She had ran straight for her room and locked herself in. "Why couldn't he at least seem to care for me? Why? Why me? All I wanted was to be loved by someone."

She felt a hand stroke her hair, "Sometimes being loved isn't enough." A dark, velvetly voice purred softly in the dimness. Calisandra gasped and turned around on the bed. There he was all proud and elegant. Just like the tiger she had thought he was lying there hurt on the palace floor.

"How-w-w, did you get in here? You're supposed to be lying down." Calisandra uttered. The glow of the candles illuminated his face. The light carressed his features and made his dark eyes stand out. Calisandra could barely make out his outline but she knew he was there. He took most of the air from the room, or at least that's what she felt. She could barely breathe and him towering over her, her lying on her back on the bed. "How did you get in my room, its supposed to be locked."

He gazed down at her; his face bare inches from hers, his eyes were unfathomable. He lifted his hand and Calisandra thought that her heart was about to stop. All the air that she had been holding rushed out when he traced his fingertips down her wet cheeks. His thumb came up to stroke her cheeks, taking in the wetness. "Don't cry for him. His doesn't deserve your tears." His voice slid over her like liquid fire, leaving her longing for more. It reminded her of silk and satin all rolled into to one. Like butter melting over hot bread. Calisandra closed her eyes against the sensations his fingers were creating against her face.

"I don't even know your name." She whispered into his hand. Then he was gone. She opened her eyes to stare into the darkness. No sign of him anywhere; it was like he had never been there. Maybe she had been dreaming. Calisandra would have believed it, had it not been for the indent he had made next to her or the dryness of her cheeks. Or her cheeks still tingling from his touch. Calisandra put a hand up to her burning cheek. She didn't know what had happened. But all she knew was that she had to be careful. She had to guard her heart.

She might just end up falling in love....

Calisandra flipped onto her stomach and hugged the pillow. Closing her eyes, she tried to push all the thoughts of her father and that man out of her mind. Yawning, she settled more comfortably into the bed. And just as she was about to drift off to sleep, Calisandra thought she could hear him in her head.