Sight

by Chrystal Blue

  “Challenge?”

  “Yes, the challenge of making sure all the pieces to your plot are in place. I mean it’s a big step for someone whose family is what ninth in line to the throne?”

  “The Emil family is fourth in succession to rule,” responded Dmitri forcefully.

  “Oh, that is ambitious. I guess I understand the part of Catrin now.”

  “I’m curious, what part does Catrin play?”

  “Arel, I believe we have had enough of this game for tonight. We should get you the nourishment you require. I’m sure after you’ve you eaten, you will realize how silly,” said Sebastian.

  “Although I hate to agree with Sebastian. You do need to keep your strength up. I wouldn’t want to be the reason anything happened to such precious cargo.” Dmitri’s eyes glanced down at Arel’s protruding belly. Its roundness pushing up against her cotton dress. Resisting the urge to touch her belly she instinctively stepped a few inches back.

  Sebastian stood between Arel and Dmitri a look of irritation on his face. Arel shifted closer to him, allowing her arm to brush against his as she studied Dmitri’s face and body language. Lately, his closeness helped her keep her heartbeat steady. Since being in a house of Vampires, Arel practiced daily regulating her pulse. With their super-hearing, she knew the slightest change in her heartbeat would be detected by the skilled hunters she found herself amongst.

  Dmitri’s face studied her, his incisors showing with each word he spoke. Arel wondered if it was purposefully as his lips curled to expose the short protruding teeth. Sebastian’s fangs were only visible when he presented them, and she had only seen them twice.

  She remembered clearly the first time Sebastian had fully exposed himself, revealing the extended fangs in the privacy of her bedroom. Her neck exposed, facing him she knew he would not pierce her flesh. The second time she saw his protruding canines in anger as he rushed to rescue her from the attack on the dark road. They had never talked about the moment, neither of them bringing up that past.

  “It would definitely diminish my value to the Darken if the child or I was injured. It’s a good thing they know I’m here; safe in my present condition. I’m sure they will be here any day to bring me home.”

  “So, you will be returning to the Darken?”

  “Arel’s place is with her family, she is a Cadell now,” interjected Sebastian. Arel knew it was for those listening in that he said she was his. It seemed more for those listening in on their conversation then for the sake of herself or Dmitri. Sebastian saw her as a member of his family, she knew that the others, including his own father, did not accept her. She doubted whether or not she would ever find forgiveness or acceptance from anyone inside the Vampire clans.

  “I’m sure whether by your hand, the tribunal, or my own actions I will find my way in the presence of them. After all, we all have to return to our beginnings eventually,” replied Arel.

  A low rumble emanated from Arel’s belly, filling the room with the sound of her hunger. Slightly embarrassed, she smiled meekly before looking up at Sebastian whose eyes watched Dmitri. She wondered what he thought, wishing she could invade his thoughts so freely like the others.

  “I guess we’re hungry,” said Arel as she placed her hand into Sebastian’s. Moving closer, she pulled his arm up over her head as she slid in closer to his side. Wrapping his arm around her waist, she tugged for his attention.

  “What do you want to eat,” asked Sebastian.

  “Can we go eat somewhere? I think some fresh air would be good for me.”

  “Anything in particular,” Sebastian asked as he bent down to kiss the top of her head. His attention entirely focused on her, she smiled genuinely as she leaned into his embrace.

  “Will I see you again Dmitri, to continue this conversation,” asked Arel turning towards the young Vampire.

  “All of us will be here until the final negotiations are arranged. We will see each other again,” answered Dmitri.

  “Of that I am sure, but will you be available to speak with me. I’m sure I could learn much from you and would enjoy hearing your point of view on a few subjects.”

  “If Sebastian agrees, we can finish our conversation later. I will be at your disposal. I would like to know more about the resistance and am told you are the local expert.”

  “I’m sure your people know more about the resistance than I can remember, after all, I was a child when I left their care.”

  “Well, until our next conversation Arel,” Dmitri replied before disappearing from the room.

  Sebastian pulled Arel closer into his arms before turning towards the door. Resting her weight fully in his arms, he halfway carried and lead her out of the room. His embrace though gently was different. Arel assumed that he was upset with her for her bluntness with Dmitri. She neglected to ask the cause of his change in demeanor.

  On the front steps, the fresh air felt refreshing against her warm skin. She had no idea what time it was, though the windowless room where the tribunal was held made it feel later than it looked. Closing her eyes, she allowed the sun’s rays to wash her in its warmth as she waited for Sebastian to open her door.

  Sliding into the seat, she leaned back on the cold leather as she waited for the soft click of the car door. Sebastian slid into the seat next to her, kissing her hand before starting the car. The soft purr of the engine set the car speeding down the stone drive towards the iron gates.

  It had been weeks since she left the Cadell family estate, weeks trapped behind the iron gates and mahogany doors. A sense of joy rose in her chest. Excited she would be able to freely speak to Sebastian without the ever-present ears of the rest of the family. It wasn’t until they had driven several miles away from the estate did Arel turn towards Sebastian.

  “Arel,” Sebastian began.

