Chapter 44 pt. 1

~Memories~

“Raven, my sweet, come meet Leo, he’s going to hang out with you while I’m working and make sure you get to training.”

Warren led me by the hand down the stairs to the main living area of the mansion. I had been on house arrest for days because I nearly exposed myself at Nyctophilia.

“Daddy, I told you I’d be good. I don’t need a babysitter,” I complained.

There, standing in front of a couch wearing a crisp black suit and a skinny black tie, hair gelled and cut tight to his head, was Leo and his deep brown eyes. He seemed to look right through me and that made me nervous. He looked like a minder for Warren; like he would make life ridiculously boring and I couldn’t stand him already.

“Sweetheart, you won’t fight me about this. I can’t have you expose us and I need to know that you are safe. So you will be nice to Leo and you will listen to him. Am I understood?”

I sighed and rolled my eyes knowing that this wouldn’t work out in my favor no matter what I said.

~~

I stood in a practice room, a wicked smile on my face, thinking that I could get the better of Leo and his stuffy suit. He was near the door hanging up his jacket on a peg before pulling on his tie and looking over his shoulder at me. I had challenged him and egged him on until he finally gave in. I waited impatiently as he rolled up his sleeves, telling him how slow he was and how I would be able to beat him easily.

In a flash of movement, he took me by surprise, mid-gloat, I was thrown across the room against a wall but I didn’t stay there. I went after him and we rolled across the floor in a series of blows leading to me pinning him albeit badly.

His smile made me pause and look him in his brown eyes. Something inside me knew that I loved him in that moment but my brain fought against it.

He escaped the pin and we were quickly fighting again until I had my face pressed against the concrete wall, legs and arms pinned.

~~

I wore a curve-hugging red dress and a pair of strappy red heels; my hair in a bun at the base of my neck. I stepped out of the limousine and took Leo’s arm as he escorted me into Nyctophilia.

“Are you ready for this?”

I swallowed and looked at him, putting on a brave face to hide how nervous I was. “The sooner we get this over with the better.”

Warren was going to put me on parade again. This time, for some reason, was more important to him. I was to be on my best behavior.

“Raven! You’re just in time. Orin just arrived,” Warren enthused, taking me from Leo at the door.

A muscular bald man stood up from the couch he sat on, unfolding his entire average height. His eyes gobbled me up like I was a fancy seven course meal, making me uncomfortable but I smiled and put on the act that Warren asked for.

“Raven, what a powerful name for someone with such powerful beauty. It is such an honor to meet you,” Orin spoke as he moved forward to take my hand and put it to his lips.

I had to endure his hands for hours until Warren relieved me and Leo took me to the limo.

“I wanna walk,” I grumbled, pulling off my heels and tossing them into the open limo.

“It’s raining. You should go home,” Leo tried.

I yanked my hair from the bun unceremoniously, so that it fell around my face. “I don’t want to go home right now. Can you understand that, robot, or is that beyond you?”

“You’re not going to just go walking through the rain, that’s stupid,” Leo argued.

“I just had an old guy feel me up. I’m not going home!” I shouted on the verge of tears.

Leo sighed, eyes full of pity. “Okay, okay get in the limo. We won’t go to your house, I promise.”

I hesitated but got in the limo. Leo didn’t push me to talk or try to console me. He told the driver where to go and let me have my space. When the limo stopped he told me to wait while he spoke to someone who could get us inside. I didn’t know where we were but I waited patiently for his signal to join him.

I ran barefoot through the rain to the door and was pulled inside by Leo who quickly let me go.

“Follow me,” he whispered, heading through what I assumed was a security booth and into a marble hallway.

“What is this place?” I questioned as we arrived on the main floor and its grand entrance and well-worn red carpet under my bare feet.

“It’s an art gallery. I like to come here for the quiet.”

I nodded and followed him deeper, marveling at the palace around me.

“Do you want a coffee? The cafe is just up here and I can make you whatever you want.”

I considered what he asked me. “White chocolate caramel mocha.”

“Done.”

He disappeared around a corner and behind a cafe counter. I turned my back to him, listening to what he was doing but pretending to focus on a landscape painting while I gathered my emotions and put up my mental walls.

“I can see what you’re doing.”

“What am I doing, robot?”

“You’re building a wall instead of dealing with what happened. You can talk to me. I’m not going to tell anyone.”

I turned back to him and decided to sit at one of the small tables. “Don’t pretend that you don’t report to Warren and I won’t pretend that you’re my friend. I don’t even know why I let you bring me here.”

“Don’t be mean. I’m making you coffee and I’m trying to talk to you. I’m not going to tell Warren any of this because he doesn’t need to know. You’re not his puppet.”

“And yet, I keep getting summoned to events like the one you just saw. I’m just a pretty plaything to them and I’m sick of it,” I declared, voice escalating until it echoed through the empty halls and my hands were balled into fists in my lap.

Our eyes met over the counter. I knew I wasn’t being fair to him but I was so frustrated that I had no say in who got to use my body and I was taking it out on the only person who would listen to me.

“I know you’re frustrated and I don’t blame you. I just think that shutting yourself off isn’t going to help,” he said, turning back to the coffee preparation.

I stared at the table, tuning him out while I replayed the events of the night in my head.

“Are you listening?” I finally heard as he set the paper cup in front of me on the table.

“Sorry, I was somewhere else,” I mumbled, taking the coffee in both hands. For some reason, this was the most calm I had felt since becoming a vampire. It made me wonder if Leo was the reason for that calm or if it was something else.

“I said that you’re even more beautiful when you’re calm than what people are so afraid of.”

I looked up at him and knew the answer to my question. It was him. I had fallen in love with him and not realized it. A smile crept across my face without any thought. It was just how his presence made me feel.

“Are you okay?” he questioned, unease on his face. I had tricked him too many times with that smile.

“Yes and no. I just realized something that made me happy. The problem is that I don’t know how he feels.”

It was his turn to smile. “He has had feelings for you for a long time but was afraid to say so.”

~~

Inside the practice room again with Leo in knee-length shorts and a black tank top. I was trying to copy some kind of move from him but I wasn’t quite getting it so he came closer behind me to help. His hands slowly positioned my shoulders to relax and slid down my arms to position my fists at the right angles.

He moved around in front of me and took my waist to square my hips at my imaginary opponent. His face was inches from mine, begging to be kissed.

“Try again,” he said softly.

I dropped my fists and molded my body against his, instead of trying the maneuver. Giving him exactly what he wanted.

~~

I woke in a bed that wasn’t mine and someone’s feet were touching my own. Cotton sheets enveloped me in their smooth coolness. Warm breath pressed against the back of my neck but I was not afraid. In fact, I was happy to be there covered only in the sheets. It felt perfect.

Slowly, carefully, I rolled to face my sleeping lover whose lips were up turned in a smile but eyes still closed. I ran my fingers through his dark hair, inciting a soft moan then pressed my face to his bare chest and closed my eyes.

~~

I sat in a dark bar laughing out loud, cup in hand. Leo was to my right and Kris to my left; both laughing. Leo was wearing jeans and a v-neck t-shirt instead of his suit and Kris was sporting a split lit with a black eye. I had caught him off guard and finally beaten him. We were celebrating.
It was the first time I saw Kris not serious and stern.

Kris’s phone rang in his pocket and the mood went sour. We waited patiently until he put down his phone, before asking.

“Well?” Leo pressed, finishing his drink.

“How do you feel about breaking up a big street brawl?”

I swallowed the last of my drink. “Bring it on.”