies which I know he is finding it fishy too. I have never slept without cuddling him at nights before but he doesn't ask me the reason why I am behaving so cold tonight. But I have too many queries poking my head which I ask him.


“Did anyone from the family call you today?” I ask.

“Hmm.. Di did. I told her we reached Shantivan safely. So not to worry..”

“Not after reaching Shantivan, Arnav. Before.. I mean.. When you finished the conference, someone called you from home. Who was it?”


Arnav turns to me and shrugs.

“I don’t remember anyone calling me after the conference?”


His denial infuriates me. I quickly take his phone from the bedside table and show it to him.

“Look at this.” I scroll his call logs and point him which one I am asking him about. “Who called you during this one?”


Arnav takes the phone from me and tries to recollect.

“I don’t even remember picking this call. Did I answer it?”


I am confused. Doesn't he remember he took a call? I think whoever casted that spell on him over the phone, made sure that part is erased from his head.

“But wait a minute” he adds. “Why do you want to know that?”

I can’t tell him.

“Just like that. I saw you taking that call and wanted to know who was it. But you don’t remember which is strange to me..”

“It is..” Arnav shrugs. “Maybe I am too stressed that such small things have started skipping my head.”

“Hmm”


We don’t speak to each other again for a long time and I don’t remember when sleep takes over.


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

The room is dark but I hear these whispers again.. I am used to listening them in my sleep when I am too stressed but this time the whispers are of a man!! I know that voice.. I try to open my eyes but I can’t. I am aware it’s a dream. I am in a dream but the room is still dark and subconsciously I am even walking towards the door where I hear these whispers coming from. The moment I reach the door, I see a silhouette of a man chanting something.. With his back facing me, I can’t even see who he is. I keep walking ahead and then the whispers become clearer. He is asking for help… Suddenly he turns behind and stares right in my eyes.

“HELP ME”

That’s Arnav.. My husband.. And just as I see his face, I also see a glimpse of a key.. a shiny key… inside a box.


I wake up with a jerk. It was a dream indeed because I am still in Shantivan with Arnav sleeping next to me. He looks at peace and so innocent that I can’t help move closer to him and brush his hair. Why did I see that kind of a dream? Arnav was asking my help..Oh god!! And that box and key… I recollect why they looked so familiar.. That’s the same box my mother had given to my father which he asked me to open on my wedding night. And it had that key.. That shiny big key… what does all this indicate? Is my mother’s gift to me a way to help Arnav? But how? I have to find that out. I know it means the same. There is no other way how these two can be related.


I stare at Arnav’s angelic sleeping face again and remember how much he was desperate tonight. I shouldn’t have feared his intentions or pushed him away. Whatever he is facing today, I have to support him to fight it back. I can’t leave him alone or ignore him to deal with it alone.. I have to help him.. I have to heal him. I push the comforter away from my body and move closer to Arnav, kissing all over his face. Obviously, that one action wakes him up and he palms my head to believe I am really doing this…

“Khushi?” he whispers, and I shut him up by kissing his lips. He was unsure at first but soon when I deepened the kiss, our tongues attacked one another. Arnav rolled me over on my back while I flung his shirt open to access all of him. He stopped for a second to look in my eyes, to believe I really wanted this.


“Make love to me..” I panted.


That was all he needed to go ahead. Arnav maneuvered my dress up and soon it was off my body along with his clothes. Once he could discard our clothes away, Arnav got back to business, hovering over me and pulling my legs to wrap around his waist. The friction of our bodies as he rubbed us together and kissed me all over, heightened the need to unite. Before I could appreciate that feeling, Arnav was already inside me. His kisses turned into nibbles as he marked my body hungrily. His tantalizing mouth was driving me into a frenzy. Need, desire and longing took over and finally the anticipation to complete what we had started tore every patience we had shown so far. Arnav pounded into me and what felt like minutes later, he finally lay spent and satiate, cuddling me back into his arms. Second later, we both finally fell asleep.


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

Arnav’s POV


Khushi insisted we return to Sheesh Mahal sooner the next morning so after we woke up, though I had plans to devour her again, she forced me to shower and then we drove back. It hadn’t even been 20 minutes that we reached Sheesh Mahal, that she was looking something frantically in her closet.


“What are you searching for?”

My sudden appearance in the room scares her.

“Uh… nothing.. I was just looking for a small box.. It was a present from my father. “

“Box…” I don’t remember anything like that.

“Don’t worry, I will find it later.”


I nod. She looks ready too as if she is going out.


“Where are you going now?”

“To meet a friend. I will return in an hour.”

“Friend? You mean Payal?”


Khushi bites her lip.

“Why are you asking me so many questions?”

“Because I find it suspicious that you are going out now when we have just returned from Delhi,” I reason and she takes a deep breath before reaching me.

“I told you there are a few things I can’t tell you about.. Not yet. But I want you to trust me. Can you do that?”


When she speaks so nicely, how can I not agree? I pull her to me and kiss her forehead..

“Fine” I reply.

She gives me a tight hug.

“Just make sure you don’t land up in any troubles. I’ll not tolerate that.”


Khushi smiles because I can feel her lips smiling against my neck. Whatever she is doing for the family or this palace, I hope it works positively.


To be Continued.

NEXT PART 

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The Forbidden Series - Book 2 (Enemies to Lovers Romance Novel)

Khushi Thakur
Have compassion for your family and be heartless towards your enemies. This has been my only slogan since I became the backbone of the RS Group of Companies where I am in charge of dealing with their tricky competitors. This time our focus is on the AR Group, which has rattled to its core ever since its CEO, Aarav Raichand allegedly stepped down from his position. Whatever they say, I'm still certain he's a tornado disguised as my business rival. There’s something about this man that I loathe and something that draws me insanely towards him. This unseen magnetism between us coaxes me to believe Aarav is that missing piece of my life’s puzzle, which I had given up solving.

Aarav Raichand
Two years ago, my world crashed down forever when I lost my wife, Jhanvi Raichand. But then I saw her again, this time in my rival’s arms. Everyone said she only had a similar face. I believed that too. She wasn’t my Jaan. She was not the one who transformed me from a vengeful man to a loving husband. But I was drawn to her like a moth to fire. Could she be my Jaan and didn’t want to recognize me anymore? If I could avenge my family to bring justice to my life earlier, I would burn down the world this time to get this woman in my arms again. The only difference is that this time there will be no rules. It’s about time I remind them what it meant to meddle with the love of a big bad wolf!!

The world had seen my Revenge; now they would witness my Rivalry.

Reading Order of The Forbidden Series:
Book 1 – Forbidden
Book 2 – Fallen

EBOOK LINK (ON AMAZON) HERE

Read the PROLOGUE HERE