In Between by Rizonne Alexander (the reading strategies book .TXT) 📕

Her aroma filled my heart with so much passion and I could no longer hold back. “I’m sorry” I told her, then she raised her voice again that made me want to back out from this whole situation once again, I raised my voice back at her and she slapped me. Rage turned into further passion, I took her mug and placed it onto the table. I looked her into her eyes making sure she sees me for who I am and that is when I grabbed her. I kissed her with all that I have kept buried inside and she responded. I took her up to the bedroom and laid her precious body onto the bed. I could feel myself rising against her, but I refused to go that far for her body was a temple that I cherish. I stopped for a while to catch my breath and within a few seconds her father barged in. Now, I should have heard her father, but I did not. I closed my eyes to gain some sanity and when I opened them to look up, my whole life shattered. Amber scurried from beneath me but I was like a rock. I was cold and not functional. Rhamaz. “What the fuck are you doing here with my daughter Bastiaan?” He screamed at me. Amber kept on shouting and for a moment I really thought I’m going insane. The only thing I could mouth was - “Rhamaz, you are supposed to be dead.” Rhamaz then stormed out and Amber ran after him. I sat on the bed not knowing what is going to unfold. Too much was running through my mind, too much unanswered questions. My eldest brother is alive. I got up and rushed down to see where he is when I saw a lady sitting on the sofa. “Bastiaan.” She said. “Who are you? How do you know my name?” I asked. “Im Rhamaz’s wife” she replied. “Oh, okay where is he.” I asked her. “Bastiaan if you know what is good for you, you need to go now. This right here is a war that has started.” She said standing up and walking closer to me. I smelt her. “You’re a human, are you not scared of how I can drain your body?” I asked annoyed and tilting my head. “No, I’m not because by the time I let out a scream, Rhamaz would be here already with your heart in his hand.” She said and turned around back to the sofa. I huffed and went back upstairs. With my vampiric hearing I could hear the whole argument between Amber and Rhamaz outside in the forest. I felt helpless and I needed to face him, I needed to know that he was truly real. I jumped out of the window because I know that wife of his will squeal. Within seconds I was standing behind Rhamaz. “I can’t leave” I said responding to the conversation that he was having with Amber. They both turned to me and Rhamaz went into attack mode. I explained to him what happened, not in much detail but at least the brief explanation allowed my accommodation. I know he is not happy about it, I would not be too if I was in his shoes but at the same time I cannot be blamed for the history of our family. He should direct the anger towards my parents. I am the sibling that had to grow up with no brothers and sisters. I am the sibling who had to take the throne although I did not want too. I know this conversation is not over, and I need to prepare myself for what is about to come next. As I was walking towards the house behind Rhamaz and Amber, I realised that not only have I fallen in love with this woman, but she is my niece! I wish I could turn back time but then again, I would never have woken up from asylum.  I walked into the bedroom and closed the door. I took out my little chest that had all my personal documents in as well as valuable family photographs. I rampaged through them until I found the photograph I was looking for. It had our whole family in it before the curse was placed onto our family. It was an old black and white photograph that I cherished. Rhamaz stood on the far-left corner next to our father and I was in the middle surrounded by my sisters. I had not realised that I have been crying until it reached the photograph. I quickly wiped it dry and buried it beneath the chest again. I wonder what my parents will say, especially my father. I wonder what will happen next. Rhamaz is the rightful King, not me. The throne is his. My other concern was for my niece. My love for her. Everything that has happened was all unintentional. I just hope this war ends soon, I just want to go back to my old life. Be with my community and initialise growth and security. I went downstairs for a feed. The house was quiet, I decided to light a fire and sit by it. I heard a car outside, it was Amber and Rhamaz. They were back very soon. I braced myself for Rhamaz but instead it was just Amber that came in and the car sped off. I was hoping that she would just walk past me and leave me which she did however, her beauty that radiated off the black dress she wore blew every insecure thought away. I called her back, I shouldn’t have. She looked at me, me at her and I embraced her soft lips. Nothing stopped us this time.