  Sighing, she sunk slightly into the cushion of her seat. The tone wasn’t forceful, but it was different, and Arel assumed he was going to talk about the conversation she had with Dmitri.

  “While we are at my father’s home, I need you to at least try.”

  “What do you mean,” she asked.

  “Arel. The respect for my father will only go so far in regards to you with the others. If you would at least try and respect our traditions.”

  “Maybe, if I didn’t feel like you were keeping me constantly in the dark. Don’t tell me it’s because you worry about my condition.”

  “There is no other reason.”

  “I’m not this fragile thing that will break at the slightest revelation about my past. Can’t you give me more credit than that?”

  “You have to promise me you won’t speak to Dmitri in that manner again.”

  “No! I won’t promise. I didn’t lie. He is planning to seize the power of the families and trade our child and me to the Darken to do it. If everyone knows about it, why do we have to pretend? At least he knows we know.”

  “This isn’t a game. Dmitri is a calculated hunter. What do you think you’ve accomplished? Do you think you’ve brought any of them over to our cause? Do you think he’ll say well they know so I’ll have to abandon my plans?”

  “No, but why should I care. Your family will never accept me. I can face the truth, but you can’t. This hope you have that somehow; something will click with them and all of a sudden I’ll be one of you is just as ridiculous.”

  “They will accept you.”

  “Everyone in that house wants to kill me, everyone. The only person I thought was accepting of me beside you and Eir was Iliad. Even now I’m not too sure about it, but what does it matter, she’s leaving.”

  “What do you mean she’s leaving?” Sebastian’s eyes focused on the road, he sped on, driving to some unknown destination.

  “I sent her away.”

  There was a sense of relief at being so honest. Iliad was the first Vampire she had tried using her gifts on, and she didn’t even know if it would work. She did, however, know that Xavier would take their son and leave. It was Iliad
who had given their son to her father to save him. The guilt Iliad bore for her decision she had seen the moment she had mention Asier’s existence to her father. It was a moment of weakness to protect the mate she loved, a moment she could not take back. For Arel it was a way to make amends, to give Iliad the chance to gift Asier back, protect him as Xavier had wanted.

  “You can do that?”

  “I’ve never tried before, and it clearly hasn’t worked with you. If it had, we wouldn’t be here at your father’s home, listening to the elders and the tribunal about what we should be doing. If I could make you do what I wanted, you would have told me about my mother and all the other secrets you’re keeping. So, you don’t have to worry.”

  “You shouldn’t be using your gifts, especially since it weakens you. I can hear the change in your heartbeat, how the blood flows differently. There is a chemical reaction, your scent changes; it’s subtle but noticeable.”

  “Can the other’s notice?”

  “Perhaps if they are paying attention, but that isn’t the point. I know when and how much you are using your abilities. Until we know better how it affects you both, you should limit using your powers unless necessary.”

  Arel sat quietly. There was no way she was going to agree to give up the only advantage she had in the house.

  “Are there any other members’ surviving of the other families,” she asked, bringing the subject back to Xavier.

  “Arel,” began Sebastian.

  “Sebastian. It doesn’t matter if there are members of a family, I was led to believe was wiped out. But why not let him hold a seat of power, let him and the others, if there are any, have a voice?”

  Arel’s eyes focused on Sebastian as he drove. She had learned to look for clues in his body language, although subtle, there were indicators as to who he was feeling. At times his jaw would slightly clench when he was angered only to release. The reaction slight it took her a long time to notice it, and lately, he had been doing it more often.

  “Why did you speak to Dmitri? What did you hope to gain from that conversation,” asked Sebastian.

  “To see everyone’s reaction. Dmitri chuckled. Did you see the reactions of everyone else? They looked horrified that I would dare say something like that.”

  “Arel, everything we do is watched, analyzed, and criticized.”

  “If you remember, even as a child, I never did what was expected, and I don’t plan on doing it now. I know this has caused problems for you, but that was not my choice. You can’t expect me to fall in line with your traditions when you keep them from me.”

  Arel moved closer to her side of the car. Inching away from Sebastian’s presence, she turned to look out the window. She didn’t want to look at him anymore, didn’t want to be a part of the conversation she could feel transpiring. There was no denying the anger building up inside of her.

  “I’m not asking you to follow or embrace all of my traditions but to respect my fathers’ house. Is it too much for you,” began Sebastian.

  “What Sebastian? What will you ask of me,” she yelled, cutting him off before he could finish. “I have respected your father’s house. Even when those in it have been disrespectful to me. I have respected your position and the situation my presence places on your father and his ties.”

  Her back leaned against the door as she faced him with as much of her body as she could. Over these past few weeks, the desire to stand her ground had been rapidly building inside of her. Anger building since she had moved into his father’s home fueled by feelings of alienation and constant attack. The rage brewing under the surface finally released as her desire to hold it in gone. She let the emotions pour out of her, spilling with each word.

  “Who has been disrespectful to you,” Sebastian demanded. His hands gripped the sides of the steering wheel as his eyes remained focused on the road ahead. Arel could see the speed accelerating as they sped down the broad highway.

  “The first night your cousins asking if I was a snack. The heartfelt words your sister gave me, the tribunal, that’s some warm welcoming. You don’t have to be a mind reader to know their thoughts. They’ve been obvious with their feeling about me. How many times do I have to be reminded that your family hates me? How many times must I bite my tongue while they repeat those hurtful things? How many times must they tell me I am the enemy?”

  “While you were sheltered, the rest of us have had to live in a world ruled by the Darken. It is a world of sacrifice without question,” spoke Sebastian.

  “Is that what I am to you? I’m a sacrifice? Your way of rebelling against your father and the laws you keep throwing in my face?”

  “No, of course not!”

  “Then why are you with me?”

  “Arel.” Sebastian pulled the car to a stop, turning off the engine to face her fully. “Never have I thought of you as a sacrifice. You are my sun, and I will bask in your rays. Whether you are Vampire or Darken, it does not matter as I would love you still. I did not love you because you were Darken, I love you in spite of my being Vampire.”

  Arel turned her head away from his stares, hoping the tears forming in her eyes would dry up. Sebastian turned her face towards him, wiping the tear trailing down her cheek.

  “Look at me. I love you. Do you know that?”

  Pulling her head away from him, she turned back towards the window. Sebastian caressed her hair as she stared out the window. The tears fell silently down her cheeks.

  “Arel. No matter what, the way I feel for you will not change. I love you.”

  Slowly she turned to face him, her tear-stained cheeks puffy and red. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked up at him.

  “Can we just go home, back to our house on the edge of the woods, isolated from the world? We were happy there, weren’t we?”

  Even as she asked it, she knew the answer. There was no going back, she couldn’t just erase the memories that had returned just like she could not sever the link between her and her sister. The Darken had her sister Teraya, and with her, the connection to anyone she could see or think of.

  “Arel, do you love me,” he asked, ignoring her questions.

  “Yes. You know, I do. Don’t you?” Arel replied vehemently. Without question, she knew she loved him to her core.

  “There is no question that I love you. I know it’s hard for you, but I need you to trust me.”

  “Okay,” she replied, shaking her head softly.

  Looking out her window, she noticed an expansive lake and mountainside. Outside of Sebastian’s window she saw the sign for Skip’s Seafood.

  “Why are we here, it’s closed,” asked Arel.

  “I have a surprise for you,” replied Sebastian as he turned to exit the car. Standing outside her door, he held it open, his hand extended waiting to lift her out of the vehicle.

  “Robert’s not here, we don’t have the key.”

  “Locks can’t stop me from getting in somewhere I want to be,” chuckled Sebastian. Pulling a key out of his pocket, he unlocked the front door, disappearing behind it. A few minutes later, Sebastian reappeared opening the door all the way for Arel to enter. He followed Arel into the main dining room towards the table where they sat the first time, he brought her to Skip's Restaurant.

  They had not been back since that day she had the vision in front of him. The only table dressed in the restaurant, a lace table cloth covered the table with a fresh bouquet of flowers stood nearby a window. It was the same table they had sat the day he took her home

  “Please,” said Sebastian as he pulled a chair out for Arel to sit.

  “It’s lovely, but why are we here?”

  “Let me go get lunch.”

  Sebastian kissed the top of her head before disappearing through the doors behind the bar. Arel watched as the doors closed silently behind him.

  “Here we are, a dish for the beautiful Mrs. Cadell,” Sebastian said, coming in from behind her. He placed a covered dish down, lifting its top, revealing her meal.
Walking to the other side of the table, he took a seat.

  “Sebastian, it looks delicious,” commented Arel as she bent over to inhale the aroma wafting above the roasted vegetables. For as long as she had remembered, she only ate plants, refraining from consuming the life force of another creature. Of late, her appetite had changed. There were moments where Arel craved nothing, forcing herself to swallow the green juices he made to nourish her body. Today she wanted something more, something filling.

  “Please,” replied Sebastian signaling for her to begin eating.

  Arel looked over at the empty space in front of Sebastian, a reminder that he could go days without eating. Part of her had wished he had kept up the pretense of eating at least when it came to meals with her. Raising the fork to her mouth, she savored the bite, purposefully chewing before slowly swallowing. It was an intentional act partly to see if her stomach would tolerate the food. The other part of her hoped to prolong the continuance of the conversation. There were many places he could have taken her, but he brought her here, and she had an idea of why.

  The plate half empty, she rested the fork on its edge, her belly full. Calmly she wiped the corners of her mouth before resting the napkin on top of her plate. Raising her eyes to Sebastian's, she rested her hands on her lap, waiting for him to begin.

  Sebastian sat across from her at attention, his medium frame perfectly motionless as he watched her conclude her meal. Satisfied she had finished; he placed an envelope on the table. Arel had not seen the manila sleeve before the dinner; it was only now that it caught her attention as Sebastian removed it from the chair next to him.

  “Your lawyer brought this to the apartment for you.”

  The apartment her brother James had built for the two of them she had not seen since the night of her attack. She knew what the documents were, she left the envelope there in between them resting on the table.

  “Don’t you want to open it?”

  “Is that why you brought me here, to give me this?”

  “No.”

  “Why are we here?”

  “You wanted to talk. There’s no one here for miles.”