I woke the next morning and she was not by my side. There was a note on the table by the lamp. *I’m out for my dress fittings, make yourself something to eat. * How sweet of her. I was still in last night’s clothes and desperately needed a shower. I hoped out of bed and opened my suitcase to get out something to wear, I might go to Ambers show tonight. Well that depends on if my brother will allow me too. I decided to wear my black jean and black polar neck with some sneakers. I hopped into the shower almost immediately. The warm water splashed across my back and I could feel my tense muscles loosen. Last night was amazing, just having her sleep in my arms confirmed the fact that I am in love with her, I do love her no matter the circumstances. Once I was done washing, I realised that I have become hard thinking about her. “Fuck” I said out loud. This is not going away anytime soon. I leaned against the wall allowing the water to flow down my torso as I grabbed onto my hardness. I began to stroke it from the start to my shaft and I moaned with every stroke I took. My hardness was soaking wet which gave the strokes a much more increased effect. I started to increase the speed as I could feel my peak reaching, I could see my hardness and shaft rising with the pressure and then I released my passion. The tingle took hold of my spine and I arched with great pleasure. I quickly rinsed myself off and stepped out of the shower. I walked over to my bed and dried myself. I heard the front door open and close, that should be Amber. I thought with a smile on my face. I quickly got dressed and bolted down stairs only to find that it was Rhamaz. He was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed and I knew he was waiting for me. My heart started to race, seeing him is still unbelievable. “Brother.” I greeted. “Bastiaan, please do take a seat. I took this opportunity as I know that Amber is busy with dress fittings and we will have no distractions.” He said. I walked over to the sofa in front of him and sat down. “Thank you for allowing me to stay brother it …” he cut me off by raising his hand to stop talking. I gave out a huge sigh and rested myself to the back of the sofa instead. At the same time, I will not be disrespected like this. “So, you went to Asylum and my daughters blood brought you back to life.” He stated. “Indeed brother.” I responded politely, “And who exactly found her?” He asked. “My right man and best friend Dregicht.” I said shortly, “Ah, I remember Dregicht. He was still a toddler when I was supposedly killed.” He responded with a smile. “Where are you going with this Rhamaz? I have so much to deal with right now, things to process. I do not need your sarcasm.” I told him off. “Fair enough, well I did some thinking of my own. You know, the kind of thinking one does throughout the night. Trying to make sense of what next.” He said. “Yes, I do.” I replied. “Well, Bastiaan. You did nothing wrong. I have so much anger from the past that seeing you basically triggered a volcano.” He responded. I started to feel more relaxed. “I understand, I don’t know what I would have done in your position at the moment.” I said with a low voice. “Now I do not want any family reunions other than yourself okay. I’m not interested in Vampirie Esti Laude. That place I left in my past and it stays there.” He said again. “But Rhamaz, you are the rightful King. Not me.” I replied in a more pleading manner. “I don’t care Bastiaan. I am not interested. This conversation is done. Okay.” He said with an annoyed voice and he got up from the sofa. “Rhamaz wait, I just need to understand what happens next.” I asked him. “It’s simple, you stay here until your shit is sorted out and then you go back. What more?” he said tilting his head. “So, you are saying that I should go home and forget I found you and met Amber?” I said upset and raised my voice. “Try to yes.” He responded walking towards the door. “How? When I love her!” I shouted at him, I shouldn’t have. Fuck I shouldn’t have and before I knew it his hand was around my throat and I was up against a wall. I was trying to fight back but he is much stronger than me. I bit into his arm and sprayed blood across my face. Just as I was about to pass out, Amber ran into the house and shouted. She pulled her father from me with help from Penny. I could see how horrified Penny looked with regards to all the blood. I fell to the ground to catch my breath. “Daddy! Who gives you the right to do this? In my home?” She shouted at him. “Amber leave him, it’s my fault!” I tried to shout to her. Rhamaz walked out the door and she pulled him back. ‘No! you are not going anywhere! We are sorting this out right now!” She shouted at her father. “Do not patronise me Amber!” He shouted back at her. I felt helpless. “Kill me then but you are not leaving!” she shouted back and pulled her father back into the house. “Penny, you need to go. I will speak to you in thirty minutes okay.” She said, Penny left, and she locked the door. Amber walked over to me with a towel that she grabbed from the kitchen and helped me up. I sat on the couch while she wiped my face, I could see the disgust in Rhamaz’s face, so I took the towel from her and cleaned myself up. “Daddy! He is your brother! He is not your mother and